You Vote: BOG EL34 vs. 6550

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:15 pm

Im really diggin the Tung Sol 6550s. I think theyre sweeter then the Valve Art/Shuguang set. A sweeter, glassier high end and tighter, smoother low end. I think it does BoG even better then the Shugs. Down side is those are some expensive new tubes.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 7:42 pm

post up some new clips man, id love to hear it.

Mynameisfritz · Post by **Mynameisfritz** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:52 am

What's goin' on with this poll?

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:42 pm

haha I know, currently EL34s are in the lead.

I wonder when hendrix recorded pali gap, its a big favorite of mine and he really has some of that great percussive woody tone on this one. I wonder what amp he used to record it. Im pretty sure it was later in his career like 69-70. It doesnt exactly have a huge boomy low end like BOG did but its still very clear and warm. Put some headphones on and listen to pali gap closely.

Oh I also recently picked up some pure nickel 9's just to throw on and tune down a whole step just to see how rediculous that is haha.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:45 pm

I wonder, has anybody compared like original fender picks to newer picks tonally? I wonder if those old old ones might sound better too. I def want to throw on a callaham trem block and bridge/saddles

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:19 am

so i just put on 9's and am tuned to the BOG dropped tuning. Its pretty crazy. Something youd have to get used to, Im not sure if Im a fan yet. Its fun but it feels so frail kindve. But I do notice hendrix's wide vibrato on some stuff, especially machine gun, which makes this setup better for that kind of stuff.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:29 am

There is a brittle quality to the BoG tone that small strings could definitely contribute to. But for that real slack feeling D tuning for MG 9s would feel like rubber bands flapping away.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:32 am

ok so after getting accustomed to how they play there is a most definate difference in tone. Much more clarity. I think with a good tremelo block and good pickups 9's could be a part of the equation. Im usin the pure nickle fender 150 ball ends - nothing spectacular but not too bad.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:20 am

Well it looks like we're layin this topic to rest. The polls are leaning towards 34's suprisingly. I guess really all it means is that theres no clear answer to this tube question. Gotta try them both one day.

As far as the 9's being dropped a whole step. Its pretty rediculous. Sure a lot of the machine gun bends are easier to acheive but there is a total rubber band thing goin on - just too slinky in the end. I think 10's a half step down are probably the best place to be. I did do 11's a whole step down and thought it was pretty great for a while. 10's seem to be a happy median though.

Also its like we've nit picked this BOG thing to death. Ive learned a lot of stuff that will get me in a better direction, but at the same time I think at the end of the day the sound you want to acheive is your own thing and I guess Im just at the point where its time to focus on that more. Its too easy to be swallowed alive trying to replicate somebody elses performance. Its time to focus on my own sound.

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:15 pm

Yeah, individuality is important. It is wierd when one lets themself play the way they would naturally. Like, letting all thier little personalities come out in there playing. I think people (myself included) set out, in advance to play a certain way, be it Hendrix or Van Halen, only to discover that what is deepest inside them might be.......flamenco, or even country

. I like Hard Rock, but it doesnt show alot( I tend towards funk more I guess), but at other times I have more anger and agression than I can outlet, so it comes out in my playing 'naturally' sometimes. It's wierd, but it's a natural element that is more like Heavy thrash or something.

Back on the string topic, The 7 1/4 radius fretboard makes 9 guage strings feel a little tighter when bending, as compared to a 9 1/2 or 12 radius. I feel kinda bad for alot of the strat players of yesteryear who had to tune standard (Hazel, Roth, etc). Even with 9's, thats tuff. Even still, when 'milking' as much tone as one can out of a good sounding strat that is tuned down a half or whole step , I think 10's seem to work better, cause with that curved 7 1/4 radius, getting under and feeling the high e,b and g strings go hand in hand with why people love bending strings on strats. The 'feel' of it.

About the tube poll, I at one point was certain it was El-34, but upon further r&d, (and Dans great clips) am certain it was 6550.

Rob, I have the exact date somewhere, but Pali Gap was recorded in July or August of '70. I agree, great tone. Also, you are right about fender medium guage celluloid picks. They have a great balance of feel, attack , wamth and brightness. I think the old and new ones are about the same. Dunlop also makes these.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:32 pm

I have a much easier time plugging nito a higher gain amp (cranked of coarse) or just a marshall with everything on 10 and bashing away with chugging chords and palm mutes with a Les Paul. But when it comes to 'me' I just dont feel it. I feel like I have a better feel with a strat and a Marshall, or a Les Paul and a Fender.

Mynameisfritz · Post by **Mynameisfritz** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:20 am

Also its like we've nit picked this BOG thing to death.

No we don't.

There's just some continuity lacking IMHO. Take a break, you can't expect any exact solution or recipe here, but so far we - at least I - got a lot of new infos and ideas. This thread could go on forever.

I'm not into this string thing so much, don't think it's a real key element here - we should focus on the amp and effects again. Some more 6550 clips would be useful - don't let Dan do all the work alone. Clips with the amp cranked... with and without fuzz, with a Strat or a Les Paul - that's why I linked to this 6550 50 watter clip which sounds great IMHO. Sorry, I can't contribute to this with some own clips.

Or let's go on analyzing the recordings, different sounds, effect switching, etc. There are still so many open questions here we could talk about. What about a step by step analysis of how Hendrix adjusted his amps and switched his pedals. We could get that together I believe.

And now all you EL 34 guys, UNCOVER!!!

Freedom · Post by **Freedom** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:31 am

Mynameisfritz wrote:And now all you EL 34 guys, UNCOVER!!!

NEVER!!!

(ooooooooooops...

)

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:06 am

Mynameisfritz wrote:
Also its like we've nit picked this BOG thing to death.
No we don't. There's just some continuity lacking IMHO. Take a break, you can't expect any exact solution or recipe here, but so far we - at least I - got a lot of new infos and ideas. This thread could go on forever.

I'm not into this string thing so much, don't think it's a real key element here - we should focus on the amp and effects again. Some more 6550 clips would be useful - don't let Dan do all the work alone. Clips with the amp cranked... with and without fuzz, with a Strat or a Les Paul - that's why I linked to this 6550 50 watter clip which sounds great IMHO. Sorry, I can't contribute to this with some own clips.

Or let's go on analyzing the recordings, different sounds, effect switching, etc. There are still so many open questions here we could talk about. What about a step by step analysis of how Hendrix adjusted his amps and switched his pedals. We could get that together I believe.

And now all you EL 34 guys, UNCOVER!!!

Also this is one thread. Theres been a few others in the past that went for a couple pages but the evh guys have a whole forum for nitpicking! So this cant be too far. I mean if anyone was a serious contender for having a more sought after tone then evh its got to be Jimi but for some reason most people dont seem to think its hard to get Jimi's tone. Look at that thread on the Marshall, Marshall, Marshall page about the Foxy Lady tone. I dont think that guy sounds anything like Jimis tone. Its just a good strat/marshall tone from the little I can hear clearly and as far as most people are concerned any good strat marshall tone is Jimi.

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:15 am

Billy Batz wrote:... Look at that thread on the Marshall, Marshall, Marshall page about the Foxy Lady tone. I dont think that guy sounds anything like Jimis tone. Its just a good strat/marshall tone from the little I can hear clearly and as far as most people are concerned any good strat marshall tone is Jimi.

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Metropoulos Forum

You Vote: BOG EL34 vs. 6550

Do you feel the Band of Gypsies tone is El34s or 6550s?