TUBE CONVERTERS

Yellow Jackets® tube converters allow

EL84 power tubes to be used in place
of the most common guitar amp power
tubes including 6L6, EL34, 6V6, 7027,
6550 and 7591. Most Yellow Jackets®
screen No
provide a substantial output power grid
Connection
9 1
reduction and a “self-bias” Class A
configuration for the EL84 so that no
No EL84 control
Connection
8 2 grid
bias adjustment is required. Yellow
Jackets® are like getting a whole new
amp. plate 7 3 cathode
+ suppressor grid

Yellow Jackets® Types No 6 4

Connection filament
5
YJS p. 2 filament
YJSHORT p. 3
YJC p. 3
YJ20 p. 4
YJUNI p. 4 1 9

YJ7591 p. 4
YJR p. 5

1 8

screen control
grid 4 5 grid

plate
3 6 No
Connection

2 7
filament filament

No 1 8 cathode
Connection + suppressor grid

1
 Why would I want to convert to EL84's using Yellow Jackets®?
Every power tube type offers a different characteristic sound and feel. EL84's have a very tight and focused
sound which has become world renown by their use in the British VOX™ AC30 guitar amplifiers.
Additionally, most Yellow Jackets® converters will produce a substantial maximum power reduction (50% to
90%) making it easier to find that sweet, warm mix of preamp and power amp distortion at a lower volume.

Yellow Jackets also convert the power tube bias to “self-bias” Class A so that no bias adjustment is necessary.
You can switch back and forth between EL84's and your amplifier’s original power tubes without rebiasing.

How do you know which one to pick?

If you are in doubt, you may e-mail [email protected] and we will help you decide.
Yellow Jackets® are not recommended for use in amplifiers that have a rated power output greater than 100
watts or plate voltages greater than 519 VDC.
YJS
(Converts 6L6, EL34, 6550, 7027 or 6V6 to EL84)
The YJS is for amplifiers with fixed bias power tubes. Fixed bias power tubes have their cathode connected
directly to ground and a negative DC voltage applied to their control grid. The negative bias voltage is often
designed to be adjustable by way of a bias pot.

BASING DIAGRAMS FOR COMMON TUBES THAT CAN BE CONVERTED BY THE YJS
screen control screen control screen control
grid 4 5 grid grid 4 5 grid grid 4 5 grid

plate plate control

plate 3 6 No 3 6 grid
3 6 No
Connection Connection

2 7 2 7 filament 2 7 filament
filament filament filament filament

1 8 cathode screen 1 8 cathode

No 1 8 cathode
Connection + suppressor grid suppressor grid grid + suppressor grid

6L6, 5881, 6V6, 6550 EL34, 6CA7 7027

The 1959 narrow panel tweed Fender® Bassman (5F6-A)

FENDER® BASSMAN 5F6-A OUTPUT STAGE SCHEMATIC
is a historically significant 40 watt guitar amplifier. It is
well known that this amplifier circuit served as the design 5881
base for the very first Marshall™ amplifiers, JTM45. .1µ
3

5 4

This partial schematic of the 5F6-A output stage is

220K

8
470
1W

presented here as an example of fixed-bias power tubes.

Notice the power tube cathodes (pin 8) are connected
220K

directly to ground (represented by the triangle) and the

470
1W

8
negative voltage connected to the control grids (pin 5) 4
5
through the 220K resistors. .1µ
3
5881
+430V

+432V

Some amplifiers (e.g. Fender® Hot Rod Deluxe) use a 1Ω resistor and a
-48V

8µ +
-
diode connected in parallel from the power tube cathodes to ground.
These components are added to help when taking bias measurements in 20µ 20µ 20µ
56K
fixed bias amps and do not present any problems for the YJS.

2
YJSHORT
(Converts 6L6, EL34, 6550, 7027 or 6V6 to EL84)
The YJSHORT is simply a short version of the YJS. It is ½” shorter allowing it to fit into more amplifiers.
Before ordering Yellow Jackets® for your amp, it’s a good idea to make sure you’ll have enough clearance.

The YJUNI is the only other Yellow Jackets® tube converter that comes in the short style.
22 mm

22 mm

1.5"
(38 mm)

71.4 mm
2.82"

71.4 mm
2.82"
6L6GC
JJ Electronic

5"

4.5"
(100 mm)
3.94"

YJS
YJC
YJ20 YJSHORT
2.18"

YJ7591 YJUNI

YJC 1.68"
(Converts 6L6, EL34, 6550, 7027 or 6V6 to EL84)
The YJC is for amplifiers with cathode biased power tubes. (This is often referred to as “self-bias” or “auto-
bias” because it does not require a bias adjustment when tubes are changed). Cathode biased power tubes will
have a resistor and bypass capacitor connected in parallel from their cathode to ground, as seen with most
preamp 12AX7 triodes. The YJC is the YJS with an added ground wire. The ground wire is used to bypass
the amp’s original cathode bias components so that the Yellow Jacket’s internal bias components are used
instead.

