Model T tube prefs?

[doomfiend]

I just got a '74 T off of ebay and suspect I may have to change the tubes.  What do the T guys around here prefer?  I play in the stoner/doom vein, as I suspect more than one owner nowadays does.  I run a keeley modded metal zone through the front.  Brands?  6550 vs KT88?  Which pres?  Best prices to get the suggested tubes?

I guess that's about it.  Good to see the forum up!  It went down within 5 or 6 hours of me winning my ebay auction and before I got to come to it with questions and I was gettin worried.

[Infernal Doom Fanatic]

I just got a '74 T off of ebay and suspect I may have to change the tubes.  What do the T guys around here prefer?  I play in the stoner/doom vein, as I suspect more than one owner nowadays does.  I run a keeley modded metal zone through the front.  Brands?  6550 vs KT88?  Which pres?  Best prices to get the suggested tubes?

I guess that's about it.  Good to see the forum up!  It went down within 5 or 6 hours of me winning my ebay auction and before I got to come to it with questions and I was gettin worried.

Right now i'm running a matched quad of Mesa 6550's, depending on what kind of tubes are currently in the amp (6550's or KT88's) will determine what you should put in and if you want to bias it or not. If you're running KT88's you should replace them with a matched quad of that size and the same goes for 6550's, if you keep the same size tubes that are currently in the  T you shouldn't have to re-bias it. As far as tubes go, I highly reccomend JJ's tubes, they're made really well and inexpensive, email Bob and tell him the sound you're looking for and he will guide you. Here's a couple of links for him:

http://www.eurotubes.com/index.htm

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.php?page=view_products&category_id=3&sub_category_id=23

Hope this helps, I too play doom too, so it's always a pleasure to see another Model T convert.

[Anonymous]

-sigh-.  That was pretty much what I was expecting.  I was hoping there would be someway in hell that I could find the JJ's cheaper on some random hole in the wall page, cuz I'm breakin my bank already (I know, they aren't expensive amps, I'm just poor and tryin to save for that MatAmp 4x12).  

The powers are currently 70s Sylvania small bottle 6550s, but I'm gonna get a tech to rebias it for the KT88s.

[Infernal Doom Fanatic]

-sigh-.  That was pretty much what I was expecting.  I was hoping there would be someway in hell that I could find the JJ's cheaper on some random hole in the wall page, cuz I'm breakin my bank already (I know, they aren't expensive amps, I'm just poor and tryin to save for that MatAmp 4x12).  

The powers are currently 70s Sylvania small bottle 6550s, but I'm gonna get a tech to rebias it for the KT88s.

JJ's as it is are pretty cheap for the quality that you will be getting and they sound great, the KT's will sound great in your new T, did you buy the one on eBay that had all the sunn logos taken off and it says "Model X"?

As far as cabs go, the Matamp cabs are nice but really pricey, I suggest on shining on those and look into Avatar, they're half the price and just as good if not better and you can trick out your T.

http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

[Infernal Doom Fanatic]

-sigh-.  That was pretty much what I was expecting.  I was hoping there would be someway in hell that I could find the JJ's cheaper on some random hole in the wall page, cuz I'm breakin my bank already (I know, they aren't expensive amps, I'm just poor and tryin to save for that MatAmp 4x12).  

The powers are currently 70s Sylvania small bottle 6550s, but I'm gonna get a tech to rebias it for the KT88s.

JJ's as it is are pretty cheap for the quality that you will be getting and they sound great, the KT's will sound great in your new T, did you buy the one on eBay that had all the sunn logos taken off and it says "Model X"?

As far as cabs go, the Matamp cabs are nice but really pricey, I suggest on shining on those and look into Avatar, they're half the price and just as good if not better and the money you'll save will allow you to trick out your T.

http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

[Colossus76]

I have a '74 Model T with Electro Harmonix 6550's in it. I play in a doom/stoner type of band too. I run the Model T with a Matamp Black 4x12 and a '72 Sunn 215s. The setup sounds great to me. The EH tubes are pretty cheap and work well with the Model T. I have a quad of Mesa 6550's for a back up (those are cool too).

[doomfiend]

Yeah, I keep going back and forth between the long hard route of saving for the Matamp and the quicker way of getting the avatar.  And then this third path keeps tempting me where I get a Earcandy 2x12 buzzbomb and if that doesn't cut it (and I keep hearing that it most likely will), then get another 2x12 avatar to put on top if it doesn't cut.  But the matamps are so badass looking and they are definitely a known quantity.  And now the guys doing the american productino for matamp offer 6x12 cabs for only a couple of hundred bucks more than the 4x12s!  

The EH KTs are another group I've heard good things about, and are like 40 bucks cheaper than JJs in the right places.  Yeah, I know that 140 for JJs is still damn good for a quad of anything KT88, let alone something badass.

If you guys like the avatars (I'm guessing you're pretty pleased with your matamp stuff colossus), do you have any first hand (ear?) experience with the different speakers, like all the eminince patriot and redcoat stuff?  I've been looking at the Swamp Thangs and the Manowars.  Swamp things cuz they keep showing up in my research, and Manowars because the new Matamp cabs are using them now.

[doomfiend]

Oh, and yes, I did buy the "Model X"

[Colossus76]

if you still want a Matamp 4x12, they have a couple of used ones for $700 (still alot of cash).

www.matamp.com/usedgearsale.html

i'm looking for another 4x12 and I want to get a Sunn, Matamp or maybe an Avatar with the Swamp Thangs (those speakers are killer)

[doomfiend]

Hah!  I'm still saving up loot to get the T functional right now, and I think I wanna try one of these new Electric cabs that are getting made for MatAmp over here.

But have you actually heard the Swamp Thangs?  If so, what cab were they in, what amp was driving em, etc. if you can recall?  I'm still tryin to get more info on em.  And really any of the stuff in the Redcoat/Patriot series...

[Colossus76]

i heard them with a Marshall JCM800, i'm not sure what kind of cab it was, it was unmarked, but it looked like a Marshall 1960 straight or an Ampeg v-412 straight. I'm not a big Marshall fan, but those speakers sounded great with that head. Lot's of good low end. I've never heard any of the redcoat series. Those Electric cabs are cool, but they are pretty expensive, too. I'd love to have one of those 6x15 cabs, but i don't have $1899 to spend on a cab.

[doomfiend]

Nice, thanks for the info.  6x15 is a lot, but the 6x12 is like 700 less...

[Colossus76]

no problem, man. by the way, what band do you play with?

[doomfiend]

Well, my previous band was based out of Boone, NC and was called Nomotai, and we showed a bit of Stoner/Doom tendencies (http:\\www.myspace.com\nomotai, check out Life Support if your interested).  But that broke up after about a year and a half of playing around due to people moving away.  Now I live in Fayetteville NC and I just joined a band called Beer Wolf, which is more basically instrumental Southern Rock/Metal, but I still look to Doom for my tone and my writing is usually pretty sludgy.  The BeerWolf page is http://www.myspace.com/beerwolf or www.beerwolf.us (not updated as much), although the recordings are from before I joined.  They get some opening slots for WeedEater and Thunderlip, and have opened for Throttlerod, and supposedly we're gonna get an opening slot for Dixie Witch whenever they managed to get back through here again.  That's one of the reasons I'm finally gettin around to upgradin my gear, cuz I gotta hold my own against a lot of sound in this band.

Who do you play with?  I'm assuming that if you ponied up for a full stack of Matamp you gotta be doin something pretty badass with.