Not to discount what you're saying, but I've had the opposite experience:

I find EL84 amps to be more chimey than 6L6 based amps or 6V6 based amps. The classic examples are the Vox AC15 and AC30. Chime city. The Marshall 18W less so, though.

I find the 6L6 based amps kind of scooped sounding, at least the later Blackface Fenders. The true 5881 amps like the Bassman were more mid-rangy.

I don't find the 5F1 circuit to be chimey at all. The one real 5F1 I heard was very mid-rangy.

Does your 5F1 have a 6L6 in it? I ask because the 5F1 originally had a 6V6 in it.

tung


Quote Originally Posted by red
Indeed, the tubes are only part of the tone, the whole circuitry matters.
That being said, I prefer the Fendery 6L6 amps. I love small tweed Fender Champ style amps (about 5W) like nothing else.

Traditionally, the EL84 sound is more "Marshally" - less chime, compact mids. I also own a Peavey Classic 30 which is a nice enough giggable amp, and I do like it with Les Paul type guitars, but I'm always going to my 5F1 6L6 5W amp for a tonal high. I'm addicted to the chime .

Of course, there are ways to tricking them all with a subtle pedal in front, such as a well-designed booster with a tone control and judicious use of your guitar's tone knob.

So yes, I've ranted too much, but in a couple of words, what I love is: 5F1 6L6s.