tube amp question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Axe Wielder
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Axe Wielder

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Okay, so I got my Mark IV back yesterday. $118 and Im not even sure what they did to it. I know they cleaned/fixed some of the pots, cause the knobs (most) work now. The guy working didnt seem to know much about what was going on.

I had 2 6L6's and 2 EL34's in it when I dropped it off. The EL34's were in the 2 outer sockets and 6L6's in the middle to sockets.

well, I get it back and it has the same tubes in it, only they are switched so its like (from left to right) EL34, 6L6, EL34, 6L6.

is this okay? I thought that they had to be matched in the outer and center sockets?

Im guessing the tech knows what he's doing, but ....what the hey?

any help?
 
turnitdown said:
Why don't you ask the tech??? How does it sound?
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that's the thing.....

I'm not even sure which tech or where the amp was sent to. I dropped it off at my local dealer, then they sent it out to a tech.

I have multiple sources telling me that the tube amps have to run inner/outter with tubes. (ex: red, yellow, yellow, red) instead of, how they did mine (red, yellow, red, yellow).

and it sounds ok, but it seems the tubes are running hotter than ever before, and I just dont want to hurt my baby.
 
Any decent tech should give you an itemized list of what he did, or tell you in person. The store should be able to put you in touch with the tech, otherwise I'd raise a fuss.

From what I found (the owner's manual), EL34s go in the outside two sockets like you had them.

I would stop using it, and find out what the hell is going on with your amp before using it again.
 
boingoman said:
Any decent tech should give you an itemized list of what he did, or tell you in person. The store should be able to put you in touch with the tech, otherwise I'd raise a fuss.

From what I found (the owner's manual), EL34s go in the outside two sockets like you had them.

I would stop using it, and find out what the hell is going on with your amp before using it again.
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yeah...I didnt get a list or anything. The guy working at the local store didnt seem like he knew what the hell was going on.

All I know is, it sounds better than it did before. Im just printed a manual, cause I seem to have lost mine. Im just going to put the El34's in the outter two sockets. should be ok, since Mesa's are self-biased.

thanks though, guys.
 
Axe Wielder said:
yeah...I didnt get a list or anything. The guy working at the local store didnt seem like he knew what the hell was going on.
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Pretty common. They probably just have a guy they send things to, and maybe charge you a fee for being the middleman. They don't need to know anything, which works just fine until it doesn't, as in your case. And not giving you an itemized bill hides any fees they charge you.

Axe Wielder said:
All I know is, it sounds better than it did before. Im just printed a manual, cause I seem to have lost mine. Im just going to put the El34's in the outter two sockets. should be ok, since Mesa's are self-biased.

thanks though, guys.
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Well, as long as it sounds better. I would still check with the tech before I fired it up again, though. Hopefully he didn't make any other little mistakes.
 
boingoman said:
Pretty common. They probably just have a guy they send things to, and maybe charge you a fee for being the middleman. They don't need to know anything, which works just fine until it doesn't, as in your case. And not giving you an itemized bill hides any fees they charge you.



Well, as long as it sounds better. I would still check with the tech before I fired it up again, though. Hopefully he didn't make any other little mistakes.
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yeah, I really should check with the tech, but I just got the amp back after it being at the tech for like over 2 months.....the Mark IV is my baby....

I really dont want to damage anything else, but I think it'll be ok.

We shall see.....
 
Axe Wielder said:
yeah, I really should check with the tech,

.....the Mark IV is my baby....

...... but I think it'll be ok.

We shall see.....
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No offense, but this seems to be a big problem with people these days. Man, I wouldn't take such a nonchalant attitude with my "baby". It's not like it's gonna kill you to make a quick phone call to mesa boogie.

Geez...people leaving their small children in the car in the heat while they go grocery shopping, people playing their amp when it could possibly cause damage, etc..... but it will somehow all be ok........... it would be too inconvenient to do things any other way.........

:p
 
MrBoogie said:
No offense, but this seems to be a big problem with people these days. Man, I wouldn't take such a nonchalant attitude with my "baby". It's not like it's gonna kill you to make a quick phone call to mesa boogie.

Geez...people leaving their small children in the car in the heat while they go grocery shopping, people playing their amp when it could possibly cause damage, etc..... but it will somehow all be ok........... it would be too inconvenient to do things any other way.........

:p
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:mad: :mad: :mad:

Kids can take care of themselves. Amps can't.





:D
 
well, I switched the tubes to their proper places.

Amp sounds good.

and it won't be Mesa/Boogie that I would call, since it didnt go there. I have no clue where it was sent to. Next time I'll take the proper precautions and make sure.

and no, the amp is not toast yet. It's fine. Probably wouldnt hurt to retube the whole thing, though. I bought it used and havent retubed it since.
 
Mesa Boogie would be your best bet since they made the amp and probably know best where the tubes should go.....unless you had some mods done.

:D
 
MrBoogie said:
Mesa Boogie would be your best bet since they made the amp and probably know best where the tubes should go.....unless you had some mods done.

:D
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yeah. well, I agree...but all it took was a simple look in the manual to figure out where the tubes went.

I dont know why the tech mis-matched them the way he did. :confused:
 
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