The Last Bass Outpost

According to my friend, one of the problems with tube reliability is that the production rooms where the vacuum is created in the envelope are not kept as stringently clean as they used to be. The Russians are making more reliable tubes than the Chinese, no doubt about it.

After I placed my tube order, an SVT came through my buddy's shop that had two of its six output tubes accidentally shot by trying to drive a cabinet with a dead short in it. I ended up with four nicely matched Sovteks (the bias didn't even need adjustment) for the price of a handshake. Feeling blessed to have a generous friend. 

Quote from: CAR-54 on March 25, 2014, 06:01:07 PM
90 days... ridiculous...

My present (there is something faulty in there but) set date back to the 70's and I've bought no new ones since then... just not had the time or inclination to resolve the issue with mine as I'm not playing at present and won't be trying to again until relocation... I'd hate to find something worthwhile to then have to quit...!

I agree that a 90 day guarantee is completely ridiculous. Hopefully the matched quad of Sovteks I have on order will last a decade or two.

Quote from: CAR-54 on March 25, 2014, 04:45:36 AM
Warranty...? Does that mean an RTB for testing, I wonder...? If it's a suspect/failed valve, they should replace the pair...

There is a tiny glimmer in the back of my mind about Dave Reeve's wiring architecture, that you could remove a pair of these valves (in my case EL34's) and the beast would still operate, just halving the output... I know mine has that capability via a direct-switching option... might be worth investigation for future reference and for testing the systems...? PBG and/or Mark Huss would be able to answer that...? This may not apply to the equivalent Hiwatt model or Reeves variant...

Thanks, I didn't want to ping you, but I was hoping that you would chime in from the experts corner. I always enjoyed the smell of hot solder and getting under the hood of amps, but I've literally been out of that loop for a couple of decades.

Quote from: CAR-54 on March 25, 2014, 04:45:36 AM
Warranty...? Does that mean an RTB for testing, I wonder...? If it's a suspect/failed valve, they should replace the pair...

There is a tiny glimmer in the back of my mind about Dave Reeve's wiring architecture, that you could remove a pair of these valves (in my case EL34's) and the beast would still operate, just halving the output... I know mine has that capability via a direct-switching option... might be worth investigation for future reference and for testing the systems...? PBG and/or Mark Huss would be able to answer that...? This may not apply to the equivalent Hiwatt model or Reeves variant...

I've never had the need or desire to try it, but many tube output sections will safely function at half-power with half of their compliment of output tubes.

Salient fact: Reeves only guarantees their tubes for ninety days. I read and re-read their warranty and somehow missed this.    Anyway, I just got off the phone with my buddy that's still in the biz. He's going to snag a matched quad of Sovteks for me through his Fender connection.

Thanks for the input, gents. 

I'm waiting to see what Reeves is going to do to remedy the situation. This one's only five months old. I'm waiting for a reply from them to see how they want to handle it, so I don't know if I'm in the tube market just yet - simply curious about this Genalex line. 

One of the Electro Harmonix KT88's in my Reeves went wonky which lead to me cruise Tube Depot. I noticed the Genalex brand which claims to be made to "exacting standards" in Russia. My question to anyone with Genalex experience - do you think that twice the price doubles your chance of getting reliable tubes from this supplier? Thanks. 

Quote from: Basvarken on December 13, 2013, 01:13:54 AM
Wow, can you tell us a bit more about the Reeves 225?

I'm sorry for taking so long to reply. Well, they're made in a facility in Ohio that Jim Reeves (Mister HiWatt) established and are conservatively rated power-wise. In the review I read before buying mine, the test amp was delivering 265 watts IIRC. There are a couple of updates from the classic Hi-Watt. There is an active/passive switch for the preamp. The D.I. signal is tapped off of the output transformer. I believe that the transformers are Heyboers. Build quality is superb. This thing can deliver low end for days. The only upcharge I paid for was a NOS tube in the V1 position. I love the sound and feel of it. It's been rock solid so far. I probably need to have the bias checked. I've been playing it a few months now, and the bias will drift a bit after a while.

Quote from: saltymonkey on March 13, 2014, 10:53:27 AM
I've been emailing with Clayton Callaway from Hi-Tone Amplification about their HI-Watt clones. They're recreations of Dave Reeves 70s Hi-Watt designs. Fully endorsed by the Reeves estate. He just sent me this picture. The HT200 DR is an exact replica of an early 70s Hi-Watt DR201. This cab is a 412 but they make a 115 and 410. Pretty sweet looking.

That is nice. Does it utilize EL34 power tubes?

I admit that I am slowing with age, but I do still manage to occasionally learn something. I just learned last week that a Nantucket Sleigh Ride is the resulting whale-powered boat ride you get after landing the harpoon. I enjoy my Missouri Sleigh Rides after hooking big large-mouth bass. 

Nice. I like the new look!

I actually purchased a new amplifier which was made in Ohio last year - a Reeves Custom 225. It was NOT cheap, but should last for the rest of the time I am here on earth.

My sister has a 'Heinz 57' dog. Not short-hair and no dummy. He restricts his food & water intake to delay the need to venture out.

I drove my son's Avalon to work this morning and was seriously enjoying the heated seat!

Thanks, I thought that was the one you were referring to. 

I'm located right in the middle of Missouri. We got an ice storm promptly on the first day of winter. The 'polar vortex' has been giving us sub-zero temperatures for the first time in two decades. Our temps are on the rise and we may get above freezing tomorrow!

Quote from: Pilgrim on January 03, 2014, 10:33:15 AM
Love the blue!!!

(I'm forbidden by WSU Coug policy from endorsing purple.) 

One must obey policy.    It does look purple in the lighting that was present at the time. It really is official Dupont burgundy mist.

Thanks for the kind comments, gents.  There's just nothing for me not to like about the 'Super P'. Sonic blue is one of my faves. It seems that quite a few players like the 'slanty look' with the P body over the J. I like 'em both.

I think I remember your novax-necked bass, gweimer (it's been a while...)

Completely serendipitous timing!







He doesn't spell his name out on this headstock, but this is Sheldon Dingwall's re-interpretation of the venerable precision bass. I've been playing his "Super J" basses for a few years and decided that I 'needed' to try one of these. The Dingwall tone palette begins in-house with the pickups, which use neodymium magnets. Killer tone, super comfy to play, and this one weighs a whole 7lbs, 4oz...!

My medium scale precision has been here a while, I just wanted to show it with 'christmas tree light tort':