The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

JeffB

JeffB

Let it B
apparently...

Prolly saw my thread about my new MESA crapping out on me...it'll be fixed of course under warranty..but very disappointing :blackeye:

So last night I fire up my Marshall 1987X which had been working just fine. After about 20 minutes..FIZZ POP...SQUEAL.....funny smell..then smoke....amp shuts down... :yell:

3 amps in a month dead...then there was my old Jackson head that fried...and my JTM60 combo...and the switch on my old 800 series channell switcher.

I think it's time to invest my money in a high quality modelling amp. I'm getting quite sick of this crap. Can't beat tubes for sound and "feel" of course...but I'm really tired of the reliability probs.

Sorry..had to vent a little to my forum bros
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

man, you got one of the very bad cases of bad luck man... sorry to hear that.. you sure it's the amps and not the house? plugs causing problems? sudden power surges?
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

Jeff, been there and done that. I've had 4 amps down at a time and the only thing you can do is get them all back and running, one at a time. My Triaxis/2:90 rig is in need of tubes but I just don't have the $200 to retube it at the moment so I'm running old tubes and 5881s in place of four of the 6L6s.

Fortunately my 2203 is fresh tubed and ready to go. I just had it done a few months ago and it's solid for now. Even with a killer back up amp I can't stand having an amp down and it bothers me to no end until I have them right.

It will get better, one amp at a time. I too go through phases where everything cmes apart at once. It happens with our cars the same way. If one has problems the other follows suit.
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

Don't give up on tube amps Jeff,
You are just going through a rough time right now.
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

JeffB said:
I think it's time to invest my money in a high quality modelling amp. I'm getting quite sick of this crap. Can't beat tubes for sound and "feel" of course...but I'm really tired of the reliability probs.
Click to expand...
That sounds good 'til the time comes where the DMA needs service. As someone who's had a modeler in the shop, it's a lot worse than getting work done on a tube amp.
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

aleclee said:
That sounds good 'til the time comes where the DMA needs service. As someone who's had a modeler in the shop, it's a lot worse than getting work done on a tube amp.
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+1

I had a Flextone II for about 3 1/2 years. Beside it sounding like crap when turned up past a whisper, it constantly was breaking down. The last time it started acting up was this past summer the night before a gig, that was the final straw. I sold it and cursed myself for the money I wasted. I got about 1/4 of what I paid for it, not to mention $$$ lost on repairs. Now I haven't tried or heard some of the new modelers, maybe they're better, I don't know. I think you should stick it out with the tube amps, get 'em repaired, check the electrical in your house like others have suggested and hope for better luck..JMHO :)
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

That sucks Jeff. Maybe this is a sign that you should get the others fixed, sell them off and get something better, something you know will be reliable?
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

Well I got to thinking it was the house too at one point, but I run through a high quality surge protector. I know thats not a power conditioner, but also I ran my 1987X for 6 months a couple hours a day, w/ no issues...so I'm not sure why all of a sudden it would become one...multiple outlets too.. :shrug:

I don't know what the hell to do. I realize modellers aren't the be all end all, but I'd just like to get something reliable that sounds decent and is pretty versatile.

Ughh..I'm so aggravated.... :yell:

Can't get the MESA in yet either cos of the "blizzard"...I'm at work, I've got 4WD...but nothing is gonna be open today.
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

It's just one of those stretches. Call it bad luck.

I've got a great idea.... build your own. (I know I say that a lot.) But, if it smokes, you'll probably have a good idea what happened, after you built it.

Of course, getting a Mesa or Marshall tone out of a kit limits your choices severely.

Suck it up and get them fixed when you can. I gotta figure if you had a solid state amp in that mix, it'd be dead right now too. Just a stretch of bad luck.
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

Scott_F said:
I gotta figure if you had a solid state amp in that mix, it'd be dead right now too....
Click to expand...

LOL..you are prolly right! :D
 
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Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

Jeff, I would strongly recommend getting an electrician to your place to see what kind of voltage is coming out of your AC repecptcals. I would also recommended getting a circuit protected power conditioner, like a Tripplite or Panamax. $$ well spent!!

As for your modeling amp comments, I will mark them down to frustration. You don't want modeling. I have a Korg PXR4 and a Roland VG88. Nice toys, but they do not replace a real amp. Yes, I am saying tubes are REAL and SS is NOT! So, there! :fing25:
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

TwilightOdyssey said:
Jeff, I would strongly recommend getting an electrician to your place to see what kind of voltage is coming out of your AC repecptcals. I would also recommended getting a circuit protected power conditioner, like a Tripplite or Panamax. $$ well spent!!
Click to expand...

Ben thanx for the tips. Actually the whole electrical system was beefed up/upgraded in the house over this past summer. But who knows? Irregardless, I'm moving in a few days to a new place so it really doesn't matter now, I guess.

As for your modeling amp comments, I will mark them down to frustration. You don't want modeling. I have a Korg PXR4 and a Roland VG88. Nice toys, but they do not replace a real amp. Yes, I am saying tubes are REAL and SS is NOT! So, there! :fing25:
Click to expand...

Absolutely. There's some frustration there..but also I do enjoy the versatility...e.g. I can run a 800 series Marshall for a rhythm sound, then go Soldano for leads, Fenders for clean, etc. Certainly they are not spot-on, but acceptable for my meager abilities (BTW, I'm REALLY starting to like Soldano's for leads...very nice voicing). So I was contemplating a higher end modeler...Vox..H&K, etc.

But I've also been talking with Trace @ Voodoo, and may have him work some magic on the MESA to brighten the gain 2 channel up a tad, and add a variable bias so I can zip some El34s in when I feel like it too.

I'm totally friggin frustrated. I don't know what the hell to do.

Perhaps I should just get my first acoustic? ;) :D
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

NO modeler is higher end than the Roland VG88 ... but, even that is severely limited compared to a real amp. Just my 2 cents.
 
Re: The Tube Gods HATE Me (Mild Rant)

If you're running a surge protector and (it's still working!!!), I doubt your house is killing your amps. Of course, one big spike might have killled the protector that you are now counting on to save your butt.
 
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