TAD 6L6: Difference between big and short bottles?

[michael patrick]

I wanted to try a set of TAD 6L6GCs in my JTM45 clone. What's the difference between the two 6L6s they make?

I'm a fan of the RCA blackplate 6L6 in that amp, do either of them come close?

[bbarnard]

My understanding of the two is that the big bottles are supposed to be closer to the RCAs. The small bottles are supposed to be more like GEs.

[slider313]

It has been my experience with both of these tube types that the small bottles give you mud and the bigger bottles give you more mud. I didn't like them at all. They break up way too soon and have poor note seperation. IMHO just another crappy tube from China. If early break up is what your looking for then these are the tubes for you.

[Sweet T]

I have a set of Tall and Short bottles. I didn't think they were muddy at all. I felt like the Tall bottles were *harder* and the short *softer." I feel like the Talls move toward 7581 sound and the Shorts move toward the 5881 sound. The shorts give up the goods quicker, that's for sure, but the Talls have a really tight bass while the shorts have a wider, albeit flabbier bass.

[Sweet T]

And you might want to post this over in the regular amp forum-more people will probably reply. I know Mike (aka Bluestrat) sells the TAD's at KCA Nos Tubes, and he could probably shed some light on this subject.

[HipKitty]

The 6L6GC TAD's are remarkable in their tone and response...certainly not "just another crappy tube from China", but not an exact equal to the real RCA Blackplate.

The 6L6WGC (short bottle) TAD's are different from their counterpart that can best be described as "twangy" versus "buttery" response of the 6L6GC's...also not another "crappy tube from China".

[teleman55]

I put some of the short ones in my '70 pro and they sounded great, a little on the twangy side, but I mean that in a good way, not a bad way, twangy, not overly bright or ice-picky. Then I found an old Sylvania tall bottle stuck away in the house a while ago, so had to find a match for that. that's what's in the amp now...sweet! But those short bottle TAD's are real nice. Tried JJ's but had quality issues (love their EL84s).

[jetlag]

The short bottles are a really nice sounding, soft, midrangey 6L6 that leans towards 5881 sound w/o the twang. I've used several pair almost all in tweed fenders. The tall bottle pair I tried was a very stiff sounding, clean 6L6 - on the 7581A side of things. If you want cleans and solid lows, it does that.

[michael patrick]

Thanks for your input. At $35 or so a pair, I might grab a set of each so I can see which I like better.

[doctorx]

They are not overly priced, so you can try them and see what you think.

I tried them both, the short bottles in my Bassman heads and the tall bottles in a Bassman 100 I rebuilt into a Showman like circuit.

I thought the short bottles sounded like ass. Thin, weak, with poor overdrive when cranked. Yes they were biased correctly.

The tall bottles were ok, but meh. I prefer JJ's.

And asking a guy who sells a certain brand of tubes if they are good is like asking a Chevy salesman if you should buy a Chevy or a Ford. What do you think he's going to say?

[vibroverbus]

And asking a guy who sells a certain brand of tubes if they are good is like asking a Chevy salesman if you should buy a Chevy or a Ford. What do you think he's going to say?

well... yes and no.

ask some guy (cough cough) who ONLY SELLS one brand, and you'll probably get that obvious answer...

but I know a couple guys who sell a wide range of tubes and willingly and honestly tell you the shortcomings of certain things in their inventory. and not based on what they make either, but based on good customer service as in 'if I BS you today you're not coming back tomorrow or next month or next year'.

[slider313]

Thanks for your input. At $35 or so a pair, I might grab a set of each so I can see which I like better.

You may want to put that money twords a set of SED, JJ or Tung Sol 6L6's. If your looking for a more British sound, the JJ's would be the way to go. I think they sound more like a KT66. The SED and Tung Sol tubes sound great in Fenders, the SED's more like an old Sylvania and the Tung Sol something like an old GE.