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[rnolan]

Hey David, SC is correct, it will just sound like me cranking the gain way up. Also I have Ultrasonic PUs in my Anderson (it was one of the first built and first one in Australia back when they used Ultrasonics).  The Ultrasonics are quite flat (reference series, very even bass, mid, treb) compared to other PUs so my eq settings reflect that.  My old rhythm patch (see MP2 patches) is the highest gain I use these days (and needs the gate).  I now use the new(ish) rhythm patch for both rhythm and lead and use the volume pedal (CC master vol) for lead volume boost.  It's a 5 warm vintage voice and has heaps of gain, great for rock. My old rhythm patch was good for 80s/90s covers, Billy Idol, Poison, Mr Big, Skid row etc but generally way to much gain for how I play now.
Maybe it's better to compare the 3 different tubes I've had in the MP2. Also I went from MP1 to MP2, the MP2 has lots more gain than MP1 (not that I needed more).
Original Chinese bottles, nice tubes great sound heaps of gain
Tried Boogie STRs (JJs most likely), nice tube plenty of gain, tight, greatttt feedback (just sings) but I found break up a bit on bottom E and not 3D at all.
Mullards, heaven on a stick (to my ears), again plenty of gain but sooo responsive to how I play.
When I get a chance I'll record some sound bights and post them and maybe try a super high gain for you to hear.
Seems the long plates are out of stock at the moment but the short plates are available. If you can afford $50, try a pair, I promise you won't dislike them, are they the tube for you ?  that's up to your ears but IMHO they are better than both the original tubes and JJs in MP2.  Oh and my 2nd MP2 came with a pair of EH 12AX7s, best thing I ever did was replace them with the Mullards, they don't sound good in MP2 (again IMHO).

[trader144]

I think I broke my Mullard.

I stopped playing tonight and moved the Mullard back to V1 (turned off of course) to try something different.

I am getting zero distortion when the Mullard is in V1; OD1 and OD2 and Main are all turned up to 9 and 10. Voicing set on Tube Distortion. Cycled it just in case.
Just a weak clean sound. I thought I got at least some distortion in V1 back when I first got the Mullard.

Also tried various tubes in V2 and still nothing.
When I move the Mullard to V2 and put in a Ruby in V1, plenty of distortion.

Swapped back and forth several times but not different.

Any advice? It is a new reissue; not NOS.
I have a multimeter, but not a tube tester

Just ordered the 2nd mullard too....

[rnolan]

Not sure but sounds a bit similar to what MikeB is experiencing, we've managed to blow 2 Boogie STR (jjs) in V1 1st went in 10 mins or so the 2nd after a couple of months, we think there are issues with the tube sockets ? so Mike is going for a new tube board from MJMP, hopefully this will fix the problem ?
From what you say, it seems to me that both tubes are ok but one of the gain stages isn't working properly (last sat night Mike was on one tube, it was down on output/vol but the tone was fine so I miced him up through the PA). A good clean of the tube sockets wont hurt, with contact cleaner (MJMP what's the one you prefer ?).  What you are describing sounds to me like only one tube gain stage working (as one is enough to have a decent albeit not so loud tone), so possibly one of your tube sockets isn't working right.  But this is more MJMP territory...

[trader144]

Rnolan

When I move the mullard to v2 I get sound.
So wouldn't that indicate its a tube problem and not a board problem?
David

[MarshallJMP]

Well i never use contact cleaner in tube sockets because the cleaner is a liquid and dust can stick to it.This dust can begin to conduct at high voltages,especially with power tubes.So not a good idea.I never do this,if the sockets are worn i replace them.

What happends if you leave the Ruby in V1 and replace the mullard in the V position with another tube,does this change anything? (more gain,volume?)

[trader144]

MarshallJMP

good advice. added 2 rubys and had noticable increase in distortion.
must be the mullard.

Also just noticed there is a blown tubes category- sorry.

I am checking on a replacement for the mullard.

[trader144]

Anyone use a Yellow Jacket with the MP-1.

Just curious how and why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw6dyfJqnjA

[Systematic Chaos]

Yellow jackets, red jackets, ToneBones....are tube-converters for your amp´s powersection so you can substitute different power-amp tubes (EL84/6AQ5....) for the mostly standard EL34 or 6L6 (Octal tube socket)

http://www.yellowjacketstc.com

These won´t work with preamp tubes (Noval socket).....

Soldano used to offer the so called Soldano HotMod which added another extra gain stage facilitating a part of the SLO100 circuitry and a triple triode tube, but I dunno if that one works in an MP1/2/Classic....

HotMod-Schematic attached 

[MarshallJMP]

Well i tought so,anyway noow you're sure the mullard is busted.

[trader144]

Just installed a new mullard in V1 and the sweet colorful sound is back......ahhhhhhh
No problem with having enough distortion as I first thought; the problem was probably that I had a dying tube in the first place.

Thank you Rnolan. #2 is on the way.

[rnolan]

No worries, hope you like them as much as I do  Are you using the log plates ?

[rabidgerry]

I know I was discussing tubes else where about what to try, it seems more apt to chuck some of my findings on this thread.

I tried  two JJECC83S in my MP1 today and I did not like.  Before that I was running the cheap ass rubbish Chinese thing I got with the unit along with an Electro Harmonix in the first slot.  I was looking for more gain with the JJ's but they definitely lacked something.  They were clear but gain certainly felt lost.  I put the EHX back in number one slot and kept a JJ in the two slot.  See how this goes.

Quick question, if I installed the tubes wrong or there was a problem would I get sound?  Would Over drive 1 and 2 still be controllable or would they simply not work?

[trader144]

Rnolan - I am using 12ax7's; long plates.

[rnolan]

Hey David, good choice IMHO.

Hey Rgerry, without bending the pins they only go in one way (slightly larger gap between first and last pin). You still get sound if one tube is blown depending on the slot, I think if V1 is blown but V2 isn't you get sound but much softer and less distortion. MikeB managed to play the night last Sat with one tube, the tone was still quite reasonable but he wasn't using really high gain lead tones. I put a mic on his cab and gave him enough volume through the PA to keep up with the band.
A pair of high gain JJs should sound good in MP1, albeit a little tighter and less 3D than the mullards.  JJs also have very nice controlled feedback, best I've heard.
So with EH in V1 and JJ in V2, if this gives plenty of signal and distortion and sounds ok then it could mean one of the JJs is blown ? If it is working this way, you can then try swapping the JJ in V2 and if no sound or very reduced, then definitely blown tube (JJ).

[rabidgerry]

Is there no other way of testing for blown tubes?  Na those JJ's make a weird noise as well.  It's quietish but like f**king police car wearing sound.  I think it's quiet because I have noise reduction on.

Going to make some sound clips of the difference and the JJ's weird noise.  Noise could have been from an appliance switched on next door perhaps but I will not know until I put them back in again.

Yeah then I fit my tubes correctly, pins match up of course, I was concerned perhaps they weren't in far enough.