Hello everybody, this question is for anybody who has used a Fender tube amplifier, or maybe any tube amp. I've had my Fender Blues Junior for about three months, and so far it's been a really great amp. Good tone, excellent volume, versatile, and everything.
However, just recently I've been noticing a problem when I use the amplifier at high volumes or with distortion from a stompbox - whenever I play, especially notes on the bottom two strings, the amplifier buzzes. It is not the guitar, which sounds fine unplugged and played clean at a moderate volume. I'm not very knowledgeable about the inner workings of amplifiers, so if this has happened to anybody or if somebody knows something about it, I'd really appreciate it if you could help me out.
The first 2 things that come to mind are that a) something is loose - a screw, whatever or b) that you've blown the speaker cone.
Don't panic - both are reparable, it just depends how much "reparable" is going to cost.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN
Yeah, probably something that is loose inside. One question: Did the problem come suddenly, or was it a gradual thing?
As mentioned before that something is loose, speaker, a tube, the amps chassie, transformer, etc. Here's a few things to perhaps try. Clean the pots and tighten pots,Check for bad solder joints, check for broken component leads, tighten everything down, retension the tube sockets, input jack and anything else that maybe loose. Tubes cause at least 50% of tube amp problems.
Are you using good power conditioner to clean up the power for your rig. Can you unplug the speaker and plug another one in.
Here's an interesting site. The Fender Amp Field Guide
Joe
How often is it that you're meant to change Valves on a tube amp anyway ?
It can very. It all depends on how much the equipment is used and in what way. Keeping the amp properly maintained and biased will absolutely improve service life. You'll know when the are having problems it won't sound right. The amp sounds thin or shrill, with no warmth or "chunk" to the sound. Tubes are ringing by themselves, or making other strange noises that don't have anything to do with whatever it is you are doing. Sudden changes in volume or tonal content. The amp doesn't have any punch.
Generally I'd say for a tube amp that doesn't leave the house, See's only limited use and is never driven hard enough to reach it's saturation point they can last for many years. When used on the road night after night they will need to be replaced more often to keep it in top form.
I'm harder than most on equipment, plus their turned on for many, many hours at a time running at their saturation point into dummyloads and attenuators. Not to long back I a couple tubes kind-a blow apart. They just got to hot. Now I've installed another fan, which makes three total to keep them the amps cool. They'll probably last till middle of summer before I have to change them again.
Hope this Helped.
Joe
ya generally its best to change then every year or so if you use it a lot at high volumes. A little longer if its not used that much. Generally any of the symptons that forrok start pointed out mean that you shoudl change the tubes. One of the things about tubes is that when one goes on you... generally the tube doesnt like to be the only thing that will go, it likes to tke victims a.k.a other parts as well. Forrok star pointed out a lot though so goo luck!
Bstguitarist
KB1LQC
No matter what anyone says, these four men were the Innovators! of modern Rock & Roll!
Morse Code... Music on it's own
wow, thanks for all of the advice!
Your Welcome. Did you find out what the problem was?
Is it working alright now.
Joe
