Ok, so I've got a Blackstar HT-5, and for some reason lately I haven't been loving the sound. I dunno if it's me or the amp, but I just can't get good sound out of it regardless of the settings lately. Possible my tubes are dead? Is there some way to check? This is my first tube amp, and I've never replaced the tubes before. Bought new, got it mailed to my house. Had it since this past December/January.
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How can I tell if my tubes are dead?
Started by anachronism, Jul 24 2010 11:52 PM
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#1
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Posted 24 July 2010 - 11:52 PM
"Take that fucking sign down." -John Frusciante
"Well, it was put to me by "that guy" when I was, like, four. So I went into my parents' record collection and found a rock'n'roll compilation. And when my mom asked if I wanted to move to L.A., I said, "Yeah," because I knew that was where the rock stars were. I was seven. Then when I found punk and listened to the Germs, I started seeing how I was part of this. I remember being out on the baseball field when I was 11, and I felt like such an outsider. Standing there in right field, I started making up an angry punk song in my head, and I went home and wrote, like, 20 songs in a row. I realized it didn't even matter if I knew how to play guitar yet." -John Frusciante
"Well, it was put to me by "that guy" when I was, like, four. So I went into my parents' record collection and found a rock'n'roll compilation. And when my mom asked if I wanted to move to L.A., I said, "Yeah," because I knew that was where the rock stars were. I was seven. Then when I found punk and listened to the Germs, I started seeing how I was part of this. I remember being out on the baseball field when I was 11, and I felt like such an outsider. Standing there in right field, I started making up an angry punk song in my head, and I went home and wrote, like, 20 songs in a row. I realized it didn't even matter if I knew how to play guitar yet." -John Frusciante
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Posted 27 July 2010 - 11:15 PM
anachronism, on 24 July 2010 - 11:52 PM, said:
Ok, so I've got a Blackstar HT-5, and for some reason lately I haven't been loving the sound. I dunno if it's me or the amp, but I just can't get good sound out of it regardless of the settings lately. Possible my tubes are dead? Is there some way to check? This is my first tube amp, and I've never replaced the tubes before. Bought new, got it mailed to my house. Had it since this past December/January.
For tubes to die after only 6 months is strange indeed. I think that in this case, the speaker would most likely be the culprit. However, tube changes are relatively simple, and shouldn't cost more than about $50. I would recommend getting Tesla, Sovtek, or EH tubes.
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2010 MJT S-Style Clone - a clone of my 1962, made so I wouldn't have to worry about theft of my original.
1965 Jaguar - Fiesta Red
2005 Strat Amvintage 1962- Fiesta Red w/ matched headstock
2007 Jag Amvintage 1962- Ice Blue w/ matched headstock
2007 Strat Amvintage 1962- Sunburst
2007 Tele Amvintage 1962- Antique Burst
2008 Squier Strat- Sunburst
2008 Firebird Custom Shop, Black and Chrome w/ matched headstock
2010 MJT S-Style Clone - a clone of my 1962, made so I wouldn't have to worry about theft of my original.
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Posted 28 July 2010 - 06:03 PM
Can you give me some symptoms of dead tubes? I mean, the amp still works fine, it just sounds kinda shitty.
"Take that fucking sign down." -John Frusciante
"Well, it was put to me by "that guy" when I was, like, four. So I went into my parents' record collection and found a rock'n'roll compilation. And when my mom asked if I wanted to move to L.A., I said, "Yeah," because I knew that was where the rock stars were. I was seven. Then when I found punk and listened to the Germs, I started seeing how I was part of this. I remember being out on the baseball field when I was 11, and I felt like such an outsider. Standing there in right field, I started making up an angry punk song in my head, and I went home and wrote, like, 20 songs in a row. I realized it didn't even matter if I knew how to play guitar yet." -John Frusciante
"Well, it was put to me by "that guy" when I was, like, four. So I went into my parents' record collection and found a rock'n'roll compilation. And when my mom asked if I wanted to move to L.A., I said, "Yeah," because I knew that was where the rock stars were. I was seven. Then when I found punk and listened to the Germs, I started seeing how I was part of this. I remember being out on the baseball field when I was 11, and I felt like such an outsider. Standing there in right field, I started making up an angry punk song in my head, and I went home and wrote, like, 20 songs in a row. I realized it didn't even matter if I knew how to play guitar yet." -John Frusciante
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Posted 28 July 2010 - 11:13 PM
anachronism, on 28 July 2010 - 06:03 PM, said:
Can you give me some symptoms of dead tubes? I mean, the amp still works fine, it just sounds kinda shitty.
