Tube maintanance

[Lo Lo]

How aften should I change the tubes on my amp?
How many hours should I put on them?

[al]

once a year maybe with a fair bit of use, its good to change em though, it can lead to bigger problems if there not changed

the power tubes will need more maintainence than the pre amps, change em in sts to dont just replace one the odd time

keep spares to check when u get a problem

[sap]

I haven't played my tube amp for about a year. My tubes don't have a lot of hours on them. Do I still need to change them? Do they have a shelf life?

[pagliai]

well you must change them when the tone is closed or when the gain is just a little lower.
gain 12ax7 ,tone closed el34

[Guitarmiester]

You'll notice a few things that should alert you to replace the tubes:

-Volume fluctuations
-Buzzing
-Decrease in gain

If you're playing at bedroom level most of the time, you're barely working the power tubes. So, you're tubes should last at least a year depending on how often you play and how hard you're pushing the tubes.

[Lo Lo]

twice a week at rehearsal I get to crank it for a few hours. Other than that it's bedroom levels. But I practice like six(6) hours a day, somedays more.

Maybe a year or less for the tubes? good to know.

[Guitarmiester]

In your situation, they should last longer than a year.

[Lo Lo]

That's for the info guys!

[bancika]

preamp tubes should last at least a year, if not much longer.
As for power tubes, it also depends on how hot you bias them.