6L6WGC vs 6L6GC

[Ash Telecaster]

Hi,

I have a PR266 '94 Twin. the owners manual says I should use 6L6WGC power tubes. I believe the "W"GC simply means it is a "short" bottle vs a normal size tube.

Other than size is there any difference between the "W"GC and the GC?

Can my Twin use a 6L6GC?

There seem to be many letter designations on different 6L6 tubes. Is this just a mfg thing and they are all really just 6L6's?


Thanks for the help!

[spankdplank]

I have a 70 TR and have used all sorts of 6L6 and 5881 tubes over the years without any problems, uncluding 6L6 GC.

[firemedic]

The 6L6GC would be the one to use; IIRC the "W" designation means it's pretty much a 5881 which Ithink doesn't like quite as high plate voltages, which you come close to in a Twin. However spank has used 5881s with no problem & that's not real surprising.

A true "6L6", with no extra designation, is an old version of the GC and can't handle as much current or voltage. But they have not been made for decades & you're unlikely to find them anyway.

With old tubes it made a difference but now the manufacturers just add meaningless letters ,"EH", to the designation as a sales gimmick.

Make sure you bias the thing when you change tubes.

[uriah1]

Just don't use the GB...pretty wimpy version

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks! Seems the GC's are more commonplace than the WGC's on some sales sites.

Does the name brand really make much of a differnce. I read some post that said "Sovtech suck and are terrible tubes" and others say "Groovetubes are just rebranded Sovetechs".

Never thought shopping for tubes would be this complicated!

[Wally]

Groove tubes,,,just like Ruby....'brands' the tubes that are simply Sovteks, JJ's, etc. The only GT tube that is a true Groove Tube-built tube is the 6L6GC tha is a copy of the old Sylvania 387, IIRC. GT builds part of that tube here in the U.S. and ships that to China for the final assembly. GT is now owned by FEnder, and that may well be the tube that FEnder uses in the TRRI???
Imho, Winged C's are the best 6L6's tubes curretnly in production...and they are priced above the rest, also. IF I had a TR, I would run Winged C's in it. The biasing advice is good advice.

RE: "Sovteks suck"..... You are likely to read anything and everything on the internet.... Much of that 'such and such tube sucks' can be traced to the biasing. Any tube can sound lousy or self-detruct if the particulars are not tended to when retubing. I have never had a serious problem with Sovtek tubes.

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks Dr Wally,

What is "Winged C"?

[Wally]

Ash, Winged C is another tube manufacturer. At one time, they were Svetlana. Mike Mattews of ElectroHarmonix ...Sovtek....bought the Svetlana name. So, now there are Svetlana tubes which are not built in that factory in Svetlana. The Winged C is the tube that is built in Svetlana...as I understand it. IF you want Winged C tubes, buy Winged C....not Svetlana.

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks again Dr Wally.

[Opaltone]

6L6WGC is a Sovtek designation for their 6L6GC. The "W" was classicly a military designation for a more rugged version of a tube, though it is doubtful that Sovtek used it correctly.

6L6GC is what that amp will take, and there are many choices.

6L6WGB is the designation for 5881, which, in its originally-designed form, dissipates less current than a 6L6GC.

FWIW: 6L6WGA is a 5932; it and other 6L6 variants (6L6, 6L6G, 6L6GA, 6L6GAY, 6L6GB) are rated to dissipate lower current than 6L6GC, and probably would not hold up in the amp in question.

Hope that helps.

- Thom

[Ash Telecaster]

Thom, that is great information. It's funny how many desiginations there are and how confused people seem to be about them...including myself. Some post I read said the "W" meant it was a short bottle and since the physical dimensions were different I figured it matered but found it more challenging to find them.

It's great to know the GC are what I need.

Thanks for your help!

[ATubes]

I'd sugggest the Winged C SED 6L6. It's a very strong tube with plenty of clean power. We put them in plentyof amps with no issues and people love the clean power.

[Ash Telecaster]

Thanks AT!