Tweaker 88 tube selection

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Jessabert

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Anyone swap out the factory Ruby KT88's and pre amp tubes for another brand of tube? And if so, what were your findings?. The Ruby KT88's seem to be very flat in the low to upper mids, and the top end seems to have a bit of a roll off, would love to get any feedback on other KT88's/6550's..:)
 
I tried jj kt88's and didn't like them. I found the jj's flat and lacking. I changed some of the preamp tubes (v1&V2) to Chinese (ruby brand) to get some more highs. In the end I think the stk tubes are really good and the problem for me, is the amps dark and bass heavy sound IMHO I think the amp could use a presence control.
 
Thanks man.....I would love to know how I can get EL34's to run in the Tweaker 88. Would this require to swap out power transformers? or is there an easier way??
 
I wish I could help you but it's way over my head. I think you might want to try a different amp? Try the amp garage forum, someone might be able to help.
 
jamme61":3mefpahr said:
I wish I could help you but it's way over my head. I think you might want to try a different amp? Try the amp garage forum, someone might be able to help.
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I really love everything about the Tweaker 88, has everything I want in an amp, just love the sound of EL34's. Didn't really know much about KT88's before I bought the amp and to be honest , I thought being an Egnater I would be able to swap out different tubes like you can with most of there other amps.
 
OK, Spent the whole day playing with this head and finally I think I have found my tone. Took a while but I guess that's why they call it a tweaker. Much better dirty tones. I think I was just so used to setting up my amp like it was a Marshall when in fact even though this head can get those tones it is a very different beast to the amp/amp's that it bases itself on. My Marshall tones controls pretty much work backwards to the tweaker, Treb on the Marshall sits at about 9' 0clock where the tweaker is at 3, o'clock same with the mids and I'm setting the Bass at about 10, oclock where on the Marshall It would be off the scale and even then I would be wanting more...:)

I guess the big thing that I have learned out of this is to do exactly what Bruce says, mix with your ears and not your eyes..:) I am finding the tones that I believed I would with this head, still would like to try different brand Pre amp tubes and KT88/6550's just to see what fine adjustments can be made but one things for sure, this head is worth spending the time with, do this and I guarantee you will find pretty much any tone your looking for....I'm a happy Chap...Well done Egnater, and well done Bruce...:)
 
Jessabert":2rypnmky said:
OK, Spent the whole day playing with this head and finally I think I have found my tone. Took a while but I guess that's why they call it a tweaker. Much better dirty tones. I think I was just so used to setting up my amp like it was a Marshall when in fact even though this head can get those tones it is a very different beast to the amp/amp's that it bases itself on. My Marshall tones controls pretty much work backwards to the tweaker, Treb on the Marshall sits at about 9' 0clock where the tweaker is at 3, o'clock same with the mids and I'm setting the Bass at about 10, oclock where on the Marshall It would be off the scale and even then I would be wanting more...:)

I guess the big thing that I have learned out of this is to do exactly what Bruce says, mix with your ears and not your eyes..:) I am finding the tones that I believed I would with this head, still would like to try different brand Pre amp tubes and KT88/6550's just to see what fine adjustments can be made but one things for sure, this head is worth spending the time with, do this and I guarantee you will find pretty much any tone your looking for....I'm a happy Chap...Well done Egnater, and well done Bruce...:)
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great to hear! I too am a marshall guy and found the same thing with the eq. I'm shocked how high you have to run the treble, even with a strat. This amp has a ton of bass but the tones are there,(IMHO) it makes my JCM 800(2204) sound thin and bright, next to it (still love my marshalls too) The TW88 is a fat mother! :rock:
 
jamme61":2dzkhbs5 said:
Jessabert":2dzkhbs5 said:
OK, Spent the whole day playing with this head and finally I think I have found my tone. Took a while but I guess that's why they call it a tweaker. Much better dirty tones. I think I was just so used to setting up my amp like it was a Marshall when in fact even though this head can get those tones it is a very different beast to the amp/amp's that it bases itself on. My Marshall tones controls pretty much work backwards to the tweaker, Treb on the Marshall sits at about 9' 0clock where the tweaker is at 3, o'clock same with the mids and I'm setting the Bass at about 10, oclock where on the Marshall It would be off the scale and even then I would be wanting more...:)

I guess the big thing that I have learned out of this is to do exactly what Bruce says, mix with your ears and not your eyes..:) I am finding the tones that I believed I would with this head, still would like to try different brand Pre amp tubes and KT88/6550's just to see what fine adjustments can be made but one things for sure, this head is worth spending the time with, do this and I guarantee you will find pretty much any tone your looking for....I'm a happy Chap...Well done Egnater, and well done Bruce...:)
Click to expand...

great to hear! I too am a marshall guy and found the same thing with the eq. I'm shocked how high you have to run the treble, even with a strat. This amp has a ton of bass but the tones are there,(IMHO) it makes my JCM 800(2204) sound thin and bright, next to it (still love my marshalls too) The TW88 is a fat mother! :rock:
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True dat!!!.... :rock: :rock: :rock: :rock: :rock:
 
After gigging with this head I have decieded to swap out the kt88'S for 6L6's. My Tech seems to think this will not be too much of a prob. It will bring the amp down to about 45-50 watts which is perfect for me. I found that while the KT88's do sound awesome there is just too much headroom in this amp to get it where it sounds at it's best, and the majority of gigs I do are small/medium sized rooms.After the mod I figure it will sound pretty close to the 40, Maybe should have bought the 40 but I will have the separate channel boost's which Is one of the main reasons I went with the 88. I will try and post up a you tube clip after the mod..:)
 
jamme61":2bojhku7 said:
I wonder if yellow jackets would work for you? There el84 http://www.thdelectronics.com/product_p ... acket.html
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Thanks for that, but they say on the website that any amp over 514 plate volts then you can't use them. No probs, taking the head to my tech today so we will see very soon. He actually recommends that I go with EL34's, so I guess I'll try what he suggests, I'm also hoping it takes a little of that "dark tone" out of the amp..
 
the dark tone bothers me too. I'm sending mine back. I may go with the tweak 40. good luck with the tube switch.
 
Well my Techie just called me and he's done the conversion. He has also put some toggle switch on the back of the amp that will allow me to switch between KT88's and EL34's. He said that the head on the KT88 put out 72 Watts and after the mod on EL34's still put out an impressive 60 watts which surprised him a little but he said that the amp was a really good design. So Kudo's to Egnater...Will report back on how this head sounds in the next few days..:)
 
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