TOURMASTER Combo Question

[spakuloid]

This is probably directed to Jeff or Bruce - In the new Tourmaster combo amp - are there any tube limitations or issues with swapping out power tubes in this amp? I am guessing that since there is only one bias pot on the back that you can not mix power tubes (running 2 EL 34 inner + 2 6L6 outer) like you can with the MOD100 - it is a matched quartet only. The manual suggests keeping with the 5881/6L6/KT88 type -- is there any reason for not recommending the EL34? Also is it safe to just use 2 power tubes instead of 4 for an ultra low wattage amp?

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

The reason why we say to stay with 5881/6l6 is because there is a bias issue when El 34's are loaded in the amp. It is due to the power grid when you cut and or lower the power and it can get complicated to discuss. Yes you need to bias a quartet and mixing tubes can not be done.

 

[spakuloid]

So can you run only 2 tubes to cut power in half?

Also can you use THD Yellow Jackets in this amp?

What OTHER tubes are NOT useable in this amp?

 

[LaXu]

Bumping this up. Could you elaborate why the EL34s cause a problem?

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

So can you run only 2 tubes to cut power in half?..the switch does pull 2 tubes.

Also can you use THD Yellow Jackets in this amp? Dont see why not.

What OTHER tubes are NOT useable in this amp?

For sure no El-34's..really only 6l6 or 5881

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

The problem with the El-34's is...the bias is only setable in the high power mode. The lower power settings the bias is internally pre set for the 5881. Using a el-34 tube in the low power setting causes it to idle cold. So you can use the 34's but only in the high power mode. It sounds like shit in low power cold and brittle.

 

[rockridge98]

So can you run only 2 tubes to cut power in half?

Also can you use THD Yellow Jackets in this amp?

What OTHER tubes are NOT useable in this amp?

Considering that you can set the power in a Tourmaster as low as 10 watts
with the power grid switches, and that you can do that on a per channel basis,
why would you even want to pull power tubes or use yellow jackets?
A pair of yellow jackets is still roughly 20 watts and they don't sound anywhere as
sweet as the Tourmaster on Clean in 10 watt mode.

 

[spakuloid]

What sounds "sweet " to you might sound like a cat fucking a toaster to someone else. The tourmaster does indeed have some great sounds in it - but should you want to get the classic el84 sound (vox, cornford matchless etc... ad nauseum) - you'll most likely need to pop some el84's in a good tube amp and crank the power section. It's not just to drop the power - it is because power tubes have their own characteristics which color the sound of an amp. The Tourmaster series of amps is definitely a big honking 6L6 sounding beast to my ears. Big glassy clean sounds and very punchy - crisp and tight distortion with gobs of gain and tight low end. And that is fine. great. awesome. will please a lot of people and the price is right. BUT - should you want to change it up a bit and get a different sound out of your tube amp - something not so heavily distorted - but more crunchy and "loose" - well the first place to go - arguably the cheapest - is the tube section. El34's do NOT sound at all like 6L6's and they both sound nothing at all like EL84's.

FWIW - you can run yellow jackets in the Tourmaster with the power grid switches at 100 watts - and it does do a pretty good el84 crunch at a moderate volume. It is not as smooth sounding as my Matchless HC-30 - which is a class A EL84 amp - but it is playable.

They are great amps. They are not the multi utility tweaker tool amps that the Mod series are.

 

[rockridge98]

What sounds "sweet " to you might sound like a cat fucking a toaster to someone else. The tourmaster does indeed have some great sounds in it - but should you want to get the classic el84 sound (vox, cornford matchless etc... ad nauseum) - you'll most likely need to pop some el84's in a good tube amp and crank the power section. It's not just to drop the power - it is because power tubes have their own characteristics which color the sound of an amp. The Tourmaster series of amps is definitely a big honking 6L6 sounding beast to my ears. Big glassy clean sounds and very punchy - crisp and tight distortion with gobs of gain and tight low end. And that is fine. great. awesome. will please a lot of people and the price is right. BUT - should you want to change it up a bit and get a different sound out of your tube amp - something not so heavily distorted - but more crunchy and "loose" - well the first place to go - arguably the cheapest - is the tube section. El34's do NOT sound at all like 6L6's and they both sound nothing at all like EL84's.

FWIW - you can run yellow jackets in the Tourmaster with the power grid switches at 100 watts - and it does do a pretty good el84 crunch at a moderate volume. It is not as smooth sounding as my Matchless HC-30 - which is a class A EL84 amp - but it is playable.

They are great amps. They are not the multi utility tweaker tool amps that the Mod series are.

Good points. It would be interesting to try the Class A version of the Yellow Jacket in
the Tourmaster.

 

[Cleekster]

The problem with the El-34's is...the bias is only setable in the high power mode. The lower power settings the bias is internally pre set for the 5881. Using a el-34 tube in the low power setting causes it to idle cold. So you can use the 34's but only in the high power mode. It sounds like shit in low power cold and brittle.

I was wondering about that(using EL34's)as i am pretty attached to GT's E34LS tubes.when i first tried out a Tourmaster and heard the gain channels i thought to myself how awesome it would sound with EL34's.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

The problem with the El-34's is...the bias is only setable in the high power mode. The lower power settings the bias is internally pre set for the 5881. Using a el-34 tube in the low power setting causes it to idle cold. So you can use the 34's but only in the high power mode. It sounds like shit in low power cold and brittle.

I was wondering about that(using EL34's)as i am pretty attached to GT's E34LS tubes.when i first tried out a Tourmaster and heard the gain channels i thought to myself how awesome it would sound with EL34's.

They will work but only in the high power mode..again none of the power grid will function correctly.

 

[Cleekster]

The problem with the El-34's is...the bias is only setable in the high power mode. The lower power settings the bias is internally pre set for the 5881. Using a el-34 tube in the low power setting causes it to idle cold. So you can use the 34's but only in the high power mode. It sounds like shit in low power cold and brittle.

I was wondering about that(using EL34's)as i am pretty attached to GT's E34LS tubes.when i first tried out a Tourmaster and heard the gain channels i thought to myself how awesome it would sound with EL34's.

They will work but only in the high power mode..again none of the power grid will function correctly.

That's cool......I'll just have to wait till i get the amp and hear it with the band and in my studio before i decide.....i've got nothing against 6L6's it's just that all the amps that i've used for the last 10+ yrs have either run 6l6's or simulated that tonal character which is fine for Cleans and leads but i just prefer that EL34 Crunch for riffs so maybe i'll just have to run the 34's and invest in a THD hotplate....Decisions,decisions