To pull or not to pull (TUBES)?

[the tahuna]

I have just recently bought a 65' Fender Twin RI, and like many, I have greatly underestimated the headroom. I really want the clean tone to break up without melting brains, and was told to pull either the outer 2 or inner 2 tubes. I have even been told to switch the 4-12ax7s with 12au's. I am also strongly opposed to the noise that attenuators produce. I am vexed. I am currently playing an SG classic through it (in case that matters). I just need a slight break up as a clean, and have a pedal already with my desired boost for a full on distortion. WTF should i do, and/or realistically expect from all these options before i start ****in with the innards?

[matskull]

I would try to pull out the outter tube, give this a try and see what it does to your sound.

It shouldn't cause any problem, just be careful when you do it.
Let us knowif it works out for you.

[Zooey]

You should sell it and get something that is not a Twin. Pulling a pair of output tubes will not decrease the headroom all that dramatically.

[Robert Randolph]

Originally Posted by Zooey

You should sell it and get something that is not a Twin. Pulling a pair of output tubes will not decrease the headroom all that dramatically.

Bingo.

Too many people think they want a twin when they have no clue what it sounds like. Then they spend too much time trying to mod the thing to sound like something else (usually an ac30 sound).

[matskull]

Originally Posted by Robert Randolph

Bingo.

Too many people think they want a twin when they have no clue what it sounds like. Then they spend too much time trying to mod the thing to sound like something else (usually an ac30 sound).

Seems to be the case.

I don't really understand why though because my friend (who was my band's guitarirst at the time) bought one and we perfectly knew that this amp was one the the cleanest tube amp available.

He uses pedals for distortion and overdrive, sounds really good.

[the tahuna]

I knew exactly what i was getting into, just never knew what pullin tubes would actually do. I just pulled them and like it was said "Pulling a pair of output tubes will not decrease the headroom all that dramatically". I currently have the BOSS 59' Fender Bassman pedal that is offering me a virtually seamless and natural sounding boost for the twins ultra clean. Just having trouble finding a natural overdrive that doesn't sound like I trapped Bumble Bees in a kazoo. Any suggestions? If I had my way i would have an AC30 or Oranges AD30, but that aint gonna be bought by this weekends recording sess.

[Robert Randolph]

Originally Posted by the tahuna

I knew exactly what i was getting into, just never knew what pullin tubes would actually do. I just pulled them and like it was said "Pulling a pair of output tubes will not decrease the headroom all that dramatically". I currently have the BOSS 59' Fender Bassman pedal that is offering me a virtually seamless and natural sounding boost for the twins ultra clean. Just having trouble finding a natural overdrive that doesn't sound like I trapped Bumble Bees in a kazoo. Any suggestions? If I had my way i would have an AC30 or Oranges AD30, but that aint gonna be bought by this weekends recording sess.

You could try overloading the input stage with a volume boost pedal + a higher output guitar.

As for pulling tubes on a twin... no clue, sorry

[the tahuna]

hmmm, sounds interesting. The SG classics p-90s aren't hot enough?

[swafford]

Originally Posted by Zooey

You should sell it and get something that is not a Twin. Pulling a pair of output tubes will not decrease the headroom all that dramatically.

++1
edited to add: and AC30 has a lot of headroom and will give you oodles of loud before break up, maybe not as much as a Twin, but but lots anyway. The only people I kow who use Twins for recording sessions are pedal steel players, rhythm players and electric piano players. Basically, people who like lots of clean.