In my opinion, Groove Tubes are hotter than other brands and yes Tom Hicks is right in saying that they are of higher quality,but that does not always mean better. It all depends on apllication. Here's why: Tubes are graded/rated by the ratio of input voltage to output voltage and the plate current rating or in other words, thier effencincy. Groove tube as compared to say Ruby Tubes have a higher plate rating and higher output. This higher output translated into usable terms for guitar players equals gain or early distortion. Lower output equals late distortion. Yes higher gain is a good thing if you play through a Marshal or Boogie. Groove tubes are highly recomended for these type amps. Other tube have a lower plate current rating but that does not mean that these tubes are inferior. Tubes with a lower rating are better for smaller amps such as your Falcon and smaller Fenders. At least for what I think these smaller amps should sound like. The lower rated tubes will not have as much gain as Groove Tubes and will provide a more traditional tube amp sound. The amp should start at a nice warm clean tone at low volume to a mild dirty sound to a distortion sound caused by tube saturation with plenty of variety in between. Think of it as driving a '53 Cadillac. It feels good from slow to cruisin' speed and way cool. Groove Tubes would be like driving a Vette. Turn the volume knob to "3" and you've gone from 0 to 60 in 5.3. There is nothing wrong with either approach it all in personal prefference and taste. Groove Tubes are good, but don't think of all other brands as cheap. I have a Gibson
GA-40 Les Paul amp from 195? and spent lots of money to have it serviced and re-tubed with groove Tubes. The amp was way too hot and as I said ealier, it was at full overdriven distortion around 3-4 on the volume knob. I took all of the Groove Tubes out and installed
Ruby Tubes like I have always used in my Fenders. Tom Hicks also made another great piont, always buy tubes in a matched set. And also have the amped biased when replacing power tubes. I highly recomend this site for lots of info on tubes. It contians info on pricing, history, basic concepts, bias, maching, and manufacturers
http://www.thetubestore.com
P.S. ( Groove Tubes IS NOT a tube manufacturer. Ruby Tube IS NOT a manufacturer. They are both distributors who buy tubes from companies like Sovtek and Tesla and relabel the tubes with their own trade marks. Groove Tubes generaly purchases tubes with a higher plate current rating and market them as high gain tubes and charge a premium price-and sometimes they come from China as well.)
[Edited by Daddy-O on 10-31-2000 at 21:04]
