What was the tube of choice in the early days? VH4?

[RJF]

I just picked up a 2001 silverface VH4 that is in the mail. I don't know what tubes are in it, but I do know they are supposed to be original with basically no time on them (amp has never been used).

So this got me thinking....

1. I am curious to know what's in my new to me VH4.

2. Curious in general, what tubes have been the choice of Peter over the years. Seems the last 5 years the factory tubes have changed a lot (due to supply issues, not Peter changing his mind), with the KT77 now being the staple for a while now. What was the factory tube, say when the VH4 hit the market in 94? 99? 2001? Factory tube in Herbert in it's debut year?

 

[shadowdevourer]

I'm guessing EL34s maybe.

 

[gaskocher]

I think before the JJ KT77 it was Ruby EL34BHT

 

[Peter Diezel]

6L6 GC Chinese and 12AX7B Chinese.

Sometimes 12AX7WA preamp tubes.

Cheers,
Peter

 

[RJF]

6L6 GC Chinese and 12AX7B Chinese.

Sometimes 12AX7WA preamp tubes.

Cheers,
Peter

Hey thanks for your time with my email correspondence on Tuesday. He played through the VH4 and said it sounded and worked perfectly. I will soon find out.

 

[RJF]

Well, it has Ruby 6L6GC-cz select power tubes. Everything is original in this VH4 and it's completely mint. It's like a time capsule into an early VH4.

 

[cardinal]

Not sure 2001 is "early" considering the amp was introduced in '94 and had already seen at least one revision in at least channel 1 by 2001, but any VH4 is rad. Congrats on the amp!

 

[RJF]

Not sure 2001 is "early" considering the amp was introduced in '94 and had already seen at least one revision in at least channel 1 by 2001, but any VH4 is rad. Congrats on the amp!

The VH4 has been produced for 20 years now. Mine is 13 years old. I'd call that fairly early. Outside of that I don't see 90 something VH4's around. Seems like everyone has a 2000 something.

 

[cardinal]

Not sure 2001 is "early" considering the amp was introduced in '94 and had already seen at least one revision in at least channel 1 by 2001, but any VH4 is rad. Congrats on the amp!

The VH4 has been produced for 20 years now. Mine is 13 years old. I'd call that fairly early. Outside of that I don't see 90 something VH4's around. Seems like everyone has a 2000 something.

ok man. enjoy the amp.

 

[steve_k]

2001 was a very good year for VH4's.

 

[RJF]

Mine must be an early '01 or something, since it has the older midi chip and the battery backup for the memory.

 

[DiezelDale]

Not sure 2001 is "early" considering the amp was introduced in '94 and had already seen at least one revision in at least channel 1 by 2001, but any VH4 is rad. Congrats on the amp!

The VH4 has been produced for 20 years now. Mine is 13 years old. I'd call that fairly early. Outside of that I don't see 90 something VH4's around. Seems like everyone has a 2000 something.

owned mine since 2005, still kicking ass and taking names. All my ENGL and Marshall amp have their moments but Diezel is always consistant.

 

[RJF]

What is interesting is the 1990's era VH4's don't seem to be around much at all, infact I can't recall anyone posting up saying they had a 199X VH4. Probably party one could assume produced units of VH4's were much lower back then as compared to now, or even say, early 200x..