As a self-proclaimed tone chaser, I’ll try almost anything in pursuit of better guitar tone. NOS tubes have become somewhat legendary in the guitar world, prized for both tone and longevity. V1 is typically the first preamp tube in a tube amplifier, located closest to the input jack. But buyers beware – the market is full of counterfeits and worn-out vintage tubes where the magic has long since faded. Of course, not all NOS tubes are magical and not all modern tubes are bad, but in well-designed circuits, NOS options often have a noticeable tonal edge.