These two guitar amp output stage schematics are provided as

examples of cathode biased power tubes that would require the
YJC converter. The 5E5 (1955, 26W) has a push-pull output, FENDER® PRO-AMP 5E5 OUTPUT STAGE

while the AA764 (1964, 4W) has a single-ended output.

6L6GB3
.1µ
1500 5
FENDER® VIBRO-CHAMP AA764 OUTPUT STAGE 4
220K

25µ 8

.02µ 6V6GT3 +342V

+26V
250
220K

5 4
8
8
4
220K

5
1500
+21V .1µ
3
6L6GB
+370V

+395V
25µ

470

+340V 1K +355V 2500

20µ 20µ 16µ 16µ

3
What would happen if I didn’t connect the ground wire in my cathode biased amp?
The amp would bias itself too cold to sound good, but no damage would occur. If you don’t know how your
amp is biased (fixed or cathode), you can just try connecting and disconnecting the ground wire and listen for
which way sounds the best. (Connecting the ground wire in a fixed bias amp won’t cause damage, either).

YJ20
(Converts 6V6 and similar based/low power relatives like 6F6, 6G6, 6K6, 6Y6, etc. to EL84)
The YJ20 is like a YJC that does not drop the plate and screen voltages. It is meant for use in lower power
output amps (20W or less) when no power reduction is desired. It comes with a ground wire for cathode
biased amps.

YJUNI
(Converts 6V6 and similar based/low power relatives like 6F6, 6G6, 6K6, 6Y6, etc. to EL84)
The YJUni is a direct pin to pin converter with no internal voltage dropping or bias components. It is meant
for use in lower power output amps (20W or less) when no power reduction is desired and you would prefer
to use the amp’s original bias circuit. If used in a fixed-bias amp, the YJUni is the only Yellow Jackets®
converter that would require a bias adjustment.

The YJUni was designed by THD Electronics® for use in their UniValve®, BiValve-30™ and Flexi-50™
amplifiers with the Hi V/Lo V switch set to Lo V (plate voltage = 300 to 320V).

YJ7591
(Converts 7591 to EL84)
The YJ7591 is for amplifiers that use 7591 power tubes. Only the triode version will provide a power
reduction. It comes with a ground wire for cathode biased amps.

This output stage schematic of the Ampeg® J-12R cathode

screen + suppressor grid
“Reverbojet” (1967, 15W) is presented here as an grid 4 5
example of a cathode-biased amp using 7591 power
control
tubes. Notice how the pin-outs differ from the other plate
3 6 grid
common octal power tubes found in guitar amps.

2 7 filament
AMPEG® J-12R OUTPUT STAGE filament

7591 3
No 1
Connection
8 screen
grid
.1µ
6 4-8
7591
270K

25µ 5

+14V
140
270K

6 4-8

.1µ
3
7591
+345V

+365V

1K

40µ 70µ

4
YJR
(Converts 5AR4/GZ34, 5U4 or 5Y3 to solid-state)
The YJR is used to convert full-wave tube rectifiers to solid-state. This is usually done to give the amplifier a
tighter, more aggressive sound and feel.
Avoid tube cathode stripping by keeping your amp on standby for at least 30 seconds when using a solid-state
rectifier. Tubes require some warm-up time before their electrons are ready to flow.

No
plate plate Connection
4
4 5
No
plate' Connection
6 plate'
3 6

2
filament 2 7 No
filament Connection

filament +
No 1 8
Connection cathode No 1 8 filament
Connection

5AR4/GZ34 5U4GB, 5Y3GT

One of the more significant conversions from tube to solid-state rectification came in 1965 when Marshall™
created their 100W “Plexi” Super Lead JTM100.

MARSHALL™ JTM45 MODEL 1987 (RECTIFIER CIRCUIT) MARSHALL™ JTM100 MODEL 1959 (RECTIFIER CIRCUIT)

GZ34 Standby Standby

8
6

2
4

Valve Valve
Heaters Heaters
6.3VCT 6.3VCT

5
What’s the difference between the normal and triode versions?
The triode version provides a greater power reduction and more linearity than the normal (pentode) version.

Most guitar amp power tubes are pentodes, meaning they have five electrodes:
1) cathode
2) control grid
3) screen grid
4) suppressor grid (or beam confining electrode)
5) plate

Power tube triodes like the 300B (more common to hi-fi stereo) have three electrodes:
1) cathode
2) control grid
3) plate

Pentodes can be wired to behave like triodes by connecting the suppressor grid directly to the cathode and the
screen grid to the plate through a current limiting resistor.

