Retubing a BFDR

Tele295 · June 26th, 2003, 02:30 PM

I've never retubed this thing in the 13 years I've owned it. It's sounding a little weak, so I think it's time for a retube. What does everybody recommend, and where's a good place to buy them? I run 6L6's in the power section for better headroom and beefier tone.

Marky D. · June 30th, 2003, 12:32 AM

I ran some STR415 and Sovtek 5881 wafer base 6L6s in mine for a while. After I did a cap job (filter caps, bypass caps, some coupling caps), and a more efficient speaker, I tried the 6L6's again along w/ some EH 6V6s. The 6V's seemed to have more character in the rejuvenated amp and the amp had plenty of volume. So, I left 'em in. I used a Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier and a SS plug in rectifier w/ the 6L6's.

I would like to try some Svetlana 6L6's in my BFDR someday though.

Good luck!

Drak · June 30th, 2003, 12:55 AM

I'm no tech, but common sense says it would be nice to have it serviced about now instead of just popping a new set of tubes in it.

Worn out/drifted caps and resistors and whatnots can be much cheaper to replace than a complete re-tube.

Personally, I bought a LOT of used and NOS 12__7 tubes off of e-Bay a few years ago, and am set for years to come for those. I just kept watching and struck when the good deals presented themselves.

But I shell out the 'good' money for power tubes by buying NOS, either G.E's or RCA's or JAN 7581A's, something along those lines. That's how I go about it.

So I like used, (cheap), great quality pre-tested brand-name pre-amp tubes, and NOS power tubes, and a good servicing every so often.

Tim Swartz · June 30th, 2003, 01:02 AM

I agree w/ drak, good brand name used preamp tubes and NOS power tubes is a hard to beat combination. I disagree about having the amp serviced, if it has been 13 years, and the amp is played regularly, the output tubes are the problem and need replaced.

Tele295 · July 1st, 2003, 02:59 PM

The amp did have a cap job 10-11 years ago.

June 26th, 2003, 02:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Haunted Amp, CA Posts: 3,479 14 Photos	Retubing a BFDR I've never retubed this thing in the 13 years I've owned it. It's sounding a little weak, so I think it's time for a retube. What does everybody recommend, and where's a good place to buy them? I run 6L6's in the power section for better headroom and beefier tone. __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

June 30th, 2003, 12:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
Marky D. Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Age: 47 Posts: 314	BFDR tubes I ran some STR415 and Sovtek 5881 wafer base 6L6s in mine for a while. After I did a cap job (filter caps, bypass caps, some coupling caps), and a more efficient speaker, I tried the 6L6's again along w/ some EH 6V6s. The 6V's seemed to have more character in the rejuvenated amp and the amp had plenty of volume. So, I left 'em in. I used a Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier and a SS plug in rectifier w/ the 6L6's. I would like to try some Svetlana 6L6's in my BFDR someday though. Good luck!

July 1st, 2003, 02:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Haunted Amp, CA Posts: 3,479 14 Photos	The amp did have a cap job 10-11 years ago. __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

June 30th, 2003, 12:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
Drak Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: DC 'Burbs Age: 47 Posts: 447	I'm no tech, but common sense says it would be nice to have it serviced about now instead of just popping a new set of tubes in it. Worn out/drifted caps and resistors and whatnots can be much cheaper to replace than a complete re-tube. Personally, I bought a LOT of used and NOS 12__7 tubes off of e-Bay a few years ago, and am set for years to come for those. I just kept watching and struck when the good deals presented themselves. But I shell out the 'good' money for power tubes by buying NOS, either G.E's or RCA's or JAN 7581A's, something along those lines. That's how I go about it. So I like used, (cheap), great quality pre-tested brand-name pre-amp tubes, and NOS power tubes, and a good servicing every so often.

June 30th, 2003, 01:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
Tim Swartz Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Michigan - Tweenst the Great Lakes Posts: 1,904	I agree w/ drak, good brand name used preamp tubes and NOS power tubes is a hard to beat combination. I disagree about having the amp serviced, if it has been 13 years, and the amp is played regularly, the output tubes are the problem and need replaced.