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So, that's kinda stoopid, but I wanna ask if there is a potential problem. I am one of those New Yorkers who don't own a car, so primarily use public transport to get to a gig. It's a lot of walking sometimes, and I carry my amp on a small hand truck. Even though I use good amp gig bag (Studio Slips) with some cushioning, the amp is subject to plenty of sidewalk bumps and shocks. If I walk for say 10 min it absorbs a lot of it!
So, do I need to worry about the tubes being damaged, or anything being damaged for that matter, in a long run, or as long as tubes sitting in the sockets tight enough it's all good?
Should I maybe remove the tubes from the amp before hitting the road and reinstall on the gig? My problem with that would be forgetting to put them back in before I turn the amp on
Ok, thanks for all replies in advance!
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12-24-2017 07:59 PM
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If outdoors with an amp in winter, or any weather really, I'd definitely opt for removing the tubes. You'd risk damaging tubes as the amp handles all the bumps from the subway to your gig. Besides, tubes don't like condensation and traveling temp extremes...kinda like nitro on an archtop.
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Skip tube amps altogether and use something like either Henrickson Bud, or Quilter Aviator 1x8" combo.
Or maybe even something like this direct to monitors
AmpliFirebox - Atomic Amps | AmpliFire Pedal | CLR Reference FRFR Monitors
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i'd check that the tubes are firmly in place..once in awhile/when you think of it.. but otherwise you should be good
if you're a gigging nyc musician, it's part of the frontier!
and besides, 10 hours on a plane is just as bad!
don't sweat it hep
cheers
ps- will the amp be as comfy as in a coddled never gigged livingroom?...no way!!..but they were made to be bounced around a bit..at least the good amps are/were...why old fenders got the reputation as workhorses!!!
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The only time I ever had a problem was if the amp fell over off the hand truck due to a bungi cord error.
That can break a tube.
My old twin, iirc, had those metal wings that kept the tube seated properly, pretty much.
Other tube amps don't have that and sometimes it helps to push the tube back into the socket if it's a little loose.
That, btw, and weight, is why I gig solid state.
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check out zt lunchbox amps if you haven't already. If they work for you, you carry them in a backpack.
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With a professional level amp, as long as the tubes are firmly seated you shouldn't have any problems. But you should always throw a direct-to-PA solution into your gig bag regardless. Suspenders and belt.
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I have a Marshall JTM-45 Bluesbreaker amp that was in the back of my hatchback. It had shifted in a way that,
unbeknownst to me, caused it to be leaning against the hatch when I opened it on my slightly sloping driveway. I should have checked it from inside the car, but I didn’t. When I pulled the latch, the amp thrust the hatch open, hit my thigh while flipping over and landed on my concrete driveway upside down. Miraculously, it ended up with no more than a small tear in the tolex and a few scratches on the handle stays. It continues to work perfectly with the same tubes. However, as for my leg, while the amp didn’t live up to the breaker part of the name it did cause several shades of blue.Last edited by ThatRhythmMan; 12-25-2017 at 01:54 AM.
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Ok, cool, so the consensus is pretty much a good tube amp is made to deal with the tribulations like that and remain in working order. Thanks, that's soothing!
The amp in question is Vintage 47 the Spectator. I think it's a very well made amp, that got the exact tone I've been trying to re create on any other, mostly solid state amps I've been using before. So it's very important part of my sound.
@Alter- I used to gig with ZT for a long time, love it! but V47 is the real deal, and it's only 18 pounds, no problem.
@Jads57- tried the Henriksen and the Quilter- nah, totally not into those sounds.
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v47 is "good amp"...handmade..will survive...
play well
cheers
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I really like my current tube amp and always owned one or more when I could afford them.
A tube amp, imo, is like a carburated sports car. They are fun to drive and fun to work on, if you enjoy working on your gear. Mine sounded good out of the box, better after rolling a couple sets of tubes, replacing some internal wiring, adding kick back legs, replacing the speaker and playing with the bias. Playing with bias, as you probably know, involves owning a volt meter and possessing a knowledge of what not to do as you are dealing with lethal voltages. Tube amps have idle noise, which can be addressed, but may drive you to distraction.
If you have no car and are a gigging musician, check out the DV Mark amps getting so much attention.
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There is no way in hell I would gig with a tube amp. It's the 21st Century, fercrissake. Tubes were obsolete long ago. My tube amp lives in the closet, and has for a long time. But to each his own.
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ha I dont know anything about how to work on amps, I'm pretty clueless and would never attempt it. However, I did swap a tube (boohoo), and thankfully, no biasing needed on this one.
Originally Posted by Alder Statesman
DV Mark is good for sterile dark clean tone, that many jazz guitarist favor, but it's not for me.
You should check Vintage 47, if you are into 'dirty clean' lo-fi octal preamp sound, ala Charlie Christian or early blues records. It's never quite clean, which is the beauty of it
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Exactly! But thanks for sharing Originally Posted by sgosnell
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I don't like idea of removing and replacing the tubes all the time. Getting jostled moving the typical Fender style tube amp the tubes are upside down and a good bump can knock them out of there sockets and you find them on them bottom of the amp. So if me I'd first get a nice piece of rubber to put on the bottom of the hand truck as a shock absorber, then put the amp on the hand truck upside down. Fender ships their amp upside down for a reason.
