o.k. - chalk one up to the dummy factor.
i was loading up the gear and shoved a mic stand into the back of my 36watt and broke 2 power tubes. we took out the 2 broken tubes and played on with 2 good ones in the outboard positions. big outdoor gig so we were micing the amp anyway.
went to the local music store (a guitar center -wouldn't you know) and bought the only 84's they had - groovetube "gold series uropean" matched at "4" - whatever that means.
the next day we returned for our second show, loaded in the gt's and ------- a great improvement over the chinese 84's!!
got some good stuff coming from sarge, but these will certainly be saved as serviceable emergency tubes.
anyone know the story behind these tubes?
fj
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emergency tubes
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floridajack
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emergency tubes
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allgonoslow
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Yeah Groove Tubes are re-branded. Sure you can get a set of Sovteks that will sound exactly the same. Actualy I've got a set of 4 EL84 Groove Tubes that have sovtek printed UNDER the Groove Tubes logo. And in all honesty I can't tell the difference between them and a set of JJs. MAYBE the Groove Tubes are a little fuller and warmer. I don't know. That would surprise me for sovteks. Anyway.
The plus side is Fender does a lot of the leg work for you. I think the matched at "4" refers to how soon they break up. So unless you're prepared to buy hundreds of tubes, test them, categorize them, and sell off the ones you don't want; you might as well stick with the rating system groove tubes provides. It's pretty meaningless as far as real technical info.
If you like 'em stick with 'em.
The plus side is Fender does a lot of the leg work for you. I think the matched at "4" refers to how soon they break up. So unless you're prepared to buy hundreds of tubes, test them, categorize them, and sell off the ones you don't want; you might as well stick with the rating system groove tubes provides. It's pretty meaningless as far as real technical info.
If you like 'em stick with 'em.
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rectifier
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floridajack
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how true, true, true. but $12.00 each is not too much in an emergency, and at least all four of the gt's do work.Mojocat wrote:Oh yeah... and "Gold Series" refers to the price mark-up you paid for the orange GT silkscreening... as in Aspen Pittman now has more "gold" in his pocket that used to be in yours.
i bought a dozen chinese tubes last year - six were very good and six were junk - and if you include shipping, six tubes ended up costing $9.00 each.
had the same happen with eight phillips - five were great three were o.k., one was doa.
lesson learned - buy some good tubes and keep some spares that you trust handy. (i guess this has not been an issue because i replace my tubes often - twice a year if we're playing regularly - and haven't hade a tube just fail in 30 years. just lucky i guess.
fj
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