Electric Guitar Tone: Pickups, Strings, Speakers and Tubes

I. Electric Guitar Tone: Pickups and Strings There are basically two types of pickups for electric guitars: individual coils and humbuckers; and they complete absolutely different. Individual coils tend to be softer and brighter (and electrical arrest will could cause them to hum); humbuckers tend to be louder and accept abundant stronger midrange and bass acknowledgment (and they don't hum). In addition, individual coils tend to accept bigger accuracy than humbuckers if played clean, but humbuckers tend to plan bigger with overdrive or baloney (because they are added powerful). Individual coils aswell tend to complete bigger in the abutting position, and humbuckers tend to complete bigger in the arch position (again because of the midrange acknowledgment and the added power). There are a amount of pickups marketed as individual coils that don't hum, including Fender's Best Noiseless pickups and Lace Sensor's "Holy Grail" pickups. For the a lot of part, those types of pickups are in actuality tiny, ablaze aural humbuckers. They are fabricated to attending like individual coils by stacking the two coils on top of anniversary other, instead of laying them ancillary by side. No amount what anyone tells you the alone affair that absolutely sounds like a individual braid auto is a individual braid pickup. I anticipate a bigger way to break the hum affair is to get a about-face anguish about-face polarity (rwrp) average auto (Fender Custom Shop Fat 50's accept a rwrp average pickup). That way, if you accept a Stratocaster, for example, you will accept individual braid accent in positions 1, 3 and 5, but you will accept no hum in positions 2 and 4. Alternatively, if you accept a Les Paul, you could get humbuckers that acquiesce you to breach the coils, so that you can catechumen anniversary humbucker to a individual braid with the cast of a about-face (Seymour Duncan JB Model humbuckers accept four aqueduct leads, so you can use them with a braid agreeable switch). Either way, you can get the best of both worlds. Among individual braid pickups and humbuckers, there are abounding variations in how they are complete and how they sound. Basically, a auto is a row of magnets captivated in chestnut wire. So changes in the magnets and the wire affect the sound. Alnico V magnets are frequently acclimated in individual braid pickups, like Fender's Texas Special pickups for Stratocasters and Telecasters; they are stronger magnets and accept a bluff sound. Alnico II magnets are added accepted in humbuckers, like Gibson's Archetypal '57 pickups; they are softer magnets and they accept a smoother tone.NUX PG-2 As for the chestnut wire, "overwound" pickups tend to complete louder and accept added midrange and bass; pickups with beneath windings tend to complete softer and brighter. One of the affidavit humbuckers complete the way they do is because it takes added wire to blanket the two coils. The array of the base and the blazon of insulation that is acclimated are added factors that affect the complete (e.g. Fender's aboriginal Strat pickups had Formvar insulation instead of enamel; careful them that way gave them a clearer tone). Today a lot of humbuckers are aswell wax abridged so they will not bleat at top gain, but the wax potting hurts the accuracy a little too (Gibson's avant-garde Burstbucker pickups and Seymour Duncan's Seth Lovers attack to carbon the clearer accent of aboriginal humbuckers by eliminating the wax potting). Another affair to accede with individual coils is how the architecture will affect the way the auto responds to electrical interference. You may adulation the way a big, fat individual braid like a Gibson p90 sounds, but you may aswell acquisition the added base that makes the auto complete so acceptable makes it hum louder too. So there is a barter off if you like that complete (more wire = louder, fatter complete = added hum). The added primary agency in free the accent of an electric guitar is the strings. Electric guitar strings are fabricated of nickel and steel. The added nickel, the warmer the sound; the added steel, the brighter and louder the strings sound. Also, the thicker the strings the added aggregate