Tubes for Model T

[BornDead]

I am currently getting my red knob model t worked on. To me, it sounds way too bright and harsh. Wondering if anyone could throw any tube suggestions my way to help get a warmer sound out of it? or any suggestions at all really. it has electro 6550's in it now. I am also considering have the mid select eliminated.

Also, I've heard these heads take pedals well. My main pedal is an 80's RAT and it doesn't seem to take the pedal well at all. Any suggestions on why this could be?

[Isaac]

Odd. I've never heard of anyone say that their Model T was too bright. Maybe the speakers?

If it's not the speakers, first thing I'd do is turn down the treble. Try different positions on the mid selector switch. Maybe turn the bass up, but most guys seem to start with the tone controls all the way up, anyway.

The thing about the second generation Model T (2G) is that, even with the mid control at zero, there is always a mid boost. There's a way to change that, but it requires a slight mod to the amp.

[soberskipper]

Speakers +1

[BornDead]

I am using a standard Marshall 1960 straight cab

[stanner]

All Model Ts take a little/lot tweaking-no matter what-that said a RedKnob and a Rat were made in heaven to be together-my whole sound (h u g e) is based on this simple truth. yer welcome
stanosaur.com

[soberskipper]

Try turning all the volumes up all the way. Always works for me

[xsolarusx]

Stanner is dead right. It's like setting two friends up and they fall in love and never part. But an amp and a pedal. So yeah, best friends.

I have a 1st Gen Model T, with an 80's Small Box Rat, all through a late 70's Marshall 1960B cab (w/ a set of really nice G12T75s), and I've never had any issue with the harsh brightness (that sounds so goth). The speakers are a bit brighter than I was used to (having played through Sunn 612S cabs previously that were beautiful, but back-breaking), but definitely not harsh.

I've had Tung Sols, EHX, and Svetlana tubes in both the Ts I had over time, and yeah, never a problem.

I'm big on diming mids, bass, and rolling off the treble and the bright gain knobs a bit. You've got a 2nd Gen, so maybe work that mid-switch.

Maybe consider your pickups, as well? I have a Gibson Sonex with some pretty obnoxious pickups, and I get the least rad feedback from them. Speaking of which, anyone want to buy a Lefty Sonex?

[BornDead]

So, I just got my Model T back. I am a lot happier with the sound of the amp now but I am not 100% in love with it yet. I noticed right away that with the brite and normal volumes at 10 its less gainy than it was. I may just need to sit down and tweak everything some more. My neighbors might start to hate me.

I am coming from strictly playing JMP's and JCM 800's and never having played a Model T before so that might be why I was thinking it was way too bright. The Marshalls are very warm.

The tech that I brought it to is mainly a pedal builder but there's not a lot of techs in my area so this was his first attempt at a Sunn amp.

Here are some pictures of it: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.433966236709388.1073741826.208852935887387&type=3

Here's a link to a post he made on another forum asking for advice and explaining what he did: http://music-electronics-forum.com/t34524/

I'm big on diming mids, bass, and rolling off the treble and the bright gain knobs a bit. You've got a 2nd Gen, so maybe work that mid-switch.

Maybe consider your pickups, as well? I have a Gibson Sonex with some pretty obnoxious pickups, and I get the least rad feedback from them. Speaking of which, anyone want to buy a Lefty Sonex?

I printed out the pages for the mid select mod that are on the internet and gave them to him as a guide so that's done and the mid select is gone for now. I have noticed right away that bringing my mids up more than normal is helping out a bit though.

My set up with it would be the Model T, into a Marshall 1960 straight cab, an 80's RAT Pedal, and a Gibson LP Custom with Lace Wino Lifers in it. Any advice on some settings for the T?

[bandus]

Don't you think that the cab (if it's loaded with t75's) is too bright for you? I tried with 4-5 different amps with that kind of cab and it was way too harsh for my ears.

[BornDead]

I found some time to sit down and really crank the amp and open it up. Sounding very very close to what I want it to be. I think I just need to throw some fresh tubes in it, give it a bit more tweaking, and everything will sound like what I expected from this monster. I'm thinking about JJ ECC83S’s or Electro Harmonix 12ax7's and keeping the Electro 6550's that are in it for now because they still have a lot of life. Either way I am very glad that I picked one of these up.

[sunn-tanned]

The ole Tung Sols to me are the best tube for that amp, next I would go to Winged C's then JJ's.
Your cab needs some G12H30's or G12M25's, I like the 55hz the best. Next maybe G12-65's, V30's would be better than the GT12-75's they are pretty harsh. Once in a while you will find an old cab with 75's  that don't sound too bad but not often. They've always been loud harsh in our face speakers.