el34...what to do?

[kmenard]

My brother was nice enough to get me 2 mullard vintage power tubes for my 18watt...one problem...he got me el34s.

Do I build an amp with them? Or should I ebay them and get some tubes for my 18watt?

[teletroy]

if it was me I'd keep them, but I'm like that!

If they are not reissues then they are worth some $$, so I guess you have to decide if you want an amp that uses el34s or not.

[echuta13]

Provided they're in good shape... you could probably finance a good portion of the bitz n'pieces of an 18watt with those two tubes.

[Pressed_Rat]

Go over to www.ampgarage.com and check out Trainwreck Expresses before you are tempted to part with the EL34s. You might change your mind. Very friendly forum (like this one) and some sound clips (I think the best ones are also on YouTube - just do a grep for Trainwreck and Amplifier).

Decisions, decisions.....

[BBQLS1]

Very cool. Think your brother can adopt me?

You could probably finance a most of any 18watter with those tubes if they are good NOS. You could also save them to build something like a 50W plexi or trainwreck clone.

Tough call.

[Phil_S]

Build a JTM45 instead. Same TMB preamp. Breaks up much later, though. Most folks look to do them with KT66, but EL34 is the other "official" choice. IMO, it is easier to get a great result on the JTM45 than on the TWX. The Trainwreck will hiss just like the 18W, maybe worse.

Don't sell them.

[mashaffer]

Or you could get some 84s for you 18W and use the Mullards to build a nice amp for your stereo.

mike

[zaphod_phil]

You can also run EL34s in an 18W amp, provided you use bigger, EL34-size iron, and make a couple of resistor value changes. Of course you'll then be getting something like 35W out instead.

[rjgtr]

Build a 50 watt Plexi with the 'one wire' channel cascade mod and you'll be in classic rock heaven. I rebuilt my 1987x with a new OT and turretboard and installed that mod on a switch and it is great.

Or - if you'll never want to build a 50 watter (although you know you do!), sell the tubes and buy some NOS Mullard EL-84s for your 18watt.

[kmenard]

well..here is a strange question...what could I do to run say 1 el-34...

I know most people want to go higher wattage, but even my 18watt needs an attenuator.

[Alexo]

P1 Extreme!

[joe6v6]

Build a 50 watt Plexi with the 'one wire' channel cascade mod and you'll be in classic rock heaven.

RJGTR , what exactly is this one wire mod??

JOE

[peesinstew]

the one wire mod takes the bright and normal channels of a plexi preamp and cascades them together to add another gain stage. I've seen a couple different ideas of how to implement it correctly though so RJ, I'd like to see how you did it too.

[rjgtr]

Since the 'one wire mod' is a little off topic for 18watt, I'll point you to the Metroamp forums, where there's several versions posted.

Basically all it is is this. You break the connection of the bright channel at the 470k/470p resistor/cap pair that meets the 470k resistor for the normal channel (mixing resistors). You take a wire from the end of the resistor/cap pairing to the grid of the normal channel's input stage, removing the connection to the input jacks. Instant 70's rock mod.

This is similar to the Zaphod Phil 18watt channel cascade mod for the 18watt TMB that's been floating around hear and is simply a way to add one more gain stage in the chain without adding more tubes or doing a lot of work on the amp.

[dartanion]

Parallel EL34 SE with an EF86(or other pentode) and TMB channel. This would be in the general area of 18watts too!!

[kmenard]

you lost me