they will produce. That's why some players like to use abundant strings; they accept added tone. If you try them and acquisition they are too harder to play, you can consistently tune down a bisected footfall or added to compensate. Keep in apperception admitting the nickel is alone on the anguish strings. The thinner, college angle strings are all steel. Also, with the anguish strings, it's not just the nickel agreeable that determines the tone, it's aswell the appearance of the windings. Roundwound strings are brighter, but flatwound strings accept abundant added bass response, and so- alleged "rollerwound" strings, like GHS accepted "Nickel Rockers," accept a accent that is about in amid the two (i.e. they complete darker than roundwounds). So what you can do by bond altered pickups with altered strings is try to get a nicer, counterbalanced accent from the guitar. For example, you ability acquisition that rollerwound strings go able-bodied with brighter, best appearance individual coils, like Fender Custom Shop '54's. But the aforementioned strings would allegedly be way too aphotic for a Gibson Les Paul able with '57 Classics or Burstbuckers (i.e. roundwound strings would complete better). On the added hand, if your Gibson is something like an ES-175 with the aforementioned archetypal humbuckers, and you are searching for a bland applesauce tone, you'll allegedly like flatwounds better. Here are some appropriate combinations of strings / pickups / amplifiers / speakers that I anticipate plan well: 1. Roundwound Strings / Humbucker Pickups / Tube Amp. (6l6 tubes) / 15" JBL Apostle (clean sound) 2. Rollerwound Strings / Individual Braid Pickups / Tube Amp. (6l6 tubes) / 10" Jensen Speakers (blues tone) 3. Roundwound Strings / Humbucker Pickups / Tube Amp (el34 tubes) / 12" Celestion Speakers (distorted bedrock and cycle sound) 4. Flatwound Strings / Humbucker Pickups / Solid Accompaniment Amp. / Eminence Woofer (jazz tone) It's all about the aggregate and the way the apparatus plan together. If you put flatwounds on a Gibson and bung in to a Polytone, you'll see why so abounding jazzers adulation those amps. But if you try the aforementioned amp with a Stratocaster and a set of roundwounds, you'll admiration why anyone would anytime buy a Polytone. An amp that sounds acceptable with one guitar may complete abhorrent with accession guitar. And the acumen may accept annihilation to do with the amp. The pickups and strings on the guitar may just not be a acceptable bout for the apparatus of the amp. Another affair to accede is the base accouter (i.e. the accent and aggregate controls, and the auto selector) central the guitar. You can bandy out bargain pickups to advance the accent of your guitar, but you will not be able to get the a lot of out of the change if you accept a cheap, low superior base accouter abutting the pickups to the achievement jack. The accouter consists of two or four potentiometers, one or two capacitors, a about-face and the base abutting them all calm (and any careful central the ascendancy atrium or about the wires). The best apparatus are US-made CTS pots, Sprague caps, Switchcraft switches and jacks, etc. The controls abate aggregate or acute by introducing attrition and capacitance into the circuit. If the superior isn't there, the accent will be abnormally afflicted even if the controls are angry all the way up; and the pickups may hum added or beneath depending aloft how able-bodied the accouter is shielded. So if you are replacing your pickups to advance the sound, it usually makes faculty to aswell analysis the base and see if it needs to be upgraded or added careful needs to be added. And, endure but not least, any aftereffect pedals you use amid the guitar and the amplifier will aswell tend to boss the final tone. Some pedals are added cellophane than others, but acutely if you await heavily on pedals for the accent you want, again the blazon of pickups and strings you use will accept beneath of an effect. II. Electric Guitar Tone: Speakers There are basically three types of best speakers: (1) Jensen speakers, (2) JBL and Electrovoice drivers, and (3) Celestion speakers. Jensen Speakers Alnico Jensen speakers came accepted in Fender tweed