Okie dokie....let the fun begin....

I bought one of the first BC 30's when they first came out. After much experimentation, much participation in discussions at various music sites, and even an hour long phone conversation with the amps designer Pyotr Belov, here's what I ended up with:

Changed the power tubes from the Sovtek 5881 to Tung Sol re-issue 5881's.
Changed V1, V2, V3, and V5 pre-amp tubes to re-issue Tung Sol 12AX7's and in V4 (Phase inverter slot) changed to a balanced triode re-issue Tung Sol 12AX7. I've got a lot of NOS tubes and this is what worked best!

I changed the rectifier tube to an NOS Philips 5AR4 because I had one that I bought when the price was still reasonable. The JJ 5AR4 is a good option with even the Chinese Shuguang 5AR4 being a better choice than the stock Sovtek. Nothing beats NOS for longevity, but at todays prices you can buy 2-3 JJ's.

Cut the caps @ C3, C5, & C6. Yep, just cut 'em, you don't have to remove or replace them.

Change resistor R15 to a 1.6k
Change resistor R21 to a 1.1k

Optional: change cap C15 to 2.2uf. I didn't do this one after hearing that the results weren't spectacular and maybe not even desirable. Besides, this mod requires that you pull the circuit board from the amp.

Together with the tube changes, these mods will smooth out the EQ and make the controls more usable and responsive. Takes away all the "excessive brightness" complaints.

The Sovtek 5881's aren't even real 5881's, but that's a seperate hour long discussion. Some of the later production models of the BC 30 came with different tubes. Some folks were happier with these other tubes, but those who've switched to the TS tubes all consistently report the same positive results.

A word on the Lady Luck speakers that come stock in the amp: Several of us began swapping out the speakers, trying many others in our quest to reduce the inherent brightness of this amp. It really wasn't the speakers that were responsible, but instead, the tubes and the basic design of the amps circuit. After the Lady Luck's have a chance to break in, they're well suited to this amp. I put mine back in a while ago and they're not coming out.

IMHO, this amp when set up right is one of the most versatile you'll find, and nothing else comes close in it's price range. All tube driven spring reverb, tube rectification, a switch that allows for 15w class A operation and 30w class A/B, interactive EQ, all in a 2X12 combo amp? I don't know of another amp out there that offers all this under $600.00. And it's built like a tank (weighs almost as much too!).

If you got a good deal on this amp, redgibson, all the better!