Dead tubes... if your power tube is entirely dead, you will get no sound from your amp at all, if it is dying you will get nowhere near the volume your amp used to get. If your preamp tube is dead, you will get no sound from your amp, if it is dying you will notice that the tone knobs on your amp are doing less, and there is a buzzing sound coming from the amp. The tubes , both preamp and poweramp, will both glow less brightly when dying.
Speakers in amps have the same symptoms of speakers in home audio and car audio. You will notice that your guitar seems like it is always distorted, no matter what you try, and the output isn't as good because the voice coil in the speaker is dead.
It is always a good idea to replace the tubes in new amps anyways. In my experience, new tube amps have shitty tubes that should be replaced immediately after purchase.
1962 Strat - Sunburst
1965 Jaguar - Fiesta Red
2005 Strat Amvintage 1962- Fiesta Red w/ matched headstock
2007 Jag Amvintage 1962- Ice Blue w/ matched headstock
2007 Strat Amvintage 1962- Sunburst
2007 Tele Amvintage 1962- Antique Burst
2008 Squier Strat- Sunburst
2008 Firebird Custom Shop, Black and Chrome w/ matched headstock
2010 MJT S-Style Clone - a clone of my 1962, made so I wouldn't have to worry about theft of my original.
1965 Jaguar - Fiesta Red
2005 Strat Amvintage 1962- Fiesta Red w/ matched headstock
2007 Jag Amvintage 1962- Ice Blue w/ matched headstock
2007 Strat Amvintage 1962- Sunburst
2007 Tele Amvintage 1962- Antique Burst
2008 Squier Strat- Sunburst
2008 Firebird Custom Shop, Black and Chrome w/ matched headstock
2010 MJT S-Style Clone - a clone of my 1962, made so I wouldn't have to worry about theft of my original.
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Posted 29 July 2010 - 04:27 AM
Ohhh, okay, so I probably just had shitty stock tubes. Speakers definitely aren't dead. I do get sound it's just not as bright and lovely to listen to as before. Volume decrease? I dunno.
"Take that fucking sign down." -John Frusciante
"Well, it was put to me by "that guy" when I was, like, four. So I went into my parents' record collection and found a rock'n'roll compilation. And when my mom asked if I wanted to move to L.A., I said, "Yeah," because I knew that was where the rock stars were. I was seven. Then when I found punk and listened to the Germs, I started seeing how I was part of this. I remember being out on the baseball field when I was 11, and I felt like such an outsider. Standing there in right field, I started making up an angry punk song in my head, and I went home and wrote, like, 20 songs in a row. I realized it didn't even matter if I knew how to play guitar yet." -John Frusciante
"Well, it was put to me by "that guy" when I was, like, four. So I went into my parents' record collection and found a rock'n'roll compilation. And when my mom asked if I wanted to move to L.A., I said, "Yeah," because I knew that was where the rock stars were. I was seven. Then when I found punk and listened to the Germs, I started seeing how I was part of this. I remember being out on the baseball field when I was 11, and I felt like such an outsider. Standing there in right field, I started making up an angry punk song in my head, and I went home and wrote, like, 20 songs in a row. I realized it didn't even matter if I knew how to play guitar yet." -John Frusciante
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Posted 09 August 2010 - 02:49 PM
bobthecow, on 28 July 2010 - 11:13 PM, said:
anachronism, on 28 July 2010 - 06:03 PM, said:
Can you give me some symptoms of dead tubes? I mean, the amp still works fine, it just sounds kinda shitty.
I wouldn't say a new Mesa/Boogie has shit tubes in it?
To replace some cheap tubes, I'd recommend Tung Sol and SED 'Winged C' power tubes.
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"Whatever you create from love, is a gift from the place which some call above. There's only the forces of hate and love - one breaks things down and one builds them up."
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