amplifiers in the 50's, including the acclaimed Tweed Bassman, which had four (4) Jensen P10R speakers (Jensen labeled alnico speakers with a "P" and bowl speakers with a "C"; the "10" refers to the apostle admeasurement (10") and "R" agency the apostle is low powered, while "N" would accredit to a college powered speaker). Bowl Jensen speakers are sometimes associated with the afterwards Fender tolex years, but the alnico speakers were included in those amps too. If you accept anytime heard anyone allocution of an "American" aural speaker, it's allegedly the accent of Fender (i.e. the accent of Jensen speakers in an amp powered by 6l6 or 6v6 tubes) that they are apropos to. Jensens are about ablaze aural speakers (they accept abate articulation coils and resonance frequencies about 100 Hz), and they accept a actual ablaze accent with abundant sensitivity. As a result, they plan abnormally able-bodied with individual braid pickups, like those begin in a Fender Stratocaster. The aboriginal Jensen speakers were fabricated in the United States, but the accepted re-issues that Fender is putting in its best archetype amplifiers now are fabricated in Italy. Accomplished Jensen clones are aswell fabricated by Weber and Eminence. The Webers are alleged the "Vintage Series" and the Eminence speakers cover the 10" alnico Legend 102, as able-bodied as the college powered "Patriot Series" speakers. To my ear, the Italian reissues complete acceptable at low volume, but the Webers complete bigger at abounding volume, and they handle overdrive bigger as well. JBL and Electro Voice JBL and Electro Articulation speakers are added important American speakers. Clashing Jensens, JBL's and EV's are actual able aural (they accept ample articulation coils and resonance frequencies about 50 Hz), and can handle a lot of volume. The JBL's were able-bodied accepted for their aluminum dust covers, and some of the aboriginal EV's came that way too (I anticipate the purpose of the aluminum was to advice extend the abundance response). The 12" JBL d120f's were abundantly commutual with the Fender Twin Reverb for dejection and jazz. The 15" JBL d130f was aswell a abundant apostle for the Vibroverb. Electro Articulation speakers are mostly accepted with abundant metal players. The aboriginal Mesa Boogie amplifiers were accepted for accepting a individual EVM 12L speaker. JBL and Electro Articulation speakers were both fabricated in the United States. The Electro Articulation speakers are still available, but the JBL's are no best getting made. Fortunately, Eminence makes a apostle alleged the "Commonwealth," which is an accomplished archetype of the JBL e120 (12") and e130 (15") speakers (those are the bowl allurement versions of the d120 and d130 speakers). Weber aswell makes a apostle alleged the "California," that sounds agnate to a JBL, and accession alleged the "Michigan," that sounds agnate to the Electro Voice. If you wish ammo affidavit believability at top volume, you cannot go amiss with a JBL or EV speaker. They counterbalance a ton but they can handle a lot of power. Also, they handle bass sounds able-bodied and aftermath a bland acute accent that is abnormally able-bodied ill-fitted for guitars with humbuckers, like the Gibson Les Paul and Es-335. Another absorbing aftereffect of the JBL / EV complete is provided by the Eminence band of woofers, including the lower powered Alpha and Beta speakers, and the top powered Delta (the Delta Pro 12A is marketed as agnate to an EV 12L). Applesauce amplifiers like Polytone and Evans (and Raezer's Edge cabinets) use Eminence woofers for a bland solid accompaniment applesauce tone. The Alpha's accept bigger acuteness and complete like the old Polytone speakers, while the Delta's accept a added avant-garde accent with a able bass acknowledgment that will not disort, even at top volume. In my opinion, they complete decidedly acceptable with humbuckers and flatwound strings. Celestion Speakers Celestion speakers are acclaimed for their admittance in archetypal British amplifiers like the Vox AC30 and assorted Marshall amplifiers, including the 2x12 "Bluesbreaker." If you accept anytime heard anyone allocution of a "British" aural speaker, it is allegedly the complete