New Amp Bought!!!!

[kaomao]

I just bought a new 5150 MK1 with Evh sign.
I noticed that (watching the amp from behind) the first powertube on the left besides the normal orange light, it generates a blue light on left!
Is it ok??? Does it need a re-biasing??
What have I to do???
The amp is brand new, it's a very strange thing, I had tube amps in the past but I never noticed this thing.
On italian forums I've read that this does not compromise the tone.
I know that here there are guys that have got this great amp, so I thought it's better to ask you before taking it to a servive center.

Maurizio

 

[Brad Riffs]

Being it brand new, that's confusing, but, I had the exact same problem with mine a while ago. All I did was took out the tubes, and tightened up the tiny little metal peices inside each tube socket. I then went and cleaned out every tube socket with contact cleaner. It has worked fine ever since, which has been about 6 months. This may be the case, but I am not sure.



EDIT: I recently got an Engl Powerball and never looked back!

 

[Hewy80]

Sort of off topic but Freak Guitar what is the name of the contact cleaner you used?

Im interested in using it on my recto

Thanks

 

[kaomao]

EDIT: I recently got an Engl Powerball and never looked back!

Uhm great amp, we got it in our rehearsal room, it sounds a little muddy to me, too much lowend, I don't know if it's just the cab or the guitarrist that sets the depth punch knob too high !!!
So we have Dual rectifier, 5150 and Powerball, we need a Savage and a JCM800 so we'll be ready to destroy the world!!!!
eheheh

Maurizio

 

[Brad Riffs]

Sort of off topic but Freak Guitar what is the name of the contact cleaner you used?

Im interested in using it on my recto

Thanks

"Blow-Off"

http://www.blowoff.com/blowoff/contclnr.html

 

[SessionEd]

A blue glow is indicative that a valve is about to die.

THe 5150 is a fixed-bias design, so bias can't be changed. As long as you use a matched quartet of power valves ('tubes' as the yanks say) you'll be fine. THe Svetlana ones sounds good for not too much money

 

[kaomao]

A blue glow is indicative that a valve is about to die.

Fuck !!! It's a brand new amp!!!

THe 5150 is a fixed-bias design, so bias can't be changed. As long as you use a matched quartet of power valves ('tubes' as the yanks say) you'll be fine. THe Svetlana ones sounds good for not too much money

Uhm great!! like for mesa!!!
So I can change the old quartet with a new one and ready to go?
I mean, is important to have a matched quartet of valves?
Grooves tubes, Svetlana, Sovtek Electro Harmonix are they ok?

Maurizio

 

[SessionEd]

Groove tubes are fine, can be a little over-priced. When I last checked with Aspen at GT, he didn't have his 'own' tubes, they were re-branded, mostly Russian, but tested very well and any that didn't make the grade got thrown away.

Sovtek ones are very cheap, but OK, the Svetlana 6L6 is better. Sovtek's EL34s are nice though (not relevant for this amp though)

Electro-Harmonix, re-branded, not sure on the quality of these though.

I've played 5150's for years, and although the best sounding valve for this amp is a Sylvania STR, the Svetlana comes VERY close. The Sylvanias are now EXTREMELY rare (as when the 5150 came out , these were used as the stock tubes...awesome.) Peavey then switched to Chinese valves, which don't make the amp sound it's best.

By the way, the main tip for the best tone from a 5150 is the cab. They sound like arse through Marshall cabs, but killer through a Mesa or 5150 cab. Even the older Peavey 412MS cabs with Sheffield speakers sound great for metal. Marvellous.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

Anyone got Mullards?