Amplifier Conversion Guide - 6L6GC To EL34 Conversion - Amplified Parts

10/11/21 13:26 Amplifier Conversion Guide - 6L6GC to EL34 Conversion | Amplified Parts
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This guide has been built in place of our K-701 conversion kit which was previously available for
12AX7 Comparison of Current purchase. Now, you can simply purchase the required parts below and follow through this guide.
Made Tubes
This guide will show you how to convert a standard class A/B dual 6L6GC power amp to a dual EL34
12AX7 Tube Diagram
power amp. Changing the screen grid resistors along with altering the bias circuit is required for this
3PDT Daughter Board Guide
modification. Following this guide, you will learn:
6146 Family of Vacuum Tubes How to convert a power amp using two 6L6GCs into one using two EL34s
How to convert the Silver Face bias/balance pot into a Black Face style bias pot for increased
6L6GC Comparison of Current
Made Tubes
control of power tube operation
How to set the bias for 6L6GCs or EL34s
6L6GC Tube Diagram
Accutronics Products and Required Parts

Specifications
Item
Amplifier Conversion Guide - Description SKU ID Qty Price Subtotal
6L6GC to EL34 Conversion
Resistors - 5 Watt, Wirewound, Power, R-Q1K 2 $1.14 $2.28
Add to Cart
Amplifier Conversion Guide - 5% tolerance
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to Tremolo Resistance: 1 kΩ
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https://www.amplifiedparts.com/tech-articles/amplifier-conversion-6l6gc-to-el34 1/30
Amplifier Conversion Guide - Item

Blackface/Silverface Normal Description SKU ID Qty Price Subtotal
channel to Bass
Terminal Strip - 2 Lug, 2nd Lug P-0201H 3 $3.45 $10.35
Add to Cart
Amplifier Conversion Guide - Common, Horizontal
Blackface/Silverface Tone
Resistors - 0.5 Watt, Carbon Film, 5% R-A10K 1 $1.32 $1.32
Stack Mod Add to Cart
tolerance
Resistance: 10 kΩ
Audible Frequency Range and
Describing Tone
Resistors - 0.5 Watt, Carbon Film, 5% R-A1D5K 2 $1.32 $2.64
Add to Cart
Basic Electric Guitar Circuits 1: tolerance
Pickups Resistance: 1.5 kΩ
Basic Electric Guitar Circuits 2:

Vacuum Tube - EL34, JJ Electronics T-EL34-JJ- 1 $36.90 $36.90
Potentiometers & Tone Add to Cart
Single or Matched: Apex MP
Capacitors
Matched Pair
Basic Electric Guitar Circuits 3:

Switches & Output Jacks
Biasing Tube Amplifier Warning:

Calculator
The adjustments and processes described in this article require interacting with
Biasing a Tube Amplifier dangerous levels of voltage. Even unplugged, an amplifier can retain dangerous levels of
charge. We encourage you to take extreme precautions when performing these
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adjustments or interacting with your amplifier. When in doubt, seek the help of a trained
Conductor Instrument Cable
professional.
Can Capacitors - How CE
Manufacturing Makes Them
CapacitanceCookies & Privacy

Converter
Required Tools

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Capacitance Value Calculator We

for Molded Mica Tool Purpose Recommend
Capacitor Parallel/Series Multi-meter A meter for measuring voltage, current, resistance, and sometimes capacitance S-Z3220
Calculator
Soldering Soldering iron with a 1/8" screwdriver tip and a variable control capable of producing S-TWE1010
Circuit Board Prototyping Iron 25-40Watts. This will allow you to do some precise soldering of circuit components
and wires (do not use a soldering gun for soldering of electronic circuits).
Common Electric Guitar Wiring
Solder 60/40 rosin core solder. S-T9000X
Diagrams
Desoldering This will assist you in removing solder for circuit modifications and correcting S-T7874B
DIY Vibrato Shorting Plug for
pump, bold, connection errors.
Blackface / Silverface Amps
or braid
Filters - Low Pass and High Wire For exposing wire leads. S-
Pass Strippers T105SCGV
Guitar Diagram Wire Cutters These are great for cutting leads on resistors, capacitors, etc. before and after S-T170M
soldering.
Guitar Speaker Power Handling
Needlenose 6" long are good for bending component leads and holding components leads while S-TNN7776
Hammond Chassis Boxes Pliers de-soldering.
Jensen Tone Chart Screwdrivers Philips-head required for disassembly. S-TXP600
LED Current Limiting Resistor

