OK,so I have a new Peavey Classic 30 for my lap steels. While attemping to track down a mechanical rattle in the cabinet I broke one of the power tubes (EL84). I know a matched Quad is the way to go, but how bad would it be to just replace the broken tube for the short term? My local guitar shop said he has lots of spares (used, but good) that he would be happy to give me.
Are we just talking degraded performance or possible damage?
Thanks for you time.
Question for the tube guru's
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Frank James Pracher
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Question for the tube guru's
"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one"
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Riley Hart
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It would be best to check the bias and the current that the replacement tube is drawing of course, and pick the replacement that is drawing closest to the other 3, but if you can't do that, I would be very cognizant about making sure the replacement isn't running a lot hotter. Turn down the lights and make sure the plates are not getting cherry red.
Do not take my word as gospel, but I wouldn't be bothered about just replacing the one tube if you can get a good match....
Maybe get two or three tubes and try them all...
Do not take my word as gospel, but I wouldn't be bothered about just replacing the one tube if you can get a good match....
Maybe get two or three tubes and try them all...
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Larry Robinson
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Tim Marcus
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not that important. You won't get a perfect balanced sine wave at the output, but it will certainly save you some money!
Even tubes from the same manufacturer vary a great deal. Its always a crap shoot.
The one thing I will say is that if the tube was very old - like an original tube from when they were not only made in Russia and China, you may want to replace them all. If it is a new production tube, you are ok with a new production replacement.
The reason I say that is that the new production tubes draw substantially more current than their brethren from the past. So that would create the largest mismatch.
If it makes you feel better, some players prefer unmatched tubes at the output for guitar. It only adds to the moderately controlled chaos that guitar amps already have.
Even tubes from the same manufacturer vary a great deal. Its always a crap shoot.
The one thing I will say is that if the tube was very old - like an original tube from when they were not only made in Russia and China, you may want to replace them all. If it is a new production tube, you are ok with a new production replacement.
The reason I say that is that the new production tubes draw substantially more current than their brethren from the past. So that would create the largest mismatch.
If it makes you feel better, some players prefer unmatched tubes at the output for guitar. It only adds to the moderately controlled chaos that guitar amps already have.