Is it time for new tubes?

the rossness

Well-known member
I’ve had my 50 watt EVH 5153 for many years and I play it regularly. In that time, its never needed new tubes. It works fine, but lately it sounds very dull. It doesn't sound like there is a problem with the tubes, but it sounds a little lower in gain and just sounds kind of plain and dull- I don’t know how else to describe it.

Is it time to change the tubes?
 
If you know someone with a tube tester you would definitely know for sure. That said my main amp gets all tubes changed out and re-bised every couple of years.... More as a preventative measure (for stage reliability) than anything else.
 
Could easily be a preamp tube starting to lose it...I'd get some new pre tubes and swap one in each position, play it after each tube swap to find which tube it is. But it's a good sign that all of them probably need to be changed if one is going bad.
 
These are the times when a tube tester is nice to have. They take the guessing out of the equation. I’m sure I tossed out tons of good tubes over the years.
 
That's exactly how my Ironball sounded when it needed new power tubes.....a fresh pair made it sound brand new....one thing i've learned with Tube Amps is whenever it doesn't sound right, 99% of the time it's the power tubes! Always have a pair handy and throw them in when you suspect an issue, if that fixes it then just take it to a tech and get it biased and you're all set. If that doesn't fix it, just throw it on the classifieds and say "Used but mint, very low hours, just never jived with it" like the rest of the douche bags here.
 
xzyryabx":341cwhoy said:
That's exactly how my Ironball sounded when it needed new power tubes.....a fresh pair made it sound brand new....one thing i've learned with Tube Amps is whenever it doesn't sound right, 99% of the time it's the power tubes! Always have a pair handy and throw them in when you suspect an issue, if that fixes it then just take it to a tech and get it biased and you're all set. If that doesn't fix it, just throw it on the classifieds and say "Used but mint, very low hours, just never jived with it" like the rest of the douche bags here.

I seriously lol'd and spit out my diet coke.
 
Pentatonic":hpe51n5p said:
If you know someone with a tube tester you would definitely know for sure. That said my main amp gets all tubes changed out and re-bised every couple of years.... More as a preventative measure (for stage reliability) than anything else.

Unfortunately most tube testers will not diagnose a dull sounding tube. They will show that a tube is bad, but if it tests good it still may be microphonic or sound dull.

I have my dull or weak sounding tubes in a box, they are perfect for throwing in an amp where I suspect bad power tubes, in that they work, but just don't sound the best.
 
It's going to be a power tube issue not a preamp tube issue. Preamp tubes don't slowly degrade in sound. They either immediately fail or eventually go microphonic.
 
Back
Top