v2 replacement

[red5]

I just got a Ghia and the tube in v2 is going bad. I know it calls for a 5751, but I have some 12ax7s and a 12at7 lying around. Could putting one of those in potentially hurt my amp? Or should I just go buy a 5751?

[John]

You can put a 12ax7 in there..it won't hurt anything. But the amp will distort quicker. (some people actually like it.) 12at7...not so much. If you want to keep the clean headroom, I'd get a 5751

And welcome to the forum! Lots of information in here....and some decent folks.

There is a tube guru...Myles...who comes on this forum often. He said all modern produced 5751 tubes are actually 12ax7 that didn't make the cut. If you want a real 5751, you'll have to go NOS.

[red5]

Thanks! I've been lurking around the forum for a little while and finally decided to get an account. I'd be interested in hearing more about the whole modern 5751s being weaker 12ax7s

[red5]

if I did put the 12at7 in there could it potentially cause problems?

[John]

No, I don't think it will cause problems, but the way Myles put it....the AT7 is not the best when it comes to tone....it's more of a signal processor.

[Mark (Basement Enthusiast)]

John's correct--Myles has commented that a 12AT7 is not a good tone-generator in the first gain stage (V1).

But in this case with the Ghia's phase inverter (V2) I would think that it'd be okay, if you cannot find a quality 5751. (Fender Blackfaces, for instance, use 12AT7's for a phase inverter.) Just my opinion, though...

[swiveltung]

I've used a 12AT7 from the get go and prefer it. The amp stays clean pretty high volume. The AX7 is way to nasty for me.

[slypig]

I have had good luck with 12at7 tubes. especially in my soldano Atomic 16. but I have never tried a 5751 to compare.