Hi Test Guitars regarding Trainwreck tube selection

[Mark]

http://hitestguitars.com/trainwreck-tubes.htm

I dare say this is very old news, but have you guys heard or bought from this guy.

My inner sceptic is on high alert as there has been a lot of BS about various TW amps. I think the one about red wire sounding better was a bit too much for me to swallow.

[wsaraceni]

im local to him. from what i have heard the guy has a quirky personality but his stock is all what it says it is. for what its worth i've played clones with what people here suggest is the normal "train wreck" tubes and i've played a few of ultrasounds amps that were tubed with the stuff hi-test recommends and 100% of the time i prefer the real ultrasound amps.

[redshark]

Very nice article!! It really helps understand the diference between how an average trainwreck was tubed versus how it would be tubed if money wasn't an issue.

[Zippy]

http://hitestguitars.com/trainwreck-tubes.htm

I dare say this is very old news, but have you guys heard or bought from this guy.

My inner sceptic is on high alert as there has been a lot of BS about various TW amps...

For the sake of preservation, I'll archive this info below as written:

Trainwreck Tubes

The power of the internet to propagate myths is well known. So it's not surprising that there is incorrect information floating around the web regarding the tubes that Ken Fischer preferred in his Trainwreck amps. What is surprising is how wrong the prevailing myths are and the near complete absence of discussion of the tubes that Ken really did like. The record needs to be set straight:

-Ken Fischer did not prefer the current production Tungsram, EI, BEL, Siemens/RFT and Sovtech tubes that he originally put in his amps and he did not design his amps to sound the best with these tubes.

I can make these assertions, because I have owned thirteen original Trainwreck amps and spent a lot of time with Ken. Ken and I heard tubes and amps the same way. He asked me to help him voice a number of the original Express, Liverpool and Rocket amps and I sold him quite a few NOS tubes as well.

Ken's choice of tubes for his amplifiers was shaped by the same problem facing amp builders today: most customers were unwilling to pay more for an amp equipped with NOS tubes. Accordingly, Ken selected the best sounding tubes that were readily available in quantity at wholesale prices.

-During the mid-1980's to the early 1990's, Ken purchased National labeled BEL, Tungsram and EI 12AX7 tubes for his amps. Looking back at his preamp tube selections, Ken would quickly share his disappointment with the Tungsram 12AX7's: "after six months, they sound like a wet blanket over the amp."

-Similarly, Siemens EL34's made by RFT in East Germany were installed in Express amps and Reflector/Sovtech EL84's were used in Liverpool and Rocket amps, because they were deemed the best sounding current production power tubes.

In the tube section of the original Trainwreck owner's manual, Ken wrote "we suggest that you experiment with various types and brands to find the sound and reliability you are looking for." I can think of no more compelling indication that Ken believed there were better tube choices for his amplifiers.

So what tubes did Ken really like in his amps?

Ken placed a much stronger emphasis on NOS power tubes than many amp enthusiasts/guitar players do today and he strongly believed they should be closely matched. Based on the meaningful difference in the feel and sound of the early (Stancor) transformer amps versus the new (Pacific) transformer amps as well as variances in individual amp response, Ken liked a variety of NOS power tubes:

-In Express amps, Ken preferred wing plate Telefunken EL34's, Mullard EL34's from the XF2 production era and early metal base Philips EL34's. For years, some players struggled with a glitch in the Express' class A-B circuit. In response, Ken came up with a speaker specific resistor fix that partially addressed the issue. Later, an astute Express owner hipped Ken to the ability of the metal base Philips EL34's to negate the glitch.

-In the Liverpool amps, Ken liked Telefunken and Valvo EL84's.

-In the Rocket amps, Ken had several favorites: Telefunken 7189's, grade specific 1960's Valvo EL84's and Siemens & Halske E84L's. He also liked a counter-intuitive combination of Telefunken 7189's and early Hamburg production Valvo EL84 pairs in his personal Rocket.

Ken's preamp tube preferences were also strongly shaped by the different transformers in his amps:

-In the darker old transformer amps, Ken preferred a 1961-1968 Amperex 12AX7 in V1 and the same late 1970-1972 Amperex 12AX7's in V2 and V3.

-In the brighter new transformer amps, Ken favored an early to mid-1960's Amperex 12AX7 in V1 and the same midrange enhancing 14mm Mullard 12AX7's in V2 and V3.

-Ken also liked Mazda chrome plate 12AX7's in V1.

For the Rocket's tube rectifier, Ken preferred a Mullard GZ34 from the 1962-1967 production period.

Ken may have told you differently, but after many years of advising guitar players, he learned that it was often better to confirm people's ill gotten pre-conceptions rather than laboring to expose them as myths. Unfortunately, I just underscored my need to better heed his sage advice. Thanks Kenny!

[wsaraceni]

That page has been up for as long as I can remember.

[Zippy]

That page has been up for as long as I can remember.

And maybe longer than I remember.

[Mark]

I have a couple of Tungsram 12AX7's and I've found to sound noticeably better than other 12AX7's. I dare say I'll find out if they sound like wet blanket over the amp in six months.

I have found Mullard 12AX7's not to have as much high end treble response
as other tubes. I really don't see what is the fuss about them, I prefer Brimars.

[Reeltarded]

Tungsram is good. An Express could use two wet blankets.

Take your head off and leave it in a hatbox. haha

[Mark]

The only contact is via the phone, makes it difficult to do a transaction.

[Blackburn]

The only contact is via the phone, makes it difficult to do a transaction.

And the only payment option is a check or cash, mailed. No cards. Period.

[Mark]

One hell of a business model!

[Firestorm]

Works for him, I guess.

[martin manning]

It's all part of the NOS experience... 1960's merchandise and 1960's mail-order methods!

[BIG Dave]

It's all part of the NOS experience... 1960's merchandise and 1960's mail-order methods!

I would happily put up with that if the prices were 1960's!

[billyz]

I have found him to have the finest and best matched NOS tubes anywhere. And better prices too.