Warning: preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in ..../includes/class_bbcode.php on line 2968
Tube Amp Warm Up
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 19 of 25

Thread: Tube Amp Warm Up

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Northern Ohio - Near Cleveland - Home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame http://www.rockhall.com/
    Posts
    7,753
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Tube Amp Warm Up

    Okay, in the "Geez, I thought everyone knew that" column.

    What is the reason for the tube amp sounding better after it is warmed up? I notice the difference when I play either the Epi Vjr or the BH. So as the tubes warm up (assuming that's it) what causes the amp (amph) to sound better? Or is this one of those "It must just be me" things?

    A little side not on the BH Hothead

    I just noticed the panel for channel two (zoom in)

    http://cachepe.zzounds.com/media/qua...0bcdd61730.jpg
    Mark
    * Loud is good, good is better!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    345
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    crank it up!!!!!
    Guitars: A Few
    Amps: A Couple
    Pedals/Effects: Sure

    We've done four already, but now we're steady, and then they went one-two-three-four....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    bend,or.
    Posts
    2,311
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Yep when they warm up the juices start to flow! Sumi
    Guitars,Warmoth Tele,90's Fender Strat Plus/Fender CV 50's Tele/Parker p-36/Fretlight/Custom Strat(Fender body/warmoth Clapton neck,tonerider pups)Larrivee L03 mahogany acoustic

    Amphs/66 Super Reverb/60's Bandmaster head and 2/12 cab/Blues jr//epi valve jr/supro super/ ZT lunchbox/Mahaffay Little Laneilei 3350/Pignose g40v

    Pedals/Voods Rodent/MXR carbon copy/Duncan Pickup booster/Ts9/Rat/ts10/Line 6 tone port uk2
    Line 6 M13

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Kent, UK
    Posts
    2,353
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    The power voltages settle down and the tube components get to operating temperatures. No black magic or zen secrets involved, sorry
    Electric: Fat strat > Korg PB > TS7 > DS1 > DD-20 > Cube 60 (Fender model)

    Acoustic: Guitar > microphone > audience

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Exterra Cognita
    Posts
    5,724
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    What Mark said.

    It is certainly true that tube amps sound better after warming up.
    I pick a moon dog.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Northern Ohio - Near Cleveland - Home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame http://www.rockhall.com/
    Posts
    7,753
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by markb
    No black magic or zen secrets involved, sorry
    I find this very disappointing.
    Mark
    * Loud is good, good is better!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    In The Middle Of The Arrpeggio
    Posts
    1,395
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Loud...and F'N Loud....funny.

    Mark....not sure I can explain it any better than the others have...but it goes back to the Tube TV days....the picture was always better once they warmed up. I always turn my amp on and let it warm up while I am getting everything else ready to play....
    Guitars: 2002 Les Paul Studio Limited Color's Edition | 2004 Greg Bennett Avion Les Paul Copy | S101 Telecaster project | 2004 Washburn D46 Acoustic

    Amplification: Epiphone Valve Jr. Head and Cabinet | VOX AD30VT

    Effects: Rocktron Delay | BBE Free Fuzz | Big Muff Pi | Boss Flanger | Bad Monkey | Jekyll and Hyde | Cry Baby Wah | Boss EQ | Behrenger TU300 Tuner |



  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    South Jersey Pine Barrens
    Posts
    1,564
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by markb
    The power voltages settle down and the tube components get to operating temperatures. No black magic or zen secrets involved, sorry

    Everything stabilizes and settles into the groove......................
    Guitars: 2008 Gibson SG Classic, 2006 Gibson Les Paul Standard LE, 2002 Gibson SG Supreme, 2001 Gibson Les Paul Studio Plus, 1996 Les Paul Studio Gem, American Deluxe Double Fat Strat, Bluesville "Super" Strat Copy, MIK Fender "Limited Edition" Tele, JD Bluesville "Night Pilot", Yamaha AES 820, Steinberger Spirit GT Pro, Taylor 355CE, Ovation 1897 Adamas, Ovation CC057 Celebrity

    Amps: Axe FX centered rack rig, Mesa 4x12 cab. Germino Club 40, Johnson JM150 Millennium, Johnson JM250 Millennium, Gibson Titan Medalist Frankenstein.

    Effects: Tonebone Trimode, EH Holy Grail, Boss CH-1, Dunlop Crybaby Classic, Framptone Amp Switcher, THD Hot Plate, Yamaha AG Stomp Acoustic Processor, Boss BCB-60 Pedal Board.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    DixieFried in BAMA!!!!
    Posts
    2,496
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Also to add, is to turn tube amps on let the tubes get warm(few minutes) and then hit the stanby switch(if you have one ) if your not ready to play.Alot of cats these days turn their amps on then immediately hit the standby switch My humble opinion is this is the wrong way or technique.I would like to hear other opinions on how they get their amps warmed up.......hopefully not sidetracking this thread but adding to the discussion at hand!
    Last edited by mrmudcat; May 4th, 2009 at 06:58 AM.
    "I love being alive and I will be the best man I possibly can. I will take love wherever I find it and offer it to whoever will take it... seek knowledge from those wiser and teach those who wish to learn from me."
    "Develop your talent, man, and leave the world something. Records are really gifts from people. To think that an artist would love you enough to share his music with anyone is a beautiful thing."
    Duane Skydog Allman

