My GenzBenz is eating tubes!
 

I bought a new Shuttle 9.0 in May. Very quickly, (first gig, actually) I started hearing some noise in the amp. GB helped me diagnose this as a faulty preamp tube. I replaced the tube with a nearly-new tube (1-2 hours of previous use) and all was well. A month or two ago, the amp started doing the same thing. I replaced the tube again. Tonight, I started hearing the noise coming back. So...

* Am I just unlucky? I haven't use the same brand or supplier when replacing tubes.

* Are tubes just that crappy now? And I should expect to use 4-6 tubes per year?

* Is something wrong with my amp?

* Could a power issue be the culprit? My amp spends most of its time plugged into the same place.

Sounds like the amp preamp tubes can last the lifetime of the amp

something is wrong with your amp

I am thinking that, too. I could be victim of bad luck with tubes, but it seems unlikely.

I have a backup head or two, so it is not a crisis. I will give it a little time to see if I can get help here before I call Fender for support.

I've had a Shuttle 9.0 for a couple of years and never had a problem. if you registered it with Genz they carry a 3 year warranty. Check their website. Plan on it taking a couple of weeks unless you want to pay about $50 for an expedited service call. Good luck!

I'd definitely bring the amp in to have it checked, that's not normal at all.

It's Fender's fault

:hiding:

This is not normal and there's nothing in the amp's circuitry that could possibly cause this (premature tube failure) but I would like to check your amp over to be sure it's not something simple like a bad tube socket or even something not tube related but in that area of the amp. It's also possible (but unlikely) that you have been extremely unlucky with bad tubes, be sure to send them all back with the amp so that we can test them as well.

PM me and one of us in R&D will take care of it ourselves. Should take only a couple of days, and under warranty.

This is why I love this company.

Will do. Thanks!

+1

I just hope that Fender does not kill the customer service that Genz is known for.

I had a MesaBoogie amp that ate pre-amp tubes for lunch. The amp had a fault in the power supply and the plate voltage was higher than it should have been. It was an easy fix.

I bought the same amp in April - never had a problem with the tube. Utilize that warranty, son!

There is a thread for this type of comment. Please do not post this stuff here; I opened this thread so I could get some help - and if it is a simple problem, maybe others can benefit from information regarding the solution.

Yep, sounds like the heater curcuit is fouled up and putting too much voltage on tubes. Could also be the high voltage, but I would guess heaters first. Not right for a new amp.

Very cool good to see that kind of help and customer service.