Fooked Valves?

[Monckyman]

Helo all. I just stumbled over an Ampeg SVP pro at a greta price so snagged it unseen or heard via a freind.
I just got it home today and gave it a test.
Initially it was appalling, scratchy pots etc, not bothered about that, I can clean them up.
What got me was a very poor tone,almost no gain and the red peak light coming on in my opinion, too early.
There was also a quite obvious earth buzz that remained regardless of master out volume.
So having read a good few posts on here and TB I`m thinking Valves.
I whipped out the sonic screwdriver and removed the lid and had a look at the valves.
I took them all out, after noting their positions, and makes and then stuck them back in and took a pic.
They are V1 Electro-Harmonix ax7, V2 Sovtek ax7,V3 Sovtek ax7,V4 no name au7,V5 Electro Harmonix ax7.
Anyway, valves 2 and 4 are to my eyes visibly dim and nowhere near as bright as the Sovteks.
I swapped a bright sovtek into V2 position and the EH into V1 and the EH valve remained dim and the Sov stayed bright.
Here`s a pic.


Am I correct in thinking these two badly illuminated valves are in need of replacement?
Regarding sound, it actually sounded pretty good once I got a bright valve into V1 and I left the valves as you see in the pic as Sov>EH(dim)>Sov>Aux(dim)>EH
The drive pot doesn`t seem to do anything which makes sense if that dim valve is where the pot gets routed.
Ta in advance.
MM

[Mr. Foxen]

The glow won't tell you much. Just means more or less of the heater filament is covered by other components. Easy way is get some more valves and swap about.

[Monckyman]

Ta for the reply Mr F, I`ve ordered a couple so I can swap them out.