Marshall Silver Jubilee, retube!!!!

I finally got around to putting a pair of Svet EL34's in my Marshall 2553 silver jubilee. I haven't touched the amp other than putting in some Ei Elites 12AX7's since I bought it from Stratotone.

Anyway I checked the plate voltage: 471Vdc. The Groove tubes EL34's, one was running at 16mA, the other at 27mA

Took those out put in the Svet EL34's, biased it up to about 32mA. Checked the PI tube, checked pretty close to balanced. I put in a couple of 12AX7's in V1 and V2, one was an ARS and the other just said made in the USA.

Fired her up, oh what a difference. The amp sounded good before, but it just came alive, like a blanket was lifted off. So much power and fullness. The clean was sweeter and the distortion was just full as could be. I have never heard the amp sound this good. It was hard to break myself away from the firehouse riffs, but I had to, got to work tomorrow.


Anyway, I am very happy with the retube. the other EI elites went in my vox AC30CC1 (Chinese 12AX7's were too harsh in there). I am my jube through a marshall 1936 with 2 Classic Lead 80's. I played my beat up Contemporary tele, I mostly used the SD JB pickup in the bridge.

Only problem now is finding my new favorite preamp tube. I don't like JJ pres in genearl. EH's are okay. Ei's are hard to find and inconsistent. Maybe the tung sol reissues will be the ticket....


If anyone wants gut shots I will post those tomorrow if requested.

Guts would be cool.

Clips would be cooler!

I love the sound of an amp just after new tubes! :2thumbs:

Just my .02... Find a mullard/brimar CV4004 to put in V1. Or and RFT, or Tungsram etc. Jubilees love NOS preamp tubes. IMHO some newer amps, especially the ones that use multiple stages/channels NOS Tubes don't make much of a difference. Jubilee's are simple enough etc that they're like JCM 800's or Super Leads in that a good NOS preamp in V1 is killer.

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Marshall Freak":69290 said:

Just my .02... Find a mullard/brimar CV4004 to put in V1. Or and RFT, or Tungsram etc. Jubilees love NOS preamp tubes. IMHO some newer amps, especially the ones that use multiple stages/channels NOS Tubes don't make much of a difference. Jubilee's are simple enough etc that they're like JCM 800's or Super Leads in that a good NOS preamp in V1 is killer.

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I have yet to find an amp that doesn't benefit from NOS tubes, some do more than others of course.

The Telefunken or Brimars are $75+. How are the RFT's, I can get one for $38?

I generally have had great luck with NOS RCA's and GE's, those are in my mesa mark IV though....

I want one of those so bad...


I'm a big fan of Ei preamp tubes in Marshalls. In my current Marshall, I use a Tung Sol reissue in V1 and really like it. I've tried an EH, a Chinese, GT, and whatever is restamped by Mesa....and like the Tung Sol in V1 best for now.

This is the first Marshall that I have'nt tried an Ei ecc83 yet.

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blackba":f3cb1 said:

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I have yet to find an amp that doesn't benefit from NOS tubes, some do more than others of course.

The Telefunken or Brimars are $75+. How are the RFT's, I can get one for $38?

I generally have had great luck with NOS RCA's and GE's, those are in my mesa mark IV though....

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I have an Amperex BB in V1 of my Jubilee and it kills. I did not care for the RFT in that amp, it seemed a little mushy IMO. I have Mullards in V2 and V3 that just round out the tone...I love that amp, definitely one of my favorite Marshalls ever.

As promised some gut shots:

Settings recommendations are always welcome. I seem to like the input gain cranked, but that doesn't make the clean sound that good

WOW is your chassis ever clean. My jubilee has some oxidation on the chrome, and a little rust on the transformers. Doesn't look nice and new like yours.

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messenger":2abf1 said:

WOW is your chassis ever clean. My jubilee has some oxidation on the chrome, and a little rust on the transformers. Doesn't look nice and new like yours.

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Thanks man. It does look pretty clean, I cleaned off the dust a bit, but that's about it.

Does anyone know where I can get a nut and nut holder for the chassis, see the last picture, the nut is missing...