# Do I Need New tubes??? and other tube-related queries



## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

My Traynor is making some puffing, wheezing, sputtering sounds, so it seems like it's time for some new tubes, except the ones in there are less than a year old. My Traynor had a cap job done earlier this year and was fully re-tubed at the time. It's it possible that one/some of them is/are dying already???

I tried poking at them while the amp was running, and none of them seem microphonic, but I don't have the proper equipment to test tubes (unless it can be done with a multimeter), so I'm kind of limited to knowing what's wrong and why.

I don't necessarily want to have to blow a couple hundred on new tubes, so if I can figure out what's wrong, I'd love to correct it.

The noise only happens when I switch from standby to operate, and it gets quieter after a while, but doesn't quite go away. Is it possible the tubes are biased wrong? If so, how do I rebias? FWIW, I'm running a Traynor YGL-3 mkIII (no mods) and the tube complement is JJs all around.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

it cost you a few hundred to retube? it was $120 for me to replace 8.

I'd call up the guy who did the cap servicing and tell him about the issue. past that, im afraid i cant be of any help (i doubt that was very helpful, but i'd at least let him know)


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Budda said:


> it cost you a few hundred to retube? it was $120 for me to replace 8.
> 
> I'd call up the guy who did the cap servicing and tell him about the issue. past that, im afraid i cant be of any help (i doubt that was very helpful, but i'd at least let him know)


Yeah, that's what I was thinking, except he's in Kingston and I'm in Toronto, so it's not too helpful.

As for tubes, yeah, it takes 5 12ax7s, 1 el84 and 4 el34s. Altogether, it would likely be very close to 200 bucks  

Maybe it's time to seriously consider getting the DRRI I've been wanting.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

get a standard EL34 full retube kit, and then pick up the spare 12AX7 and EL84 off here?

it'd save you some $$


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

*Follow-up*

I'm not longer sure if it's the tubes that need replacing. I did the old tap-the-tubes-with-a-pencil test, and I couldn't audibly hear any of the tubes through the speakers, so it doesn't seem to be a microphonic tube. What else could be the problem?


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## FortinAmps (Oct 10, 2008)

hollowbody said:


> I'm not longer sure if it's the tubes that need replacing. I did the old tap-the-tubes-with-a-pencil test, and I couldn't audibly hear any of the tubes through the speakers, so it doesn't seem to be a microphonic tube. What else could be the problem?


If you need some help, I work in Scarborough. 
Give me a call 
416-298-4133 x2308
Cheers,
Mike


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

I'd wait for Wild Bill to chime in, or try sending him a PM in case he missed the thread. I'm sure he'd have some helpful suggestions. We should be paying that guy some kind of retainer for the amount of amp knowledge he dispenses on here.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

bagpipe said:


> I'd wait for Wild Bill to chime in, or try sending him a PM in case he missed the thread. I'm sure he'd have some helpful suggestions. We should be paying that guy some kind of retainer for the amount of amp knowledge he dispenses on here.


C'est une très bonne idée


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