EL84 Valve Guitar Amps

EL84 valves aren't too dissimilar from their EL34 cousins, but they are known to emit a slightly brighter sound with less low-end punch and greater sensitivity to volume. From these qualities, many players will describe EL84-equipped guitar amplifiers as sounding "chimey"; a term often associated with Vox's legendary EL84-driven AC30 and AC15 amps.

Many believe that EL84s are synonymous with British amplifiers, but this is actually a common misconception. For example, renowned US brands like Mesa/Boogie, Morgan and Friedman use EL84 tubes in a variety of their amp models.