''Hasty'' Re-Tube
 

You are probably wondering what it is....

My second guitarist has a older Crate Blue Voodoo (believe it is the 120 watt) and he said it has been cracking and the volume is just doing its own thing....somethings not right about it. I haven't heard it personally, but he told me the tubes have NEVER been changed since he got it, and that was like 3 years ago.

So I have some spare 6L6's and 12AX7's, would throwing them in there be a bad idea without getting it biased just as a temporary solution? (I'm also convincing him to get JJ's for it as well).

A ''hasty'' response would be appreciated as well. :D

yes that is a bad idea. Most repair shops will set the bias while you wait.

My SVT had tubes that are like 20 years old (I just had them replaced) so the tubes might not be his problem...

No bias for preamp tubes,just stick them in.

I don't really want to have these tubes biased. It is merely a way just to diagnose the problem with the amp...since they haven't been changed in forever, it could be a big reason for th problem.

Well put your 12ax7's in,and see if it is the problem.

BV is a fixxed bias amp. any 6l6 or el34 (only) will work without bias. Pre-amp tubes dont need it. stick em in there and see if it helps. next time im gonna try el34s in mine. i think it will severely hellp the sound. i also put sovtek 12ax7 for the hopefully 10% more gain

I love sovtek ax7's.

ok. I'll try that out than. I've only retubed my triple rec so far...how much different or harder will it be to do the BV?

Just open up the back, take the covers off the preamp tubes, pull them out and stick the new ones in. I havent done anything with the power tubes so i wouldnt know about that but i bet its the same concept.

i have sovteks in my blue voodoo right now. they get the job done but they are by no means the best set up for it.

i think if its the blue tolex kind it rebias itself.
btw what setting do you use on your guys bv i cant get a sound i like

treble 10
mids 1/0
bass 9
gain 10
volume 7

I just hope this amp isn't completely fucked. He said its doing some wacky shit....but I haven't heard it for myself yet.

Tube amps normally do wild "wacky shit" when the tubes are fucked. Worst thing could be the transformers are burned, but highly unlikely. Start with the preamp tubes and work into the power tubes.

ONCE THE TUBES HAVE COOLED! Nothing better then flaming hot glass under your skin; give it 15 minutes I'd say.

theres no covers. just (this is so simple!!) buy replacements for everything. sovtek pre, JJ EL34 power (In my not so humble opinion). and plug it in. you can get to everything very simply.