USA made 6L6 identification

[merkaba22]

Recently, I just pulled some of the 6L6s from the Fender Studio Bass amp (w/6 6L6's @200 watts) that I bought for the ocassional bassist who might drop by and see that they are US made -- I can just make out the silk screened: "PhillipsECG ja" made in USA "AKH".

They look like these: 6L6GC Sylvania Philips ECG STR-387 6L6-GC Tubes NOS/NIB that I see on eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/6L6GC-Sylvania-...ctronics_R2?hash=item56380402c7#ht_3431wt_941

Sorry for the iPhone pic quality, but can any body identify these tubes, tone distinction/comparison, etc.?

 

[New Old School]

Slyvania "tall bottle" 6L6GC- probably 1970's because of the Phillips ECG label. These are the next best thing to the RCA "blackplate" 6L6GC, which is the supposed best sonically. They're not as common as the RCA, but they kill any modern Russian or Chinese tube.

Check the bottom of the page:
https://www.tubeworld.com/6l6gc.htm

I'll buy them off you if they work!

 

[davemccarthy707]

My personal opinion is that these are the best 6l6gc's ever built. Better than the RCA's and GE's.

 

[merkaba22]

Wow -- such great reviews! I was reading about the current offerings when something made get off my duff and see what was in there yesterday -- it's been a year since I bought it. How would you characterize these?

The SB uses 6 of these and 5 are good.

I have a newly acquired Concert (II) that they will go into. That leave another pair for reserve or for my Princeton Reverb II that has been modded to accept 6L6s.

Thanks again!

 

[merkaba22]

One more thought - I want to use them in my Concert (II) which presumably is biased for the Sovtek 5881WXT that came with when I bought it 10 days ago or so.

It will be until sometime next month that I can get the Concert in to be re-capped, etc and rebiased for the preferred Phillips 6L6's referenced above.

The question is whether the bias on these two different tubes are close enough for me to safely experiment with until I can take it in for a pro biasing?

 

[MartyStrat54]

The 5881 aka a 6L6WGB is just a short bottled 6L6. You should have no problem with the bias, although a 6L6GC has a higher dissipation it will still put out the wattage of the 5881's.

 

[merkaba22]

The 5881 aka a 6L6WGB is just a short bottled 6L6. You should have no problem with the bias, although a 6L6GC has a higher dissipation it will still put out the wattage of the 5881's.

That's kinda interesting because the 5881 extends about 4" from the chassis and the Phillips extends only 3.5" I know because I am trying to find out whether I can reduce the height of the head cab I building out of Concert (II) 2x10.

 

[rockon1]

The 5881 aka a 6L6WGB is just a short bottled 6L6. You should have no problem with the bias, although a 6L6GC has a higher dissipation it will still put out the wattage of the 5881's.

The Sovtek "5881* isnt a real 5881. Much closer to a 6L6GC but not exactly. Bob

 

[merkaba22]

So is a matched pair of Sylvania 5881 / 6L6WG with a current draw of 21.6 on a Hickok 539C for mutual conductance a good spec -- worth purchasing at a price for about $60 for a "matched pair"? And a good choice for my Concert (II)?

 

[rockon1]

So is a matched pair of Sylvania 5881 / 6L6WG with a current draw of 21.6 on a Hickok 539C for mutual conductance a good spec -- worth purchasing at a price for about $60 for a "matched pair"? And a good choice for my Concert (II)?

The plate voltage may be too high for real 5881's-at least on paper. Bob

 

[TweeDLX]

The plate voltage may be too high for real 5881's-at least on paper. Bob

Bob said it. My Concert II runs about 495-500VDC, and I wouldn't chance ruining a good set of tubes like that. I had some 6L6WGB's in it for a short while before pulling them for use in a lower voltage amp. I might use them in the Princeton II...

Mike

 

[merkaba22]

Bob said it. My Concert II runs about 495-500VDC, and I wouldn't chance ruining a good set of tubes like that. I had some 6L6WGB's in it for a short while before pulling them for use in a lower voltage amp. I might use them in the Princeton II...

Mike

Great idea for the PR II!

 

[jcs]

The Sylvania 5881/6l6wgb is still fairly abundant and can be bought in the $50-60 range easily.

The big bottle twin getter Sylvania 6l6gc is more rare and commands a higher price, i usually get $80-95 for any i sell and $150 or more for nos 7581 Sylvania (getting rare and very hard to find).