Calling all big valve/tube amp users - what spares...?

[Sean]

I'm about to start gigging regularly with my Mesa Boogie 400+ and I was wondering what spares should I carry?

I'd be interested to hear from any users of big valve amps what they carry as spares. I already carry a good DI but should I carry an array of valves too?

[3below]

Spare Mesa Boogie, spare back, spare strong person, spare fingers, toes , legs - in event of crushing injury [size=4] Seriously - mains and the HT fuses. Also some pre amp valves and a pair of output valves. These days I would also take a spare soiid state head - something cheap will do. I must be lucky, all the valve amps I have owned (Hiwatt x2, Marshall, Fender, Vox, Sound City) have never failed at a gig.[/size]

[VTypeV4]

+1 on mains & HT fuses! I used to carry a spare 12AX7 around when using the Trace V4 but I rarely took any big bottles.

I had that amp throw a few wobblies during shows. Every other has been (touch wood) sweet with no dramas whatsoever.

[Roland Rock]

Yup, same here - fuses and preamp valve (6SN7) and a DI

[Billy Apple]

I'd carry a small digital amp (eg. GK MB200) as well as the above.

[amnesia]

I don't bother carrying anything. I should carry fuses I suppose.

Do you really want to be pulling your amp apart at a gig to swap valves? Nah. If mine fails, it fails.

Speaking of which...its in for repair again now...

[JapanAxe]

Although I carry spares of the pre-amp, power amp, and rectifier valves for my guitar amp, as well as all the relevant fuses, in reality if it died on a gig I would plug into the PA and make the best of it.

[Bassman Steve]

Never carried spares (beyond fuses) and never needed any. Maybe some time in the next 25 years the amp'll break down and I'll look like an idiot - but until then ..............

Look after your gear and I can't see why you'd have a problem.

[dan670844]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1385231678' post='2285940']
I'm about to start gigging regularly with my Mesa Boogie 400+ and I was wondering what spares should I carry?

I'd be interested to hear from any users of big valve amps what they carry as spares. I already carry a good DI but should I carry an array of valves too?
[/quote]

I regularly gig my CTM300 it never misses a beat, HT fuses is all I would bother with, the absolute must with big tube stuff is this...... Dont put it on your cab, let it be somewhere else where there is no massive amount of vibration during gigs and let it warm up for at least 10 mins before using (also preheat before HT) and most importantly let it cool down for the same before moving it. Moving it should always be a gentle affair no sudden shocks. Big bottles such as kt88, 6l6, kt66 etc are very mechanically weak when they are hot, They are also quite heavy. I think it is safe to say that 99% of any problems in big tube stuff is caused by a mechanical break down in the big bottle. It will then be as reliable as any other amp, depending on how old the components are in the circuit.

Edited December 30, 2013 by dan670844

[tonyxtiger]

Unless it makes you feel safer, I wouldn't bother with spare valves. I rehearsed and gigged a 400+ for over ten years without a single issue. I did completely re valve it a couple of times but it never died at a show. Only time fuses went was when the usual dicks with no gear who used it switched the power and standby on and off at the same time. (You can tell I'm not still bitter about it)
Having had a 2024x and a 400+ but sadly not at the same time I can imagine that will sound great. Put it on a big cab and it will take down walls! I'm jealous now.

[Sean]

[quote name='tonyxtiger' timestamp='1389545278' post='2335310']
Unless it makes you feel safer, I wouldn't bother with spare valves. I rehearsed and gigged a 400+ for over ten years without a single issue. I did completely re valve it a couple of times but it never died at a show. Only time fuses went was when the usual dicks with no gear who used it switched the power and standby on and off at the same time. (You can tell I'm not still bitter about it)
Having had a 2024x and a 400+ but sadly not at the same time I can imagine that will sound great. Put it on a big cab and it will take down walls! I'm jealous now.
[/quote]

I never share gear so I won't have the abuse issue. I carry a DI and we have a big PA so I reckon I'll be just carrying fuses. You're right about the sound with the Yam, the 400+ just loves those pickups. I'm hankering for a really big cab. I've tried all the lightweight Class D stuff and for me it was alcohol-free beer versus a pint of Fullers or the difference between electric cars and rear-wheel drive petrol engined V8 muscle cars, the weight is a small price to pay for all that endless tone and chest-crushing heft that the big valve amps throw out.

[brensabre79]

+1 spare amp, I take a Carvin BX500 in my wires bag. Don't wanna be opening up my valve amp mid gig - that's a quick way to burn or electrocute yourself. Just swap the head, and worry about whats wrong with the amp later.

[Happy Jack]

Or use a Sansamp BDDI as your grit pedal. If your amp should blow, just plug it into the PA.

My PA is a 4-channel jobbie (700W per channel, allegedly) and we use only three of those channels. If my amp were to blow, I'd simply run the BDDI into channel #4 and connect that channel to my bass cab.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1385231678' post='2285940']
I'm about to start gigging regularly with my Mesa Boogie 400+ and I was wondering what spares should I carry?
[/quote]

Markbass LMII works for me.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1385231678' post='2285940']
I'm about to start gigging regularly with my Mesa Boogie 400+ and I was wondering what spares should I carry?

I'd be interested to hear from any users of big valve amps what they carry as spares. I already carry a good DI but should I carry an array of valves too?
[/quote]

Never had a problem with a tube amp live, whilst I've had quite a few problems with hybrid/SS amps. I carry a DI just in case, depending on where the problem might be, it would go through the power stage of the head or into the PA. If it were a gig without a big enough PA I might take a small SS power amp alongside the DI.