 |
| New tubes: 12AX7/ECC83 (preamp) and EL84 (power) |
This week I replaced the stock Bugera tubes with a pair from JJ-Electronics. I picked up the EL84 (power) and 12AX7 (preamp) from amazon for $25 shipped.
 |
| Tubes installed |
The new tubes brought some much needed brightness to the V5 and seem to break up better than the stock set. Unfortunately I'm getting a buzz from the EL84 at certain frequencies (specifically around D above mid-C). I plan to remedy this with a small spring placed in the tube cage under the valve which will add some upward pressure to keep it more secure and rattle-free. My old Super Reverb had spring-loaded casings over most of the tubes so I'm borrowing the idea.
 |
| New speaker installed |
Next mod: a new Jensen C8R 8" speaker. I'll get a Fender sound out of this thing yet. The new speaker should bring gobs of brightness to the sound which is still too dark and muddy for my tastes.
2 comments:
The "spring-loaded tube" technique did not work as planned. I bought a box of springs from Home Depot and tried two of them. The spring placed between the tube and cage did apply good tension as planned, but the tube still buzzed.
Trying a stiffer spring only changed the frequency at which the tube buzzed. So I sent that troublesome EL84 back and ordered a new one.
The Jensen speaker mod turned out great. This little Bugera V5 which set me back about $250, now sounds like a $1500 amp. The tone is rich, meaty, and not too dark. It's not a Fender tone, but has its own unique sound and I couldn't be happier with the results of my upgrades.
Post a Comment