The great thing about simple technology is that you can maintain it and tinker with it yourself. Not to mention that you can get equipment on the cheap and spiff it up to your standards.
So, if you’ve recently procured a good used tube amplifier or need to address problems with your own, start with these basic tips:
- Vacuum tubes should be replaced when they turn white or when they sound loose.
- If your preamp tubes sound tired, buy one new one and put it into each position and do sound checks to see which tube is the offender and then replace that one with the new one. If they’re more than 5-7 years old, it may be time to replace all of them.
- Replace the power tubes annually if you can. If your amp begins to have a crackling sound or just doesn’t sound right, check the power tubes by looking at differences in light or smell. You can also turn the amp to half volume and tap each tube very lightly to check the sound through the speaker – any that result in a very loud sound are broken.
- Before you go to the store, write down the number and type written on the tube to save time in the shop.
- When you replace an output tube, check the manual to see how it should be rebiased – the bias of the tube can’t be too high or it will blow out and it can’t be too low or it won’t sound right.
- Replace filter caps when necessary – the soldering doesn’t mean they’re permanent and just because they work doesn’t mean they’re working well.
- Safely use a compressed air can to flush out any cobwebs and other debris – but leave detailed cleanup to a pro.
- If your potmeters start to crackle and you are a careful individual, you can clean them yourself by gently removing the knob and finding the tiny hole in the base ring and spraying a little contact spray into it (or around the little metal ring around the turning screw). Once you’ve done that, rotate the meters to their furthest extremes back and forth 20 or more times.
- To keep your amp in good working order, always remember to let it warm up before standby, cool down before you pick it up, and never set anything liquid on top of or near it.
- To keep your amp in good working order, always remember to let it warm up before standby, cool down before you pick it up, and never set anything liquid on top of or near it.
A few things to leave to a professional so that you avoid the so no coveted Darwin Award:
- Voltage checks
- Soldering
- Socket tightening
- Internal cleaning
