Tube recommendations for 1987x mod

[killdozer]

I recently snagged a Splawn modded Marshall 1987x. As always, I can't resist tinkering with it, so I pulled out the preamp tubes. It has a 12AT7 in the slot nearest the power tubes, a 12AX7 in the middle, then another 12AT7 in the slot farthest from the power tubes.

This leads to a few questions:

1. Which tube position in the phase inverter, and which is V1?

2. Is it normal/desirable to have a lower gain tube in what I presume is the V1 slot? In the PI?

3. What brand of KT-88 power tubes are y'all using/recommending, particularly in this type of amp?

[killdozer]

OK - I guess I'm kind of answering my own question. I popped some NOS 12AX7s in, and the amount of gain was almost ridiculous. It works quite nicely with two NOS 5751s and a 12AT7, though.

[Axemane]

JJ's for all. ;D