List of Tubes viable for Guitar Amps?

[FingerMyFrets]

Is there any definitive list of tubes that can be easily used for guitar amp builds? Got a ton of random tubes recently and wanna figure out what I should keep. I know I can do research one by one but I'm hoping there's some condensed guide already floating around somewhere.

 

[Tim S]

Or… you could list what you have and folks (who know more than me) can tell you what can work in an amp build.

 

[D'tar]

Surely not absolute with uncommon obscure potentials but you can see many here....

Catalog's Front Page | KCA NOS Tubes & Amplifier Repair

Resources | KCA NOS Tubes & Amplifier Repair

 

[NTC]

Trouble is, there are a lot of tube types that are not typically used in guitar amps that are actually quite suitable.

 

[FingerMyFrets]

Or… you could list what you have and folks (who know more than me) can tell you what can work in an amp build.

I'm going through them tonight and I'll make a list of what I got. Thanks!

 

[Tim S]

I'm going through them tonight and I'll make a list of what I got. Thanks!

Cool. I would be surprised if some amp builders here don’t chime in with a “I used one of those in an amp before”.

This could turn into an interesting thread — more like a challenge. “What can you build with these tubes?”

 

[El Famoso]

I'm always interested to see what obscure tubes folks have used on amp builds. There's a ton of flea watt stuff in hi-fi circles. Always thought it would be cool to make a little bedroom amp like that, but I'd probably need a bit of playing with a tone stack to make it sound good.

Excited to see where this goes when a list is posted.

 

[tubedude]

If you're building, you can use most anything with a little creativity.
Start by ruling out tubes with oddball filament voltages. It will make sourcing transformers easier if you stick to 6 or 12 volt tubes. Then look at the data sheets to group them by type, (rectifier, power, small signal), then of the power and small signal types separate the triode, dual triodes, and pentodes. A look at the data sheet should let you know the mu of the tube, transconductance, heater current, and other parameters to choose which tubes to use to make a build.
P.S. TDSL2duncanamps.com will give you access to tube data sheets.

 

[Blrfl]

Trouble is, there are a lot of tube types that are not typically used in guitar amps that are actually quite suitable.

I have a friend who designs and builds tube amps for hi-fi and pretty much specializes in oddball tubes. Inexpensive glass bottles are always in good supply.

He keeps threatening to design a guitar amp for me and one of these days I'm going take him up on it.

 

[warchol]

If you are building, or updating for that matter, there are several types of popular tubes cheaply available (for now) that differ only in heater voltage. For example, if you are willing to wire sockets for 5V heaters, there is the 5V6GT which is the same as the 6V6GT.
Since many amps have 5V windings on the power tranny, it is not too difficult. Replace rectifier tube with Weber Copper top and you have plenty of current for output heaters.
YMMV

 

[eljefe3126]

I'm an electrical engineer. I could probably design an amp around any suitable tube in the book. But when I play around with "new" tube designs, I limit my choices to what is available in the local guitar shop. My thoughts are, if I ever develop something that I'm serious about marketing, it's useless to a gigging musician if they can't run out and get a replacement tube before their next gig. And yes, Amazon Prime just can't get it done in time, every time. So, that's what I'd look into.

 

[erobillard]

Easy place to start: the top menu at The Tube Store (.com) lists the common codes for pre-amp, power and rectifier tubes.

 

[archetype]

If you're building, you can use most anything with a little creativity.
Start by ruling out tubes with oddball filament voltages. It will make sourcing transformers easier if you stick to 6 or 12 volt tubes. Then look at the data sheets to group them by type, (rectifier, power, small signal), then of the power and small signal types separate the triode, dual triodes, and pentodes. A look at the data sheet should let you know the mu of the tube, transconductance, heater current, and other parameters to choose which tubes to use to make a build.
P.S. TDSL2duncanamps.com will give you access to tube data sheets.

That's good, concise info.

