Gimme some tube drive!

[Jackmout]

I don't really like my TSA15H (15w all tube amp by Ibanez).

I may have the tubes going bad. Or they might just be cheap tubes, as they are all chinese. The thing that bothers me is that I dont get a cool clean sound, even though this amp hardly crunchs. But there is more: due to having lots of headroom, I cannot get tube drives! I try boosters, but that tone just doesnt sound like tube drive.

The amp has 2 12AX7s and 2 6V6s. Should I try better tubes? Have in mind that I enjoy a crunchy amp! Give me my tune!

HERE IS A VIDEO SAMPLE TO SHOW MY TONE RIGHT NOW: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uCbUjo7Tw0
(and do not bother criticising it. I know I need a lot of study if I want to play well. But I just like playing, not theory. So I keep sucking... At least I suck and deliver one thing only: feeling! At least for me.

Thanks and bye

 

[tibbon]

So the amp is neither clean, nor dirty, yet has a lot of headroom? I haven't played one of these myself. Have you put the tubes on a tester? How is that amp biased?

 

[Jackmout]

No, no!

The amp is clean, no matter what is the volume.
When I use boosters, it crancks.

The thing is: I do not like its clean sounds. And I dont like its crunch sounds.

 

[Blues Lyne]

No, no!

The amp is clean, no matter what is the volume.
When I use boosters, it crancks.

The thing is: I do not like its clean sounds. And I dont like its crunch sounds.

If that's the case, chances are you need a different amp. Tube changes can help to dial things in if you like the amps basic tone. But, I doubt they would take an amp from not liking anything about it to really liking it.

The tone in the video doesn't sound that bad to me, but all that matters is how it sounds to you.

 

[vintage66]

It doesn't sound that bad to me either, but the thing to know about this amp is, doesn't it basically have a tube screamer as it's preamp sound? Literally built into the circuit? If you don't like how a tube screamer sounds, you won't like the amp. I don't think changing tubes will have a drastic effect unless they're very worn out-did the sound change or has it always sounded the same?