Fender 6L6 pin 1

[Smokebreak]

Why was pin 1 connected to pin 8(grounded)in say 5F6A(and most early Fenders), then later used as tie point for control grid stoppers?

[Blackburn]

I think that pin was tied to the casing in early metal 6L6s. Not sure if I'm remembering correctly.

[Smokebreak]

Oh dangit that's right. 6L6 vs 6L6gc. Thanks.

[darryl_h]

In the original metal 6L6, pin 1 was used to ground the external metal can. In all glass versions of the 6L6, pin 1 has no connection to any internal element, so it is safe to use as an anchor point on the valve socket.

Very early Fender models could use the original metal 6L6, but later models required a higher-rated 6L6 version, or a 5881, which freed up pin 1 as a tag point.

If Leo could take advantage of an extra tag point at no extra cost, he'd do so.

[Smokebreak]

In the original metal 6L6, pin 1 was used to ground the external metal can. In all glass versions of the 6L6, pin 1 has no connection to any internal element, so it is safe to use as an anchor point on the valve socket.

Very early Fender models could use the original metal 6L6, but later models required a higher-rated 6L6 version, or a 5881, which freed up pin 1 as a tag point.

If Leo could take advantage of an extra tag point at no extra cost, he'd do so.

Huh, well that was kinda my original confusion..5f6a called for 5881(6l6wgb?), but I didn't think there were metal 5881s, thus no need for pin1 to go to ground...so....I can only assume that that were metal versions of 5881?

[darryl_h]

I don't think there ever was a metal 5881. Maybe Fender were just slow to adopt pin 1 as a tag point in certain amp layouts.

As an aside, I remember working on an amplifier ( not a Fender ) which used pin 1 as a tag point for the screen resistors, rather than the control grid resistors. Imagine the result if the amplifier owner had plugged in a set of vintage metal 6L6's.