EVH acting up again

[Jacew]

Re: EVH acting up again

Order a bunch of preamp tubes and test switching them each position. Maybe all at once, if you have thaa kany. To me too, that sounds like obvious tube problem (vibrations, and input gain & sensitivity causing squels).

They are not that expensive and good to have at hand anyway.

 

[Coma]

Re: EVH acting up again

Order a bunch of preamp tubes and test switching them each position. Maybe all at once, if you have thaa kany. To me too, that sounds like obvious tube problem (vibrations, and input gain & sensitivity causing squels).

They are not that expensive and good to have at hand anyway.

Thing is, I have. When I first started having issues I swapped most of them, so they've all been fairly recently replaced. My assumption was that it's something like the tube socket that's vibrating, but amp tech said he couldn't find any such issues, and I don't know enough about amp design to even know where to start searching if I were to pop it open.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: EVH acting up again

Maybe it's power tubes! They can go microphonic as well, AFAIK.

 

[Coma]

Re: EVH acting up again

Maybe it's power tubes! They can go microphonic as well, AFAIK.

Those were all swapped less than a year ago when I had a bunch of repair work done on the power amp. I mean, it's not impossible, I just don't think that's highly likely. It was done by the same guy who did the checkup this time, so I figured he'd probably notice if something was afoul there.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: EVH acting up again

Those were all swapped less than a year ago when I had a bunch of repair work done on the power amp. I mean, it's not impossible, I just don't think that's highly likely. It was done by the same guy who did the checkup this time, so I figured he'd probably notice if something was afoul there.

When you say "bunch of work" explain that.

My guess is maybe with extensive "repairs" something is or got screwed up.
Why did you have the repair work in the first place ?

What problems did were you having back then ?
Did it squeal back then before the repairs ?

Once an amp is damaged & had surgery it opens a whole pandoras box of possible issues.
I will say 90% of tube amp problems are tube related in some way.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: EVH acting up again

Yes you do need a speaker hooked into whatever power amp you're using
Plus how would you know if it still makes the squeal with no speakers hooked up lol
Microphonic power tubes occurred to me too, never hurts to check, have had microphonic power tubes myself but it wasn't like a squeal as much as I would characterize as a metallic ringing that really clearly got worse on low bassy notes and loud chugging

 

[Coma]

Re: EVH acting up again

When you say "bunch of work" explain that.

My guess is maybe with extensive "repairs" something is or got screwed up.
Why did you have the repair work in the first place ?

What problems did were you having back then ?
Did it squeal back then before the repairs ?

Once an amp is damaged & had surgery it opens a whole pandoras box of possible issues.
I will say 90% of tube amp problems are tube related in some way.

Amp was burning power tubes (redplating). Either a bunch of components in the power section had fried, taking the tube with them or the hot tube had fried components underneath it. Either way it was smoking and smelled real foul. Had the tubes and busted up components replaced and then the amp re-biased.

It did not squeal before repairs, nor did it squeal directly afterwards.

 

[Coma]

Re: EVH acting up again

Yes you do need a speaker hooked into whatever power amp you're using
Plus how would you know if it still makes the squeal with no speakers hooked up lol
Microphonic power tubes occurred to me too, never hurts to check, have had microphonic power tubes myself but it wasn't like a squeal as much as I would characterize as a metallic ringing that really clearly got worse on low bassy notes and loud chugging

No, I mean if I'm using the FX loop out from the EVH into the power section of another amp, does the EVH still need to be hooked up to a speaker so its power amp has a load?

It also occured to me that the EVH actually has a line out, though I'm guessing that's located after the power amp.

 

[ErikH]

Re: EVH acting up again

No, I mean if I'm using the FX loop out from the EVH into the power section of another amp, does the EVH still need to be hooked up to a speaker so its power amp has a load?

It also occured to me that the EVH actually has a line out, though I'm guessing that's located after the power amp.

Yes, it still needs a load or the output transformer will cook. The line out is typically a preamp out, not after the power amp. The power amp out (Speaker outs) level is much too high for line level.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: EVH acting up again

Amp was burning power tubes (redplating). Either a bunch of components in the power section had fried, taking the tube with them or the hot tube had fried components underneath it. Either way it was smoking and smelled real foul. Had the tubes and busted up components replaced and then the amp re-biased.

It did not squeal before repairs, nor did it squeal directly afterwards.

A thermionic valve amp should never get to that point but it happens.

You could have damage to the traces on the PCB or God knows what else permanent damage.

You have to ask yourself how much money am i going to throw at this $500 amp ?

Personally i would get something else thats not SNAFU'd/FUBAR'd.

 

[Coma]

Re: EVH acting up again

A thermionic valve amp should never get to that point but it happens.

You could have damage to the traces on the PCB or God knows what else permanent damage.

You have to ask yourself how much money am i going to throw at this $500 amp ?

Personally i would get something else thats not SNAFU'd/FUBAR'd.

More like $1900.

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: EVH acting up again

More like $1900.

Maybe in Sweden but not here homie. MESA Dual Rec's go for $800 and below here. EVH amps are on CL here every week for cheap.

You're close to UK pickup a Marshall & stop wasting your time on cheap amps.

 

[Jacew]

Re: EVH acting up again

Thing is, I have. When I first started having issues I swapped most of them, so they've all been fairly recently replaced. My assumption was that it's something like the tube socket that's vibrating, but amp tech said he couldn't find any such issues, and I don't know enough about amp design to even know where to start searching if I were to pop it open.

I would still try to switch them. It's just not rare for tube to just go bad or misbehave by poor luck even right out of the box.

Besides, if the amp had redplating issues before, it may be contributing factor for power tubes to go bad after a year. First thing that comes to mind would be internal damage in tube sockets from earlier meltdown to cause intermittent contact. It's at least one very easy thing for tech not to be able to figure out, especially if it's caused by vibration during play.

Edit: Of course if he changed the sockets as well when fixed it. That's less likely to be a problem now.

 

[chadd]

Re: EVH acting up again

Amp was burning power tubes (redplating). Either a bunch of components in the power section had fried, taking the tube with them or the hot tube had fried components underneath it. Either way it was smoking and smelled real foul. Had the tubes and busted up components replaced and then the amp re-biased.

It did not squeal before repairs, nor did it squeal directly afterwards.

If pre and power tube swaps didn't resolve it, then more components have likely gone bad.