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Guitar tube amp problems

benni steinn

Sep 24, 2010
3
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Sep 24, 2010
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Hello, maybe someone can help me, i have a 20 year old tube amp that works great playing the high notes/strings, the problem is that the low notes/strings will not come through.
Am I correct to assume that the capacitors should be replaced as the heat of the tubes and abuse of loud playing have made them leaky and dry ?
This should bring things back to life ?

Many Thanks in advance, Bulldog
 

Militoy

Aug 24, 2010
180
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Aug 24, 2010
Messages
180
If it's a tube amp - it's very likely quite a bit older than 20 years. I don't know of too many that were made in 1990! Dried out electrolytic caps are likely - but the "abuse of loud playing" will have had little to do with the cap aging. It's also possible that aging caps isn't the problem at all. Checking / changing the caps and testing all the tubes is a good place to start, though.
 

Mitchekj

Jan 24, 2010
288
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Jan 24, 2010
Messages
288
I had an amp with tubes which was made in the nineties. It had a switch for solid state or tube. Some people (read audiophiles) demand the "tube sound," so they have been manufactured recently... hell, maybe even still today.
 

Leighcusack

Sep 9, 2010
15
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Sep 9, 2010
Messages
15
Yes have to agree. Tube amps are still available. Although most are high end equipment.
 

shrtrnd

Jan 15, 2010
3,876
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Jan 15, 2010
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3,876
All the tubes I know of still in production today, are made in Russia.
And yes, they're being built for high-end audiophiles.
Miltoy pegged it, find somebody with a tube tester, and check your tubes.
Loud playing won't hurt the tubes. They're still in use today, because they are much
more forgiving in electronic practical use, than solid state.
The electrolytic caps might be leaking, and I'd replace them anyway, but that shouldn't
account for not hearing low note strings.
I'd suspect the tubes, but look around while you're in there, and see if you see any
burnt or heat-damaged components in your amp. (I'd be looking for cracked or burned
small mica or ceramic caps, having been damaged).
Oh, ...there are plenty of 'NOS' (new, old stock) tubes from a lot of places you can find
online, you don't need to buy new Russian tubes.
 
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