The Tung Sol 5881 has a lovely rich tone, offered here as a matched quad. Made in Saratov, Russia.
Tung Sol was the originator of the 5881, and has carefully recreated the classic as the brand new Tung Sol 5881.
The Tung Sol 5881 is a 23 watt tube rated for a maximum plate voltage of 400Vdc. The 5881 first hit the market back in 1954. These valves sound wonderful in Marshall JCM 900s, which were specified to use 5881s.
Tube-rectified amplifiers that have higher plate voltages can use 5881 tubes without issue. A prime example is the ’59 Bassman LTD. However, it’s also critical to rebias the amp heeding the 5881’s 23W rating. A superb choice for vintage tone and less clean headroom. Leaving the bias at a 6L6GC setting and/or using the Tung Sol 5881 in a high voltage amp with a solid-state rectifier can cause problems and is not covered by warranty.
For solid-state rectified amps, consider the Tung Sol 6L6 STR instead, rated for 30 watts and 500V. Their tone is quite similar to the 5881.
We test all our valves in-house here at VTGA on our suite of AVO and custom-built testing equipment to ensure the best possible quality.We send each order with a certificate showing the test results.
Includes our 180 day warranty.
