Should I bias myself?

Guitar Guy

New member
i just orderd a full retube set from eurotubes and i was wondering if i should re-bias my hot rod deluxe my self or have an amp tech do it. I watched the video on eurotubes and it seems easy enough. What experience have you guys had with biasing your own amps, especially the hot rods. I don't want to pay the extra expense if i don't have to.
 
Re: Should I bias myself?

Do you think you are Capable of properly biasing the amp yourself? Are you going to be comfortable doing it yourself? Obviously your a tad nervous about it (considering ya posted this question at all), How nervous are you about it? Do you have the proper tools to complete the job yourself? Are you familiar with all the correct safety practices when working on a LIVE tube amp?

Really only you can decide if you can, or should do it yourself. While it may not be a difficult thing to do, and the video shows you exactly how to do it. That doesn't mean YOU are comfortable doing it yourself.
From the way the video looks, it makes it seem like basically a trained monkey could do it. It doesn't look hard. But are YOU comfortable doing it?
Unless your mentally challenged, or plan on drinking a bunch of cough syrup before hand. You should be totally capable of doing it. But just cause you are capable of doing it, doesn't mean your Comfortable doing it.

I've been told repeatedly how easy it is to bias an amp. I'm totally comfortable fixing little things on my amps, provided it doesn't require me to have the amp on while I'm working on it. I know all the safety practices, know the best ways to drain the filter caps, and all that. But I won't bias my own amps.
I'm sure I could do it, but I'm not comfortable working inside an amp while theres current passing through it. I know how I am, and I know I can be clumsy occasionally. I also know that if I'm the slightest bit nervous, my hand's shake a little. Which is not a good thing to have around high voltages.
So since I don't wanna risk getting electrocuted to death, or risk accidentally bridging two components with the tip of a screw driver(thus ****ing up my amp). I let someone I trust to do it right, do it for me.

Biasing an amp totally seems like a very easy thing to do. Totally seems like anyone with even half a brain could do it correctly. But, I personally just don't feel comfortable doing it. So I don't.
The only person that can decide whether ya should do it or not, is you. I'm sure your capable of doing it (if you can operate a computer, and type actual words, your defiantly smart enough to do it), I'm sure most anyone on this forum COULD do it. But if your not totally 100% sure of your skills to do it safely, Then ya probably shouldn't.
 
Re: Should I bias myself?

First things First ! Do you have the proper tools? You Need a DMM,pair of Insulated alligator clips and the proper Insulated handle screwdriver that is small enough to fit in the tiny Bias pot. Don't even dream of doing it without the right tools.:24: Next as the above posted stressed... Are you comfortable working around potential lethal voltage? If all answer's are YES. You will find the HRD is real easy to Bias. :D Good Luck
 
Re: Should I bias myself?

I have a philosophy on this, if you are asking this that means you are tone/tube concious/subconcious. If you get hang of it you would end up, most likely, swaping tubes back in forth looking for that head room/chime/break up etc, instead of playing/practicing, tubes are important but even if you install via trip and personal check to the tech new set of power tubes and they are not excatly it, well try to sound as best as you can, in the end it will teach more about your fingers and your instrument how to get things/tones out of them ....
 
Re: Should I bias myself?

i just orderd a full retube set from eurotubes and i was wondering if i should re-bias my hot rod deluxe my self or have an amp tech do it. I watched the video on eurotubes and it seems easy enough. What experience have you guys had with biasing your own amps, especially the hot rods. I don't want to pay the extra expense if i don't have to.

Learn to do it yourself...but be very careful not to electrocute yourself in the process!

Do you have an aptitude and a history of doing careful neat work? Is that your personality type? Do you have a multimeter and some electronics experience?

Do you know the hazards of working inside an amp with high voltages and do you know what to be careful of to avoid electrocuting yourself?

If so, then sure: learn to bias your amp yourself.

Lew
 
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Re: Should I bias myself?

Lew just described the person that I am not at the moment, so i will not do it. But it helps if your tech is a nice guy and he will let you play the amp while he is biasing it, so you could tell him hotter/colder.
 
Re: Should I bias myself?

Take a look at my 'Biasing a Jubilee' thread in the Vault. There's detailed pictures showing you how to do it with a Bias Tool.

At very least, you should have a Multimeter, Bias Tool, and plastic handled mini flathead screwdriver. You can use books to put under the transformers, so the amp can be laying with the circuitry up.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=99780
 
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