NOS Preamp Tubes For Woodstock Tone: Suggestions Needed!

[Brandon]

Hey guys, I'm looking to put some NOS preamp tubes into my Woodstock replica metropoulous, and I need some suggestions on where to go to get as closely to the woodstock tone as possible!

What I'm talking about is that glassy "clank" type tone. Right now the amp seems a little soft for the Woodstock tone, it needs to be a little more aggressive (I'll post up sound clips soon)

I was thinking two nos mullards and then something else to give it that extra glassy clank?

[yladrd61]

The best combination I have found for my 1970 Super Lead. I have a Philips labeled {I63 Mullard} 12AX7A in V1, a Brimar Mil Spec CV4004 {12Ax7} in V2. and a Relabeled Tesla ECC83 in V3 but a JJ will work well there. The first position V1 having the most effect on the overall tone I like having a high gain well balanced tube there. The V2 also effects the tone I like the Brimar CV 4004 there because it cleans up the sound a Mullard would be good there too. V3 the phase inverter is not so important for the tone but it effects when and how hard the power tubes are being driven. Any good high gain tube works well there I like a balanced tube there but others like an unbalaced tube there to get more even order harmonics, {mostly metal players with humbuckers } It is more a matter of personal taste. It is also a game of chance buying NOS tubes there a a lot of old and fake tubes being passed off as {New Old Stock, which to me means new never used non current production }. if you are buying on ebay find a seller that has good pictures and test results posted and has very good feedback from tube sellers. Also it will take some luck as there are a lot of people bidding on these. Keep your eyes open and get several brands and types and move them around to where they sound best. It is hard to get a good sound with a Strat bridge pickup but once you do you will never look back. Get a good fuzz face that helps a lot

[yladrd61]

Update, just put another Phillips labeled {Mullard Blackburn I63} 12AX7A in V3 and biased to approx 62 %. OMG BOG Woodstock !!! Of course I have shared cathode on V1, and both Pre { 1 Meg pot between Pre amp and PI } and post PI MV and no bright cap. I have been chasing this sound for 30 yrs welcome to the club my friend !!! So I say Mullard, Brimar, Mullard =