Chuck_Norris
New member
How do you know if your amp needs a tube replacement? Do you hear it or are there other indicators?
When to replace an amp's tubes?
- Thread starter Chuck_Norris
- Start date
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
Hearing it is usually your first indicator but sometimes you get a tube that fails unexpectedly.
If your not hearing a tonal difference or if your amp isnt starting to act funny. Like giving weird microphonic feed back or something then you dont need to change them.
I know for a fact many guys change tubes faster than they need to. A former band mate of mine was certain that the drop out in tone was bad tubes and took his head into be retubed when he brought it practice again it still sounded like poo. For giggles i plugged into it with my guitar and it rocked. Figured out that one of the patch cables between his pedals had gone bad.
Hearing it is usually your first indicator but sometimes you get a tube that fails unexpectedly.
If your not hearing a tonal difference or if your amp isnt starting to act funny. Like giving weird microphonic feed back or something then you dont need to change them.
I know for a fact many guys change tubes faster than they need to. A former band mate of mine was certain that the drop out in tone was bad tubes and took his head into be retubed when he brought it practice again it still sounded like poo. For giggles i plugged into it with my guitar and it rocked. Figured out that one of the patch cables between his pedals had gone bad.
Chuck_Norris
New member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
So what tonal differences occur when the tubes are too old? Are some frequencies dampened? Does the gain structure change?
So what tonal differences occur when the tubes are too old? Are some frequencies dampened? Does the gain structure change?
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
Usually the amp starts to sound compressed and flubby. If it sounds kinda lifeless and tired that could be it
Usually the amp starts to sound compressed and flubby. If it sounds kinda lifeless and tired that could be it
schecterplayer
New member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
You know they need replacement when they go microphonic. If you hit certain notes and you hear a rattle, or if you can tap the tube and hear it ring, it's time for a new one. Otherwise, if it sounds good keep using it.
You know they need replacement when they go microphonic. If you hit certain notes and you hear a rattle, or if you can tap the tube and hear it ring, it's time for a new one. Otherwise, if it sounds good keep using it.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
You'll know...
You'll know...
tone4days
Heel Whacker
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
i started noticing my amp (BJr) would start sounding weak as the night went on ... just no oomph left when i dug into notes and very choked decay instead of sustain
new power tubes fixed it right up ... and i also put in a 'higher headroom' preamp tube .. so it stays clean longer before breaking up in the front end ... which is nice so i can more directly control the breakup characteristics with my twintube classic and zendrive
t4d
i started noticing my amp (BJr) would start sounding weak as the night went on ... just no oomph left when i dug into notes and very choked decay instead of sustain
new power tubes fixed it right up ... and i also put in a 'higher headroom' preamp tube .. so it stays clean longer before breaking up in the front end ... which is nice so i can more directly control the breakup characteristics with my twintube classic and zendrive
t4d
Chuck_Norris
New member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
Just came back from the rehearsal. Now I'm pretty sure my ENGL's tubes are f*cked up. Here's what disturbs me:
The amp sounds kinda "overpowered" when running at high volumes and it's not because of the speakers.
The bass sounds a bit flubby sometimes.
The mids are very "hard" and smashing but not in a good way (they should be warmer).
The overall sound is kinda dull and lacking presence.
The whole gain structure is different. I set my gain at 2 o' clock but it still sounds like it's lacking saturation (everyone who has ever played a Powerball knows what it should sound like with the gain @ 2 o' clock).
The cleans sound a bit compressed and not very nice anymore.
I get some ugly feedback from time to time but that could also have other reasons.
I've been playing that amp regularly for more than 3 years now. I used to crank the master volume to get more tube saturation so it's been abused pretty hard. Do you think it's time to retube that beast?
Just came back from the rehearsal. Now I'm pretty sure my ENGL's tubes are f*cked up. Here's what disturbs me:
The amp sounds kinda "overpowered" when running at high volumes and it's not because of the speakers.
The bass sounds a bit flubby sometimes.
The mids are very "hard" and smashing but not in a good way (they should be warmer).
The overall sound is kinda dull and lacking presence.
The whole gain structure is different. I set my gain at 2 o' clock but it still sounds like it's lacking saturation (everyone who has ever played a Powerball knows what it should sound like with the gain @ 2 o' clock).
The cleans sound a bit compressed and not very nice anymore.
I get some ugly feedback from time to time but that could also have other reasons.
I've been playing that amp regularly for more than 3 years now. I used to crank the master volume to get more tube saturation so it's been abused pretty hard. Do you think it's time to retube that beast?
ItsaBass
New member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
I use my tube tester when I have good reason. That would be hearing something amiss, or simply thinking, "Gee, those tubes are probably pretty old by now." I got it on E-Bay years ago, and it has easily paid for itself by telling me not to replace tubes that are still good, as opposed to replacing them on a simple playing time schedule, which I used to do. It is pretty old; it was made from a kit. Very cool. Folds up into a suitcase and has all sorts of levers and sockets and such.
I use my tube tester when I have good reason. That would be hearing something amiss, or simply thinking, "Gee, those tubes are probably pretty old by now." I got it on E-Bay years ago, and it has easily paid for itself by telling me not to replace tubes that are still good, as opposed to replacing them on a simple playing time schedule, which I used to do. It is pretty old; it was made from a kit. Very cool. Folds up into a suitcase and has all sorts of levers and sockets and such.
Khriss Bliss
New member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
Three years sounds right cuz youre doin everything right to get a good sound. You def need to change your tubes, but they rarely last ten years or even 8 or whatever, so buy twice as many tubes and sound twice as good as in half the time. Life is too short to not sound twice as good. So buy some now, and if you find a bargain, buy some for three years down the road ( wallet willing). And if you change brands, get it rebiased (or learn to do it yourself ). Also, if they are bright orange instead of a cool red or blue- they is old tubes.
Three years sounds right cuz youre doin everything right to get a good sound. You def need to change your tubes, but they rarely last ten years or even 8 or whatever, so buy twice as many tubes and sound twice as good as in half the time. Life is too short to not sound twice as good. So buy some now, and if you find a bargain, buy some for three years down the road ( wallet willing). And if you change brands, get it rebiased (or learn to do it yourself ). Also, if they are bright orange instead of a cool red or blue- they is old tubes.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
Yep that sounds like its time to retube. Now most guys will retube the whole amp and that isnt necessarily a bad idea. But 12ax7's tend to last longer than power tubes do. If you dont have spare whole set go ahead and buy one and buy an extra 12ax7 or 2 and then when the amp starts sounding funky again try your spare 12ax7 and see if that gets rid of it. This will tell you if you only need to redo the power tubes or both.
Yep that sounds like its time to retube. Now most guys will retube the whole amp and that isnt necessarily a bad idea. But 12ax7's tend to last longer than power tubes do. If you dont have spare whole set go ahead and buy one and buy an extra 12ax7 or 2 and then when the amp starts sounding funky again try your spare 12ax7 and see if that gets rid of it. This will tell you if you only need to redo the power tubes or both.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: When to replace an amp's tubes?
This is a good idea and they can be had pretty cheap when you find them as noone has a use for them anymore. I got mine from an old organ repair shop that was going out of business. Much better idea than just randomly replacing tubes. I see lots of potentially still good tubes get chucked cause guys think they need to.
This is a good idea and they can be had pretty cheap when you find them as noone has a use for them anymore. I got mine from an old organ repair shop that was going out of business. Much better idea than just randomly replacing tubes. I see lots of potentially still good tubes get chucked cause guys think they need to.
