What’s the probability that Van Halen 1 was this settup

[SpiderWars]

the real debate is how much percentage wise the 6CA7s affect the tone. I've heard both, and it seems like you can get 95% there without them.

I recently got a quad of Sylvania 6CA7 and replaced the EH EL34s in my ‘69 clone. It’s close but noticeably different, I like the change. There is a slight scoop somewhere in the mids, lows seem tighter, a little less sizzle/fizz. 95% sounds about right.

I think a dedicated EVH forum would work, I can see how beating this dead horse gets really old for a lot of members. The excuse to not do it is weak, just my opinion. We don’t have a bazillion threads about ANY other guitar player to the extent of VH threads…by an order of ten. So just acknowledge that fact and make another sub-forum. EVH is different.

 

[Lightning]

78 japan tour photo of the back of Edwards marshall all his Marshall heads were loaded with EL34 tubes, 6ca7 tubes started at the end of 1978 when the band was recording Van Halen II so if you like the Van Halen II sound and the rest of the Van Halen catalog use 6ca7 tubes if you like Van Halen 1 stick with EL34 tubes

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

78 japan tour photo of the back of Edwards marshall all his Marshall heads were loaded with EL34 tubes, 6ca7 tubes started at the end of 1978 when the band was recording Van Halen II so if you like the Van Halen II sound at the rest of the Van Halen catalog use 6ca7 tubes if you like Van Halen 1 stick with EL34 tubes

I prefer Siemens 34’s or even original Teslas way more than Sylvania 6CA7’s…

As noted earlier in this thread, Eddie didn’t use the Sylvanias because of ‘superior’ tone…

 

[thegame]

Are those the Chinese self driving EVs?

 

[Ben Waylin]

I’d just like to mention Curt Mitchell. Go to YouTube and have a listen.

Curt is an awesome dude, as well as being a monster player.

A while back I was working on a cover of the intro he wrote for his "In The Style Of Jimmy Page" video lesson, and I reached out to Curt for help with the bass line.

Curt laid down the bass track and e-mailed the WAV file to me.

 

[thegame]

Perhaps it’s for the best that Eddie was cremated. Otherwise there’s be endless debates on what wood the casket was made from.

 

[harddriver]

I recently got a quad of Sylvania 6CA7 and replaced the EH EL34s in my ‘69 clone. It’s close but noticeably different, I like the change. There is a slight scoop somewhere in the mids, lows seem tighter, a little less sizzle/fizz. 95% sounds about right.

I think a dedicated EVH forum would work, I can see how beating this dead horse gets really old for a lot of members. The excuse to not do it is weak, just my opinion. We don’t have a bazillion threads about ANY other guitar player to the extent of VH threads…by an order of ten. So just acknowledge that fact and make another sub-forum. EVH is different.

It's an interesting topic even to this day. No one is forced to click on the thread topic if they find it overly talked about. If it wasn't a good tone that people liked they wouldn't want to talk about it in 2024.

To those that dislike people talking about it you have the freedom to not participate. if it is not an area you want to explore.

I don't see the so called" EVH people" going into the Mesa Boogie MKIIC+ or Metallica amp tone threads which probably equal or outnumber the EVH thread counts bitching that there is too much talk about Mesa Boogie MKIIC+'s..........Just say'in........

 

[harddriver]

I prefer Siemens 34’s or even original Teslas way more than Sylvania 6CA7’s…

As noted earlier in this thread, Eddie didn’t use the Sylvanias because of ‘superior’ tone…

Weren't Telefunken and Siemens EL34's an industrial heavy duty El34 tube that were kinda tight sounding like a UK KT77 compared to a Mullard or Brimar UK EL34?

Out of curiosity I bought and tried an NOS 1963 Mullard Blackburn 12AX7 in V1 of my 69 Superlead versus the NOS Sylvania 12ax7A and the Mullard had a very round warm tone like AC/DC whereas the Sylvanias are bright, cutting tight, clinical almost harsh compared to the Mullard. Both 12AX7's tested new and had good output so the Mullard I had was not "BAD". For the tones I like the Mullard 12ax7 was not a favorite, I was surpised I was expecting it to sound so different.

I tried some NOS tested Tung Sol's and RFT's 12ax& and they were pretty harsh for V1.

I've heard Brimars and the Amperex are good sounding tubes.

