Marshall Tubes:

[Inspector #20]

I'm always changing tubes and I'm frequently given the old ones. I've got quite a varied collection of Marshall tubes, some with white, red and gold lettering.

I'm assuming the color denotes a date range and no tube is better than the other???

 

[Cadorman]

I'm always changing tubes and I'm frequently given the old ones. I've got quite a varied collection of Marshall tubes, some with white, red and gold lettering.

I'm assuming the color denotes a date range and no tube is better than the other???

View attachment 73801

I don't think that is correct. All of the new Marshalls I have received had a combination of red and gold labels. I haven't seen the white labels. Maybe it has something to do with noise level?

 

[Inspector #20]

Here's a chart I found deep in the Marshall Forum. My tubes are highlighted:

VLVE-00007 12AT7/ECC81 No selection White Logo
VLVE-00009 12AU7/ECC82 No selection White Logo
VLVE-00010 EL34 Svetlana
VLVE-00033 SV6550C Svetlana White Logo
VLVE-00038 6V6GT Shuguang White Logo
VLVE-00039 KT66 Shuguang White Logo
VLVE-00042 EL34B Shuguang Gold Logo
VLVE-00047 12AX7B/ECC83 Shuguang Low Microphony Gold Logo
VLVE-00049 12AX7B/ECC83 Shuguang High Microphony Gold Logo
VLVE-00055 12AX7B/ECC83 Shuguang No Selection White logo
VLVE-00063 12AX7B/ECC83 Shuguang A Low Microphony White Logo
VLVE-00064 12AX7B/ECC83 Shuguang B Low Microphony White Logo
VLVE-00065 12AX7B/ECC83 Shuguang Gain Selected >=4V White Logo
VLVE-00066 ECC83S JJ Low Microphony Red Logo
VLVE-00066S ECC83S Microphonic Selection A
VLVE-00067 ECC83S JJ Low Microphony Red Logo
VLVE-00067S ECC83S Microphonic Selection A
VLVE-00068 EL84 JJ Graded Low Anode Current Red Logo
VLVE-00069 EL84 JJ Graded High Anode Current Red Logo
VLVE-00070 EL34 JJ Graded Anode Current Red Logo
VLVE-00071 EZ81 JJ No selection Red Logo
VLVE-00077 KT66 Shuguang Graded Anode Current Gold Logo
VLVE-00080 KT88 Shuguang Graded Anode Current Gold Logo
VLVE-00083 5881/6L6WGC Shuguang Graded Anode Current Gold Logo replaces VLVE-00006
VLVE-00087 EL34B Shuguang Graded Anode Current White Logo
VLVE-00088 GZ34/5AR4 JJ No selection Red Logo Replaces VLVE-10043

 

[Don O]

I don't think that is correct. All of the new Marshalls I have received had a combination of red and gold labels. I haven't seen the white labels. Maybe it has something to do with noise level?

Maybe they are related to Johnny Walker

 

[Cadorman]

Maybe they are related to Johnny Walker

View attachment 73842

I bought blue once. Really liked the satin lined coffin it came in!

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Can you return them for deposite money like pop bottles ?

 

[Don O]

I bought blue once. Really liked the satin lined coffin it came in!

I’m not a scotch drinker but my dad was. My older brother would buy him gallons of JW Black Label each year. I only knew about Red and Black label. It wasn’t until the early 90s that I found out about Gold and Blue label versions (and the others). So I then started buying my dad a bottle of Blue label each year for Christmas. The pic above is the last bottle I bought him before he passed in 2006. And of course I kept the box too.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I have some white labelled Marshall tubes. Came stock in one of them.

Blue Label Johnnie Walker isn't the $700 stuff, is it?

 

[Don O]

I have some white labelled Marshall tubes. Came stock in one of them.

Blue Label Johnnie Walker isn't the $700 stuff, is it?

I think I paid around $200 for that last bottle in 2005.

 

[Cadorman]

The last time I bought a bottle of Blue it was $180. And still a blend. I prefer single malts for the uniqueness, but I haven't been able to afford scotch for a few years. Lagavulin is my go to.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I saw a bottle of something Johnnie Walker once at the liquor store that was 700 bucks. Yikes.

 

[Cadorman]

He's still always staring at me.

 

[Cadorman]

He's leading me out into the woods....

 

[Session 5]

You got your rifle with you...Well Cador your headin to the woods, well i am headin to bed, have a good night..

 

[Inspector #20]

I think I paid around $200 for that last bottle in 2005.

20 years old?

 

[Don O]

20 years old?

28 to 60 years from what I read.

 

[gball]

The last time I bought a bottle of Blue it was $180. And still a blend. I prefer single malts for the uniqueness, but I haven't been able to afford scotch for a few years. Lagavulin is my go to.

I went deep down the rabbit hole of single malts for a while. In the end I had to admit to myself that I prefer blends, I just do. JW Blue is my go-to, always keep a bottle for myself (and a bottle of Black for when we have guests, haha). I can usually get it here for around $160/bottle USD on sale at the big retailers.

 

[gball]

Me too for most whiskeys. I love Seagrams VO. Canadian blended whiskys are great. Even the cheap ones.

But my fav drink is always Old Grand Dad bonded

Definitely a fan of the Canadian whiskies. They have their own thing going on and are very satisfying.

Agreed on Bourbon too - the high-proof bonded ones are always the best to me; it balances the sweetness of the bourbon, which otherwise is a bit cloying to me, even in the best bottles.

 

[Session 5]

 

[Inspector #20]

With tubes in general - aside from the fact that the 12AU7 produces the lowest amount of gain and the Genelex B758 Gold Lion produces the highest - I hear extremely INSIGNIFICANT tone differences between tubes, only changes in gain production...