NOS and Used
Vacuum Tubes
Love is Resonance!
Unlike most (all?) other glass 6V6 GT’s, the Visseaux has a metal band around the base, like a 6550. The metal band is connected to pin 1. Usually, on any glass type 6V6GT, pin 1 is either absent or not connected on pin 1. The metal band on the Visseaux is painted black, not shiny bright metal, so it isn’t entirely obvious that it is metal.
In the typical Fender amplifier, pin 1 is used as a tie point for the control grid, and the negative bias voltage is present. If you use the Visseaux 6V6, this voltage will be present on the metal base of the tube. If your amp has the “bear-trap” type tube clamps, they will ground the metal base of the tube and pin 1 in the socket, and rob the tube of all bias voltage.
To safely use the Visseaux 6V6 on the typical 6V6 guitar amp, you need to make sure that pin 1 of the socket is not connected to anything other than ground, *or* remove the tube clamps to make sure the base doesn’t accidently get grounded. —
What about amps without tube clamps?
They are excellent, and the only issue is if you have tube clamps, in which case you just unscrew and remove them. In case you aren’t familiar with the Visseaux, here is an excerpt from the 6V6GT shoot out from Vacuum Tube Valley www.vacuumtube.com
Here’s what Terry Buddingh who writes for Guitar Player and Vacuum Tube Valley said about this tube in the 6V6 shoot out in the most recent issue of VTV:
“VISSEAUX: I was initially reluctant to push these cute little metal-based 1951 tubes very hard. But the bias was rock-solid at 400 VDC, so I thought I’d push them to see what they could really take. The bias was still rock-solid as high as 465 VDC (In a Fender Super Reverb!), where I chickened-out, before they did. These are tough little tubes! They sounded unbelievably good at 450 VDC and 30ma. Nicely balanced, great detail, strong and punchy midrange, and startling transients.
In the 1965 Deluxe (at 425 VDC and 30 ma) I was impressed with this stout and punchy, forward sounding little tube. It evoked images of a Mullard EL-34 powered Marshall Super Lead 100. Rich, smooth, un-harsh, well balanced, and silky smooth. Full and creamy mids, with a polished stainless steel-like quality to the top. The mids were tighter, punchier, more aggressive, more assertive, and more focused than the RCAs. It’s one mean and nasty tube!”
Regards,
Kevin Deal Voice: (909) 931-9686 Fax: (909) 985-6968 10-6 pst M-S Upscale Audio 2504 Spring Terrace Upland, California 91784 www.upscaleaudio.com _
Just How Good Are They?
The answer is I have sold over 1000 of them. I had one dealer, who I sold to, return three that I could tell got torched, and a light didn’t come on until I got a note from another guy who noticed it and the tubes were starting to run away at installation.
This has been not only the best sounding, but by a HUGE margin, the most dependable 6V6GT I have ever ever seen. Period. Nothing even comes close. I can slap them in my test jig one after another…and run 450v on the plates and 30 mils without even one hiccup. I have had a total of 6 defects….three of which were related to the one dealer who fried three before we knew about the tube clamp. And most of the amps in question don’t have that clamp in place. The ones who do . . . just unscrew them.
Now it’s not a problem.
Regards,
Kevin Deal Voice: (909) 931-9686 Fax: (909) 985-6968 10-6 pst M-S Upscale Audio 2504 Spring Terrace Upland, California 91784 www.upscaleaudio.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________
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