AMP SCARE!

[brentrocks]

I was seeting up my rig today at the farm after cleaning this morning. Get everything hooked up and just take a look behind my amp and notice that only one of the power tubes is glowing!!!!

 

I have never taken a tube out of an amp before!!!

 

So i power it down, wiggle, power on....still only 1 tube on. I get bold and pull the tube out....put it back in, power it up and both tubes glowed!

 

 

WHEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!

 

i figured i was making an emergency trip to kalalamazoo to buy new tubes!!!!

[Dandownunder]

LOL, I remember the first time that happened to me with my old Fysonic. PANIC!!, I thought it was dead!!! Wiggled the tubes out, wiggled em back in again, all good!!! Gotta love thoses Valve amps!!!

 

[Spectrum13]

I was seeting up my rig today at the farm after cleaning this morning. Get everything hooked up and just take a look behind my amp and notice that only one of the power tubes is glowing!!!!

 

I have never taken a tube out of an amp before!!!

 

So i power it down, wiggle, power on....still only 1 tube on. I get bold and pull the tube out....put it back in, power it up and both tubes glowed!

 

 

WHEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!!

 

i figured i was making an emergency trip to kalalamazoo to buy new tubes!!!!

 

Brent, When you move an amp where the tubes hang upside down, gravity can do that especially if the socket is a little

loose.

 

Darn that gravity!

[brentrocks]

Brent, When you move an amp where the tubes hang upside down, gravity can do that especially if the socket is a little

loose.

 

Darn that gravity!

 

 

LOL, I remember the first time that happened to me with my old Fysonic. PANIC!!, I thought it was dead!!! Wiggled the tubes out, wiggled em back in again, all good!!! Gotta love thoses Valve amps!!!

 

 

 

I was freakin out!!! i was looking for smoke, thought i broke it...didnt need that additional stress on PSP III eve

[barrymclark]

Brent, When you move an amp where the tubes hang upside down, gravity can do that especially if the socket is a little

loose.

 

Darn that gravity!

That is one of the things Vox got right with my amp. They have this spring loaded clip to hold the heavier power tubes snug in their sockets.

[tbonesullivan]

you might want to think about putting some contact cleaner on the tube pins, or even taking it in to get the sockets "retensioned", which is the fancy way of saying "bending the contacts inward so they are tight again".

[212Mavguy]

Right ON, Tbone...+1

[brentrocks]

you might want to think about putting some contact cleaner on the tube pins, or even taking it in to get the sockets "retensioned", which is the fancy way of saying "bending the contacts inward so they are tight again".

 

 

that tube is still sometimes not comming on....its not the socket, because i switched them and its the same tube that inconsistantly comes on...

 

so, new tubes?

[Steiner]

Yes. Just the pair of power tubes. The (probably) 12AX7 preamp tubes will last considerably longer.

 

Save the old "good" tube in case the problem reoccurs.

[tbonesullivan]

could be the socket and not the tube. over time the contacts get carbonization/oxidation, so they need cleaning with contact cleaner, and also need to be bent back inward so they make better contact. If the amp hasn't been in for a few years, might be time to take it in to just have it checked over, have the pots cleaned out, etc.

[t0aj15]

Do what I did, buy an Axe-Fx Ultra and never worry about tubes again. EVER!

[slider313]

that tube is still sometimes not comming on....its not the socket, because i switched them and its the same tube that inconsistantly comes on...

 

so, new tubes?

 

They wouldn't be JJ branded tubes, would they?

[smurph1]

That is one of the things Vox got right with my amp. They have this spring loaded clip to hold the heavier power tubes snug in their sockets.

yeah that's a nice feature..Peavey does that on their "Classic" series amps..

[brentrocks]

They wouldn't be JJ branded tubes, would they?

 

i dont know....i think they are the originals, they are EL 34s...and they say Rivera on them

[slider313]

i dont know....i think they are the originals, they are EL 34s...and they say Rivera on them

 

Pick up a matched pair of the new Tung Sol EL34's. Great sounding tubes.

[brentrocks]

Pick up a matched pair of the new Tung Sol EL34's. Great sounding tubes.

 

what are these tube gonna run me? i have no clue, never bought tubes before????

[tulk1]

Quick search at TubeDepot shows about $45 a matched pair for TungSol El34s

[brentrocks]

thanks Kenny!

[mtpatty]

Do what I did, buy an Axe-Fx Ultra and never worry about tubes again. EVER!

 

Or do what I did and buy an AXE-FX Standard!

[brentrocks]

Pick up a matched pair of the new Tung Sol EL34's. Great sounding tubes.

 

i just ordered a set...went down just now to turn on my amp...the 1 tube is gone!!! FRIED!!!!!

 

thanks for the suggestion!

[brentrocks]

are you susposted to touch the tubes with your bare hands?

[tulk1]

are you susposted to touch the tubes with your bare hands?

Not if you've just turned the amp off!! Jeez, Brent. You'll burn you're poor little stubbies!!!

 

As far as the new ones, or when your current ones are cool, there is a school of thought that the oils in your hands can impede performance. But think about this ... all the action takes place inside the tube. And they aren't that fragile. Just be careful with the old ones, and the hot ones. They do generate some heat.

[FredZepp]

Yeah, I believe in touching them as little as possible... to not get the skin oils on them.

 

I hold 'em in a clean rag putting them in... that was back in the day I seemed to be going through too many of them and looking for any way to extend the life.