I -- have a RETUBED MEsa ;)

eSGEe

eSGEe

Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
Country flag
WEll-- Hackmaster and I were talking and I realized the MESA had not had a full on all matching TUBE CHANGE in several years--

so I ponied up the change jar -- and a credit card-- and donated some blood ---- AND WHAMO

a FOOL set of matching and biased and PIXI DUSTED and what the heck ever else has to go into a PROPER set of MESA tubes-- 150.00!!!---then I saved a but laod and went to reverb and got a set of JJ's same biaseseses or WTF ever and ordered those--

they came today I had a nice CLEAN and flip---and -- well after a bit of testing -- and compressor dicking about with (see other thread) ----

I discovered ---

THIS is MY TONE -- wow--

mesa_boogie_f30_price_lowered_1529677016_93efa9f7.jpg


Happy camper -- its always a good day when something you love-- gets EVEN BETTER!
 
eSGEe said:
WEll-- Hackmaster and I were talking and I realized the MESA had not had a full on all matching TUBE CHANGE in several years--

so I ponied up the change jar -- and a credit card-- and donated some blood ---- AND WHAMO

a FOOL set of matching and biased and PIXI DUSTED and what the heck ever else has to go into a PROPER set of MESA tubes-- 150.00!!!---then I saved a but laod and went to reverb and got a set of JJ's same biaseseses or WTF ever and ordered those--

they came today I had a nice CLEAN and flip---and -- well after a bit of testing -- and compressor dicking about with (see other thread) ----

I discovered ---

THIS is MY TONE -- wow--

mesa_boogie_f30_price_lowered_1529677016_93efa9f7.jpg


Happy camper -- its always a good day when something you love-- gets EVEN BETTER!
Click to expand...

Don't mean to be a Party Pooper but... What kind of guarantees, if any, on the purchase of those JJ's?

Did the $150 get you 4 Mesa preamp tubes? And a pair of JJ EL84s where more money? Or the whole excursion was $150?
 
eSGEe said:
WEll-- Hackmaster and I were talking and I realized the MESA had not had a full on all matching TUBE CHANGE in several years--

so I ponied up the change jar -- and a credit card-- and donated some blood ---- AND WHAMO

a FOOL set of matching and biased and PIXI DUSTED and what the heck ever else has to go into a PROPER set of MESA tubes-- 150.00!!!---then I saved a but laod and went to reverb and got a set of JJ's same biaseseses or WTF ever and ordered those--

they came today I had a nice CLEAN and flip---and -- well after a bit of testing -- and compressor dicking about with (see other thread) ----

I discovered ---

THIS is MY TONE -- wow--

mesa_boogie_f30_price_lowered_1529677016_93efa9f7.jpg


Happy camper -- its always a good day when something you love-- gets EVEN BETTER!
Click to expand...

I can't hear it...
 
syscokid said:
Don't mean to be a Party Pooper but... What kind of guarantees, if any, on the purchase of those JJ's?

Did the $150 get you 4 Mesa preamp tubes? And a pair of JJ EL84s where more money? Or the whole excursion was $150?
Click to expand...
30 days purchased from Audio Tubes Direct--

the 150 set was mesa "branded" tubes yes--

the JJs are
JJ Tube Upgrade Kit For Mesa Boogie F30 & Transatlantic 15 Amps EL84 ECC83S

(2) Matched JJ EL84 power tubes
(3) JJ ECC83S preamp tubes
(1) "Gain Balanced" JJ ECC83S preamp tube (phase inverter) marked with yellow "Balanced Triodes" Sticker

Audio Tubes Direct is an Authorized Tung-Sol, Electro-Harmonix, Genalex, Mullard, Sovtek, Svetlana & JJ Electronic Dealer. Imported from Slovakia, these brand new tubes have been fully tested on the industry's most reliable, voltage controlled testing equipment and exceed all manufacturer's specifications. They are guaranteed from the manufacturer to be new and free from any defects in materials or craftsmanship and are backed by our 30 Day Warranty. For sets that include a balanced preamp tube, the balanced tube will be marked with a yellow "balanced triodes" sticker.

