DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

The Vault

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I know, I know... you're wondering how something like that happened. I jammed with the band on Wednesday, and we haven't been back to the jam space since today. It had been left on standby for 4 days.... :doh:

I hope I didn't damage any tubes or circuitry.
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

This has happened many times with people around here... you are fine.

I think Gearjonesor left his on standby for a month or something...
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

I can't imagine there being anything worse than having to swap a fuse or two (if the amp won't power up), and then changing the power tubes. Doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to me.
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

It's fine, only thing you did was reduce the life of your tubes by 4 days.

Sleep easy bro!
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

This has happened many times with people around here... you are fine.

I think Gearjonesor left his on standby for a month or something...

Actually, it was 3 - 4 months! :banghead:

It doesn't seem to have effected anything, but it sure didn't help anything.

With that little current keeping the heaters warmed up, it probably wasn't much different than leaving a stereo on for months.

The only reason it happened is because my Gibson Goldtone has it's knobs on the back of the amp, and there's no jewel light. It has a 3 position switch On/off/stdby, and I must have walked away thinking it was off.
It's an amp that I rarely plug into, and it was plugged into the wall.
I was mortified when I noticed it, knowing I hadn't used it since early Spring. :scared:
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

Actually, it was 3 - 4 months! :banghead:

It doesn't seem to have effected anything, but it sure didn't help anything.

With that little current keeping the heaters warmed up, it probably wasn't much different than leaving a stereo on for months.

The only reason it happened is because my Gibson Goldtone has it's knobs on the back of the amp, and there's no jewel light. It has a 3 position switch On/off/stdby, and I must have walked away thinking it was off.
It's an amp that I rarely plug into, and it was plugged into the wall.
I was mortified when I noticed it, knowing I hadn't used it since early Spring. :scared:

Joe, I actually turned that amp on in 05', when Jolly and I came to stay with you. Hope the tubs are ok.... :27::wave:
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

I've gone quite literally a year or more without turning off my old Pro Reverb. Just flipped it to stand-by when done playing. Every tube in it is over ten years old and the amp still sounds awesome. Back in my radio days the station had all kinds or old tube gear along with newer solid state stuff...none of it ever got turned off unless it was being moved.
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

You helped pay the Christmas bonus' at the electricity company.
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

Cool... cool.

I walked the jamspace and took the cover off the amp and was like, "wow, thanks guys for warming my amp up for me."

My drummer told me that the amp never sounded so good.. haha
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

What's a regular tube's estimated life span? Like 400 hours IIRC. So you do the math haha!
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

It's fine, only thing you did was reduce the life of your tubes by 4 days.

Sleep easy bro!

What he said! I did the same thing with my Vibrolux Reverb except I left it on for over a week. I have been rocking those same tubes a year later with no issues.
 
Re: DOH!... I left my tube amp on standby for 4 days!

I read somewhere that Prince never powers his amps down in the studio they run 24/7.

VanHalen is said to crash test amps on 10 with the guitar in front of the amp feeding back for a mnth or more...but he says all kinds of fruity things.
 
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