    You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself." - Evel Knievel

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    NW Missouri,
    Posts
    4,097
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I always flip 'em on and leave 'em on for 10-15 minutes. I only used the standby switch during breaks back in the day when we played as weekend warriors. When the tubes were hot they just sounded better. The old Fender Super got hotter and better as the night went on................ I also cranked it to 8 or 9 on the volume and used the guitar volume to adjust the level to where I wanted it. It seemed to be more touch sensitive that way.
    Guitars
    Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
    Amps
    Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
    Pedals
    Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Kent, UK
    Posts
    2,353
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by oldguy
    I always flip 'em on and leave 'em on for 10-15 minutes. I only used the standby switch during breaks back in the day when we played as weekend warriors. When the tubes were hot they just sounded better. The old Fender Super got hotter and better as the night went on................ I also cranked it to 8 or 9 on the volume and used the guitar volume to adjust the level to where I wanted it. It seemed to be more touch sensitive that way.
    Just the way I used to use my Fender/Rivera Concert. I could never get on with its distortion channel. All those gain controls and pull switches, far too confusing
    Electric: Fat strat > Korg PB > TS7 > DS1 > DD-20 > Cube 60 (Fender model)

    Acoustic: Guitar > microphone > audience

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Northern Ohio - Near Cleveland - Home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame http://www.rockhall.com/
    Posts
    7,753
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mrmudcat
    ...hopefully not sidetracking this thread but adding to the discussion at hand!
    Not at all, this is the sort of stuff I'm looking for.
    Mark
    * Loud is good, good is better!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    35
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    A quote from my Fender ProTube Twin-Amp User Manual...

    POWER - Switches power ON and OFF to the
    amplifier. (Reduce the “shock” to amplifier tubes at
    power-up, extending their life span, by turning the
    POWER switch ON with the STAND BY switch
    DOWN for the first minute, then UP for normal use.

    STAND BY - In the DOWN position, this switch puts
    the amp on stand by. Audio is muted and power is
    supplied only to the tube filaments. Use STAND BY
    in place of switching POWER OFF during short
    breaks (one hour max.). This eliminates the normal
    warm-up time when STAND BY is switched OFF (UP)
    when returning to play the amplifier and also extends
    the life span of your amplifier’s tubes.
    See my photos at: micknewton.smugmug.com

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Uppah Noo Yawk
    Posts
    7,407
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Plank_Spanker
    Everything stabilizes and settles into the groove....
    Precisely. :
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    DixieFried in BAMA!!!!
    Posts
    2,496
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mick
    A quote from my Fender ProTube Twin-Amp User Manual...


    Mick I know it is black and white in the manual you grabbed this from but again in my humble opinion it is wrong/misleading or at best another way other than what ive learned.You turn the amp on without the standby switch on. The tubes warm up nice and you go about playing after warmup.(10-15 minutes) If your not ready then engage the standby switch.My fender manuals like yours say the opposite but after many years and many opinions from techs ,and other musicians etc. etc.
    this way makes the most sense to me.Having the standby switch engaged on intial power up does not allow the tubes to fully get warm and ive seen a few times where powering up that way ,then hitting the standby off after a minute or two cause fuses and or tubes to blow!:

    Just my humble opinion ......nothing more
    "I love being alive and I will be the best man I possibly can. I will take love wherever I find it and offer it to whoever will take it... seek knowledge from those wiser and teach those who wish to learn from me."
    "Develop your talent, man, and leave the world something. Records are really gifts from people. To think that an artist would love you enough to share his music with anyone is a beautiful thing."
    Duane Skydog Allman

    You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself." - Evel Knievel

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    NW Missouri,
    Posts
    4,097
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Ditto......... plus my old Fenders always sounded better when the tubes got hot and stayed hot, IMHO.
    Guitars
    Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
    Amps
    Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
    Pedals
    Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal

  17. #17
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Eastern CT, USA
    Posts
    4
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I'm a new member; I'm not much for big introductions, and this thread isn't the place anyway... Hello all.

    Anyway, if you take a look at the old data sheets for tubes you'll see most of them state the proper warm up time. A 12AX7 for instance needs 12 seconds or so, bigger tubes will take longer. I think a 6L6 is something like 30 sec, but I'm not sure. Large rectifier tubes take about the same, but some are quicker than others depending on the model. The standby switch comes after the rectifier in the power supply line so, depending on what type of rectifier your amp uses that will delay the B+ by itself, even if you switch off standby immediately after you power up the amp.

    Smaller amps with lower B+ voltages don't even have or need standby switches.

    Basically, I say that 1-2 minutes is a long enough warm up time depending on the amp. Of course, you should always follow what the manual says.
    Currently a bad bass player pretending to be a worse guitarist.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    DixieFried in BAMA!!!!
    Posts
    2,496
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Welcome and indeed 2 minutes is enough to warm up the tubes...I give them 10 -15 minutes as stated ........Ill just keep doing what has worked for me but thought id offer my opinion.

    Just looked at my manual for the vintage/modern marshall and it states to turn on without standby on and after two minutes warmup you are good to go then you can hit standby if not playing.: Exactly opposite of my fender hrd manual:

    Also I have seen personally the HT fuse,main fuse and tubes go bad when somone has turned on their tube amp with the stanby switch on and within a minute or two flip the switch to play just to hear a pop..of course there is a delay for a few seconds while the HT or Main fuse does the slow burn


    Anyways to each his own
    "I love being alive and I will be the best man I possibly can. I will take love wherever I find it and offer it to whoever will take it... seek knowledge from those wiser and teach those who wish to learn from me."
    "Develop your talent, man, and leave the world something. Records are really gifts from people. To think that an artist would love you enough to share his music with anyone is a beautiful thing."
    Duane Skydog Allman

    You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself." - Evel Knievel

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    601
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default I've always wondered...

    ...is turning the volume full bore helpful in getting things all warm and fuzzy, or does it not, and, does it hurt the amp any to do this (or not) with the guitar cord not plugged in the amp?
    Stupid minds want to know!

    Q #2 - doesn't the standby mode do quicker damage to the amp, maybe the tranny? I heard long ago that stand-by mode was injurious to the amps internals.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •