I know this is a silly issue but I'm helping my son build a KT88 amp and I see that the JJ tubes put their pretty label on the side that would place the tube socket fasteners front and rear of the socket instead of side to side - which is how I've always oriented my sockets. I don't really care about labels but he'd like the JJ label facing forward. What would you do?
Jim
Jim
There's no guarantee that the next batch of tubes will have the labels in the same place.
I'd forget about it.
I'd forget about it.
It is better to place the tubes in such a way that plate and grid wiring doesn't cross than only a pretty look.
A serious amp is not built to be seen; it is not even built to be heard, but so that the music can be heard. Socket orientation should always be a matter of engineering, not aesthetics. As others have said, you are likely to find random placing of valve labels/printing anyway.
The "JJ KT 88" label is silk screened on the tube's glass envelope.
TubeDepot.com | JJ KT88 Blue Glass Power Vacuum Tube
TubeDepot.com | JJ KT88 Blue Glass Power Vacuum Tube
you could make 5 holes for each socket.
1 big hole for the socket
4 screw holes, so you can rotate the socket in 90 degree increments.
Then use any manufacturer's tube of any vintage and you will be within
45degres of the orientation you desire for any label.
1 big hole for the socket
4 screw holes, so you can rotate the socket in 90 degree increments.
Then use any manufacturer's tube of any vintage and you will be within
45degres of the orientation you desire for any label.
Thank you for all your responses! I'm going to install the sockets as I always have and not worry about the JJ labels. One option I contemplated was drilling a larger hole for the KT88 tube and mounting the tube socket on a subplate under the chassis, but this is too much work for such a small issue like this.
Jim
Jim