Learn the switches by feel, where they are and which is which. They are marked, (as are the tube sockets, if you look carefully at the steel chassis, next to the tube sockets), but you can't see those markings from the controls side of the amp. Part of the reason why you had one go bad!!! THIS IS IMPORTANT-make sure you know which switch is the power, and which is standby. Turning both power and standby on at the same time is hard on your tubes. The second switch(the righthand one, as you look at the back of the amp) is the standby switch. Connect your speaker, plug the amp in, and turn on ONLY the switch that makes the tubes start to immediately glow orange. Gently remove each tube, one at a time, and replace it with the new one you got. Don't bother with Radio Shack, or an electronics supply house.they are just parts changers places, and don't have any knowledge in musical instrument amps.repeat the first process. Once you have repeated these steps for EVERY TUBE-should take you about 10 minutes-get your paper, with all the tube numbers, go online to Mesa Boogie, or GrooveTubes, and order yourself a new set(or what you can afford, most likely in your case, it'll be the 6L6's.remember, those big ones should be replaced as a pair!!!)Īfter you receive your the way, you could get replacements at a good music store. Now, carefully, gently put the tube back into it's socket, wiggling it slightly as you gently push it in. Sometimes you'll find them on the plastic base of 6L6 tubes. Now, look at the outside of the e the little numbers and letters printed on the glass? That is what you use to get your new tubes. Note how they fit into the socket they came from. DON'T DROP IT!!! Look at the plastic(on 6L6's) socket, or the pins that exit from the glass 'envelope'(12xx7's). Once the tube is out in your hand, look at it, and the socket it came from. Like a halogen headlamp, those oils shorten the life of the tube.Ĭarefull grasp the tube, and gently wiggle it, as you pull it up out of it's socket.
#Bandmaster amp skin#
First, wash your hands well, or use gloves.you don't want to get skin oils on the glass. To replace your tubes, do it ONE AT A TIME!!! DON'T PULL THEM ALL AT ONCE, and don't pull them when they're hot.you'll get burned, and could ruin a good tube by jarring it when it's hot.
These are not big deals, usually, unless the fuse doesn't blow, and you leave the amp on for a long time, with a bad tube. What happens is, the internal components warp, and touch each other, or the tube leaks air because the glass cracks. I've had 6L6's go bad.they don't glow purple anymore, and get redhot. There was a thread that suggested you could have a circuitry problem in you amp. I haven't checked in recent years, but the last time I bought tubes for a guitar amp, the 12xx7's were at least 10 bucks EACH, and the power tubes(large ones) were about $70 for a matched pair. You can fine tune your amp by using different tubes(the options are 12at7 and 12ay7), but this can be expensive. But usually, I've found that 12ax7's work well in all positions.
#Bandmaster amp drivers#
The small tubes are for the tone controls, and drivers for the power, and spring reverb, sections of the amp.
Pick the one that best fits your style of music(there should be a guide on the GrooveTubes website). Or, as another choice, you can use Groove Tubes. They're less expensive, and are well-matched. I personally prefer the tubes from Mesa Boogie. It's best to replace these large tubes as a set/pair. There is usually 2(you don't have a 90w or 100w version, do ya?). The large tubes in a Bandmaster are 6L6(GC). You didn't mention if it has reverb.but no matter, except reverb requires an extra small(12at7 or 12ax7 or 12ay7). Tubes are way expensive these days.įirst, you can really make your amp sound great with a whole set of new tubes. Slowhand, this is a simple fix.but get out your wallet, it'll cost some bucks.
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