Tube amp advice... please

[Jazz Rock]

So I got this little tube amp since last week that I could only play twice :yell: . I know that you need to give it a few minute after switching it on before playing but, is there any particular manip you need to do turning it off?

Both times, I waited about five to ten minutes after playing before turning it off and it did a cracking noise. The kind of noise you don't want to hear too often. It wasn't too loud but I still didn't like it.

It is noted in the manual that you should let the valves warm up at the start but nothing is said about the end of the session. :reporter:

Edit: Both times I put the volume on 0 and unplugged the guitar before switchin off.

 

[neosadist]

Re: Tube amp advice... please

My 1972 Fender Twin Reverb has a "standby" switch. Usually I either switch both that and the power switch to off at the same time, if I'm sure I'm not using it again. No crackling. If I was worried about it, I'd switch it to standby first, then to off. I believe the manual says that standby is for when you're not going to use it for a little bit, but will use it again within, say, an hour, etc.

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: Tube amp advice... please

My 1972 Fender Twin Reverb has a "standby" switch. Usually I either switch both that and the power switch to off at the same time, if I'm sure I'm not using it again. No crackling. If I was worried about it, I'd switch it to standby first, then to off. I believe the manual says that standby is for when you're not going to use it for a little bit, but will use it again within, say, an hour, etc.

My amp doesn't have a standby switch. But I think it doesn't really change anything. Do you just turn off your amp right away after you stopped playing?

 

[neosadist]

Re: Tube amp advice... please

My amp doesn't have a standby switch. But I think it doesn't really change anything. Do you just turn off your amp right away after you stopped playing?

Yes, usually I just power it off right after playing, plugged in or not. As for the standby, that keeps the tubes warm but not "on". I don't usually use that unless I'm leaving for a while and don't want to burn it up. Not like it would, but it's just one of those things....

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Tube amp advice... please

I had a classic 30 that did the same thing, it had no standby. I do not think it is a problem

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: Tube amp advice... please

Well folks, Thank you for your help.

I really can be fairly stupid sometimes. I don't know where I had the idea but... anyway.

I had a really good session on Sunday evening with my LP classic, playing with the amp knobs to test it and found some really sweet clean and not so clean sounds I couldn't dream of with the Marshall. I am starting to discover and understand how important can be the attack of the strings in your picking style.

After that, just turned the volume down and switched off the amp before unplugging the jack... It went fine, no unwanted sound at all. :bigthumb:

 

[some_dude]

Re: Tube amp advice... please

The crackling is no big deal. It's the sound of the caps discharging without being recharged....it won't hurt anything.