Calculator
Safety
LED Parallel/Series Calculator
We will take a moment to again stress the importance of putting safety first when working on this
Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) type of equipment. Tube amps operate at high voltages which have the potential to kill. Only work
Tester on an amp when you are wide awake and attentive.
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Capacitor Codes
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that you certain
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experience. before opening your amp:
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Potentiometer Taper Charts Turn the power switch off

Turn the standby switch off (down position)
Potentiometer Types
Demonstration Unplug the power cord
Relay True Bypass Switching

Give the power tubes 10 minutes to cool down
Part 1: Relay Basics and Stereo
Guitar Pedals
ON STANDBY

Part 2: Momentary and Soft
Touch Switches

Part 3: Microcontrollers and
Current Savings UNPLUG

Part 4: Smart Switching
OFF
Resistor Color Codes
When the amp is open:

Resistor Parallel/Series
Calculator
Use a multi-meter to measure for high voltage at several test points. (see the "Preliminaries"
Resistor Power Rating section for details)
Calculator
Use the one-hand rule. (see the "Preliminaries" section for details)
Resistor Value Calculator
Soldering Tips
Speaker Diagram
Work in a ventilated area with a fan to blow the smoke away from your face.
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Allow the soldering iron to heat up to the point where the solder melts quickly when touched to
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Handling and Wiring
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the iron's tip.
Speaker Wiring Calculator Clean the soldering iron's tip by wiping it across a wet sponge before applying solder to it.
Be very careful not to unintentionally burn any wires in the vicinity of the soldering iron.
Spring Reverb Tanks
Designation Calculator
1.
Spring Reverb Tanks Explained
and Compared
Spring Reverb Tanks Explained

and Compared - Videos
Bend the component lead or wire ending and wrap it around the connection point.
Stomp Box Enclosures Make sure it is not too close to a neighboring component which could cause an
unintended connection.
Switches - What are Poles and
Throws? 2.
The Speakers for Electric Guitar
Tuning Machine / Tuner Types
Useful Conversion Factors

Wrap the component lead so that it can hold itself to the connection point.
Voltage Divider
3.
Wire Gauge Guide
Yellow Jacket Tube Converter

Technical Information
Touch the soldering iron to both the component lead and the connection point allowing both to
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Be sure to adequately cover both component lead and connection point with melted solder.
Remove the soldering iron from your work and allow the solder joint to cool. (The solder
joint should be shiny and smooth after solidifying.)
Cut off any excess wire or component leads with cutting pliers.
Clean the soldering iron's tip by wiping it across the wet sponge again after making the
solder joint.
De-Soldering Tips
1.
Heat up the old solder joint with the soldering iron

2.
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3.
Use a de-soldering tool to remove the old solder joint while it is heated.
Preliminaries
Please be certain to do the following before opening your amp:
Turn the power switch off

Turn the standby switch off (down position)
Unplug the power cord
Give the power tubes 10 minutes to cool down
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ON STANDBY
OFF
COOL
UNPLUG
Make sure the power tubes have cooled down enough to touch.
Remove the power tubes from the amp and store them someplace safe.
Remove the amplifier chassis from its cabinet and set it on a safe workplace.
When the amp is open, follow the one hand rule and use a multi-meter to measure for high voltage
at several test points. (see test points below)
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ON STANDBY
The one hand rule (pictured above) is a safety precaution for working on an amp that is plugged in
or could potentially have high voltages present. Using your multi-meter, clip the ground side to the
chassis and use the other side to probe at various test points with one hand. This prevents a fatal
shock which can result from current passing through the heart. (Many people even put their other
hand in their pocket or behind their back to ensure it is not used).
Test Points
Inside view of amp chassis - not all components are shown
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2 NORMAL 1
BRIGHT
Jewel
Lamp MASTER TREB
BASS VOL
Holder VOLUME
0 00
47 4747
5 6 5 6 89
1.5K
7 8
7
3 4
3 4
5 67
1.5K
1 2
8
1 2 1 2 34
POWER STANDBY
TP(3)
TP(4)
TP(1)
TP(5)
TP(2)
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Warning:
If there is a high voltage present at any of these test points, there may be something
wrong with your amp. Please have it checked by a qualified repair shop.
TP(1), TP(2): These test points are both on the standby switch. When the amp is in operation,
these two points have a very high voltage present. By 10 minutes after turning off the standby
and power switches, all the voltage should have been drained.
TP(3): This is the anode side of a solid state diode.
TP(4), TP(5): These test points are the cathode pins of the preamp tubes. It is not a bad idea to
check these two pins on each one of the preamp tubes.
(Tube Rectifier TP: If your amp has a GZ34/5AR4 tube and no standby switch, then check the
GZ34 pins 2 and 8 for voltage.)
Bias Potentiometer Conversion

