How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

[JohnnyGuitar]

Maybe there was a thread about it... can't find it.: private:

But what signs (except not working) do tubes give you that should make you understand you need to change them?

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

I knew when I saw it glow nuclear orange. That's too late, tho.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

It's like a car with spark plugs that are more than 2 years old. It still works but the response is mushier. Once you get a tuneup or put tubes in your amp, it's like new again.

If you play a tube amp daily for over an hour, you should change the power tubes after a year or year and a half.

If you turn it on once a week, they'll last you 4 years or so.

Pre tubes are like mini components, so they only need changed every several years or when the amp doesn't sound right. The 1st position gets abused the hardest, so I change that one more.......usually because I always try new pre tubes, not because they need changed.

 

[Leighton]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

-Loss of highs or lows, Muddy chords
-Poor balance in the output of various notes
-Lacks punch, Makes funny noises
-Amp starts sounding weak
-Power fading up and down
-No sustain, or fast decay
Taken from the Groove Tubes site.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

-Loss of highs or lows, Muddy chords
-Poor balance in the output of various notes
-Lacks punch, Makes funny noises
-Amp starts sounding weak
-Power fading up and down
-No sustain, or fast decay
Taken from the Groove Tubes site.

"Fire"

 

[Smilemon]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

Some of my preamp tubes go bad very fast, i think i might have it biased too hot.. I always check by flicking the back of the tubes when the amp is on.. they ping - i change the tube...

 

[wahwah]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

Some of my preamp tubes go bad very fast, i think i might have it biased too hot.. I always check by flicking the back of the tubes when the amp is on.. they ping - i change the tube...

Preamp tubes don't have anything to do with biasing. They are, however, susceptible to shock, so all of that flicking to see if they're ok will contribute to them not being ok. Mmmk?




Cheers..................wahwah

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: How do you know when it's time to change tubes?

muddy, unclear tone. If it sounds like you aren't getting the high end and the sound isn't well defined, it's probably time for a tube change.