Can I replace amp tubes myself?

To change preamp tubes, all you'll need is a screwdriver and a little know-how. On a lot of amps, you will need to remove the back panel; but don't worry, this will not void your warranty. Nearly all manufacturers expect you to change your own preamp tubes, but check your manual to be sure.

How often do you have to replace tubes in an amp?

You can expect a conventional amplifier tube to have a service life ranging up to 10,000 hours. Tubes with military specifications are built to last up to 100,000 hours.

Can you put any tubes in a tube amp?

With power tubes, you can swap different brands of the same tube. (For example, 6L6 tubes from different manufacturers.) But do not swap different types of power tubes unless you are absolutely sure you know what you are doing — damage may result.

How do I know when to replace tubes in my amp?

Take a pencil and gently tap each pre amp tube to see which one has a loud ringing or crackling sound. They will all ring to a certain degree but the “bad” one will be much more noticeable. Replace this one immediately. A second way to find it is to pull out the suspect one(s) and replace it with new ones.

Are tube amps going away?

Electro-Harmonix confirms no more Russian tubes in 2022 after export ban.

How to Replace Tubes in Your Guitar Amp

How long does it take for your tubes to break in?

10-14 days is the general rule, but new tube gear can significantly improve by the hour / day in my experience.

Do tubes have to be matched?

Preamp tubes do not have to match to do their job. Because of how they are designed, you do not have to worry about biasing these tubes to ensure that they work perfectly. As such, you can use two different tubes from two different manufacturers as long as they are compatible.

Can you touch vacuum tubes?

Think of a vacuum tube as a light bulb. It is a glass envelope that generates heat as it is working. You shouldn't be handling them all the time but occasionally touching them will not hurt. Let it cool off first though, they can get mighty toasty.

Do 12AX7 tubes need to be matched?

Using 12AX7s as an example, matching these preamp tubes is a good idea, but by no means essential. These tubes, along with the 6DJ8 variety, are known as linestage tubes. When they are matched, this will ensure that you get even gain from both tubes.

How do I know if my tubes are bad?

Sometimes you will hear strange sounds, loss of power, or heavily distort sound. These are signs that a tube is failing. Often power loss that seems like the amp is performing at half power or less will be one or more bad power tubes, or even a dying phase inverter tube.

Are tube amps hard to maintain?

> Yes, tubes are generally more fragile than solid-state amps. They require more attention, so you can't be clumsy around tubes. > Tubes have a life span of about 3,000 to 5,000 hours before needing replacement, depending on usage.

How long do 12AX7 tubes last?

Small signal tubes like a 12AX7 or 6922 will work well on average for about 10,000 hours. If you leave your equipment on 24 hours a day, well you do the math: There are 8,760 hours in a year.

Are tube amps worth it?

In many cases, tube amps do not require the amount of maintenance that they have a reputation for. As long as you properly take care of your gear, owning a tube amp is simple and very well worth it for the tone.

Do preamp tubes go bad?

Preamp tubes can go bad at any time and for any reason. There is normally no way to determine how long they will last. Sometimes the heater inside can fail and will no longer glow. This will prevent it from working completely.

What should you not touch on a guitar amp?

Don't touch the caps soon after unplugging, and you should have no problems. To be pedantic, you can touch the caps, but not the leads connecting them to the circuit. Mostly, it's best not to touch any bare wires at all until several minutes after the amp is unplugged.

Can you touch amp tubes with bare hands?

It is OK to handle ambient cooled vacuum tubes with bare hands, IF THEY ARE COOL, and skin oils will seldom cause a problem, even if it chars.

How long should you leave a tube amp on standby?

Ideally, you want your amp to be on standby for about one to two minutes before you start playing at any volume. Another useful function of the standby switch is muting your amp without turning it off. If you are taking a quick break on a session or between sets, go ahead and set the switch to standby.

How do you match tubes without tube tester?

Oh, you could use a preamp or power amplifier to match tubes, taking measurement of plate current, bias current but you really have to know what you are doing as you are working with 100 to 500 volts and enough current to kill, but this is a very accurate way to check tubes as they are "in" the circuit intended for ...

What 12AX7 tube is best?

Do preamp tubes need to be balanced?

the term "balanced" is refering to your last pre-amp tube, before you get to the Power tubes. You'll want this to be balanced. You just need one. If the other pre-amp tubes are balanced as well, that's fine but they don't need to be.

Do new amp tubes smell?

Tube amps have their own smell when operating, but it's more of a pleasant smell of warm wood, glue, metal, and electronics, not what you're describing.

Do power tubes need to burn in?

All new production power tubes we offer are burned in for 48 hours and then tested to get the most precise matches we can for both plate current (mA) and transconductance (gm). We also screen for leakage, gas, and noise.

Can I use 12AT7 instead of 12AX7?

The 12AT7 tube is almost identical in looks to the venerable 12AX7 tube, and in many ways can be used for the same applications as a 12AX7. However, the 12AT7 features a somewhat lower gain (typically about a factor of 60-70) and runs at a higher current.

Can you still buy tubes?

As someone who has been a vacuum technology enthusiast for four decades now it makes me happy to find that tubes are still in production and their industry appears healthy for now.