New Groove Re-Issues?

[mickeyd415]

Has anyone tried the new Groove Tubes 6L6GE's and/or the 12AX7-M "Mullard" Re-Issue? Any comments as to comparison of the NOS tubes?

 

[TheAmpNerd]

Originally posted by Old Tele man
POINT to PONDER:

..."re-issue" means to "issue" AGAIN...but, to my MIL-STD knowledge, no NOS-6L6GC tubes were ever ISSUED from China. So, obviously, there cannot be any such thing as a "re-issue" 6L6GC from China, when there NEVER was a NOS 6L6GC made in China in the first place!

If I didn't know better I'd say you were a grumpy Old Tele Man. : )

 

[Blue Strat]

Good point OTM.

However, these are the first "reissues" which have internal structures which even appear to be similar to the originals.

I carry both items and my customers have had good experiences 95+ % of the time.

As always, there's no consensus on tone.

 

[mickeyd415]

Sorry Old Tele Man, but I didn't relaize that using the word "re-issue" ,which is what Groove Tubes proclaims these to be, would upset you so much. Perhaps I should have said "new tubes sold by Groove that are supposedly exactly like the old GE 6L6 and the old Mullard 12AX7's." I am not trying to be difficult but I was just looking for some opinions. Thank you.

 

[hasserl]

Well, all of that aside I have tried the GT12AX7M and did a back to back comparison with a NOS Mullard 12AX7 and found the GT to have VERY similiar tonal qualities as teh MUllard. It seemed to have a bit less gain than the Mullard, but the frequency response was just about the same, a very full frequency response. Not thin and shrill, not dark and murky, but a very even full response. IMO a very nice tube. Not the same as a real Mullard, but very nice all the same. Unfortunately they are rather pricey, but, again IMO they are worth the price. For the V1 position this tube is my favorite of all current production tubes by far.

I've read a couple of threads where some people have had quality issues with these tubes. Maybe Blue Strat could respond on what his experience has been with complaints about this.

 

[hasserl]

BTW, I understood that the 6L6GC was being made in the states, right here in the golden state of California. Not China. Is that not correct?

 

[GuitarNorton]

I got mine from Lord Valve who tests his tiubes very well before shipping them so I haven't had the quality issue. I don't have any Mullard's so I can't compare them, but every amp I put the GT's in it sounds like it has no gain, nice clean sounding preamp tube if thats what your looking for. Anyone else have this experience?

 

[Blue Strat]

I agree that they're not quite Mullards (sonically), but at 1/5th the price of NOS Mullards.....

I get about 1 to 2 % fall out in testing which is about typical of the BEST new production tubes (which doesn't include ECC83s from the Czech Republic).

About 95% of my customers have liked them which is way better than average for ANYTHING that's related to guitar tone.

The jury is still out on long term reliability as they haven't been in production very long.

 

[Igneous]

iVE GOT THREE OF THESE.

They all sound mint, but not together. WAAAYYY too much gain. Its my amp of course(XXX)

I dont see how people can say they have little gain.

Are this many peop lreally getting a bad tube??? I find that hard to believe.


Ive got a plethora of different Mullards to compare them to and these sound Very similar. Not as much "honk" as a mullard and there is a difference, but very close.

Im betting that most people couldnt tell the diff. anyway but them is fightin' words....

Also, the gt's dont react the way a mullard does when its pushed, thats why its a mullard.

In summation, its a great subsitute if you want a strong tube in that slot.

 

[Igneous]

dude actually, there not a 5th the price of a general NOS Mullard ax7.

but the master series will catch a good pennie. Ive heard there isnt much difference between them though.

I just saw ONE sell on ebay for 136.00-damn, it was at 32 just a second ago....

 

[hasserl]

Originally posted by Blue Strat
I agree that they're not quite Mullards (sonically), but at 1/5th the price of NOS Mullards.....

I get about 1 to 2 % fall out in testing which is about typical of the BEST new production tubes (which doesn't include ECC83s from the Czech Republic).

About 95% of my customers have liked them which is way better than average for ANYTHING that's related to guitar tone.

The jury is still out on long term reliability as they haven't been in production very long.

Thanks Mike

 

[Blue Strat]

Originally posted by Igneous
dude actually, there not a 5th the price of a general NOS Mullard ax7.

I guess that depends on where you're finding your NOS Mullards and whether they're REALLY NOS or not.

 

[Igneous]

True, Ive found both. but have definitely gotten a strong few for 30-50 each. Some duds as well...

 

[Red Planet]

Anyone that resorts in half truths or not telling all the story dosnet get a dime of my money. Thats what theese guys do. They make claims that arent exactly the hole truth and leave out enuff info so you fill in the blanks.

I dont care what those tubes sound like. No dice for those with the long noses.

 

[kingsxman]

I have purchased a GT 12ax7m AND some of the new GT GE6CA7E power tubes. (El34's).

First, I purchased them from Blue Strat (Mike). And I just want you to know that he really stands behind his products. You cant go wrong with Mike. NOw, the 12ax7m is really an excellant tube. I do NOT have a NOS Mullard to compare it to, (wish I did..) but I was able to side by side it to a Sovtek, Chinese ECC83, EH12ax7 and a JJ ECC83. The 12ax7m simply sounded great compared to the others. For one, there was a buttery warmness to the tube that the others didnt have. You also could hear the individual notes in a chord ringing out better than with the other tubes. To me, when I compared the 12ax7m, there almost was a 3D type quality to the sound. It really was heads and tails over the others IMHO. I was testing this in a Marshall JCM 800 2205.

I compared the GE6CA7E to a set of new Svets that I had borrowed. THere wasnt a huge differnce in sound, but overall the GT's had, once again, a warmness to them and a little bit fatter sound. I DID however have an issue with the power tubes after runnign them for 2 gigs. Mike stood behind the tubes and new ones arrived shortly. It's possible the problem is the amp and its going to the shop tomorrow for checking. BUt I really think that I got one of the 2% that failed.

All in all, I really like this particular series. And I'm not much of a Groove Tube fan. I'm debating on ordering another 12ax7m to see how 2 of them sound in my amp. I did NOT notice a large increase in gain however. Maybe that is a difference in how each one reacts to different amps.

 

[SteveG]

I guess that depends on where you're finding your NOS Mullards and whether they're REALLY NOS or not.

OK, not real NOS, but I get my Mullards out of old tape machines I buy for about £3 at 'car boot sales' (US- swapmeets).

If anyone comes out with a new ECC83 that can beat that price, I'll be able to afford new ones!

-Steve

 

[Red Planet]

Hell whats wrong with a good ol fashioned set of JJ's.

 

[kingsxman]

Red, there's nothing wrong with a set of JJ's. However, we seem to go to extremes to find good tone for our guitar setup. So a GT 12ax7m is a little over times the price of a JJ. thats still only about $13 a tube. Pretty small potatos when you look at what we spend overall on $2500 amps, etc.

 

[Greggy]

I've heard a lot of disagreement over the 12ax7m. I bought 2 from KCA. In my rivera and hellhound I found the tube rather pedestrian in tone, nothing special but adequate. The tube rounded off the top end and was warm yet unfocused and midrangey in those amps. But V1 of my Soul-O 45 is another story altogether. The tube smokes in the way it attenuates the grainy high end of a distortion/overdrive pedal. Smooth is the word, and I like it alot. Gotta find the right application for this tube, when you do it's a very good valve.