How did I blow 5 preamp tubes???

[Velt017]

OK so I didn't do it, I have a Mode Four, but the other guitarist in my band has a Mesa Dual Rectifier and he managed to blow out all 5 preamp tubes after owning it for less than a week (granted, he did buy it used, but it worked when we left the store)

So what did he do wrong and how does he keep from doing this again?

His and my worry are that there is something wrong with the amp causing the tubes to blow.

[ozzuk1]

If the preamp tubes are blowing i'd be worried, if he did something dumb and the powertubes went ie not letting it warm up etc..

I'd be worried there is something wrong internally with a resistor or capacitor, it's a bit unusual for the preamp tubes to just blow, are you 100% sure it's the pre tubes and not the powertubes?...

Just saying the pre tubes have blown wont give anyone an idea pics of the the board would be more helpfull....

[marauder]

Gain dimed on a recto will kill preamp tubes, especially when the treble is also high, it mentions it in the manual.

He's unlikely to have do this as the tones produced will have destroyed his hearing first.

[Velt017]

Gain dimed on a recto will kill preamp tubes, especially when the treble is also high, it mentions it in the manual.

He's unlikely to have do this as the tones produced will have destroyed his hearing first.

It was definitely the preamp tubes. He bought it, it stopped working, they replaced all 5 preamp tubes, it worked again.

He did crank the gain... and we did play really loud for like 4 hours or so.

[onemilelost]

He did crank the gain... and we did play really loud for like 4 hours or so.

Face....meet Palm.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:6Z2zAP5ZaDTN8M:http://westrum.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/holy-facepalm.jpg

Does the Mesa sound good with the gain cranked...or does it just become a mess?

[ozzuk1]

Playing loud shouldnt effect the preamp tubes that much, but if the manual says diming the gain or using too much can hurt them, then it goes to reason that is the most likely culrpit...

Never heard a recto sound good with too much gain anyways very few amps sound good with the gain knob too close to maxed out...

[Tegamal]

Gain dimed?! Fuck dude, dial it back to around 2 o' clock.

[onemilelost]

Never heard a recto sound good with too much gain anyways very few amps sound good with the gain knob too close to maxed out...

That's what I had thought.

@Velt
What did your 'bandmate' have before the Mesa?

and

Where the F do you guys practice that someone could dime the gain on their Mesa and not have complaints...or kill small animals?

[Velt017]

That's what I had thought.

@Velt
What did your 'bandmate' have before the Mesa?

and

Where the F do you guys practice that someone could dime the gain on their Mesa and not have complaints...or kill small animals?

He was using a pod pro in a rack with a poweramp etc...

We practice in a storage facility that has been renovated (read carpet stapled to the walls) to be a band practice space. Most of the bands in Pittsburgh practice here its basically a cement building on a hill not too close to anything... This thing is so solid we don't even get cell phone reception inside... true story.

It didn't sound bad with the gain cranked at all. it would feed back pretty hard when not playing, but overall a very saturated and chunky sound. Maybe the EMGs had something to do with being able to handle all that gain, maybe he had his volume on his guitar dialed back, I dunno, it sounded OK.

[ESPKH4]

Gain dimed?! Fuck dude, dial it back to around 2 o' clock.

+1 dimed out gain sounds like muddy shit i really hate going into stores and or band rooms and seeing gain sections turned to 10!

[TheDevilHimself]

It might be possible that the preamp tubes weren't working properly from the start and had to be cranked to get enough gain.
In any case, I think the amp should be checked by a professional - this is too odd that 5 of them blew, especially if of those 5 one is actually a phase inverter and not affected by gain/EQ settings. I'm also guessing that another preamp tube is for the effect loop, so if it had to do with gain/EQ settings only 3 preamp tubes should have blown.

[Tegamal]

I usually have my gain around 7-8, my guitar vol is usually on about 5 (no feedback), I never turn anything full tilt, except my Tone knob. Who even uses those things?

[TheDevilHimself]

I usually have my gain around 7-8, my guitar vol is usually on about 5 (no feedback), I never turn anything full tilt, except my Tone knob. Who even uses those things?

You don't need to have the tone pot dialed down to get a benefit from it actually. ;-) Think of it more as a way to dampen icepick highs - it does that even fully turned up.