PROBLEM, (need help asap)

[Beard666]

Wolfeman. Correct me if i'm totally worng. Blue glow is normal is some tubes, but super bright neon blue can be a sign of an air leak. Also, if the Getter chrome/silver layer in the tube is turning white or has turned white this is a sign of air leak.

 

[ChristopherJames99]

Wolfeman. Correct me if i'm totally worng. Blue glow is normal is some tubes, but super bright neon blue can be a sign of an air leak. Also, if the Getter chrome/silver layer in the tube is turning white or has turned white this is a sign of air leak.

I don't see any white on these power tubes man, like all th tubes in this head are pretty new, like less then a month, also the tones of the amp when playing without stopping is great there is no lose of tone what so ever.

 

[Wolfeman]

If your tube had an air leak, it wouldn't work at all (IE it would be lit up, but you would have power output problems).

Blue glow is normal. Some people will tell you it's bad gas on the inside, but every power tube I've ever seen has had blue glow when ran at high volumes. It will go from nonexistent to bright when you do palm mutes, etc. Some brands do it more than others. Here is a good read- http://thetubestore.com/blueglow.html

If it looks like this, it's bad-

If it looks like this, it's all good-

 

[ChristopherJames99]

dude here is best way to explain now it looks.

about just like this


http://www.lostepcot.com/images/imaginationelectrify.jpg




its kinda that crazy looking.
i tried making video and its not really picking it up like it really looks so thats the best way i can tell you guys what it looks like.

 

[Ionei]

Bad tubes brah.

If you just got them replaced, get your fucking money back.

This happened to me some time ago.

Shit would just go crazy and sparky blue, very bright, could see it through the air vents on the top of my amp.

 

[John_C]

you're getting arcing inside the tubes?!?! that's some crazy shit.

Those need replacing, although there could be another cause. In the mean time get DIs and sort out the amp later for re-amping

 

[bryan_kilco]

Yeah that's DEF not normal. It doesnt sound like microphonic tubes at all to my ears. Microphonic ones have a more high pitched ringing sound. At first listen, yeah it sounds like there's no noise gate and the guitarist is standing too close....but this is not the case. I'd have it checked out. Maybe record DI guitars and have someone here reamp, like suggested?

 

[AHChris]

Can´t listen to your file right now, but a different approach: check for feedback loops caused by direct monitoring

 

[TheWinterSnow]

you're getting arcing inside the tubes?!?! that's some crazy shit.

Those need replacing, although there could be another cause. In the mean time get DIs and sort out the amp later for re-amping

Depends on which electrodes are arcing together could determine if it where tubes or a larger issue within the amp itself, but something is telling me that it could be the amp. Hope I am wrong.

 

[John_C]

just realised no-ones asked: Which tubes are arcing?

 

[TheWinterSnow]

I'm thinking he is referring to the power tubes, because you can't really watch the pretubes in a 5150.

 

[guitarguru777]

Ya unless he takes the back plate off you cant see the preamp tubes, They are mounted in the back of the amp not in the main chassis stick up like "traditional" tube amps. If he can see it when hes playing its probably the POWER tubes and not the preamp tubes.

 

[John_C]

ah right, fair doos, never had a 5150.

 

[guitarguru777]

Yup look here

The little signature plate on the right with the screws is where the 12ax7's are mounted.

If he can see the tubes arcing as he plays its the power section with the issue. Its probably just a bad tube.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

yeah its completely normal for power tubes to arc when they are failing, but from the videos that I have seen, its pretty mild and after a few arcs the tube is done for as the arcs signify that the tube has become a short. Thats most liekly the case for the OP, it looks like the tubes are just going out with a more rare, but most likely cooler looking display of failure.

 

[Sloan]

Let us know if new tubes solve the problem, if not, I remember working on a Peavey Classic 50 that did this because of microphonic preamp tubes and a bad resistor.