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New toy! (vintage ampeg content)

coreyfyfe

coreyfyfe

Supporting Member
Nov 19, 2007
9,822
6,109
boston, ma
#1
I've been searching for sometime for a 60's b-15n, and finally got this one. picked it up on ebay from a guy a few towns over, i actually went and got it that night. He also gave me three original 6SL7 pre-amp tubes with it which i've since put back into it in place of the international servicemaster (anyone know anything about those?) tubes that we're in it.

i'm looking to replace the ruby tubes 6L6's but i was wondering if any one has any suggestions as far as tube choices that they prefer in these amps? basically, id like to know how the newer tubes stack up against a NOS set in the b15.

also, the ext. amp out on the back, as far as i understand thats just a pre-amp out right?

thanks

and now, the gear pron....

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#3
sounds pretty darn good. as of right now, its just my living room amp but i plan on using it for a few small cover gigs im going to be doing in the upcoming months. sounds especially good with my fretless.
 
#6
Nice find! My preference for this amp is NOS preamp tubes and rectifier, mixed with new-production Russian 6L6GCs. IMO, the prices for US 6L6s are not justified for this amp, keeping in mind that these will need to be replaced every couple of years. I'm currently using SED, aka "Winged-C", 6L6-GCs in my '66 B15N, and love them. I was not impressed with a pair of Sovteks I tried.

Avoid new-production 6SL7s if you can. Nice old '70s GE and Sylvania 6SL7s are not that rare/expensive, so keep an eye out for those. If you find that you're not using Channel 2 at all, don't waste a primo tube in the second position. Keep a cheaper one there.

For the rectifier, save up for a Mullard GZ34. Expensive, but loooong lasting -- mine's been going strong since '95.
 
#13
coreyfyfe said:
He also gave me three original 6SL7 pre-amp tubes with it which i've since put back into it in place of the international servicemaster (anyone know anything about those?) tubes that we're in it.
Click to expand...

Those are either old US stock or Yugoslavian (what would now be branded EI.)

sproing said:
IMO, the prices for US 6L6s are not justified for this amp, keeping in mind that these will need to be replaced every couple of years.
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Unless you've got your output tubes biased obscenely hot, there is no way that regular use in a healthy B15N should kill a set of output tubes in just two years. I expect 15 years with regular play at a minimum with even modern 6L6GC's. Out of curiousity, what are you doing with all the output tubes you're pulling every two years and who told you that they needed to be pulled?

Avoid new-production 6SL7s if you can. Nice old '70s GE and Sylvania 6SL7s are not that rare/expensive, so keep an eye out for those. If you find that you're not using Channel 2 at all, don't waste a primo tube in the second position. Keep a cheaper one there.
Click to expand...

I've posted this before, but I don't like ANY 6SL7GT, including US made ones. They're all terribly microphonic. The best sub is the 6SL7WGT; the "W" means military shock rated. They have shorter plates and are pretty cheap. If you want the super expensive industrial version, look for RCA red base 5691's, but be prepared to pay $100 a tube!

For the rectifier, save up for a Mullard GZ34. Expensive, but loooong lasting -- mine's been going strong since '95.
Click to expand...

ANY decent rectifier tube will outlast the rest of the amp. There is no need to spend big bucks on a NOS 5AR4, anyway. Weber makes a copper cap replacement solid state plug-in that will let the amplifier run cooler but has the same voltage drop and "sag" of an actual tube. Avoid the Sovtek model. It does not have the proper voltage drop and can damage the amp.
 
#15
Psycho Bass Guy said:
Unless you've got your output tubes biased obscenely hot, there is no way that regular use in a healthy B15N should kill a set of output tubes in just two years.
Click to expand...

I had a lot of trouble keeping Rubys going for very long in my amp until I replaced the bias capacitor and diode.

I do prefer the Sylvania long-plate 6SL7s, but you have to weed through the microphonic ones. I've also had great luck with Philips 6188s, these also have the long plates and tend not to be microphonic at all.
 
#20
Psycho Bass Guy said:
I've posted this before, but I don't like ANY 6SL7GT, including US made ones. They're all terribly microphonic. The best sub is the 6SL7WGT; the "W" means military shock rated. They have shorter plates and are pretty cheap. If you want the super expensive industrial version, look for RCA red base 5691's, but be prepared to pay $100 a tube!
Click to expand...

I'm coming into this a bit late but was wondering if the 5691 tube has the same quality of sound as the old 6SL7? I need to get tubes for a B15N i'm refurbishing (it was the head only, no tubes)... also, where is a good place to buy GOOD tubes?
 

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