 

[Ben Waylin]

I don't see the so called" EVH people" going into the Mesa Boogie MKIIC+ or Metallica amp tone threads which probably equal or outnumber the EVH thread counts bitching that there is too much talk about Mesa Boogie MKIIC+'s..........Just say'in........

 

[harddriver]

I recently got a quad of Sylvania 6CA7 and replaced the EH EL34s in my ‘69 clone. It’s close but noticeably different, I like the change. There is a slight scoop somewhere in the mids, lows seem tighter, a little less sizzle/fizz. 95% sounds about right.

I think a dedicated EVH forum would work, I can see how beating this dead horse gets really old for a lot of members. The excuse to not do it is weak, just my opinion. We don’t have a bazillion threads about ANY other guitar player to the extent of VH threads…by an order of ten. So just acknowledge that fact and make another sub-forum. EVH is different.

The EH6CA7's are not too far off from the Sylvania's when I compared them in my 69 SL, hell...Jim Gaustad was running them in his amp for all his Brown Sound videos and they are Beam forming element tetrodes just like the originals from the techical spec sheet from EH. The JJ 6ca7's I wish were also Tetrodes but they are Power Pentodes like an EL34, they are a well made tube with a super heavy glass envelope but my first Quad had a couple that had shorted plates so I won't purchase them again.

I don't think Gaustad's amp would sound that much different if he loaded it with Siemens or Telefunken EL34's but it would be an interesting comparison. If might sound different if he ran a Mullard EL34 or Brimar or maybe not that much different?

 

[harddriver]

I’d just like to mention Curt Mitchell. Go to YouTube and have a listen.

 

[SpiderWars]

The EH6CA7's are not too far off from the Sylvania's when I compared them in my 69 SL, hell...Jim Gaustad was running them in his amp for all his Brown Sound videos and they are Beam forming element tetrodes just like the originals from the techical spec sheet from EH. The JJ 6ca7's I wish were also Tetrodes but they are Power Pentodes like an EL34, they are a well made tube with a super heavy glass envelope but my first Quad had a couple that had shorted plates so I won't purchase them again.

I don't think Gaustad's amp would sound that much different if he loaded it with Siemens or Telefunken EL34's but it would be an interesting comparison. If might sound different if he ran a Mullard EL34 or Brimar or maybe not that much different?

Based on that shootout Friedman/Thorn did, the Sylvania 6CA7s sound more different from the Siemens and all the other vintage EL34s than the new production EH EL34s do. I took from that video that the EH are ‘close enough’ if I want EL34 tone. But the 6CA7s are enough of a difference. And I’ve tried the EH 6CA7, I prefer the EH EL34 to them.

But after trying the Sylvania 6CA7 (which according to some people are the same tube as the GE), I liked the tone a little better. What Ed actually used isn’t that important to me…I need to try things for myself and decide. We all have to trust our ears.

 

[harddriver]

Based on that shootout Friedman/Thorn did, the Sylvania 6CA7s sound more different from the Siemens and all the other vintage EL34s than the new production EH EL34s do. I took from that video that the EH are ‘close enough’ if I want EL34 tone. But the 6CA7s are enough of a difference. And I’ve tried the EH 6CA7, I prefer the EH EL34 to them.

But after trying the Sylvania 6CA7 (which according to some people are the same tube as the GE), I liked the tone a little better. What Ed actually used isn’t that important to me…I need to try things for myself and decide. We all have to trust our ears.

I think a decent 6L6 will perform about the same as a Sylvania 6ca7 as well. I have some Sylvainia 6L6's here too for when I run out of my 6ca7's. Ed did go to 6L6's with the 5150 and 5153's as that is what he liked.

"We all have to trust our own ears"......I could not agree more. Everyone wants instant everything and not do the work.

 

[SpiderWars]

I think a decent 6L6 will perform about the same as a Sylvania 6ca7 as well. I have some Sylvainia 6L6's here too for when I run out of my 6ca7's. Ed did go to 6L6's with the 5150 and 5153's as that is what he liked.

"We all have to trust our own ears"......I could not agree more. Everyone wants instant everything and not do the work.

I thought the same, I have a couple matched quads of Sylvania 6L6. Those sure made a noticeable difference in my IIC+ and Mk IV over the TADs which was the only new 6L6 even in the same league.