Shuttle 6.0 Spare Tube Reliability

[Arranger]

Do I need to carry around a spare tube for my Shuttle 6.0? Just wondering how road-worthy this head is and whether I could run into a dead head in a bad situation.

Any advice would help!

[Popps]

I think if you don't have a problem that shows up in the first couple of weeks [due to being banged around in shipping] you are going to be ok. However tubes today seem to be less dependable than tubes of "tube" era. As small as they are it is easy to keep a back-up in the glove box in your car. I started out with the Genz-Benz bag, but, quickly switched over to a laptop bag, it has a lot more room for cords, cheat notes, tools, strlngs, etc.

[seamonkey]

GB gave you 90 day warranty on the tube. This reflects their opinion on the reliability of the tube.

They did not provide a tube bypass switch like Carvin does.
Blowing a gig because a tube goes bad is just nuts.
Carry a spare. Swap it in between gigs to be sure you have a working spare.

[Selta]

IMO, no.
I've never had a tube fail me at a gig, or during rehearsal, or during in home practice. A preamp tube all the more so.
Also, how quickly do you think you can swap it out if it DOES somehow blow on you? For my gigs, having one die mid set would be pretty much a life sentence, since our show is coordinated and timed out. You might not be in the same situation, but, even 5-10 mins for replacing it (let alone the diagnosis to get to replacing it) is likely not favorable.
But, again, I've never had a pre or power tube fail on me... so it's not a concern of mine.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

GB gave you 90 day warranty on the tube. This reflects their opinion on the reliability of the tube.

They did not provide a tube bypass switch like Carvin does.
Blowing a gig because a tube goes bad is just nuts.
Carry a spare. Swap it in between gigs to be sure you have a working spare.

number of years i've used amps with tubes in them....32.

number of times a tube went bad on me in the middle of a gig...1.

number of times i've blown a gig because a tube went bad...0.

arranger, i see you've met seamonkey, our resident "tube expert" who has never touched a tube amp or knows the first thing about tube longetivity except what he's read in books. he hates tubes and has this weird anti-tube agenda based on zero experience with them.

yes, now and then a tube goes bad, but in a single-tube design like the shuttle, it's rare that they go out on you. 12ax7's are cheap, plentiful, and easy to replace if needed, so yeah, i'd say not a bad idea to keep a spare with you. but carrying a spare does no good when you stuff it into a cord bag and forget about it and let it get smushed. if you do carry a spare, keep it protected and padded, otherwise the tube in your shuttle will greatly outlast the unused one in your bag. when i sold my swr sm-500, the tube in it had been there for over 5 years and still worked as good as it did when i bought the amp. so don't let seamonkey's completely wrong view of tubes scare you.

[RickenBoogie]

and in fact, preamp tubes can last for decades.

[seamonkey]

There's a light bulb in a firehouse that's been working for 110 years.

There's anecdotal evidence I shouldn't have spare light bulbs.
If the manufacturer doesn't give me a warranty worth beans, I think that is evidence they don't think much of the part.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

There's a light bulb in a firehouse that's been working for 110 years.

There's anecdotal evidence I shouldn't have spare light bulbs.
If the manufacturer doesn't give me a warranty worth beans, I think that is evidence they don't think much of the part.

if they didn't think much of the part, they wouldn't use it in the first place. yet another seamonkey red herring.

[BassmanPaul]

I've been playing gigs for close to fifty years. At least half of those through tube amps. I have yet to have a single tube fail on me at a gig.

[Jim Carr]

The tube in my Shuttle 6.0 went microphonic a few months ago. I replaced it with one of the several spares I carry. The same happened to the tube in my Mesa Carbine M9, and about 10 years ago the tube in my SWR 350 went bad. Could it be my breath?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

The tube in my Shuttle 6.0 went microphonic a few months ago. I replaced it with one of the several spares I carry. The same happened to the tube in my Mesa Carbine M9, and about 10 years ago the tube in my SWR 350 went bad. Could it be my breath?

it very well could be.

jim, i don't think anyone's saying tubes never go bad. hell, i just had two pre tubes go out in my svt a couple months ago and they were only a year old. so it happens. but swapping tubes around after every gig or carrying 10 spares at all times is ridiculous.

[Medford Bassman]

2 questions,

first, now that i'm paranoid from reading this, where can i get a replacement tube for my shuttle 6.0?

second, if the tube fails could i simply plug into the effects return ad bypass the preamp entirely and finish the show?

