Is it time for new tubes?

[JumpMarine]

My JCM 600 combo has been steadily loosing some of it's low end for the past month or so. And it is taking increasingly longer to warm up the tubes. For example it took about 8 to 10 minutes today to get an ok tone and it still lacked in the low end. Is this inherent to my amp or is it time to retube? JeffH, if you read this could you refresh me on what you put in your old 600? I know that I am never going to have Fender clean with a Marshall, but the cleans that I was getting when I first traded for the 600 was very good.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Is it time for new tubes?

Your amp runs real hot, so it goes through tubes quicker than others.

It's very likely that they need replaced, if you bought it used, and never changed them. I change them everytime I buy a new amp, unless I'm sure they have little hours on them. revolutionguitar.com will hook you up for cheap. When tubes are going bad, they get mushy and undefined.
The low end gets woofy, and the highs are dull. New tubes = New amp.
If it's EL=34's or 6L6, go Svetlana. If it's EL-84, go Tesla JJ.
Tesla JJ 12AX7's wouldn't be a bad idea either. They're about $7 a piece.

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Is it time for new tubes?

Thanks GJ! Those prices were great, I think that I'll order a full setup.