What brand power tubes are you using in your lonestar?

I was interested in JJ's but was wondering if they arent stock mesa, do I have to bias? Does anyone use the JJs and what do you think?

I just got a set of JJ's from Eurotubes and they sound way better than the Mesa tubes. Eurotubes sells sets matched for the Lonestar so they are biased right where they need to be. I checked mine. They where biased a little hotter than the mesa tubes but still on the low side. The Mesa tubes where biased way cold.

I think there may be other places that sell other brand tubes that they match to the lonestar.

Can you describe way better. I changed all the preamp tubes and thinking about moving onto the power tubes. My thoughts on the LSC is the clean is incredible but i need a little breakup. I can't get this sucker to do that on the clean channel, not even in the 10 watt mode. I thought maybe a hotter power tube could accomplish that.

Way better to me is fuller. The Mesa tubes sounded kinda thin and compressed. It could have been old tubes cobtributing to that though.

Eurotubes has a higher gain tube set matched for the lonestar also but I don't think Power tubes will get you more gain. I would replace v1-v2 with higher gain preamp tubes. I can overdrive my clean channel pretty easily with humbuckers. I run my tele with single coils with the vain aboit 2:00 on the clean channel in tweed mode 100 watts and get a nice on the verge of breakup tone. If i dig I'm it breaks up abf is clean if i play soft. I only got the standard set. I click over to the drive channel for dirty crunchy stuff anf kick o an OCD pedal to take it into Santanna type lead

Mesa amps are fixed-bias, so you can't bias the amp to match the tubes -- you have to get tubes that will bias hotter in the amp's existing bias setting, if you want warmer power tube response. Most decent tube dealers know this about Mesas, so if you talk to them about what you want you can get something more like what you're after. It's not a 100% guarantee, since each amp will have a slight +/- factor on its actual bias setting, and each tube dealer has their own idea of what is appropriate. So it ends up being a little bit of subjectivity and a little bit of luck.

There is that bias mod trick out there, but someone said that might be unavailable at the moment.

One counter-intuitive way to get a smoother breakup is to go with LOWER gain preamp tubes in V1, V2 and V5. This will allow you to push the power tubes a little more, and warm up that breakup a little. It's noticeable. I like a JAN 5751 in V2, or a 12AT7 in V5. Again, talk to your tube dealer.

I've had good luck with Doug's Tubes, they seem to think like I do and I've been happy with the stuff they sold me. I'm using =C= TAD 6L6s in the inner slots and SEDs in the outer. They rock, I've had them in for over a year and I use the amp a LOT, and they still sound great. A little spendy but well worth it in my book.

All stock Mesa Boogie EL-84 tubes. I can not see the original brand like you can with GTs, they are also marked with 6BQ5. I play mostly in the 5 watt Class A mode as I like the sweet harmonics.

electro said:

Can you describe way better. I changed all the preamp tubes and thinking about moving onto the power tubes. My thoughts on the LSC is the clean is incredible but i need a little breakup. I can't get this sucker to do that on the clean channel, not even in the 10 watt mode. I thought maybe a hotter power tube could accomplish that.

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I had the same issue. I bought a roadster and I'm in the midst of swapping out the preamp section. Love them both. I am running Mesa EL34's in my LSC. A little earlier break up than 6L6's. Speakers make a big difference too.

The JJ 6l6 GC are amazing.

I use those in my Lone Star.

Check out tubedepot.com to get them.

I achieved the same results with Mesa EL34's. You might want to try another brand, but if you're looking for earlier breakup, EL34's are your answer.

8)
I've done all the valve options in both pre-amp and power. Found all the NOS options overrated and overpriced. Ended up back at Mesa selection with SPAX7 in V1/V2 and either matched quad 6L6's or EL34's and sometimes 6V6's. This is in a Lonestar Classic 100/50 1x12 loaded Eminence Commonwealth 12". Had it now for 6/7 years!
What I did truly find make a difference was to start using a Creation Audio MK4.23 in the effects loop which then pushes the power valves into tonal bliss and you can do whatever you feel like with the front end.
:mrgreen:

Until I do a bias mod on my Lonestar, I'm sticking with JJ's from Tube Depot. They sound respectable.

Getting some custom prepared tube values can get the fixed biased amp to break up early, or hold out for some high headroom. Tube dealers can provide this service. I like JJ's cuz there not brittle chinese tubes and they're affordable.

I am using Ruby EL34-bstr and I am exxxxxxxtremely happy with them.

stock Mesa tubes in my 4x10 LSS.... sounds pretty good but the clean channel is a touch thin sounding so I might do a tube swap when I have some spare money, I do have JJ EL84s now but not sure if I have to rebias when adding these EL84s in over the stock mesa EL84s

2 JJs (10 & 50 watt positions)
2 Mesa 6L6 (100 watt positions)
Mesa rectifier (5AUG?)
Mesa 12AX7s

Amp still melts walls.

I use JJ 6L6 GCs from Eurotubes in my LSC too. Love those guys. Tighter bottom end and more sparkle on top for one thing. I never thought of trying the higher gain option for preamp tubes. I need a bit of breakup on channel 1 too and don't like cranking the gain. I have tended to get closer to a sound I like by cranking the treble more...but want to try this high gain option to see what it does. Intriguing.

Another related question: How often do you retube? I was doing it every year but that gets expensive for a full retube. I now use the 50 watt setting exclusively and so I swap out the inner and outer tubes now. That cuts the cost some. What about preamp tubes? I've heard they tend to last longer...but I don't know. Up to this point I never had em in long enough to see.

Pre-amp tubes are not like power amp tubes. Don't replace them unless they stop working, or unless you don't like their tone.

tonejam said:

Pre-amp tubes are not like power amp tubes. Don't replace them unless they stop working, or unless you don't like their tone.

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Thanks.

E-84 Mullards with a GZ34 rectifier (w/Mesa pre-amp). The Mullards are fat and have some distortion with the gain (CC) at 10.