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How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

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  • How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

    Good day,

    I heard that it is a good idea to get an amp re-biased every 3 to 4 months for 2 hours of use per day or so, but I am new to tube amps and I use mine less than that.

    Just a rule of thumb, I play my amp prolly around 8 to 10 or so hours per week, I'm still new to tube amps so how often should I have a tech re-bias it?

    I'm asking because I heard it was good to get an amp re-biased every 3 to 4 months with playing about 2 hours a day, but I don't play quite that much. I play for Church, typically 4 hours on Sunday and 2 hours on rehearsal day. Beyond that, I'll play about 2 to 4 hours outside that for practice.

    For reference, I have a Blackstar HT5R MkII.

    My current plan was about every 6 months, is this a good "schedule"?

    Thanks,
    GreatOz

  • #2
    Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

    I would only do it when you put in a new set of tubes.

    Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

      For that amp, never, it doesn't have a bias adjustment.

      For amps that need rebiasing, I usually only re-biased when I put in new tubes unless I wanted to try running them a little hotter, which will go through tubes faster.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

        Originally posted by devastone View Post
        For that amp, never, it doesn't have a bias adjustment.
        I’m also seeing online that it’s cathode biased; you can just swap tubes without adjustment. Might want to verify with Blackstar, but pretty sure this is the case.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

          HT-5 is cathode biased so the tubes for that amplifier are plug & play, also Blackstar amps run very cool in any case?

          For you essentially any EL84’s will run fine in it so long as they are matched to some degree .....

          However if it were a fixed biased amplifier you should only need to bias them when you instal them, but it’s good practice to check for bias “drift” every couple hundred hours of playing time & only if you actually know what you are doing! If you are fairly new to valves I would suggest that you stay away from the individual components, tubes, trim pots, Etc. of that little head & just play/enjoy it....
          I live in Northern New Hampshire, we shoot the things we don't understand here???

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

            Thanks for the responses, looks like all I'll need is an extra set of tubes.

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            • #7
              Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

              I like cathode biased amps because you don't have to futz around with figuring out bias stuff when you plug in new tubes.
              Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

              Originally posted by Douglas Adams
              This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

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              • #8
                Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                I like cathode biased amps because you don't have to futz around with figuring out bias stuff when you plug in new tubes.
                Awwww Come on! Cathode biased are no fun!! How are you going to overbias your tubes for that extra ballz? :lmao

                I used to always run my Marshalls at %10 extra lovin' .
                “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                  I'm comfortable with the balls size of my amp.
                  Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

                  Originally posted by Douglas Adams
                  This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                    Originally posted by NegativeEase View Post
                    Awwww Come on! Cathode biased are no fun!! How are you going to overbias your tubes for that extra ballz? :lmao

                    I used to always run my Marshalls at %10 extra lovin' .
                    Well that's with a set of El34 or 6L6 power tubes. El 84's have a tendency to shall we say be rather fragile so over biasing a set of them will likely get you a big red GLOW from your amp when the power tubes light up like light bulbs right in the middle of a set just before the melt down!
                    Guitars
                    Kiesel DC 135, Carvin AE 185, DC 400, DC 127 KOA, DC 127 Quilt Purple, X220C, PRS Custom 24, Washburn USA MG 122 proto , MG 102, MG 120.
                    Amps PRS Archon 50 head, MT 15, Mesa Subway Rocket, DC-5, Carvin X50B Hot Rod Mod head, Zinky 25watt Blue Velvet combo.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                      Originally posted by Nostalgic Distortion View Post
                      HT-5 is cathode biased so the tubes for that amplifier are plug & play, also Blackstar amps run very cool in any case?

                      For you essentially any EL84’s will run fine in it so long as they are matched to some degree .....

                      However if it were a fixed biased amplifier you should only need to bias them when you instal them, but it’s good practice to check for bias “drift” every couple hundred hours of playing time & only if you actually know what you are doing! If you are fairly new to valves I would suggest that you stay away from the individual components, tubes, trim pots, Etc. of that little head & just play/enjoy it....
                      Except this amp uses a single 12BH7 in the power section. Don't try an EL84.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                        Originally posted by GuitarStv View Post
                        I'm comfortable with the balls size of my amp.
                        LOL just had to
                        Guitars
                        Kiesel DC 135, Carvin AE 185, DC 400, DC 127 KOA, DC 127 Quilt Purple, X220C, PRS Custom 24, Washburn USA MG 122 proto , MG 102, MG 120.
                        Amps PRS Archon 50 head, MT 15, Mesa Subway Rocket, DC-5, Carvin X50B Hot Rod Mod head, Zinky 25watt Blue Velvet combo.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                          Originally posted by misterwhizzy View Post
                          Except this amp uses a single 12BH7 in the power section. Don't try an EL84.
                          My mistake, I was thinking of another amplifier, & yes, don’t try a EL84 in there!!!
                          I live in Northern New Hampshire, we shoot the things we don't understand here???

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: How often to get an amp's tubes rebiased

                            Originally posted by Ascension View Post
                            Well that's with a set of El34 or 6L6 power tubes. El 84's have a tendency to shall we say be rather fragile so over biasing a set of them will likely get you a big red GLOW from your amp when the power tubes light up like light bulbs right in the middle of a set just before the melt down!
                            Ha. yeah, i've never over biased anything but EL34s, and KT88/6550s.

                            Basically Marshalls, Traynors, Ampegs etc etc
                            “For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” Yvonne Chouinard

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