If you have a silver face amp, you might have to convert the bias/balance pot into a black face style
bias potentiometer for increased control of power tube operation.
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silverface type silverface type

bias / balance pot schematic bias / balance pot
1.5K 6L6GC #1
(pin 5)
.1µ 1.5K 6L6GC # 2
(pin 5)
.1µ
10KL
Exhibit A: If the bias pot in your amp looks like this, then follow the steps below to convert it.
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Step 1: De-solder the end of the resister mounted to the wiper (middle) lug of the bias pot and
leave it hanging temporarily.
Step 2: De-solder both wires going to the outside lugs of the bias pot. Solder both wires to the
wiper lug of the bias pot.
Step 3: Solder the disconnected end of the resistor to an outside lug of the bias pot.
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Step 4: De-solder the wire connected to the center-tap lug of the bias pot. Solder that wire to
the other outside lug of the bias pot.
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blackface style
bias pot schematic
1.5K 6L6GC #1
(pin 5)
.1µ 1.5K 6L6GC #2
(pin 5)
.1µ
blackface style
10KL
bias pot
Determine your hot and cold bias directions:
Set your multi-meter to measure resistance

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to the outer lug
with
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Turn the bias pot control all the way in the direction of 0 Ω and leave it there.
Connection points for determining hot and cold bias
10KL
Cold = the direction of 0 Ω between these two points
Hot = the direction of 10 kΩ between these two points
Power Tube Conversion

Here is a schematic representation of this mod. It is not necessary to be able to read the schematic
in order complete the mod.
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6L6GC 3
4 470
1.5K 5
.1µ
8
TR3
8
1.5K
470
5
.1µ 4
6L6GC 3
10KL
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6L6GC 3
plate
5 6
grid(2)
7
4
4
grid(1)
5
8
8 1
cathode
2
filament/
heater 0.9A @
2 7
6.3V 1.5K
Pins 1 and 6 are not used by the tube
Because the EL34 draws more filament current than the 6L6GC, it is not recommended to do this
mod on amps with more than two power tubes.
After Modification
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EL34 3 1K
1 5W
1.5K 4
5
.1µ
8
TR3
8
1.5K 1K
5W
5
.1µ 4
1
EL34 3
10KL
10K
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EL34 3
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plate 5 6
plate
7
grid(3)
4
1K
1
4 5W
8
grid(1) grid(2)
5 2 1
8
cathode
filament/
heater 1.5A @
2 7
6.3V
Pin 6 is not used by the tube
Depending on your amp model, you may not need to make all of these modifications and some of
the components may be located in different places. Pay attention mainly to the connections.
Inside View of Amp Chassis - not all components are shown

