5E3 with substituted GZ34 and 6L6

[Shack]

Am I hurting the amp running it this way?

[mresistor]

Well,  I am not a 5e3 guru but I would say you can use 6L6 in that amp without harming it. It won't sound that great IMO. I would worry about the plate voltage using the GZ34 and would check to make sure I'm not exceeding the voltage rating on the filter caps in the power supply. The PT should be able to supply the additional heater current, but could be close to max .  If you want a 6L6/5881 I would build a 5F4 super or a twin. I am sure some of the more knowledgeable guys here will be along shortly.

[mresistor]

or maybe even a 5E5 Tweed Pro 

[Shack]

just think it sounds better with them, maybe im just not a tweed deluxe guy, the lack of headroom kills me

[Willabe]

The volume controls on a 5E3 are interactive, try this;

On the channel your plugged into put it's volume at 12:00 and put the other volume at full. Now plug into the other channel and do the same thing. Play this way through which ever channel sounds better to you.

Setting the volumes like this scoops the mids like on a BF Fender and will be much cleaner.

maybe im just not a tweed deluxe guy, the lack of headroom kills me.

Guy's like/love them for their low volume break up.

Niel Young has been playing through a tweed Deluxe for decades in the studio and on the road with 6L6's in it. (He does keep a fan blowing into the back of the amp to help cool off the PT.) 

[Shack]

Yea, and its also possible that I dont have the right speaker, or messed something up, sounds awesome on like 2 , but im finding im more of a BF Fender clean guy and a Marshall dirty lover....that build wasnt the neatest job, was my first solo build.


Also when I ordered tubes from tube depot for 5E3....they sent me 2 12AX7, not a 12AY7, and im running through a Jenson Mod speaker.