Other Peoples' Tube Amp Problems...
Since 1990, I've had a professional, working studio where I create soundtracks for TV ads.
I've been playing through tube amplifiers since 1966.
I've had DOZENS of tube amps, from vintage and modern Fenders and Ampegs when they were new amps, to probably a dozen Mesas, to 6 Two-Rocks, a couple of Bad Cats, my current PRS amps, Bogners, and many, many others. Every single one was made in the good old USA. Every single one has had tubes.
In that time, I have had ZERO tubes blow during a gig or recording session. I gigged for many years. I've had two or three tubes go microphonic in 56 years, and exactly two tubes blow. And that's it. Everything else has been routine maintenance.
56 years is a long time.
My tube amps are 100% dead quiet because I pay strict attention to signal and AC grounds, pedals, wiring and pedal power supplies, and AC power. My tube rigs are as dead quiet as my studio gear, a decent percentage of which has been tube powered over the years, and all of which has had noise floors so low you couldn't hear it if you tried. I mean it. People are amazed, and yet the secret is merely good grounding and signal ground isolation techniques.
To those who claim tubes are inherently a noisy problem, I say you probably have no idea WTF you're doing. The record industry is still using tube gear in mastering - units such as the Fairchild, the SPL Iron, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, the Knif Soma, the Bettermaker, and many, many others are in use every single day all over the world. Yes, mastering, where noise floor counts as a VERY big deal!
Going online I read stories of folks who claim all kinds of tube issues, yet I see issues with solid state amps as well. It's not merely the tubes. It's how well the product is made (including the tubes).
Made in China? Sorry, you didn't really save money, you simply bought yourself aggravation. I don't care what company's logo is on the box.
If you buy a quality, made-in-USA tube amp by a manufacturer that gives a crap, you will have reliability. The only possible issue is whether a tube will go bad, and they're awfully easy to replace.
I realize that every so often, a poorly-wired US amp will have an issue. If you buy new, the factory will repair it.
Bottom line: Tube amps sound unique, because in fact they are the best sounding way to go for guitar tone. A lot of people, myself included, think tube gear is the best way to go for lots of things in recording, too.
Don't be fooled by modeling. It's not the same.
Since 1990, I've had a professional, working studio where I create soundtracks for TV ads.
I've been playing through tube amplifiers since 1966.
I've had DOZENS of tube amps, from vintage and modern Fenders and Ampegs when they were new amps, to probably a dozen Mesas, to 6 Two-Rocks, a couple of Bad Cats, my current PRS amps, Bogners, and many, many others. Every single one was made in the good old USA. Every single one has had tubes.
In that time, I have had ZERO tubes blow during a gig or recording session. I gigged for many years. I've had two or three tubes go microphonic in 56 years, and exactly two tubes blow. And that's it. Everything else has been routine maintenance.
56 years is a long time.
My tube amps are 100% dead quiet because I pay strict attention to signal and AC grounds, pedals, wiring and pedal power supplies, and AC power. My tube rigs are as dead quiet as my studio gear, a decent percentage of which has been tube powered over the years, and all of which has had noise floors so low you couldn't hear it if you tried. I mean it. People are amazed, and yet the secret is merely good grounding and signal ground isolation techniques.
To those who claim tubes are inherently a noisy problem, I say you probably have no idea WTF you're doing. The record industry is still using tube gear in mastering - units such as the Fairchild, the SPL Iron, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, the Knif Soma, the Bettermaker, and many, many others are in use every single day all over the world. Yes, mastering, where noise floor counts as a VERY big deal!
Going online I read stories of folks who claim all kinds of tube issues, yet I see issues with solid state amps as well. It's not merely the tubes. It's how well the product is made (including the tubes).
Made in China? Sorry, you didn't really save money, you simply bought yourself aggravation. I don't care what company's logo is on the box.
If you buy a quality, made-in-USA tube amp by a manufacturer that gives a crap, you will have reliability. The only possible issue is whether a tube will go bad, and they're awfully easy to replace.
I realize that every so often, a poorly-wired US amp will have an issue. If you buy new, the factory will repair it.
Bottom line: Tube amps sound unique, because in fact they are the best sounding way to go for guitar tone. A lot of people, myself included, think tube gear is the best way to go for lots of things in recording, too.
Don't be fooled by modeling. It's not the same.