OTOH, a separate 5 Volt filament transformer opens up a world of possiblities, like using dirt cheap and plentiful 5V6GT tubes in the output stage instead of typically expensive 6V6GTs. I've got a pair of 5V6GTs waiting for a build (that will probably never happen, given everything else going on).

 

[NTC]

I'm an electrical engineer. I could probably design an amp around any suitable tube in the book. But when I play around with "new" tube designs, I limit my choices to what is available in the local guitar shop. My thoughts are, if I ever develop something that I'm serious about marketing, it's useless to a gigging musician if they can't run out and get a replacement tube before their next gig. And yes, Amazon Prime just can't get it done in time, every time. So, that's what I'd look into.

If one is designing a product, of course you should only use components that are readily available and in production. For the hobbyist, there are lots more options.

 

[Esquier]

6AQ5 is a neat 7-pin cousin of 6BQ5. 6AQ5 is supposed to have a lot of potential. Gibson used some strange ones in the output section. A large nude one with the skinny pins sticking out like a preamp tube

 

[archetype]

6AQ5 is a neat 7-pin cousin of 6BQ5. 6AQ5 is supposed to have a lot of potential. Gibson used some strange ones in the output section. A large nude one with the skinny pins sticking out like a preamp tube

New band name: Nude Tubes

Fee Waybill's next band.

 

[Gary135r]

Is there any definitive list of tubes that can be easily used for guitar amp builds? Got a ton of random tubes recently and wanna figure out what I should keep. I know I can do research one by one but I'm hoping there's some condensed guide already floating around somewhere.

Don't get rid of any with the shortage that has arrived. They probably skyrocket in price like used cars.

 

[printer2]

Just post the tube names on here and you will get a Y or N. Mind you there are maybe's. Just depends on how creative you want to get.

There is no reason to be stuck with 6V heaters if you are not putting them into a mass market amp. Take the amp I made with 12AB5 output tubes. These are 6V6's shoved into a 9 pin bottle and were marketed for automotive use. The heater voltage is 12.6V but since the voltage in a car could have varied by a lot they were built to accept a wider range than normal tube. They are only listed as having a plate voltage of 315V, same as the 6V6. Whereas the 6AQ5 (5/12AQ5) can only take a handful of higher voltage than it is listed for the 12AB5 has been used up to 420V in Class AB by Harman Kardon making 25W. Mind you they were not run into distortion the way we do, I have used them in a Bassman type of build with 390V on them with them cranked and no sparks flying.

Then there is the 6/8/15CW5 that comes in 6,8,15V heaters and are a lower voltage EL84, the plates are much bigger, the screen voltage can only take about 180V but the plates can easily do 360V. I have almost completely tossed the idea of using AC for heaters and the same for high voltage and would rather use lap top power supplies to feed the amp. Not your normal paint by numbers thing how most building their own amps though. Here is a tool to see if your power tube can be 'easily' used for a home brew guitar amp. If the tube number is on the list the LLC can help try to figure out how to use it (it is not perfect but gives an indication).

Universal loadline calculator for vacuum tubes - Vacuum Tube Amplifiers - DIY

 

[Tim S]

@FingerMyFrets , I think you may end up having the coolest, funkiest first build around here for a long time.

Mentally, this may a group project (which is interesting by itself <grabbing some popcorn>), but you’ll be the guy putting it all together and tweaking values until you deem them right. (You might even motivate serial-amp-purchasers like me to make one too)

Cake pan build, perhaps?

 

[tubedude]

That's good, concise info.

OTOH, a separate 5 Volt filament transformer opens up a world of possiblities, like using dirt cheap and plentiful 5V6GT tubes in the output stage instead of typically expensive 6V6GTs. I've got a pair of 5V6GTs waiting for a build (that will probably never happen, given everything else going on).

A little easier to find a transformer to use would be the 12V6GT. I have 8 awaiting the time to implement.