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Post by mule43 on Nov 22, 2020 6:21:58 GMT -7
Second post for me, a new Dr. Z owner. I have a Maz 38 NR MKII and a L-Lux for about a month and both blow me away. Anyway I am wondering if people are keeping very many spare tubes on hand? I have a small stash of NOS tubes, some used some not, from a cleanup 25 years ago in the shop I work in but nothing new. Is it worth it to by a set or two of new tubes for my amps?
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Nov 22, 2020 8:34:12 GMT -7
I would suggest one full set of power tubes for each type that you use (not necessarily one for each amp, if you were to have 2 amps that use the same power tubes, if that makes sense) as well as one of each rectifier that you use, and finally one of each preamp type that you use. (Okay... maybe more than 1 12AX7, since they're so prevalent.)
So in your case, that would come to: 1 matched set of 4xEL84, 1 matched set of 4x6V6, 1 5AR4 rectifier (for the 38, the MAZ is solid-state rectified), one 12AT7/6201, and one (or more) 12AX7.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Nov 22, 2020 9:43:03 GMT -7
Mark nailed it, and I would add that you need to carry spare fuses too. A tube that fails will sometimes take a fuse with it. Welcome to Z amps and this forum!
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Post by zpilot on Nov 22, 2020 10:18:48 GMT -7
I would pick up several NOS 12AT7's since they are plentiful right now and relatively cheap.
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Nov 22, 2020 10:27:06 GMT -7
I would add that you need to carry spare fuses too. YES! I forgot... (at least) 1 fuse of each type that you use. These are very small and very cheap, and unlikely to be purchased 1-at-a-time anyway, so you'll probably have a few. I would pick up several NOS 12AT7's since they are plentiful right now and relatively cheap. Indeed. Good NOS 12A X7's I think are a futile search anymore these days. But many sources do seem to still have NOS in the 12AT7 (and other) types readily available, which are still of top quality.
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Post by GuitarZ on Nov 22, 2020 10:35:01 GMT -7
When I was playing regularly back in the day, I never carried spare tubes or fuses for my Marshall. I think that's kind of funny. It definitely makes sense to have spare tubes in a gig bag. You can even leave that bag in the car.
My Marshall only went belly-up once. A few months after I bought it, an undersized resistor burned out.
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Post by mule43 on Nov 22, 2020 14:51:07 GMT -7
I hadn't thought of fuses, that is a good idea. I need to go back through my box of tubes and see what I have exactly. Last time through I was looking for 12AX7s and EL84s. Didn't have any El84s but I did find that I had 6 made in Holland and 2 made in Germany Amperex 12AX7s that all tested good.
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Post by loucardguitar (Johnathan) on Nov 22, 2020 15:03:22 GMT -7
I agree on the above comments on the NOS 12AT7's. I have gotten quite a few NOS JAN 12AT7's. You can still get them for not much more than modern day tubes and since they are military tubes, you know they are going to be rock solid, more often than not.
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Post by helmi on Nov 22, 2020 15:38:58 GMT -7
Welcome to the forum.
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Post by jbrad on Nov 22, 2020 18:08:08 GMT -7
I have never carried any spare tunes but I never go to a gig without my Crate power block in the truck. Solid state backup that sounds decent and will get me through if I have to use it.
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Post by zpilot on Nov 22, 2020 20:47:19 GMT -7
Before I started doing amp repair work I never carried spare tubes. I guess I was just rolling the dice and was lucky. This was also back when American and British tubes were the norm. Now I carry a spare for everything but also have been lucky and never needed them. Probably because I replace them on a conservative schedule. I'm still not sure why I carry them because I also carry a spare amp. If my amp goes down during a performance I likely won't have time to troubleshoot it. I will need to get rolling again as quickly as I can. So for me the answer to "How many spares" is - a full set, in another amp.
And as for how many spare fuses. One. If the fuse blows it is for a reason. If it repeats, take the hint.
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Post by helmi on Nov 25, 2020 19:12:27 GMT -7
I have gotten quite a few NOS JAN 12AT7's. You can still get them for not much more than modern day tubes and since they are military tubes, you know they are going to be rock solid, more often than not. Don’t the military 12at7’s end with a WA?
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Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Nov 25, 2020 19:39:00 GMT -7
When I gigged a lot I have a bright yellow, small plastic toolbox that I put foam in and carry a full set of power tubes for each amp, rectifier, and a smattering of preamp tubes (plus an EF86 for the Z28). Never had to use one and never had an amp go down.
If/when I get back to gigging (and assuming I’m not just using the Kemper), I may just get one of the amp-in-a-pedal solutions like JBrad mentioned. The thought of having to quickly swap tubes in a cramped bar isn’t appealing, and just swapping to a quick solution to keep the gig going, even if not “my tone,” is appealing.
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Post by loucardguitar (Johnathan) on Nov 25, 2020 20:03:41 GMT -7
I have gotten quite a few NOS JAN 12AT7's. You can still get them for not much more than modern day tubes and since they are military tubes, you know they are going to be rock solid, more often than not. Don’t the military 12at7’s end with a WA? Either WA or WC, more often than not. Most of the ones I have are WC. However I do have one JAN that I got through KCA that was branded by National that didn't have either on it, it was just listed as a 12AT7, but was still a JAN tube in the military stamped box.
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Post by LT on Dec 1, 2020 11:41:48 GMT -7
Welcome to the forum!
Great tips from the team. I'll add....be sure you buy Slow Blow fuses, not the ones you get at Home Depot, etc. I order mine from Mouser.
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Post by mule43 on Dec 1, 2020 14:25:05 GMT -7
Yep slow blow are what I got. I have been working in electronics and IT with chemical instrumentation for years now, but pretty much no tubes in the equipment. I have been working on remembering what I learned about tubes about 40 years ago. I even went so far to dig out my old text book to start refreshing my memory, although using my new gear usually wins out over reading about tubes. We also, generally don't work with audio frequencies, 100 kHz is about as low as we go so I have been learning more audio recently. These forums are great to be able to tap into people who have years of experience!
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