It was more guilt over having a freaking sports car idling all day and only using it in the driveway.
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Tube amps are apparently dead..... again
- Thread starter MadAsAHatter
- Start date
It was more guilt over having a freaking sports car idling all day and only using it in the driveway.
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Until he plays a mans amp with tubes and shits his diapers on how much fucking better the real amp sounds. Then he cries and starts saving his pennies so he can play with the big boys.
I've seen several kids who had only played plug-ins and modelers change their tune about tube amps being obsolete after playing one in person. When I was a kid I didn't get why people loved Marshall's so much after trying one low volume in a guitar store. Then got to play one at band volume with a tube screamer in front and I changed my position.
At the end of the day I use tubes, plug-ins, etc. Depends on the situation. All just tools
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Indeed. I do see myself grabbing the FM3 at some point...but just to add to my stuff. Ease of use, recording...lots of great choices today.
RaceU4her
Well-known member
im sure theres a few, but i think thats just more a projected fantasy of us old tube guys when in reality most these days, especially younger people would probably say your old car is cool... but my turbo 4cly is faster than your big block, is more reliable, handles and rides 10x better, usues a 1/3 the gas, has A/C so my ass is sweating like yours when a tube blows and takes out a SGR with it mid set at the big gig, has a GPS navigation system to take me to all the chicks houses that want to go for a ride.. much like a modeler dudes are starting to not want to give up their endless bank of amps and cabs, top notch effects, ease of recording and everything else that goes along with axe's and helix's for the extra 2% in tone.
RaceU4her
Well-known member
from what im reading, even with this big "vinyl resurgence" we hear about, records were 4% of music sold last year, in which 50% of those buyers dont even own a record player, which i believe because the few people i know that still buy records are hardcore and jam band dudes buying to support the band and they never even open them.
tallcoolone
Well-known member
Lol, c’mon this just isn’t true. No one is leaving their tube amp on all the time. Esp with tubes around $200/quad.
My studio monitors have been on for close to 9yrs now
Aynirar27
Well-known member
I’m not saying everyone should leave their tube amps on, just that it’s really not going to shorten their lifespan all that much. They aren’t doing a whole lot at idle. Other components will be harmed more by being left on that the tubes
RaceU4her
Well-known member
i stopped turning mine off too, im more afraid of the power switches breaking turning them on and off a bunch of times a day than them actually blowing up.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
Yeah, he's about as fake as it gets.
thegame
Well-known member
I heard he wears a beard piece.
tallcoolone
Well-known member
Then I’m not sure what you meant by, “tubes won’t bat an eye at being left on 24/7”? And what about pcb’s?
I have 9 tube amps and I love em but they are quirky, fragile, heavy, temperamental and expensive to upkeep. In no way shape or form are they more reliable than modern consumer electronics.
My biggest worry with tube amps is not the big stuff.
Had a Boogie blow one of those small optical switches they use.
Part cost $5 but the repair was a shit ton of work.
Sending it back to Mesa would have cost hundreds easy with freight thrown in.
Last time I had a pre-amp pedal go it was a simply swap for a replacement.
Had a Boogie blow one of those small optical switches they use.
Part cost $5 but the repair was a shit ton of work.
Sending it back to Mesa would have cost hundreds easy with freight thrown in.
Last time I had a pre-amp pedal go it was a simply swap for a replacement.
Aynirar27
Well-known member
As I said before, cheap components and pcbs inside tube amps will be harmed more from being left on 24/7 than the tubes will.
Tubes already have a shelf life. If you are already changing them routinely, I doubt you will notice much difference in how frequently you change them between leaving it on and shutting on and off between uses.
Shask
Well-known member
I have all mine going through a powerstrip, so I just turn that on and off.
tallcoolone
Well-known member
Well that isn’t what you said, but I still disagree. Tube amps—specifically tubes and esp current production tubes—are the opposite of robust. Leaving your tube amp on all the time is terrible advice and will expedite those “routine“ tube changes exponentially.
Properly designed PCBs are incredibly reliable, it’s the heat generated by tube circuits that makes them occasionally susceptible to failure.
Aynirar27
Well-known member
yes that is exactly what I was referring to with my first post
I am speaking specifically to tube life. Leaving them on isn’t gonna kill then
pintspiller
Active member
I had a Helix for a bit, after years of (mostly tranny) amps. There is no doubt that the thing is immensely powerful, flexibe and great...... in the right hands........just not mine!
Swapped to a wee evh lbx, now just got a stealth (absolute bargain used), never been happier and never played more!
Swapped to a wee evh lbx, now just got a stealth (absolute bargain used), never been happier and never played more!
Smashedguitaris⸸
Hack
I have never had anything go wrong with a tube amp, with exception of bogner blowing fuse. Fucking fuses on pcbs... But i only buy high quality newer amps. Only time they dont work is when my dumbass puts the effects loop backwards or i forget to turn on a buffer or some dumb shit. That is why it is best when i plug them straight in. I am barely able to do modelling shit on reaper. Seems like once a.month i make some critical error and have to ask @DanTravis62 or @dainbramage0 how to fix it