Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

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surfnorthwest
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Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby surfnorthwest » 08 Jul 2014, 16:04

The new Yellow Jackets NOS (New Old Stock) Tube Converter is a limited edition converter made for use in most amplifiers under 100 watts and using 6L6, EL34, 7027, or 6V6 output tubes. The converter lowers the overall power in your amplifier and gives your amp a unique vintage tone.

This NOS Yellow Jacket is designed with an NOS 6AQ5 seven-pin miniature beam power tube, which is included with the converter. The 6AQ5 was used in many vintage practice guitar amps in the 1950s as well as many film projectors in the past. This tube is popular with DIY amp builders who often convert old film projectors into guitar amps. While electronically equivalent to the 6V6 with a slightly lower power rating, the 6AQ5 has its own unique vintage tone that sets it apart from its eight-pin big brother. As with all Yellow Jackets the 6AQ5 Yellow Jacket converter will operate in a Class-A self-adjusting cathode-bias circuit.

All Yellow Jackets Tube Converters are handmade in the USA. Yellow Jackets are well respected, known for their high quality and ability to change the tone of your amplifier without the need of a technician. They are the converters that musicians love.
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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby Torshalla » 10 Jul 2014, 10:15

Hi Surf,
Thanks for posting. So basically this tube replaces any power tube on a tube amp and reduces output volume as well as changes the tone?
What sort of influence would it have on the tone?
For instance, if I were to use it on my AFD? Or could I use it on my SL5 (only 1 EL34) and what would be the result?
Sorry for the silly questions... I just got curious after reading your post... and thought I would ask you rather than google it! :)

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby surfnorthwest » 10 Jul 2014, 13:11

I think you are right, you could use it in any amp, not sure how fixed bias would effect it. Hate to tell you with any certainty because I never used them. But the way it sounds to me is these would allow for some interesting tone experiments
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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby Torshalla » 10 Jul 2014, 15:00

Thanks Surf
I found some more material on the web, although I am not sure it relates to the same model from Yellow Jackets... But it said it enabled to fit an EL84 into an amp designed for 6L6 or EL34... Hence the different tone... And power level...
There also was reviews on the web and some guy posted that his tech would not trust them in an amp he carred about...
Interesting anyway... Will be nice to see what people think...

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby Cousin Muely » 10 Jul 2014, 15:43

I think I have heard of these before. It sounds good in theory but man I'd hate feeling like a guinea pig trying it out. Sometimes I feel like some of these gadgets are just too much. There's too many good EL84 amps out there with low wattage that are affordable for me to want to try something like this but then again I tend to be overly paranoid with my stuff anyway.

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby dukealexan » 11 Jul 2014, 03:49

YJ have been around for a while THD originally made them and sold it off. I have them. There are several models this mode is new it's not for EL84/6BQ5. You do need to get the right model as some are for fixed/adjust and some for cathode bias. The one for the SL5 just rearranges the pins so an EL84 can fit, it doesn't change voltage as it's not needed. VHT makes a $20 adapter that works in the SL5, DSL15(need 2) and there Special 6 amps. I have both the VHT and THD YJ's. They sound good with some amps and other so so. I do use the THD YJ in my DSL40C, lets me run a G12C greenie in it. I've also used the VHT one in the SL5 with the JJ EL844 just something different. I have hear of them going bad and loosing a tube but never heard of them doing anything to an amp. The best thing is you don't have bias them and when you replace the original tubes back in you don't need to rebias then either. Check THD's web site for info http://www.thdelectronics.com/library.html

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby Torshalla » 11 Jul 2014, 04:06

Thanks for the info!
I was first interested by the volume reduction... But I read it is not significant in terms of volume reduction...
I find it interesting however as I had read previously that many low wattage amps were using el84 and that one advantage of the sl5 was that it was using an el34... That it gave it the possibility to sound closer to the larger marshalls... So i guess in this case it would be about giving people the possibility to get lower wattage amps type tone from a 50w or 100w amp?
Good to know these options exist...