of a Marshall or Vox amplifier (i.e. el84 or el34 tubes and Celestion speakers) that they are apropos to. In agreement of accent and construction, Celestions are in amid the Jensens and the JBL / EV's. They are not as ablaze as the Jensens, nor as able as the EV's (they accept resonance frequencies about 75 Hz; and bigger midrange response); and they are fabricated with British cones and articulation coils that are not as baby as the Jensens or as big as the JBL's. Not surprisingly, Celestions tend to complete able-bodied with both individual coils and humbuckers, abnormally if you play with a lot of distortion. The alone alnico Celestion is the "Alnico Blue." That apostle is the 12" apostle that came in the VOX AC30. It is about admired as one of the best speakers you can buy, but it is aswell one of the a lot of big-ticket speakers you can buy, and it can alone handle 15 watts. The blow of the Celestion line, including the 25 watt, G12M "Greenback," are bowl allurement speakers, mostly 12" in size, and all accepted for their accomplished bedrock tones. My favorites are the Greenbacks. If you charge added ability handling, the G12-65 is aswell a abundant aural speaker. Like they say in the ad, the complete of Celestion is the complete of bedrock and roll. Although Celestions were originally fabricated in England, the accepted reissues are getting fabricated in China (like the Italian Jensens, the Chinese Celestions complete appealing acceptable to my ear). In addition, Weber makes some abundant "British Series" Celestion clones, including the "Blue Pup," which is a archetype of the Alnico Blue (except the Blue Pup comes in all altered sizes, doesn't amount as much, and can handle abundant added power). And Eminence has the Legend GB-12 Greenback clone, as able-bodied as a new band of accomplished "Red Coat" speakers that are Celestion clones too. The "Red Fang" is a archetype of the Alnico Blue, and the "Private Jack" is accession archetype of the Greenback. Both those speakers aswell complete great, amount beneath and handle added power. And, of course, the Webers and the Eminence speakers are fabricated in the USA. In my opinion, the speakers are the primary affair that actuate the accent of an electric guitar. The accent starts with the strings, and depends aloft whether they are nickel or steel, roundwound or flatwound, abundant or light. Again the accent is absolute by the pickups, which could be individual coils or humbuckers, underwound our overwound, alnico V or alnico II. If you put a alternation of furnishings amid the guitar and the amp, the complete of the furnishings tends to boss the accent and override aggregate else. Otherwise, the accent is again bent by the blazon of amp you accept (solid accompaniment or tubes, and the blazon of tubes) and how you set the dials (bass, mid, treble, adept volume, etc). But what has the bigger affect is the speakers (the blazon of cone, the allurement and the admeasurement of the apostle and articulation coil). The speakers are the endure hotlink in the chain; the speakers are what in actuality move the air to aftermath the complete you hear. If you accept a guitar with individual braid pickups, you can't go amiss with Jensen appearance speakers. Individual coils accept an continued acute acknowledgment and abundant clarity; and Jensen's are absolute for capturing that tone. If your guitar has humbuckers and you wish a smooth, animated apple-pie accent or a apostle that has a big bass complete for abundant metal distortion, again JBL or Electrovoice speakers will accomplish you happy. Any of those American speakers will plan able-bodied with American ability tubes, like 6l6 or 6v6's. If you don't like the complete of American speakers, either because the Jensens are too ablaze or the JBL's and EV's are too bassy, again Celestion acceptable has a apostle you'll like. Celestions accept the best midrange response; the accent of Britain is beneath "scooped" (i.e. added even in the treble, bass and midrange) than American appearance speakers. Not surprisingly, British speakers will brace able-bodied with British tubes, like El34's or El84's. Yet accession affair to accede is bond and analogous altered speakers in a multi-speaker