My tube changing dilemma...

[korovamilkdud]

I can understand that tubes need to be changed about annually and all, but here's the dilemma I didn't anticipate prior to purchasing my all-tube big beasty.

Nobody in town seems to be able to service my amp. And the closest dealers I've found have been in Vegas or Salt Lake. So that's ....what, at least $75 in gas to get my amp to the nearest service center for a tube change? And of course shipping the amp would be quite a bit more damaging to the wallet.

So....umm, help.

I need to learn to change these tubes myself. We're looking at the B-52 AT-100.

I need to know supplies and the step-by-step process...keeping in mind that I'm far from an electrical engineering major. I've been doing electronics on my guitars and pedals for a good long time, but this is uncharted territory for me.

 

[marvar]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

Well, for starters, pre-amp tubes can last for years and years, there are exceptions of course, but some amps I know of have 10 yr old preamp tubes in them, are are still going strong. Pre amp tubes are a plug and play situation. You don't have to do anything more than replace them with tubes of the same value- meaning 12AX7, or what ever the mfg calls for.
Power tubes can last a year or more, depending on how often they are used, and how hard they are pushed, and how they are biased. I remember reading that Jeff Beck was using the original tubes in his Marshall after 10 yrs!
The bad news is you must re-bias your amp when you replace your power tubes. If you don't know how to rebias, you should leave this to a pro, as there are voltages in your amp that can kill you.
Has your amp lost its tone, volume or luster? if not, there is no reason to replace tubes, unless you are fine-tuning your sound.

 

[Zhurh]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

Allessandro makes a decent bias meter for 200 bucks; friends tell me to buy one. Piggy back socket.

I'd swap 6L6's in my TRRI custom 15; every 6 months when I played her alot. Only like 60-80 bucks I think. I like the cheaper (not groove tubes) ones in red boxes myself. Sounds good to me.

Now Bruno is only amp that gets switched on and it's all NOS. If I have to spend 3-4 hundred every year on NOS tubes, so be it; they really do sound that much better to me. Friends tell me I won't have to change NOS tubes but every 2 -3 years. I play 1-2 hours a day, had Bruno 10 months and still sounds like it did day I got her.

I worked as bench tech 25 years back so I always fiddle around before paying someone else to.

 

[jmh151]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

go to eurotubes.com.

Bob will sell you the right tubes and instructions how to bias your own amp, as well as sell you the meter and bias probe to do it yourself.

 

[aleclee]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

I own a Weber Bias Rite. Particularly with the VI option, it's pretty darn easy to use.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

I'll change my tubes in 10-12 years....

 

[aleclee]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

I'll change my tubes in 10-12 years....

Yeah. The way I've been going the past few years, I haven't been holding on to amps long enough to bother changing tubes. That said, I haven't had amp GAS in almost two years.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

:chairfall

The good news is Scotty built it "fixed bias."

 

[El Dunco]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

Well, for starters, pre-amp tubes can last for years and years, there are exceptions of course, but some amps I know of have 10 yr old preamp tubes in them, are are still going strong. Pre amp tubes are a plug and play situation. You don't have to do anything more than replace them with tubes of the same value- meaning 12AX7, or what ever the mfg calls for.
Power tubes can last a year or more, depending on how often they are used, and how hard they are pushed, and how they are biased. I remember reading that Jeff Beck was using the original tubes in his Marshall after 10 yrs!
The bad news is you must re-bias your amp when you replace your power tubes. If you don't know how to rebias, you should leave this to a pro, as there are voltages in your amp that can kill you.
Has your amp lost its tone, volume or luster? if not, there is no reason to replace tubes, unless you are fine-tuning your sound.

Oh dear... I didn't know this I just "plugged and played" the power tubes in my Crate. Could I have potentially killed myself in doing so? Do I have prostate cancer now? How many brain cells have I killed? Will I live to 21?

 

[Smilemon]

Re: My tube changing dilemma...

Psh, crates are pretty loose about power tubes, my friend had some 6's in there and put some 8's in, sounded great, a bit cleaner and louder. My pro junior has run the same power tubes for like 3 years, they tend to sound better the more you play them. i finnaly changed them because they were kinda noisy, i got a pair of Fender Sovteks rated to 7, they sound pretty good but i would like to get a more british pair..

Pre amp tubes are a problem for me, i like Mullards and groove tubes ECC83's, they are pretty much notorious for being microphonic. i gave up trying to lower the noise level in my amp, i play so loud usually i dont hear it buzz any way.

Tap the back of your pre amp tubes when the thing is on, CAREFUL THEY GET HOT! if you hear a loud ping they are microphonic and need to be replaced.

Testing tubes is pretty much a blast... my friend brought over like 5 pre amp tubes and we went through as many combos as we could, low gain, high gain. I settled with an ECC83 and a Mullard, damn that thing sounds british when i crank it.

Smilemon