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby mkstylee » 30 Jan 2015, 15:42

Hi All.
Put some of the TAD Tonebone's in my VM a while ago ,the same thing as this but TAD, Well it all seemed fine till I put the KT66 back and they red plated straight away , lucky I was not pissed up and paying attention this time and pulled the power ,but the KT66 were fried. Sort of scared me from using again ,The TAD Tonebone is the same you can get pentode or triode versions , all depends what output power you want ,still converts to EL84 sounded good but the VM didn't like them it seems. By looking at them they are the same just the Yellow is Red on mine.
Any thoughts?

Getting my brave on again and gonna try them in my ceriatone 2204 tomorrow. No bias needed it says in the manual and goes straight back to normal when you refit the original valves.
I'll post back after.
Wish me luck.
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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby surfnorthwest » 30 Jan 2015, 15:56

Yea...good luck. I still take the "if it ain't broke leave it the hell alone" approach. I don't have good luck.
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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby mkstylee » 01 Feb 2015, 01:33

I bailed out at the last min, Can't bring my self to do it again ,I think surfs 'if it ain't broke ' comment pushed me to safety , :pray
I don't think i'll use them again just to be on the safe side.
Marshall JVM410JS modded
MARSHALL 2555X
Marshall 1987X
JCM 900 MK III 2100
JCM 900 SLX 2100
JCM 900 4100 DR
JMD 50 watt Head
2266 vintage modern head
Ceriatone JMP 68 spec bass 1986 ( bad ass)
1960a x 2 = 1 with greenbacks and 1 with 75's
7 strats
les paul standard with sd seth lover pups
patrick gigliotti gt custom ,joe bonamassa sig
sg standard
SG original
suhr mkI
3 teles

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby dukealexan » 01 Feb 2015, 04:21

mkstylee wrote:Hi All.
Put some of the TAD Tonebone's in my VM a while ago ,the same thing as this but TAD, Well it all seemed fine till I put the KT66 back and they red plated straight away , lucky I was not pissed up and paying attention this time and pulled the power ,but the KT66 were fried. Sort of scared me from using again ,The TAD Tonebone is the same you can get pentode or triode versions , all depends what output power you want ,still converts to EL84 sounded good but the VM didn't like them it seems. By looking at them they are the same just the Yellow is Red on mine.
Any thoughts?

Getting my brave on again and gonna try them in my ceriatone 2204 tomorrow. No bias needed it says in the manual and goes straight back to normal when you refit the original valves.
I'll post back after.
Wish me luck.
Sorry to hear you had problems. I've used the THD Yellow Jackets in all my amp and never had your problem. When you install the YJ you do not rebias the amp, you just install them, they are self biasing. When you switch back to the original tubes the bias is where it was and there should be no problem, just put the tubes back in the right sockets they came from.

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Re: Yellow Jackets Announce NOS Tube Converter

Postby mkstylee » 01 Feb 2015, 23:38

That's what I did never touched the bias when putting the YJ in,just checked it when putting the new KT66 in.It seems the VM was sort of used to running the way the YJ liked to run but didn't go back to normal when returned to stock, maybe the KT66 were screwed anyways but it just seems too much of a coincidence to me, I put new KT66 in and biased to 45ma
' it was 43ma to start with ' and no issues since.
We live and learn.
Marshall JVM410JS modded
MARSHALL 2555X
Marshall 1987X
JCM 900 MK III 2100
JCM 900 SLX 2100
JCM 900 4100 DR
JMD 50 watt Head
2266 vintage modern head
Ceriatone JMP 68 spec bass 1986 ( bad ass)
1960a x 2 = 1 with greenbacks and 1 with 75's
7 strats
les paul standard with sd seth lover pups
patrick gigliotti gt custom ,joe bonamassa sig
sg standard
SG original
suhr mkI
3 teles

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