amplifier. For example, if you accept a Super Reverb or Bassman, which has 4 x 10" speakers, you can put two ablaze aural Jensens on top (like Weber 10A100's or Jensen P10r's); and again try to antithesis the complete with two bassier aural speakers on the basal (like Weber10A150's or Jensen P10n's). Accession accepted set up is to accept a Celestion G12M on one ancillary and a G12H on the added ancillary of a Marshall Bluesbreaker 2 x 12 amp. III. Electric Guitar Tone: Vacuum Tubes Changing the vacum tubes in your guitar amplifier can change the accent just as abundant as alteration the speakers. Abounding humans affirmation the best 12ax7 preamp tubes and 6l6 ability tubes are the American fabricated RCA tubes that were produced in the 1950's and 60's, like the short, ribbed bowl RCA 12ax7 and the atramentous bowl RCA 6l6GC, as able-bodied as the European fabricated Mullard ECC83. Those tubes do complete abundant but they are big-ticket and abbreviating in supply, back they are no best getting made. Fortunately, there are aswell a amount of top superior accepted assembly tubes that are accessible to advancement the accent of your amplifier. 12AX7 Tubes There are 5 (5) types of 12ax7 tubes getting fabricated today, and the aforementioned tube is about awash beneath assorted altered labels. If you wish to apperceive what you are buying, the best affair you can do is become accustomed with the architecture of the altered types, so you can acquaint which is which behindhand of the characterization anniversary is getting awash under. Three (3) of the 5 tube types accept a short, fat bowl anatomy area the two plates are so abutting calm you can't see the amplitude in amid them. The added two (2) tubes are fabricated added like the way the RCA 12ax7's and Mullard ECC83's were complete in the 60's. They accept two attenuate plates that are separated, so you can see the amplitude amid them, and the plates accept a ribbed banner on them that looks like a ladder. Sovtek is the primary OEM supplier of preamp tubes today. Sovtek tubes are fabricated in Russia. As you can see above, they accept a spacer beneath the short, fat plates, a gap amid the plates and the additional top spacer, and a "dimple" getter over the top. If you see a tube that looks like this, it's a Sovtek, behindhand of the label. Sometimes they are apparent as Sovtek 12AX7's but you aswell see them apparent as Groove Tubes 12AX7-R's and Fender 12AX7's. You will aswell see them apparent 12AX7 WA, WB or WC. I'm told the WB adaptation has a little added accretion and the WC adaptation is a little quieter. Regardless, these tubes all accept an anxious (bright) accent that is accepted with Fender amp owners. The additional accepted OEM tube out there is the Chinese Shuguang 12AX7 (Groove Tubes aswell sells this tube as the 12AX7C; Tube Amp Doctor has aswell awash this tube as a TAD 7025; and it has aswell been awash by Mesa Boogie). The Chinese 12ax7's are complete with short, fat plates, like the Sovteks, but they accept an added spacer aloft the tubes, a big nickel atramentous brace abutting the plates, and a "halo" getter on top. Again, if you see a tube fabricated like this, it's a Chinese tube, behindhand of whether it has Groove Tubes or Mesa Boogie or TAD accounting on the glass. These tubes accept a warmer accent than the Sovteks and added accretion (volume). As a result, they plan able-bodied in top accretion amps. The third OEM tube is the European JJ ECC83 (ECC83 is the British name for a 12AX7; JJ's are fabricated in the Slovak Republic). They are complete with short, fat plates and a aura getter, like the Shuguangs, but they accept alone two spacers and a metal deejay aloft the plates that is affiliated to the getter. You may see these awash as Groove Tubes ECC83's but the characterization doesn't matter; they are still JJ ECC83's. As for the sound, they accept a added beeline accent than the Sovteks or the Shuguangs, and a added arresting midrange. Personally, I anticipate they complete best with Marshall or Vox amps that run EL34 or EL84 ability tubes. If you wish an nicer, best appearance apple-pie accent or hardly adulterated dejection tone, the newer tubes Sovtek makes for Electro-Harmonix, Svetlana and Tung Sol are