Fender color-coded tubes

Fender color-coded tubes

Hi all,

What's the real lowdown on the Fender/GT color-coded tubes that they
push for their amps. Are they any good? So you really don't need to
re-bias if you replace the existing ones with a matched set of the
same color (red, blue, or white)?

I'm not a big fan of Groove Tubes personally, and would much rather
use Russian/New Sensor tubes like Svetlana, Sovtek, Electro-Harmonix
and TungSol.

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts and experiences are with the
Fender tubes.

-ryan

Re: Fender color-coded tubes

sheelerr@gmail,com wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> What's the real lowdown on the Fender/GT color-coded tubes that they
> push for their amps. Are they any good? So you really don't need to
> re-bias if you replace the existing ones with a matched set of the
> same color (red, blue, or white)?
>
Sucker + Money + Gimmick == Sales.

>
> I'm not a big fan of Groove Tubes personally, and would much rather
> use Russian/New Sensor tubes like Svetlana, Sovtek, Electro-Harmonix
> and TungSol.
>

Where do think GT gets those tubes from ? They all come
from the same *factories* using WWII era equipment the US scrapped
40 years ago !

I give GT credit for a great business model. I only wish I had
the foresight to do it 20 years ago. I hear newbie ( or un-informed
amp owners) bragging they just got a retube GT done for $200/$300
and I add up in my head what the *actual* cost really is ..
$20 of tubes !

Re: Fender color-coded tubes

On Apr 29, 11:32 am, WB <W...@here,com > wrote:
> sheel...@gmail,com wrote:
> > Hi all,
>
> > What's the real lowdown on the Fender/GT color-coded tubes that they
> > push for their amps.  Are they any good?  So you really don't need to
> > re-bias if you replace the existing ones with a matched set of the
> > same color (red, blue, or white)?
>
>  >
>   Sucker + Money +  Gimmick == Sales.
>
>
>
> > I'm not a big fan of Groove Tubes personally, and would much rather
> > use Russian/New Sensor tubes like Svetlana, Sovtek, Electro-Harmonix
> > and TungSol.
>
>   Where do think GT gets those tubes from ? They all come
>   from the same *factories* using WWII era equipment the US scrapped
>   40 years ago !
>
>   I give GT credit for a great business model. I only wish I had
>   the foresight to do it 20 years ago. I hear newbie ( or un-informed
>   amp owners) bragging they just got a retube GT done for $200/$300
>   and I add up in my head what the *actual* cost really is ..
>   $20 of tubes !

To my ears (and I know this is subjective...) I never had like the
tones I've heard out of GT tubes. Personal taste I guess.

Re: Fender color-coded tubes

sheelerr@gmail,com wrote:

> On Apr 29, 11:32 am, WB <W...@here,com > wrote:
> > sheel...@gmail,com wrote:
> > > Hi all,
> >
> > > What's the real lowdown on the Fender/GT color-coded tubes that they
> > > push for their amps. Are they any good? So you really don't need to
> > > re-bias if you replace the existing ones with a matched set of the
> > > same color (red, blue, or white)?
> >
> > >
> > Sucker + Money + Gimmick == Sales.
> >
> >
> >
> > > I'm not a big fan of Groove Tubes personally, and would much rather
> > > use Russian/New Sensor tubes like Svetlana, Sovtek, Electro-Harmonix
> > > and TungSol.
> >
> > Where do think GT gets those tubes from ? They all come
> > from the same *factories* using WWII era equipment the US scrapped
> > 40 years ago !
> >
> > I give GT credit for a great business model. I only wish I had
> > the foresight to do it 20 years ago. I hear newbie ( or un-informed
> > amp owners) bragging they just got a retube GT done for $200/$300
> > and I add up in my head what the *actual* cost really is ..
> > $20 of tubes !
>
> To my ears (and I know this is subjective...) I never had like the
> tones I've heard out of GT tubes. Personal taste I guess.

The point WB was trying to make is that the tubes sold by GT (and everyone
else, including me) are made in the same factories as tubes with other logos
on them.

You pay extra for the fancy packaging and paint job.
I could say more, but why bother. Google it. ;-)

Lord Valve
Glass Hustler

Re: Fender color-coded tubes


"Lord Valve" <detritus@ix,net com,com > wrote in message
news:481750D1.EC0A5B7E@ix,net com,com ...
> sheelerr@gmail,com wrote:
>
>> On Apr 29, 11:32 am, WB <W...@here,com > wrote:
>> > sheel...@gmail,com wrote:
>> > > Hi all,
>> >
>> > > What's the real lowdown on the Fender/GT color-coded tubes that they
>> > > push for their amps. Are they any good? So you really don't need to
>> > > re-bias if you replace the existing ones with a matched set of the
>> > > same color (red, blue, or white)?
>> >
>> > >
>> > Sucker + Money + Gimmick == Sales.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > I'm not a big fan of Groove Tubes personally, and would much rather
>> > > use Russian/New Sensor tubes like Svetlana, Sovtek, Electro-Harmonix
>> > > and TungSol.
>> >
>> > Where do think GT gets those tubes from ? They all come
>> > from the same *factories* using WWII era equipment the US scrapped
>> > 40 years ago !
>> >
>> > I give GT credit for a great business model. I only wish I had
>> > the foresight to do it 20 years ago. I hear newbie ( or un-informed
>> > amp owners) bragging they just got a retube GT done for $200/$300
>> > and I add up in my head what the *actual* cost really is ..
>> > $20 of tubes !
>>
>> To my ears (and I know this is subjective...) I never had like the
>> tones I've heard out of GT tubes. Personal taste I guess.
>
> The point WB was trying to make is that the tubes sold by GT (and everyone
> else, including me) are made in the same factories as tubes with other
> logos
> on them.
>
> You pay extra for the fancy packaging and paint job.
> I could say more, but why bother. Google it. ;-)
>
> Wet Fart Willy
> Fart Bottler

