EVH Amp Question

[SFW]

Is there a way to tell the year of manufacture on the EVH 5150 II amps? Surly the serial number has to be tied to a time frame? I bought mine used and am trying to decide how close I am to a power tube change.

 

[LP Freak]

Is there a way to tell the year of manufacture on the EVH 5150 II amps? Surly the serial number has to be tied to a time frame? I bought mine used and am trying to decide how close I am to a power tube change.

Tubes don’t expire

 

[rsm]

I always thought it was usage, how long(time), how hot (high volume), etc. power tubes are used not their age. If the tubes are biased hot, that will shorten their life as well.

 

[shar-vell Dan]

The type of 5150 logo.
As far as tubes all 5150's self destruct eventually. Terribly built.

 

[SFW]

Tubes don’t expire

Very well aware. However, knowing the age helps me to determine when I’ve put enough abuse on them. I run my amps hard. And while they don’t expire, they do wear out.


And EVH Support responded to an email. My amp was born March of 2021. So I probably have another year on these tunes before I need to really worry about them, but I’ll probably order a new set to have as spares.

 

[LP Freak]

Very well aware. However, knowing the age helps me to determine when I’ve put enough abuse on them. I run my amps hard. And while they don’t expire, they do wear out.


And EVH Support responded to an email. My amp was born March of 2021. So I probably have another year on these tunes before I need to really worry about them, but I’ll probably order a new set to have as spares.

You’re going about it all wrong. Tubes can last anywhere between 5 seconds and 50 years. The only way to know if they’re good is to test them. You could end up replacing them with new tubes that are worse than the ones you’re removing.

 

[Lightning]

LP Freak your correct I’ve been that that rabbit hole before

 

[LP Freak]

LP Freak your correct I’ve been that that rabbit hole before

Me too. Back in the day I’d get a new amp and change the tubes. I didn’t have a tester back in those days. I can’t imagine how many good tubes I must have thrown away.

 

[harddriver]

You’re going about it all wrong. Tubes can last anywhere between 5 seconds and 50 years. The only way to know if they’re good is to test them. You could end up replacing them with new tubes that are worse than the ones you’re removing.

YUP...........what he said..................................

 

[Racerxrated]

New tubes are a complete roll of the dice. Even 'if' they're tested, matched, etc etc they can still shit the bed the first week. MT100...brand new...new 'platinum tested awarded matched TAD 6L6GC' blah blah blah...first friggin night one arced/redplated and took out a bias resistor. I saw the flash got up and ran to shut it down...the damn amp was on it's first warm up on standby...poof.
I have a tester, and stupidly DIDN'T use it before powering the amp on. After shutting it down, I tested them..every damn one tested at 85%...80% is minimum good on my ancient tester....by comparison, the 90s quad of Sovtek wafer 5881s that I put in tested at 115%.

I highly recommend trying to build up a stash of used/strong 'vintage' (pre 2015 lol) power and pre tubes...I gigged with these for the last 10 yrs playing out and not one failure. By contrast, the only new tubes I've gotten came with new amps...the MT, and 4 EVH...2 of the EVH 5153s had a JJ 6l6 go bad as well.

New tubes are horseshit, period.

 

[Simon Dorn]

Very well aware. However, knowing the age helps me to determine when I’ve put enough abuse on them. I run my amps hard. And while they don’t expire, they do wear out.


And EVH Support responded to an email. My amp was born March of 2021. So I probably have another year on these tunes before I need to really worry about them, but I’ll probably order a new set to have as spares.

Just be ready for a change between 2031 and 2045.