bigger choices. Anniversary of those tubes has thinner plates that are separated, so you can see the amplitude amid them just like the aboriginal RCA 12ax7's. To my ear, the Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 is the best aural lower priced 12ax7 out there (the Svetlana 12AX7 looks like the aforementioned tube, but I've never approved one). If you don't apperception spending a little more, I anticipate the Tung Sol 12AX7 "reissue" is even bigger (unlike the Electro-Harmonix version, the Tung Sol has a "halo" getter, just like the RCA). If you wish exceptional tube with a absolute nice American tone, I'd acclaim the Tung Sol 12AX7. The additional advantage for a added best aural preamp tubes is the continued bowl tubes Sovtek makes beneath its own name as the 12AX7LP (the "lp" stands for "long plate"), and the tube Sovtek sells as the Mullard 12AX7 "reissue." The two tubes attending identical, except for the name, but the superior of the Mullards is abundant better, I think. In accession to Sovtek, Groove Tubes aswell sells a US-made 12AX7M, and it looks like TAD is now affairs this tube as their new TAD 7025. Aswell JJ has a new continued bowl tube alleged the JJ ECC803.NUX PG-1 All of these tubes accept long, attenuate plates that are separated, so you can see the amplitude amid them just like the aboriginal Mullard ECC83's. To my ear, these best appearance tubes tend to accept a adequately collapsed eq, which I accessory with a added European sound, as against the Tung Sol's, which accentuate the highs and lows added and accept added of an American tone. The botheration with these continued bowl tubes is they tend not to do able-bodied in top accretion amps and admixture amps, if they are not actual able-bodied made. The alone one I accept begin to be reliable in a guitar amp is the Mullard 12ax7 reissue. It costs a little more, but if you wish a exceptional tube that has added of a European tone, that's the one I'd recommend. Another affair to accede is the area in the amplifier of the preamp tube you are replacing. The preamp tube that is amid the extreme abroad from the ability tubes will about accept the greatest aftereffect on the accent of the amp; and the preamp tubes that are afterpiece to the ability tubes will accept the atomic aftereffect on the tone. So you could put a exceptional Tung Sol or Mullard in V1, but again a beneath big-ticket JJ or a Chinese tube ability accomplish added faculty in V2. Even if you acquisition a continued bowl too blatant for any of those positions, a continued bowl tube ability still accomplish a acceptable appearance inverter tube for the V3 position (or whichever position is abutting to the ability tubes). 6l6 Tubes 6l6 ability tubes not alone accept altered admeasurement plates, they aswell appear in altered admeasurement bottles. There are basically three (3) types. The baby canteen "stubbies" modeled afterwards the aboriginal Tung Sol 5881, the alpine bottles based on the aboriginal Sylvania 6l6GC STR, and the ablaze acme that accept the ancillary getter architecture of the acclaimed atramentous bowl RCA 6l6GC. The a lot of accepted OEM 6l6 is the Sovtek 5881WXT, which is array of an anomaly. The Sovtek is a abbreviate bowl tube in a alpine bottle. It's alleged a 5881 but it's absolutely a 6l6. It can handle top voltages like the added 6l6's but it has the lower achievement of a 5881. And you will see it branded both ways. Sovtek calls it the 5881WXT but Groove Tubes sells it as a 6l6GC, Fender calls it a 6l6GC, and a Mesa Boogie sells it as a 6l6GC STR. Behindhand of the name, the Sovtek is a actual reliable, bargain tube, but it doesn't accept the best tone. The alone accurate baby canteen 5881 currently in assembly is the Tung Sol 5881 archetype that is aswell fabricated by Sovtek. Like the Sovtek 5881WXT, the Tung Sol has lower achievement than a lot of 6l6's. But if it comes to tone, there is no comparison. The accent of the Tung Sol is arch and amateur aloft the 5881WXT. The botheration is, clashing the Sovtek, the Tung Sol allegedly cannot handle the top voltage of a lot of avant-garde tube amps. As a result, a lot of humans searching to advancement the accepted Sovtek 5881WXT will do bigger with a 6l6 alpine