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What Doc said. Gardening supply shops should have oblong kneeling pads just the right size to make your hand truck shock resistant. Three or four between the back and top of your upside-down amp and your hand truck should do it. And don't scrimp on the bungee cords. My own tube amps always travelled on 4 to 6 inches of foam rubber in my car, and my hand truck was well-padded and extravagantly bungeed. Never had a tube problem. I did blow a fuse once. I keep several taped to the insides of all my tube amps. Better safe than sorry! Originally Posted by docbop
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The Vintage 47 Spectator has the advantage of being true point-to-point (no board, really point-to-point) and the tubes are not hanging but sitting upright (or stand up as you will) so they hardly can wiggle themselves loose and fall down. In terms of road-worthiness that’s about the best it gets.
I would not remove tubes, I think the tube feet suffer more from unplugging and reinserting the tubes every time than from transport.
You could periodically check solder joints and reflow suspicious looking ones, although solder tin (especially older tin with high lead content) is very flexible and shock resistant. Caps, resistors and transformers are sturdy enough to withstand vibrations from transport.
Most vulnerable are bolts and nuts. You could use some Locktide to secure them.
Never hurts to use a cart or trolley with softer rubber wheels that absorb more vibrations and a good padded cover of course.
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I always gig tube amps, and the least I would do would is use some good cushion foam under the amp to absorb vibrations while carting it a distance. I've never had an amp failure, and I haul my stuff around 2-3 times a week.
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Those folding Milwaukie hand trucks are nice. I cut up a thick yoga mat make a bit of a spongy cushion on mine.
I have a Princeton Reverb and I only get a bit nervous when I sometimes hear the springs in the reverb tank jangle around but I've never had a problem with it. The Vintage 47 looks like a real quality amp. I say take that thing out and play the hell out of it. That's what it's for. Pay some extra to get the cover for it for sure and just don't go out of your way to treat it roughly and you'll be totally fine. Don't worry about it.
If you're anything like me though you'll that thing around town on the subway about five times before you start to find yourself more and more willing to use whatever amp is there or just take a car service with the amp if it's a special occasion. Subway + guitar + amp + bag/backpack (with pedals, cables, charts, a book to read, etc.) = a real drag, especially during rush hours when it's a serious ordeal. The Vintage 47 is a little smaller and lighter than a PR so perhaps you'll have an easier time.
Good luck!
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@ hep to the jive, checking out your amps website it seems to be a 7 watt tube amp with a 10 inch speaker! It s impressive that it can cut it for a jazz gig. A friend plays out with a 5 watt fender vibro champ, but rehoused into a 12 inch speaker. It sounds really good, but not really clean. Even for grant green type sounds it s impressive!
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I've schlepped tube amps around town for (mumble) years on a regular little luggage cart (or casters on bigger amps). I've never had tubes fall out or fail. It's no worse than putting it in the trunk of a car (probably better). Before plugging the amp in, make sure the tubes are seated, and you should be fine. Carry it up and down stairs and curbs, rather than bouncing it on the steps. Padding, as suggested by others, is a good idea. Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive
So, that's kinda stoopid, but I wanna ask if there is a potential problem. I am one of those New Yorkers who don't own a car, so primarily use public transport to get to a gig. It's a lot of walking sometimes, and I carry my amp on a small hand truck. Even though I use good amp gig bag (Studio Slips) with some cushioning, the amp is subject to plenty of sidewalk bumps and shocks. If I walk for say 10 min it absorbs a lot of it!
So, do I need to worry about the tubes being damaged, or anything being damaged for that matter, in a long run, or as long as tubes sitting in the sockets tight enough it's all good?
Should I maybe remove the tubes from the amp before hitting the road and reinstall on the gig? My problem with that would be forgetting to put them back in before I turn the amp on
Ok, thanks for all replies in advance!
John
Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
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getting to the gig is one thing - check out what happens when you get carried away during the performance (at 3.13)
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Most of my gigs are drum less these days, but it can cut with not too loud drummer, especially if miked. But if I start playing more with drummers I will prolly upgrade to their copy of eh185, 15 watts. Originally Posted by Alter
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Removing the tubes can have its own peril. I have a set of old RCA 6L6 blackplates in an Allen Encore head. Decided to try those tubes in a new (to me) tweed 1x15. So I pulled the tubes, tried them in the other amp.
What I did not notice was the little guide pin had broken off on one of the tubes. Somehow, just by luck, that tube went in the right way on the test amp. Done with the test, I put them back in the head. Relying on the fact that they wouldn't seat in the socket if not properly lined up. Wrong. Got them back in, started up the amp and saw smoke. Turns out the tubes were OK, but I burned out a resistor. Luckily, no worse damage.
I've schlepped amps around too. Never had a tube loosen, but did have a speaker wire come off the speaker. I do feel better moving an amp when it has those retainer clips on the power tubes, and the metal shields on the preamp tubes. That way, little to go wrong.
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It is the 21st century ’fercrissake’ but before You sell Your guitar and start making rap music I would remind You that the tube amps have been here many decades longer than f.ex. amps with transistors or more complicated circuits with pcb’s and mass produced solder connections. So they are more tested and roadworthy technology.
Tube amps – specially hand wired ones – are technically simpler and easier to fix if something goes wrong. With modern amps You have to wait till morning to buy a new one from the shop, because they are made non fixable. With the tube amp You can make wonders with spare tubes, screwdriver and a solderer.
Of course this is rough generalization, but I think You are on the safe side.
I don’t know how is the ”upside down” that Fender ships its amps but the old rule of thumb is that combos and speaker cabinets should travel ”face down” because of the speaker. That way the mechanical stress that affects the voice coil is more speaker friendly.
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