bias pot - not
shown in actual
location
0
47
5 6
7
4
0 0
47 47
3
2 1 5 6 5 6
3 4
3 4
7 8
7 8
1 2 1 2
1.5K
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5 6
7
4
3
8
2 1
1.5K
Step 1: De-solder and remove the 470Ω resistor.
1.5K 6
5
7
4
3
8
2 1
Step 2: De-solder and remove the wire and resistor connections at pin 1.
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1.5K 6
5
7
4
3
8
2 1
Step 3: Solder a connection between pins 1 and 8 with a small piece of wire.
5 6
1.5K
7
4
3
8
2 1
Step 4: Fasten a terminal strip to the mounting screw of the tube socket. (Alternate mounting
method for screw also shown)
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5 6
1.5K
7
4
3
8
2 1
Step 5: Solder and connect the wire and resistor to the ungrounded lug of the terminal strip.
5 6
1.5K
7
4
1K
5W
8
2 1
Step 6: Solder and connect the 1kΩ (5W) resistor between pins 4 and 6.
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89
5 67
12
34
Step 7: Fasten a terminal strip to a grounded screw in the circuit board.
10K
89
5 67
12
34
Step 8: Solder and connect the 10kΩ resistor to the terminal strip.
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89
5 67
12
34
Step 9: Solder and connect a wire from the bias pot (outer lug with the resistor connected) to
the ungrounded lug of the terminal strip.
Step 10: Set the bias all the way to cold. (See instructions above to determine your hot and
cold bias)
Setting the Bias

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You should re-bias your power tubes after changing them. It is a good idea to begin with the bias pot
set all the way to cold (i.e. with maximum negative voltage applied to the power tube control grids)
to avoid damaging the tube from too hot of a bias setting.
Make sure to get matched power tubes. This way the current measured from both power tubes
should be close to the same value. We recommend Apex Matched Tubes. See also our article on
biasing a tube amplifier.
5 6 5 6
7
4
4
1K 1K
5W 5W
3
8
8
2 1 2 1
Step 1: De-solder the ground wire connection from pin 8.
5 6
7
4
1K
5W
3
2 1
Step 2: Set your multi-meter to measure DC current. Clip one lead of the meter to pin 8 and the
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EL34 3
1
1.5K 4
5
Schematic
A
representation
showing ammeter
placement
8
1.5K
5
4
1
EL34
3
Step 3: Insert the EL34s and keep the one hand rule in mind. (With clips in use, you should be
able to just use one hand for turning the bias control.)
ON STANDBY
Step 4: Plug the amp in and turn the power switch on. Let the tubes heat up for about 2
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ON STANDBY
Step 5: Turn the standby switch on (upward position).
EL34 3
1
1.5K 4
5
8
35mA(DC)
Schematic
representation showing A
current flow through
ammeter
8
1.5K
5
4
1
EL34 3
Step 6: Slowly turn the bias pot towards hot until you get a reading of about 35mA (ideal bias
point for 6L6GC).
Step 7: Use your ears to determine the best sounding bias point for the EL34s (e.g. 42mA), but
do not exceed 70mA. If you see the outer tube plates begin to glow, it probably means you
have the tube biased too hot.
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ON STANDBY
Step 8: Unplug the amp and turn off both power and standby switches. Allow the tubes to cool.
5 6
7
4
1K
5W
8
2 1
Step 9: Re-solder and connect the ground wire to pin 8. Close the amp back up and you are
done.
Questions? Contact us at info@amplifiedparts.com, or give us a call at 480-296-0890
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10/11/21 13:26 Amplifier Conversion Guide - 6L6GC to EL34 Conversion | Amplified Parts

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Tech Articles Amplifier Conversion Guide - 6L6GC to

Search tech articles EL34 Conversion

Accutronics Products and Required Parts

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Amplifier Conversion Guide - Item

Basic Electric Guitar Circuits 2:

Basic Electric Guitar Circuits 3:

Biasing Tube Amplifier Warning:

CapacitanceCookies & Privacy

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Capacitance Value Calculator We

Jensen Tone Chart Screwdrivers Philips-head required for disassembly. S-TXP600

LED Current Limiting Resistor

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Potentiometer Taper Charts Turn the power switch off

Relay True Bypass Switching

Relay True Bypass Switching

Relay True Bypass Switching

Relay True Bypass Switching

When the amp is open:

Spring Reverb Tanks Explained

The Speakers for Electric Guitar

Tuning Machine / Tuner Types

Useful Conversion Factors

Yellow Jacket Tube Converter

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Heat up the old solder joint with the soldering iron

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Turn the power switch off

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Bias Potentiometer Conversion

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silverface type silverface type

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Determine your hot and cold bias directions:

Set your multi-meter to measure resistance

Connection points for determining hot and cold bias

Cold = the direction of 0 Ω between these two points

Hot = the direction of 10 kΩ between these two points

Power Tube Conversion

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Pin 6 is not used by the tube