How often to you change your output tubes, EL34's?

[Disturber]

The AC/DC rig rundown got me thinking. Angus had his tubes changed every third gig, JJ EL34's.

How often to you change your EL34's in you Marshall, or equivalent non mastervolume amp?

1) when they start to sound funky,
2) when I blow a tube,
3) once or twice every year, just to be on the safe side,
4) when the silver oxide at the top of the glass bottle is starting to disappear,
5) other reason.....?

 

 

[tommy p]

I'm pretty bad about stuff like this.  I'm strictly a #1 or #2 guy.

[BubbaVO]

"change" tubes?

[Thundersteel]

My Marshall I bought new in 2005 still has all the original tubes. I don't gig or play out, so obviously the tubes don't get nearly as stressed.

[Jakeboy]

I use old NOS or 'pulls' in all my amps...pulls are old USA or European tubes that are used but test great.

i change them only if there is a tone issue or they go weak, which has only happened to one set of 6v6s.

That said, using modern tubes is a different ballgame....I went through a set of Mesa el84s pretty quick in my 18 watter.....I was gigging it hard.

So short answer is: current production---I would change on a regular schedule

NOS or old US/European---as needed

[Armitage]

Something to consider for those guys who usually play at home and don't turn it up... just because the old tubes still sound good at low volumes doesn't mean they'll hold up the first time you go out and blast.

[Biz Prof]

1 and 2 for me. My JCM 800 is running on the same pair of Teslas I installed in 1994. 

[brainkillsbeercells]

ran my first set for 25 years til they started to become noisy. this set has been in for about 10 years (50-60 shows a year )

amp is a '79 Marshall 2203, as we play bars not arenas, master volume is around 4-5. no complains yet.

[bruce919]

I never change power tubes unless something stops working or the tube starts to look funky.

[Bigmuff]

Strictly #2. I've had old GE 6L6s in my SLO since I bought it six years ago and they're still going strong... and sound wonderful.  

[benjammin308]

When the amp stops working.

[BillW]

#1 or #2 here also.

I've never had a tube actually 'fail', but, I did have a cheap Chinese el84 start to sound tinny on my Marshall 20/20 a few years back ( the tube was probably 20+yrs old)

[seeker]

Same here: #1, catastrophic failure.  I have only had a single tube go #2.

[Disturber]

I was really hangover and went to my rehearsal place, perhaps 10 years ago. I was there alone and just played guitar and had some coffee. Then I decided I should check the bias on the tube, as I just bought the Marshall amp I had then.

 

It was biased at only 20 mV or something, so I started to turn it up a bit hotter. Then a tube just exploded in my face with a bang. Hung over as I was I almost shit my pants. Haha. One or two fuses blew. It had original Tesla EL 34s in it. But they were extremely worn out. Guess they could not take the hotter current.

 

[HoboMan]

EL84s in my Buddas. I only change them when the go bad (that includes sounding funky).

Gig about 4-6 times a month. A set of tubes will usually last over a year.

[Armitage]

When playing at home... forever... When touring, every six months.

[tomteriffic]

When the amp lets all its smoke out.  Trouble is, the amp usually sounds like God just before that happens.  Seriously, I've only had that happen once in 50 years.  In reality, it's when the amp starts misbehaving noticeably.  Can be anywhere from a couple of years to never.

 

[Armitage]

I'm trying to figure out how they all that smoke IN in the first place...

[it's me HHB]

I ran the 84s in my tophat for almost 8 years of constant gigging. I replaced em this year after some weird break up tones.