Question for tube amp fans

[marcwhy]

I'm sure Marc will reply in detail, but I think he's talking about his Frenzel which allows swapping of power tubes without having to rebias. I've been hitting him up with questions about his Frenzel as I'm interested in one too.

Yep, that's the amp!

[vintagelove]

I have three tube amps and a tube preamp pedal, is it worth buying a tube tester ? If yes, any recommendations ? If no, where do you buy your low-noise tubes (especially 12AX7s with minimum hiss/hum) ?

Well if you have a small tube amp, you have a nice portable tube tester already. Remember most tube testers do not test for noise, microphonics, etc. So the amp will be far more valuable for that purpose.

Good luck!!!

[cosmic gumbo]

I changed all the tubes in my 1968 Deluxe Reverb about 9 years ago, and it still had the original power and rectifier tubes in it that were still working fine. If anything, the main modern tube problem I've encountered is microphonic preamp tubes.

[GNAPPI]

I have three tube amps and a tube preamp pedal, is it worth buying a tube tester ? If yes, any recommendations ? If no, where do you buy your low-noise tubes (especially 12AX7s with minimum hiss/hum) ?

Short answer? No it's not worth getting a tube tester unless you repair amps. I use mine for sorting through used tubes I'm given or find at flea markets, and checking an amp I'm working on. They only test output/gain, shorts, and the heater which you can see glow while it's being tested.

I have several tube amps, and I'd only recommend testing / replacing tubes for two reasons.

1. You noticed some problems
2. You're going on tour

I don't know of any pre tubes that specifically are marketed as low hiss or hum.

Maybe at the levels most of us play at tubes aren't a big consumable, but the death metal and other power freaks use a lot of tubes, and smart ones keep spares around.

[mr quick]

I play on a Fender Super Champ XD, never changed tubes in it.

[Greentone]

That's right...connectors! I bet I have "repaired" more solid-state amps by simply cleaning the oxidized molex connectors than any other amp complaint. A good can of contact cleaner will restore the faulty connections between the preamp and poweramp sections of many solid-state amps.

If people would only remember to store amps and instruments in places where _they_ live and sleep... Never store an amp in a place you wouldn't be willing to reside, e.g., the basement, the barn, the garage.

Young people sometimes bring me amps that have been set up in their garage (where my band set up when I was a teen), or in their basement studio. These are recipes for the ravages of dampness and corrosion. Come to think of it, it tends to be about the only thing that bungs up a solid-state circuit.

[Dampness will make a rattle trap out of an otherwise great old JBL or EV SRO speaker, too.]

[skykomishone]

....about how much a year are you spending on tubes and tube related maintenance?Just curious.

Seldom replace tubes in my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, only to tone it down a bit (only once) with AT or AU in place of the preamp AX in V1 position. I'm not a 'driver' and never play loud or to where it breaks up, I like my remaining hearing leftover from the twin reverb JBL days of my '60s youth. The 12AT7s are about 12 to 14 $US. Mesa Boogie or JJ Electronics seem to work fine for me. I love the tube amps, but also use a Polytone Minibrut IV.

[feet]

i generally play voxes, which are notoriously tube hungry with some to a lot of both amp and pedal gain. i swap power tubes once or twice a year, at best. i tend to roll the tubes more than i replace them, swapping them out in search of better combinations of reliability and tone than getting rid of run down tubes. i don't think i've ever had to replace a preamp tube, except in (very rare) cases of one going "bad"/noisy/microphonic. honestly, i have more troubles caused by not keeping the amps clean than i do by tube failure (i remove the backs and keep them by windows so semi-regular applications of compressed air/contact cleaner is needed.

i've taken to using nos tubes in the preamp, which i purchase from established and reputable online dealers, as opposed to private sellers or ebay, though that's where the deals are, if you are feeling lucky. as a result, i've never had a dud or problems of any kind. i'd love to own a tube tester, but the cheapest one of note seems to be the $500 orange tube tester. have to pass at that price.

i have a general idea of which brands i like, and i always swap out stock tubes and go my own way. i also don't care all that much; whatever works is fine, but stock tubes are universally bad.

[vintagelove]

The idea is to collect a little stash of tubes over the years (especially 12ax7's). Every time you see your grandma's broken radio in the garage, check inside for useable tubes. Garage sales etc. You may stumble upon a tv repair guy selling his tubes for next to nothing. Give it a few years and you will have a nice little stash.


As far as tube reliability goes, it varies with application. I have a tube mic that about 75 years old, the tube works fine..hoping for another 50!!!