Which 12ax7 for Fender amp?

[MikeRocker]

I think one of the 12ax7 tubes in my Blues Deluxe Reissue is checking out (the volume has been fading and coming back), what's the prevailing wisdom on the best 12ax7 tubes these days? I'd rather avoid spending $100+ for NOS, so I was thinking more currently produced options. I usually use the amp for clean tones, and get OD/distortion via pedals. I'm looking for classic Fender sounds for rock, country, rockabilly, blues, etc., not heavy/metal type stuff.

Thank you for any suggestions!

P.S. - I did a search, but there's just so much to wade through...sorry if a similar topic has been posted a million times!

[gibson175]

ill keep it short:
tungosl for clarity and articulation
jjs for low end
EH for midrange grind.

[Soulcrusher_X]

Do you want something similar to what you have, or is different okay? Do you have RCA preamps in there?

[MikeRocker]

Thanks for the replies...it just has the stock tubes that came with it, which I think are Groove Tubes 12ax7s. I feel like stock amp components such as tubes and speakers are always on the cheaper side to keep costs down, so I wouldn't mind upgrading (to a point...again, no $100 NOS deals!). The cleans on the amp are pretty nice as they are, but if there's a tube that will enhance the tone and make it even more "Classic Fender" sounding I'm all for trying it out! I think it's the first tube that's going (if I'm not mistaken, the one that drives the clean channel). Thanks!

[indie folk guy]

Well typically in Fenders people go for bright, glassy cleans so I'd vote for a Tung Sol unless you are after something smoother in which case a JJ or Mullard.

All those current production tubes should run you around $10-$15 max.

[Gunny47]

current production: personally, Tung Sols and Grooves. I actually been digging the grooves in my Fender-style amps lately. Used to have tungs. Next time, I think I'll get Tung sols. Both sound right to me. I think JJs sound too lifeless in Fenders personally - sound to me like they lose the presence and sparkle.

[ItsaBass]

I've had good luck with Tung Sols and JJs recently, though I haven't really used them over long periods, so I don't know about how they act on the long term. As someone said above, JJs are warm (and loud, I will add), and Tung Sols are articulate (and seem to have less gain). Every EHX 12AX7 I've used in an amp has died early due to mechanical failure (as in internal pieces falling off and/or getting extremely microphonic), though they sounded fine until that point. They must just be fragile tubes. Probably fine in a stereo or whatever else, but never again in one of my amps. The two in my EXH Hot Tubes pedal have held up fine, though.

[misterwhizzy]

If you make the mistake of ordering JJs, at least get the long-plate tubes. I think the best current production tube for clarity, gain, and overall tone is the Tung-Sol. And I have yet to have a problem with EHX 12AX7s as well. They're a bit warmer, and they're just not quite as good as Tung-Sols at their own game. The regular JJ ECC83S is cheap, and you don't even get what you pay for, in my humble opinion.

For smooth, you're not going to do better in current production than the Mullard RI, but when I think Fender cleans, usually the last thing I think is smooth. I associate that more with power metal, and I don't think that's what you're looking for here.

[ItsaBass]

If you make the mistake of ordering JJs, at least get the long-plate tubes. I think the best current production tube for clarity, gain, and overall tone is the Tung-Sol. And I have yet to have a problem with EHX 12AX7s as well. They're a bit warmer, and they're just not quite as good as Tung-Sols at their own game. The regular JJ ECC83S is cheap, and you don't even get what you pay for, in my humble opinion.

For smooth, you're not going to do better in current production than the Mullard RI, but when I think Fender cleans, usually the last thing I think is smooth. I associate that more with power metal, and I don't think that's what you're looking for here.

What is the model name of that long-plate JJ, and how is it better?

[misterwhizzy]

The long-plate is JJ ECC803S. The short-plate is JJ ECC83S. I'm not really recommending the Tube Store, but it was easy to find what I'm talking about there. I hear the short-plate tubes as being totally dead in the high-end. The ECC803S right now is living in my PI slot, and it's brought back a bit of sparkle, especially on the cleans.