canteen or one of the new ablaze tops. In accession to the Tung Sol, Sovtek aswell has a exceptional alpine canteen 6l6 alleged the Sovtek 5881WXT+ (not the 5881WXT, the 588WXT"+", which is a actual altered animal) and the Electro-Harmonix 6l6EH (near as I can tell, the WXT+ and the 6l6EH are the same). Both the 5881WXT+ and the 6l6EH accept best plates, added aggregate and a abundant nicer accent - with added harmonic complication - than the Sovtek 5881WXT. The accomplished rated 6l6 alpine canteen is allegedly the SED 6l6. SED a/k/a "Winged C" is the aggregation that was ahead accepted as "Svetlana." The SED is a abundant tube with a brighter, added abundant tone, but it has a big downside, and that is that it about costs about alert as abundant as all of these added tubes. The "Svetlana" cast name is now endemic by Sovtek. In fact, Sovtek makes a archetype of the SED "Winged C" 6l6 which is awash as the Svetlana 6l6. The SED and the Sovtek Svetlana are not the aforementioned tube (the getters are different), and they don't accept absolutely the aforementioned accent (the Svetlana is not absolutely as bright). But the two tubes are actual similar, and the Svetlana costs about bisected as much. In accession to the SED and the Sovteks, there are two added 6l6's that accept a little altered accent but are aswell a big advance over the accepted 5881WXT. JJ makes a alpine canteen JJ 6l6 that has a different bowl anatomy and a able apple-pie sound. Like the SED, the JJ has been about a continued time and has enjoyed ample popularity. Added recently, Tube Amp Doctor started affairs a Chinese TAD 6l6GC STR that has become actual popular. I anticipate the TAD sounds added like the JJ than the SED or the Sovteks. You absolutely can't go amiss with any of these alpine bottles. If you like big and beefy, try the JJ or the TAD. If you wish a brighter accent with added detail, go for the SED or the Svetlana. If you would rather accept something with a little adulate eq and smoother sound, I'd acclaim the Electro-Harmonix 6l6EH or the Sovtek 5881WXT+. I abnormally like bland overdrive accent of the 6l6EH and 5881WXT+ in a adept aggregate amp. But if what you wish is the abutting affair to the aboriginal RCA 6l6 ablaze top, there are a amount of added 6l6 tubes you may aswell wish to accord a accept to. Groove Tubes makes a ablaze top GT 6l6GE, Sovtek has a ablaze top Tung Sol 6l6GC STR and Tube Amp Doctor aswell sells a ablaze top Chinese fabricated TAD 6l6WGC STR. These are continued plate, top achievement tubes, but they appear in average admeasurement bottles; and they accept the ablaze top, ancillary getter architecture of the aboriginal RCA and GE 6l6's. The TAD and Tung Sol versions accept the "black plates" the RCA tubes had; and the Groove Tubes adaptation is mostly American made. But the tube with the best accent is absolutely the TAD 6l6WGC STR. The TAD is a nice, balmy tube with a sweet, cottony top end. To me, it is the absolute best for a best alternation Fender amp, like the Super Reverb.NUX OD-3 Keep in apperception the bazaar for vacum tubes is consistently changing. It acclimated to be that the JJ ECC83's and SED "Winged C" 6l6's were the best tubes available. But again Sovtek was bought out by New Sensor and started alive with Electro Harmonix to advance new tube designs. Chinese tubes were awfully cheap, but again Tube Amp Doctor and Groove Tubes started alive with them to advance some top superior glass. It aswell acclimated to be that you bare to get tubes from a reseller who activated them thoroughly because they were awfully capricious from the factory. But now Sovtek, for example, seems to be testing their own tubes added and affairs the acceptable ones beneath cast names like "Tung Sol" or "Mullard." The added affair the tube manufacturers are accomplishing now is affairs "gold pin" versions of their tubes (often for alert the amount of the approved versions). I anticipate it's account it to buy the cast name versions, abnormally if you are affairs absolute from the manufacturer, but I don't anticipate the gold pins are account alert the price. In my opinion, there is no one tube that sounds best, it all depends aloft what you like and the added apparatus you are using.