I have 2 Tremoverb questions

1. I recently bought a Tremoverb and I noticed it sounded a bit weak but it looked mint so I was excited and thought I'd just change the tubes and everything would be dandy. Well, the Blues mode on the Red Channel is WAY louder than the Modern and I don't remember it being that way but, again I was enamored with it so I justified my purchase with the thought of retubing it. Then, when I got it home I ran my effects through the loop and switched it over and lost all of my sound until I turned the Loop Volume on the front all the way up. If I unplug the Return all the volume comes back.

2. This is where it gets hairy: I decide to check the tubes (I know should have done that before I bought it) and the Left Rectifier Tube is missing the Guide Post. THEN, I pull the Power tubes and they are 6v6's! Instead of 6L6's.!


Questions:
Does #2 have anything to do with #1?
And will #2 hurt my freakin dream amp long term?

I looked at the schematic for the first time ever and the only things I can think of regarding volume could be:

LDRs aren't working right to throw switches.
Your FX Send needs to be adjusted, that jack is dirty, or there's a failure in your cabling. Is anything in the Send?
#2 isn't causing #1

I have read of people using JJ 6V6 under certain circumstances with the tube rec and/or spongy. They draw much more current than 6L6, so full power on them would be trouble.

Unless the Trem-o-Verb has been modified I highly recommend you replace the rectifier tube missing the guide post with a new one. Then get a set of 6L6s.

Unless the bias has been changed to accomondate 6V6s, you should be using 6L6s (or EL34s depending on the power tube switch is on).

I have no idea what the previous owner was thinking. Again, maybe the previous owner was experimenting or he brought it to an amp tech for 6V6s. I don't know.

It is a sweet amp. I own one. I love it!

afu
1.What are LDR's?
2. When I am only plugged into the Send everything is fine but as soon as I plug into the Return is when I lose all of my sound.



RR
I will be ordering new 6L6's soon. I can't imagine wanting to run anything BUT 6L6's in this amazing amp.



Thank you both so much for your answers.

Also, can I use KT66 Power tubes and if I do how can I expect them to affect my tone?

BoogieHog said:

Also, can I use KT66 Power tubes and if I do how can I expect them to affect my tone?

Click to expand...

You probably can but I would take it to the an amp tech to set the bias properly for KT66s.

You see, you have a switch for EL34s and 6L6s in the back of the ToV. This switch allow you to change the bias for those tubes.

I do like the grind of EL34s on other amps and I did switch my ToV with EL34s. Personally I like the stock 6L6s that came with the ToV instead of the EL34s. But that was a personal taste.

I ran the JJ 6V6's in a Dual Rec for a long time. No issues at all. Eurotubes sent me a set that could handle the voltage.

I don't think those 6V6's did any damage in your case - but I'd put a set of Mesa 6L6's in there instead.

I wouldn't go the KT66 route yet until you get the amp functioning correctly with either 6L6 or EL34's

BoogieHog said:

afu
1.What are LDR's?
2. When I am only plugged into the Send everything is fine but as soon as I plug into the Return is when I lose all of my sound.



RR
I will be ordering new 6L6's soon. I can't imagine wanting to run anything BUT 6L6's in this amazing amp.



Thank you both so much for your answers.

Click to expand...

LDRs are "Light Dependent Resistors". They change value when a LED or other source lights up. Mesa used them for throwing switches before moving on to using relays.

Check where you have the mix control and see if you still lose sound when it's turned down. Check the effects for a bad connection, too. You could also just put the mix to 100% and use a cable from Send to Return and see if anything happens.

Blues might be louder in some cases. There is a change when Blues is selected. It makes the volume change very quickly during the first half of the rotation. It flips the taper of the pot to the opposite of its normal taper. This would add volume very quickly. Try putting the Volume at about 9:00 and see if it is still louder.

I don't have a T-Verb, so I can't test this.

OK. I bought a quad set of JJ 6L6's and 2 Mesa 5U4G's I put a New JJ 12AX7 in the V1 and V2 and Put a Tung Sol 12AX7 in V3 and a new JJ 12AX7 in the V6 and every single issue was cleared up. in fact I can only turn the Effects Loop Volume up to 9 O'clock because it's so loud. The Blues and Modern settings are in very close proximity volume wise.

Everything that this amp is supposed to be, it IS again! I LOVE THIS AMP! There's just not a better amp on the planet in my opinion.

Thank you all for your input. It really helped me to have the courage to move forward and put $200 in tubes in it and it was well worth every dime!