Both amps more or less occupy the same place in the general range of amps out there, so it's easy to see why people compare them, but the Rambler (6L6's) and the Fender Deluxe (6V6's) behave very differently in practical use. At 28 watts the Rambler makes more power and is cleaner than a Deluxe, and their pre-amp sections are similar. Having said that, the Rambler's power section is much more like a Tweed Pro and its phase inverter is based on a Princeton. So, the Rambler shares heritage with a few Fender classics. The Sportsman is the Carr amp that's most like a Fender Deluxe.
Rambler FAQs
Yes, but it is not an ideal situation. The KT-66 requires about twice the juice to light the filaments as does a 6L6, so the transformer has to work very hard to supply the extra current. It will work, but the transformer will be running much hotter than normal. We haven't had any issues with this, but you never know. If something did happen to your transformer as a result then it would not be covered by warranty. A 5881 tube would be a safer and more equivalent match for a 6L6.
We refer to the tubes and their positions in the amp as V1, V2, etc. for preamp tubes and P1, P2, etc. for power tubes. The number indicates the position of the tube as counted from right to left when looking at the back of the amplifier. The right to left progression follows the circuit from input to output.
| P2 | P1 | V4 | V3 | V2 | V1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type |
TAD 6L6 |
TAD 6L6 | 12AX7EH | 5751 - (12ax7 ok) | 12AT7EH | 12AX7EH |
| Manufacturer | TAD | TAD | Electro-Harmonix | TAD | Electro-Harmonix | Electro-Harmonix |
| Function | 1/2 Push-pull power stage | 1/2 Push-pull power stage | Phase inverter and tremolo oscillator | Reverb return and mix | Reverb send | Initial gain stage, post tone-stack recovery |
The Rambler is a cathode bias (self bias) amp and as such does not require a bias adjustment when changing power tubes. Please use well-matched pairs of power tubes for maximum performance and minimum hum in triode mode. The Rambler can only use matched pairs of 6L6, 5881, or 7581A power tubes.
Carr Amplifiers selects and tests the finest current production tubes specifically for each amplifier model. Caution should be used when buying replacement tubes from any dealer who does not have a return policy as all tubes can have problems (NOS tubes are susceptible to microphonics and failure too).