Ive heard some mention recently on other forums-while researching said purchase- (obviously Mesa doesnt make tubes) and that they were using Russian tubes rebranded-- but have changed to CHinese tubes---

I felt like -- why pay 150 for possibly chinese tubes---when 80 gets me JJ's which Ive not had reason to complain about before and seem good kit--


The amp gets used almost daily-- sometimes 2 hours or more at a clip---(I start noodling and lose track of time) -- it isnt gigged or banged about -- so seemed the cheaper models a better fit the same set were offered by Eurotubes--for 3.00 more PLUS freight from Oregon-- these came in 2 days from SC. free freight---
 
eSGEe said:
30 days purchased from Audio Tubes Direct--

the 150 set was mesa "branded" tubes yes--

the JJs are
JJ Tube Upgrade Kit For Mesa Boogie F30 & Transatlantic 15 Amps EL84 ECC83S

(2) Matched JJ EL84 power tubes
(3) JJ ECC83S preamp tubes
(1) "Gain Balanced" JJ ECC83S preamp tube (phase inverter) marked with yellow "Balanced Triodes" Sticker

Audio Tubes Direct is an Authorized Tung-Sol, Electro-Harmonix, Genalex, Mullard, Sovtek, Svetlana & JJ Electronic Dealer. Imported from Slovakia, these brand new tubes have been fully tested on the industry's most reliable, voltage controlled testing equipment and exceed all manufacturer's specifications. They are guaranteed from the manufacturer to be new and free from any defects in materials or craftsmanship and are backed by our 30 Day Warranty. For sets that include a balanced preamp tube, the balanced tube will be marked with a yellow "balanced triodes" sticker.

Ive heard some mention recently on other forums-while researching said purchase- (obviously Mesa doesnt make tubes) and that they were using Russian tubes rebranded-- but have changed to CHinese tubes---

I felt like -- why pay 150 for possibly chinese tubes---when 80 gets me JJ's which Ive not had reason to complain about before and seem good kit--


The amp gets used almost daily-- sometimes 2 hours or more at a clip---(I start noodling and lose track of time) -- it isnt gigged or banged about -- so seemed the cheaper models a better fit the same set were offered by Eurotubes--for 3.00 more PLUS freight from Oregon-- these came in 2 days from SC. free freight---
Click to expand...

I get tubes from the Keebler Elves. I have boxes of the damn things....all my tone experimenting on the Marshall DSl40C...
 
eSGEe said:
I felt like -- why pay 150 for possibly chinese tubes---when 80 gets me JJ's which Ive not had reason to complain about before and seem good kit--
Click to expand...
Ok... See if I got this right: Your Mesa F-30 has 4x 12AX7's and 2x EL84s. $150 for a full set of Mesa tubes. $80 for a full set of JJs... Right?

JJs are made in Slovakia. They use some of the old tooling machines from the original Czechoslovakia Tesla factory.

MESA does not make tubes, but sources their tubes from JJ (Slovakia), from Shuguang (China), from New Sensor Corp (Russia). New Sensor Corp makes the modern EH, Tungsol, Sovtek, & Mullard tubes. MESA rebrands only the tubes that pass their quality check. A 50% fail rate is probably not uncommon! MESA also builds their amps around modern tube production.

I was looking for info to confirm what MESA is using for their SPAX7s (Premium 12AX7'S), and ran into this article:
Maury's Blog - Maury's Music

There's a section in that article that reminds me of you: "However, there are still some factors of a tube’s performance that only a human (with a hammer) can properly analyze. After passing tests for noise and microphonics, then comes the MESA hammer test."

Anyways, good luck with the JJ's. Hopefully Audio Tubes Direct filters their tubes well. Frankly, I do not like JJ's. Like putting on a set of knobby-dirt tires on a Ferrari!
 
syscokid said:
Ok... See if I got this right: Your Mesa F-30 has 4x 12AX7's and 2x EL84s. $150 for a full set of Mesa tubes. $80 for a full set of JJs... Right?

JJs are made in Slovakia. They use some of the old tooling machines from the original Czechoslovakia Tesla factory.

MESA does not make tubes, but sources their tubes from JJ (Slovakia), from Shuguang (China), from New Sensor Corp (Russia). New Sensor Corp makes the modern EH, Tungsol, Sovtek, & Mullard tubes. MESA rebrands only the tubes that pass their quality check. A 50% fail rate is probably not uncommon! MESA also builds their amps around modern tube production.

