Nad!

[cmcoram]

Picked up a Epi Valve Special at the pawn shop yesterday. So far, I'm liking it. Using it as practice amp, since I use my Palomino V32 for gigs. Couple of questions, for anyone with experience with them:

1. With humbuckers, the tone sounds as if I rolled the guitar's tone down slightly. Thought this might be due to it being a closed back combo, so I removed the back panel. Not much of a change. Any ideas?

2. What should I change the tubes and speakers out with? And can I change the tubes myself, or does it need biasing?


Thanks for the help!

[TWANG]

You should try a tung sol 12AX7 in the preamp..
they get rave reviews..
EH and JJ are also good choices.
I'd put a JJ in the power amp tube spot.
no changes needed to do that at all.

If it's too much gain for you, a 12AT7 will cut the overdrive a bit and still give you very good tone, it will just break up later on the volume dial.

You will want to change the tubes before changing anything else as far as the sound with humbucks go
but some do feel the amps are a little dark with humbucks.

I like to use a clean boost in front.. for one thing it lets me run long pedal cable runs and for another it gives me a bit better control over the highs.
*even though I'm using modded vjs*

Speaker.. well.. a 12" will certainly wake you up.
But Weber or a Jensen Mod.. not bad and not pricey!

[Standard 64]

Make sure you pull the tubes straight up and out,no bending.A Danelectro fish n chips equalizer($39)does wonders with these amps.

[cmcoram]

Thanks! Twang, I knew that you worked on the Epi amps, so I hoped you would have some insight.