How to know if tubes are going out

plawren53202 · 06-05-2006, 08:35 AM

If there's already a thread on this somewhere, I apologize, but I couldn't find it...

How do you know when your amp's tubes need to be replaced? I have a Crate Palomino V16, have had it for about 9 months; never owned a tube amp before, so I've never had to change tubes...over the weekend, when we were doing sound check for Sunday, my volume level was suddenly alot lower. Turned out that it was only that my EQ pedal, which I also use as a signal boost, had gotten turned off, but it got me wondering as to when you know that tubes need to be replaced.

Is there one particular thing to look for? A combination of factors?

**thesteve** · 06-05-2006, 08:52 AM

loss of volume and overall fizzyness

there might be something in the "tube amp tips" thread that's stickied at the top.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 06-05-2006, 11:27 AM

Ive had weird cutting in and out almost like a fizzy tremelo from a preamp tube in the rockmaster as well.

**redbaron** · 06-05-2006, 02:45 PM

on the clean channel of my amp, the tubes get a kind of rattly ringy noise, like a really metallic sound of a lightbulb with a broken filament being shaken. I just avoid them and run the power amp side of things.

***BillSPrestonEsq*** · 06-05-2006, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redbaron

on the clean channel of my amp, the tubes get a kind of rattly ringy noise, like a really metallic sound of a lightbulb with a broken filament being shaken. I just avoid them and run the power amp side of things.

wouldn't it be worth the 8-12 it would be to replace the tube? (I am assuming 12ax7)