I was looking for info to confirm what MESA is using for their SPAX7s (Premium 12AX7'S), and ran into this article:
Maury's Blog - Maury's Music

There's a section in that article that reminds me of you: "However, there are still some factors of a tube’s performance that only a human (with a hammer) can properly analyze. After passing tests for noise and microphonics, then comes the MESA hammer test."

Anyways, good luck with the JJ's. Hopefully Audio Tubes Direct filters their tubes well. Frankly, I do not like JJ's. Like putting on a set of knobby-dirt tires on a Ferrari!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't want to bang on your choice of tubes but I have to agree with Sysco. Nothing sounds better in a Mesa than Mesa-branded tubes in my experience. I've tried everything and they are the best-sounding, most consistent and longest-lasting I have run across, including NOS. They are worth the money.
 
Well I am guessing the matched JJ's are going to be better than the previous 2 MESA tubes 1 fender tube and 1 Electro Harmonix -- with two very old and very faded JJ's in the EL 84 area.....and at the present it was either keep running that (which honestly had started to sound a little "off"-- ) or go the $80 set and save the additional $70 plus freight,

these are supposed to be a little "tamer" than the original (which is fine with me this thing has more gain than I will ever use) and are "guaranteed" for this model -- to be properly biased etc.

and for my non gigging non recording non pro life where the volume knob NEVER goes above 1.5 (unless I use the attenuation) ---I am sure they will last me many happy years---

IF for some reason they do not then the information is noted and I will go with full on MEAS only tubes next change-- -which for me could be 5-10 years

But for now I REALLY like the way the thing sounds its more balanced and the cleans are so shimmering and lovely I just STRUM a chord and sit--- and LISTEN to it ---- its like I can SEE the sound its so wonderful---

So--HAPPY CAMPER--
 
eSGEe said:
Well I am guessing the matched JJ's are going to be better than the previous 2 MESA tubes 1 fender tube and 1 Electro Harmonix -- with two very old and very faded JJ's in the EL 84 area.....and at the present it was either keep running that (which honestly had started to sound a little "off"-- ) or go the $80 set and save the additional $70 plus freight,

these are supposed to be a little "tamer" than the original (which is fine with me this thing has more gain than I will ever use) and are "guaranteed" for this model -- to be properly biased etc.

and for my non gigging non recording non pro life where the volume knob NEVER goes above 1.5 (unless I use the attenuation) ---I am sure they will last me many happy years---

IF for some reason they do not then the information is noted and I will go with full on MEAS only tubes next change-- -which for me could be 5-10 years

But for now I REALLY like the way the thing sounds its more balanced and the cleans are so shimmering and lovely I just STRUM a chord and sit--- and LISTEN to it ---- its like I can SEE the sound its so wonderful---

So--HAPPY CAMPER--
Click to expand...

For what it's worth I change out the power tubes in any EL-84 amp once a year. It's relatively cheap insurance and I am always shocked at how much better the amp sounds after I do it even though it's only been that long. Preamp tubes only get changed when they start going bad.
 
eSGEe said:
But for now I REALLY like the way the thing sounds its more balanced and the cleans are so shimmering and lovely I just STRUM a chord and sit--- and LISTEN to it ---- its like I can SEE the sound its so wonderful---

So--HAPPY CAMPER--
Click to expand...
Well, in that case... Congratulations. That's what it is all about... :cheers:

But yeah, those EL84s are taking a severe beating if MESA has designed its circuit with high plate voltages. The phase inverter "preamp" tube, too. Fresh compared to old should obviously make a difference.

BTW.... Chinese tubes are in no way inferior to the Russian/Slovakia products.
 
noted---

and like I Say this thing is getting LIGHT use -- so cheapo (if it sounds good ) should be fine for my needs-- but -- again to set a BASE line and get everything "to spec" so to sepak and even and level -- now I can go from here and test OTHER waters in future
 
Yup... Those EL84s in your F-30 are being pushed hard. Keep a good eye, ears, and nose on it. Just found a proper schematic for the F30. 400 volts to the plates of those power tubes. The JJ EL84 datasheet shows a 300 volt limit to the plates. Not unusual for manufacturers to design circuits like this, though. Better keep a spare pair... :wink:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top