I have bought several JJ ECC83S tubes, and I've put them in a Blackstar, my Jet City, and an old Randall I had before either of those amps, and it's never sounded good in any spot at any time. I do actually listen to people who say, "Yeah, they work great in my whatever amp!" but I just have never heard it. The Tung-Sols absolutely crush them, as does just about everything out of the Russian factory. I like EHX better, Mullard RI better, and Sovtek LPS better in every position in my amp.

[Hellion]

I'll make it even easier for you. Buy the cheapest tubes you can find. I've had good luck with Sovtek. The last 12AX7 that I bought was 12 years ago. They hold up.

[MikeRocker]

I really appreciate all of the insights guys, keep it coming!! And yes, I am looking to enhance the classic clean, glassy Fender tone, I just want to make sure that whatever I end up with isn't too harsh or brittle in the high end.

Thanks again for the input!!

[gibson175]

If its too harsh or brittle after a tube swap and rebias then its probably the speaker. But i reckon itll sound great whatever preamp tubes you get....but be sure to get some new power tubes and a rebias while you are at it

[STRATDELUXER97]

I like the Tung Sol Reissue 12AX7s...Good gain,warm and round sounding in my own Fender amp..Reliable also!

[Soulcrusher_X]

I also agree on the TungSols being a great, chimey tube for fender-y use. In all but two amps Ive owned, a TungSol has been in at LEAST V1. I dont like to put too many of them in an amp for high-gain use because they can be a bit on the bright side, but that's just me. They have a lot more headroom than most other preamp tubes, so they stay cleaner, longer, before breaking up. They have thick mids, warm bass and a decent amount of chime. Mine have the occasional pop or tick, but they have put up with some heavy use over the last 5-10 years.

Another tube that is pretty warm, articulate and just a good overall tube is the Chinese C9, which is usually rebranded by companies like GT, Ruby or Penta. I get mine from Doug's tubes by the Penta label and have been rocking them for about 5 years now. I used them in my Splawns, my MKIII, my JSX and one of my SLO clone builds.

I do agree on the JJ tubes with misterwhizzy. In some amps, they can be quite dark/too warm, and round on the top end if you get the short plate ECC83s. They have a very tight low end, almost as if there was no bass at all, but thick mids and harmonic emphasis in the mids, not the 'swirly highs' that other preamp tubes have. You kinda have to crank the treble and bass to get some oomph out of them. They work well to tame the highs on overly bright amps, or make the highs fatter. But yes, they are LOUD. They have the most gain out of current production tubes. I like the long plate ECC803s much better. It's a bit crunchier, chimier and fuller sounding than the short-plate JJ, and about 10% less gain than the average 12AX7/ECC83.

[Phantasmagoria]

I did'nt care for the Tung-sols in my high gain amp....bright, thin and brittle ....though they had nice harmonics.


Swapped them out for a Shuguang 12AX7-B in V1, JJ ECC83 in V2 & a Sovtek LPS in V3

Upper mids and highs from V-1, Lower mids & lows from V2 & the LPS is smooth & punchy in V3...

Gives me a thick, warm, open yet lively sound with lots of awesome harmonic overtones, even with the volume turned way down to bedroom levels...

The JJ's on their own were definately too dark, dull and lacked harmonics, but with the Chinese C9 in front....what a difference!

[That90'sGuy]

Yep, in a Fender you can't go wrong with Tung Sols. I added one for the normal channel of my Vibrolux Reverb and it works well (although the NOS GE stuff is miles better, but also 3 times the cost). JJs are way too dark, they'll kill any shimmer you've got. I've had really good luck with Electro Harmonix tubes, although the midrange comment is right, I find they have a bump that you don't get with the Tung Sols, but they're probably my favorite all around 12ax7 (being more of a British fan). The Sovtek LPS is a kinda "hard" sounding tube to my ears, the treble seems a bit harsh and the bass kinda has an over-exaggeration that I don't particularly care for. The Shuguang chinese pres have a lot of gain and good clarity, but I still prefer EH and Tung Sols.