However, there's no reason to get them from the fascist
extremist fathead who coats his tubes with a thin layer
of smegma, who also has the same perverse mentality
of General Mandible on the movie "Antz" and has used
his power of suggestion to influence chumps like the OP
into believing in his own mind that GT tubes are deficient
in tone.

Re: Fender color-coded tubes

On Apr 29, 7:07 pm, "Elvis Kabong" <ampscie...@tuneland,com > wrote:
> "Lord Valve" <detri...@ix,net com,com > wrote in message
>
> news:481750D1.EC0A5B7E@ix,net com,com ...
>
>
>
>
>
> > sheel...@gmail,com wrote:
>
> >> On Apr 29, 11:32 am, WB <W...@here,com > wrote:
> >> > sheel...@gmail,com wrote:
> >> > > Hi all,
>
> >> > > What's the real lowdown on the Fender/GT color-coded tubes that they
> >> > > push for their amps.  Are they any good?  So you really don't need to
> >> > > re-bias if you replace the existing ones with a matched set of the
> >> > > same color (red, blue, or white)?
>
> >> >   Sucker + Money +  Gimmick == Sales.
>
> >> > > I'm not a big fan of Groove Tubes personally, and would much rather
> >> > > use Russian/New Sensor tubes like Svetlana, Sovtek, Electro-Harmonix
> >> > > and TungSol.
>
> >> >   Where do think GT gets those tubes from ? They all come
> >> >   from the same *factories* using WWII era equipment the US scrapped
> >> >   40 years ago !
>
> >> >   I give GT credit for a great business model. I only wish I had
> >> >   the foresight to do it 20 years ago. I hear newbie ( or un-informed
> >> >   amp owners) bragging they just got a retube GT done for $200/$300
> >> >   and I add up in my head what the *actual* cost really is ..
> >> >   $20 of tubes !
>
> >> To my ears (and I know this is subjective...) I never had like the
> >> tones I've heard out of GT tubes.  Personal taste I guess.
>
> > The point WB was trying to make is that the tubes sold by GT (and everyone
> > else, including me) are made in the same factories as tubes with other
> > logos
> > on them.
>
> > You pay extra for the fancy packaging and paint job.
> > I could say more, but why bother.  Google it.  ;-)
>
> > Wet Fart Willy
> > Fart Bottler
>
> However, there's no reason to get them from the fascist
> extremist fathead who coats his tubes with a thin layer
> of smegma, who also has the same perverse mentality
> of General Mandible on the movie "Antz" and has used
> his power of suggestion to influence chumps like the OP
> into believing in his own mind that GT tubes are deficient
> in tone.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
.. how are the "matched" GTs any different from the "matched" tubes
from thetubestore,com ?
(althought I had an unmatched pair that I returned and were replaced
by a slightly-less unmatched pair, I am pleased with thetubestore so
far :)
I have a 60 brown super that was retubed with all GTs about 15 years
ago and barely used since. They are fine tubes (or were back then). I
am just
glad I didnt pay for them :D The point is, I think GT offered a
service no one offered 15 years ago and that is how they made their
name. Today they
actually have competition (good for us.. bad for them) but that is
business right? ALMOST any monkey can match tubes now.. (ok.. I am
being harsh since
I cannot match tubes.. and have a hard time even biasing them.. but
you know what I mean). What can GT do to keep their name up in the
tube market
(besides high-profile marketing with companies like fender)? I am not
trying to be a bitch... just throwing that out there.

cheers

Drwe

Re: Fender color-coded tubes

DH82C wrote:
> The point is, I think GT offered a
> service no one offered 15 years ago and that is how they made their
> name.

Exactly. I wish I would have thought of it.
Not only does GT match tubes for compatibility,
they have a scheme where they classify tube
sets biased on "soft" to "hard".

Great idea. For guitar players who have idea
what "mu" and "moo" really mean.

Re: Fender color-coded tubes

On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:13:10 -0500, WB <warbaby@ppp,com > wrote:

>DH82C wrote:
>> The point is, I think GT offered a
>> service no one offered 15 years ago and that is how they made their
>> name.
>
>Exactly. I wish I would have thought of it.
>Not only does GT match tubes for compatibility,
>they have a scheme where they classify tube
>sets biased on "soft" to "hard".
>
>Great idea. For guitar players who have idea
>what "mu" and "moo" really mean.
I'll bet I can name one guitard that knows what moo means! After he
goes to the barn and cuts his new releases onto Soundclick he goes out
for some night releases in the pasture...moo means love to the Mule..