Do certain amps perform better with the triode?

This is a matter of personal taste. The triode version will provide a greater power reduction and is more linear
(less distortion) than the pentode. If you’re looking for the maximum power reduction and want to tame the
response of your amp a little, then go for the triode. If you’d like a power reduction, but want a response with
more bite and attitude, then go for the pentode.

Amplifiers with Pentode/Triode Switch

Some amps, including Marshall™ JCM900, are designed with an “Output Mode Switch” that changes the
power tube configuration from “low” power (triode) to “high” power (pentode). For these amps, you will
want to use the Yellow Jackets® pentode version and let the amp’s switch convert them to triode.

FENDER® PRINCETON REVERB AA1164 OUTPUT STAGE

Tremolo
Some amps have a tremolo effect that is 6V6GT
3
achieved by varying the bias voltage of the .1µ
power tubes as in the 1964 Fender® 5 4
220K

Princeton Reverb (AA1164). This 8

particular type of tremolo effect will not

work with Yellow Jackets® installed.
-34V

220K

5 4
Plate Voltage Too High .1µ
Yellow Jackets® are NOT to be used in 3
6V6GT
+400V

+420V

amplifiers with extremely high plate

1K
voltages such as Marshall™ Majors,
Ampeg® SVTs, HiWatt® 200's and 20µ 20µ
Orange 120's. These amplifiers have too
high a plate voltage and will damage the
From Tremolo
EL84's and possibly the Yellow Jackets® Oscillator Tube
250KL 100K
themselves. While the Yellow Jackets® .1µ INTENSITY -
22K

25µ
reduce plate and screen voltages each by + From Power
Transformer
100 volts, this would still make the plate
voltage too high in certain amps.
6
 Cathode Drive vs. Grid Drive MUSIC MAN® RD-50

The vast majority of guitar amps use

power tubes that are grid driven, like all of 6L6GC3
the other amps mentioned previously. 100 5 4
Some amps like the Music Man® RD-50 470p
75K 8
(1982, 50W) use a cathode drive method. 20µ
+ 680
Notice how the tube cathodes (pin 8) are JE1692
470
connected to transistors. Yellow Jackets®
will not work with cathode driven amps. 680 680 6.8

Output Stage Symmetry 680 6.8

680
It is important to keep your output stage
symmetric for best results when using JE1692 470
Yellow Jackets®. An asymmetric output 20µ
+ 680 470p
stage will present the cold, gritty sound of 75K 8

cross-over distortion. 5 4
100
3
6L6GC

+290V

+585V
Output stage symmetry refers to push-pull outputs (as

+30V
opposed to “single-ended”). All but one of the amps
discussed have push-pull outputs. This can be seen by the
output transformer having power tubes connected to both
“ends” and a “center-tap” connected to some high voltage
power supply. We can think of the tubes on one end
FENDER® TWIN REVERB AB763 OUTPUT STAGE SCHEMATIC
pushing, while the tubes on the other end are pulling (and
vice-versa).
The output 6L6GC3
transformer primary
connects to the tubes
1500 5 4
push end The output transformer
secondary connects to

470
8
Secondary the speaker(s)
side of output
center-tap
transformer is
NOT shown

pull end

470
8

BLUE
5 4
.1µ
The output stage of the Fender® Twin Reverb AB763 1500
3
(1963, 85W) is shown here in simplified schematic and 6L6GC
220K

layout form to illustrate output stage symmetry. The

layout drawing shows where the tubes are positioned in
the actual amplifier chassis. The two tubes connected to
220K

the brown wire will push together, while the two 6L6GC3
connected to the blue wire will pull together.
BROWN

.1µ 1500 5 4
470

8
FENDER® TWIN REVERB AB763 POWER TUBE LAYOUT
470

Output
BROWN Transformer 8
Wires BLUE
5 4
5 6 5 6 5 5 6 1500
6
3
7 7 7 7
4 4 4 4 6L6GC
3 8 3 8 8 3 8
3
2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 -52V +458V +460V

7
 OUTPUT STAGE SYMMETRY

YELLOW JACKETS® ON THE OUTSIDE YELLOW JACKETS® ON THE INSIDE

OUTPUT STAGE ASYMMETRY

YELLOW JACKETS® OPTIONS FOR AMPS WITH FOUR POWER TUBES

Two YJ’s and Two Empty Sockets vs. Four YJ’s
In a 100-watt amp like a Twin Reverb or Marshall 100, either two or four Yellow Jacket converters
can be used. If only two are used and the other two (inside or outside) sockets are left empty, the
output is dropped to about 20 watts. With four in place, the amp puts out about 40 watts and takes
on a whole new warmth and richness.

P(out) = 100W P(out) = 20W P(out) = 40W