Tube Amp myths...

[ehdwuld]

That sounds like brown power at house

Low voltage or something loose at the house

The tech has good power on the bench

[Gold star]

From too long of non-usage and/or bad storage conditions you can have filter caps drain their charge and then dry-out, and then that can cause a failure which can take other stuff with it.

How long is too long for the amp to not be used? I have no idea.
I let my tube amps go months at a time without running, but I rotate them so each one gets it's turn for awhile and none of them really go too long.
Modern caps are better and more durable from what I've read, and it obviously isn't as likely to be a problem if the amp is newer rather than older.
If a tube amp was stored in some ice-cold garage up in Canada for years then it should not be turned on without using a device to lower the voltage until it's had time to recharge itself.

Yes I'm thinking this is or was an issue with vintage amps...

[ArtieToo]

There's no benefit at all to using them to the electrical circuit or components.

I've read this too, somewhere. Basically, it IS necessary with large high-power tubes, such as used in radio station transmitters, and people like Leo just brought it along with his designs. But they aren't necessary for low-power applications.

[ehdwuld]

It may be there so you can avoid the pop when you plug and unplug your guitar

[GreatOz]

I read somewhere that you can't touch tubes with your bare hands and that if you do, you need to wipe the tube off before you turn it on. That true?

The Mesa Tech in this video doesn't use gloves for either removal or replacement.

[JamesPaul]

I read somewhere that you can't touch tubes with your bare hands and that if you do, you need to wipe the tube off before you turn it on. That true?

The Mesa Tech in this video doesn't use gloves for either removal or replacement.

False. That's true for some specialized light bulbs, but not vacuum tubes.

[GuitarStv]

I read somewhere that you can't touch tubes with your bare hands and that if you do, you need to wipe the tube off before you turn it on. That true?

The Mesa Tech in this video doesn't use gloves for either removal or replacement.

Theoretically, anything that's glass that also heats up can be negatively impacted by an uneven distribution of oils (like from your hands). It will slightly change the heat loss through the glass, which (in extreme cases) might lead uneven thermal expansion and cracking. But guitar tubes operate at a low enough temperature that I can't imagine it being much of an issue.

[ehdwuld]

I have seen the skinny Quartz bulbs that he is talking about
and the finger prints on the failed bulb
The halogen light bulbs get super hot

I prefer to error on the side of caution
And I'm a bit OCD about dust

If I do touch the tubes I wipe em off with alcohol before firing it up

[Aceman]

if you have rats in your amp, that will be an issue

Had a Geril eat a Peavey Studio Pro....loved that amp.

[NegativeEase]

Theoretically, anything that's glass that also heats up can be negatively impacted by an uneven distribution of oils (like from your hands). It will slightly change the heat loss through the glass, which (in extreme cases) might lead uneven thermal expansion and cracking. But guitar tubes operate at a low enough temperature that I can't imagine it being much of an issue.

I've always wiped them -my fathers company made the highest end tubes ever made and he was super specific on this -BUT those super high end gold tubes were used more in diagnostic machines like photo spectrometers where uneven heat dissipation through the vacuum can impacted data/results -so it may not affect guitar amp application much at all, although did blow tubes in the earlier days occasionally and they were usually ones I had handled less carefully -but more likely vibration did them in.

and there is a notable thickness difference in different brands (or there was -now that almost everyone is owned by the same company maybe less so) -so I wonder if oils impact different brands differently.

[Gold star]

I read somewhere that you can't touch tubes with your bare hands and that if you do, you need to wipe the tube off before you turn it on. That true?

The Mesa Tech in this video doesn't use gloves for either removal or replacement.

nonsense...

[PS412]

They're too heavy.

[Jacew]

e

False. That's true for some specialized light bulbs, but not vacuum tubes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's about halogen lights, right?

They're not that specialized really: Used in all cars not using leds, and very often in house lighting too. At least here.

Easy to see how that knowledge would be mixed with tubes.

[JB_From_Hell]

e

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's about halogen lights, right?

They're not that specialized really: Used in all cars not using leds, and very often in house lighting too. At least here.

Easy to see how that knowledge would be mixed with tubes.

You are correct.

[St_Genesius]

Obviously, you should have repaired it and then replaced the badging with RICHARD GERE in the Peavey font.

Then just wait for people to notice.

Had a Geril eat a Peavey Studio Pro....loved that amp.