How do you know when a tube is going out?
62strat
Posts: 638
K, more problems obvioulsy...fuck...
huge gig coming up on saturday...dont know if i can bring my amp in at all this week because im at work... so what do i do?
i was rehearsing, and every once in awhile..the amp would cut out, not completely..but start..uh..well, the singal became really weak...kidn of madea fuzzing noise, crackling noise...someteims id tap on it or knock it and it would be alright again..other times it would just start working again, now when it does this..it still does work but sounds like some crackling goingon...god this doesnt make sense, tubes going out? or loose connection inside somewhere? and do i attempt to play with it at our show this weekend?
damn fender tube amps
huge gig coming up on saturday...dont know if i can bring my amp in at all this week because im at work... so what do i do?
i was rehearsing, and every once in awhile..the amp would cut out, not completely..but start..uh..well, the singal became really weak...kidn of madea fuzzing noise, crackling noise...someteims id tap on it or knock it and it would be alright again..other times it would just start working again, now when it does this..it still does work but sounds like some crackling goingon...god this doesnt make sense, tubes going out? or loose connection inside somewhere? and do i attempt to play with it at our show this weekend?
damn fender tube amps
Post edited by Unknown User on
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I was/am a bass player and I used to blow up my friends' amps all the time!
I had an giant ampeg svt, and usually it was bad preamp tubes when it made that noise. I didn't change them myself though, but i think it's easy. Don't play it though. I did that once, and my amp caught on fire in CBGB's and the show was over!
A connection might be to blame, though.
Has it been a while since you re-tubed? If so, go ahead and do it anyways... if the problem isn't fixed, take it to a techie who can doctor it to health. You might make sure the tubes (all of them, power tubes and if it has one, rectifier) are well-seated in their sockets.
I think you guys are right. its a preamp tube shorting or something like that. You could power it up and turn it around look for a red glow on the plates in the tubes.
Basically you need to get that thing looked at before the gig it could cause a fire then you'd be without an amp. If worse comes to worse and they can't fix it in time you might look to rent a hot rod from someone or something else you can get in a fix. I know it sucks but you don't want the gig to go up in smoke either. It's probably a minor problem right now so don't worry too much.
http://trentino.best.vwh.net/
How can't you love this girl! Spoken like a true rocker!
I was there at CBGB"s when it went. Why do you think her name is louderthebetter!
When she blew up one of mine, it was a little more!
but usually, that sound is one of the little preamp tubes. Usually minor stuff, but don't use it on stage until you know. When you play out with amps, they take more abuse, so they are higher maintenance as usually, tubes loosen or dirt ges in the knobs.
Quick and dirty, sometimes you can gently tap the tubes when the amp is on,with a pencil or something and pinpoint the loose one or bad one.
Like Paco says, borrow an amp if you can't fix it this week.
And, Have a good gig.
Fender tube amps are great by the way. All tube amps will dio this at somepoint.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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Usually, if a tube is going, it will glow quite a bit brighter than the rest. The plates will get bright reddish-orange. Shut the amp off immediately if this ever happens, and get it to a doctor before firing it up again. That is bad, bad news.
Read the Trentino article for more info, tips, etc.
http://www.marshallamps.com/images/extra/lifeofvalves/lifeofvalves.html
Always best to leave things to the pros when you're unsure. The capacitors in tube amps can kill you quite easily.
good article. KT66's are nice.
Yes they are...
But so are 5881's.
But I still prefer 6V6's.
I do also love the 6v6 and big brother 6L6. I'm seriously thinking about a 6L6 amp but I want a new guitar and effects and stuff first. so maybe in a year or 2.
I prefer EL-34's to 5881's just too much power for me.
The Dr. Z Z-28 should be right up your alley. 6v6 power and 4 10"s. It should just say. the MIG model.
Depends on the speakers.
EL-34's break up about as nice as any power tube out there... But nothing sparkles like a 6V6.
no Kidding listen to a bogner with EL-34's
6L6 maybe? A few Twin owners would beg to differ.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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Spraying the sockets with electrical cleaner and resetting the pins on the tubes might do it. Those things can be very random.
If that doesn't do it,,,,amp tech!
Good luck!
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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