Retubing an Engl Screamer

[lyonk55]

Hello folks,

I'm living in Germany just now (away from all my gear), but I'm thinking of ordering some tubes for my amp and installing them when I get home at Christmas. This will be the first time I'll have done it, so I could use some advice, especially if anyone has experience with the Screamer 50 combo.

Currently it has a set of JJ 6L6 power tubes which should still have plenty of life in them, so I'll leave them be for now (although I pretty sure it needs to be biased).

The preamp tubes are whatever ECC83s that come stock. I'm finding that the high end is a bit ridiculous on this thing, so hoped I could tame it a bit and get more uses out of the treble and presence controls. A bit more of a deeper sound and some extra gain would be nice too.

So far, my only idea is the "retube kits" on Eurotubes, but they don't give much detail about what's actually in them and I'd be paying for power tubes I don't need. But by the description, what I want is somewhere between the "standard" and "high gain" options.

Any suggestions?

[BigK]

JJ ECC83s should do what you want, worked a treat in my powerball.

[gordiji]

I have a screamer 50 and retubed it with jj for the pre & power amp. Their biasrite kit is fine, i bought that + their cheap multimeter + tubes. I used their average value of the grid plate voltage, about 350v if memory serves me right, but it's on their site somewhere.
You need to open the amp to access the trim pot which is a tiny white plastic screw head on the circuit board, there is only one.
Follow the instructions on the euro tubes website you'll be fine. When i did mine i had to adjust the trim pot from full clockwise(with the stock tubes) to full counterclockwise with the jj's.
The screamer is a bright amp but with treble about 9 o'clock and presence at 8 oclock or less it's fine.
Good luck.
     

[darkbluemurder]

As far as I know Eurotube uses JJ tubes from the Czech Republic.

Never bought from Eurotube but used many JJ tubes. They work very well and sound good.

Cheers Stephan

[EffigyForgotten]

I would go JJ 12ax7's in everything but V1 where I would put a Tung Sol 12ax7. Other than maybe try a 5751 in the PI if you want more clarity.

[lyonk55]

I would go JJ 12ax7's in everything but V1 where I would put a Tung Sol 12ax7. Other than maybe try a 5751 in the PI if you want more clarity.

Why the Tung Sol for V1?

If I understand things properly, the V1 position has the largest effect on tone, right?

And thanks guys: preamp tubes are something I've never thought about until recently and I'm a bit lost with them.

[lyonk55]

I have a screamer 50 and retubed it with jj for the pre & power amp. Their biasrite kit is fine, i bought that + their cheap multimeter + tubes. I used their average value of the grid plate voltage, about 350v if memory serves me right, but it's on their site somewhere.
You need to open the amp to access the trim pot which is a tiny white plastic screw head on the circuit board, there is only one.
Follow the instructions on the euro tubes website you'll be fine. When i did mine i had to adjust the trim pot from full clockwise(with the stock tubes) to full counterclockwise with the jj's.
The screamer is a bright amp but with treble about 9 o'clock and presence at 8 oclock or less it's fine.
Good luck.
   

Just wanted to check: since I'm also using JJ 6L6s, would I be able to get away with setting the trim the same or will I still need to buy the gear to check? I'm sure you're not the only one I've heard having to set them this way.

[gordiji]

I'm not sure. All tubes aren't the same hence the trim pot. When you buy the engl power tubes they're graded i think so you can pop them straight in.
The multimeter and biasrite kit wasn't expensive though, like 10€ for the meter. Your looking for about 37ma reading
again from memory, i think i got to 36 and ran out of adjustment. It's all on eurotubes site, i didn't even pay vat on the order. Only time i've biased an amp. Sounded better after. Used lots since with no problems.

[lyonk55]

I just go for it then: might as well no be a cheap skate and do it right.