Mesa replacement tube preference

[Starbreaker]

Hello Andy and all,
What are your and everyone's favorite choices for replacement tubes for Mesa Dual Rectifiers? I am very much a fan of the tone that Nevermore has on "Dead Heart..." as well as Testament's "The Gathering". I can tell of course there are root differences in those tones, but was curious how much of this was purely amp settings/effects and how much is actually tube choice. I recently picked up a used two-channel Dual Rectifier and want to retube it. Any suggestions on tube brands to get certain heavy tones with these beasts?

Thanks!

 

[Starbreaker]

Ahhh silence! Perhaps I have trodden too near a trade secret.

 

[FrostGiant]

Hey, what does a used one of those go for. And I can't answer your question. I don't even have an amp. I just record direct. But I am putting together options if I decide to do some live playing in the future. Right now high end for me is a Soldano (I would have to fall into some money for that one) and I need to fill out the rest of the spectrum.

 

[Andy Sneap]

Boogie tubes are ok, I tend to go for good ol' Commie tubes like svetlana's or sovtek when retubing older amps.

 

[Starbreaker]

Andy:
Thanks! I'm kinda leaning Russian too. I know a guy based out of here (Denver area) who's apparently world-reknown for stocking just about every kind of kick-ass tube made worldwide. He carries mostly Russian and Chinese tubes, but has a vast assortment of others too. He does the majority of his business mail order and does well at that, but you can go to his (crowded) store if you like.

My worry is he's more of a rock and roller than a metaller, and although he gives good descriptions of the different tubes' tonalities, I'm not sure he'd be the one to ask for which tubes to buy to get a "crushing" tone (or pick your other favorite adjective). Anyway, if you're interested I can hook you up with his e-mail address, and he mails out catalogs for his tubes twice a year in e-mail format. I truly think he's a valuable secret weapon to have for supplies of hard to find tubes, but I just gotta narrow down which I want to buy from his vast supply!

Frost Giant:
I got mine off E-bay last September. It's the two-channel version (which apparently isn't made anymore, they only make the three-channel version these days), and I picked up for almost $1200 if I remember correctly. I'm truly floored by it's awesome tone, but can tell a re-tubing would give it even more ferocity and control. But again, I need to sift through the myriad of tube choices I have and try to come up with the best combination of pre-amp, power and rectifier tubes. Happy hunting!

 

[FrostGiant]

thanks much.