Thanks everyone

[Exploiter8]

^
Yep.

Sometimes I run a BDDI, other times a VT Character Series. Either one could work as a preamp for my ol' NeoPak 3.5, and sometimes that's just how I run it, too!

X8

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Medford Bassman

2 questions,

first, now that i'm paranoid from reading this, where can i get a replacement tube for my shuttle 6.0?

second, if the tube fails could i simply plug into the effects return ad bypass the preamp entirely and finish the show?

Thanks everyone

first, 12ax7's are the most available tube on the face of the earth. you can get them anywhere that sells tubes...music stores, online websites, amp repair shops, etc. i usually just buy them online or i'll go over to sam ash or gc if i'm in a real pinch.

second, yes you can...unless the amp was designed to not work at all when the tube is out. got no idea what happens to a shuttle when the tube goes out, so i'd give a definite maybe. pull the tube and plug it in and see what happens. if it comes on, then i'd say it's a good bet that you could.

third, enough with the paranoia. tubes aren't light bulbs.

[f.clef]

Originally Posted by Arranger

Do I need to carry around a spare tube for my Shuttle 6.0? Just wondering how road-worthy this head is and whether I could run into a dead head in a bad situation.

Any advice would help!

>> Do I need to carry around a spare tube for my Shuttle 6.0?

No, but why not? They're cheap (excluding the platinum-tipped, diamond, blah-blah-blah variety). Pop one in the gig bag, and FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED!

>> Just wondering how road-worthy this head is

I bought mine when they first came out, have played it almost every day, knocked it about a bit -- never a problem! (And certainly never a tube problem.)

>> and whether I could run into a dead head in a bad situation.

Well, there's bad, and there's bad. The former's okay; the latter, you're on your own!

[agedhorse]

To clarify (I got a couple of PM's on this topic so I'll answer here), the warranty on the tubes is 6 months and that is what the manufacturer of these parts offers to us. The typical warranty from most manufacturers on tubes is between 3 and 6 months. This is typical for almost all manufacturers of tube based amps as well.

Regarding tube failures, yes they can and do happen, but really very few fail outside of the warranty period. Generally they fail within the first 90 days, which is why the tube manufacturers settled on roughly this time period.

None of our amps will pass signal upon a tube failure, but the aux input and the effects return will still be active and pass signal so if you have a hot active bass, you might be able to plug into the FX return and be good to go (minus eq). In fact, I would recommend that all of you that play tube based amps go try this with your amps to see if this will get you by so that you will be prepared. Otherwise any preamp type device into the effects return would be a good on the fly solution in lieu of carrying a spare amp (assuming it's not a complete amp failure).

Hope this helps (and sorry for not addressig each PM individually).

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by agedhorse

To clarify (I got a couple of PM's on this topic so I'll answer here), the warranty on the tubes is 6 months and that is what the manufacturer of these parts offers to us. The typical warranty from most manufacturers on tubes is between 3 and 6 months. This is typical for almost all manufacturers of tube based amps as well.

Regarding tube failures, yes they can and do happen, but really very few fail outside of the warranty period. Generally they fail within the first 90 days, which is why the tube manufacturers settled on roughly this time period.

None of our amps will pass signal upon a tube failure, but the aux input and the effects return will still be active and pass signal so if you have a hot active bass, you might be able to plug into the FX return and be good to go (minus eq). In fact, I would recommend that all of you that play tube based amps go try this with your amps to see if this will get you by so that you will be prepared. Otherwise any preamp type device into the effects return would be a good on the fly solution in lieu of carrying a spare amp (assuming it's not a complete amp failure).

Hope this helps (and sorry for not addressig each PM individually).

thank you, andy. i get so sick of seeing anti-tube propaganda and old wives' tales about reliability from people who have never even owned something with tubes in it.

[hertzsogood]

A few months ago the tube went out on my 6.0 in the middle of a gig. I always carry a basic set of tools in my pedalboard case, as well as a couple of spare 12AX7s and a 12AT7 too, should the guitar player du jour need some help.

A Phillips head screwdriver is all that's needed here. I was able to open up the Shuttle, loosen the tube retainer screw, replace the tube, and have the amp buttoned up and rocking in about 8 minutes. I asked the fellas to BS a little with the audience while I switched it out, which went over just fine.

So yeah- tubes do fail sometimes. Is it a big deal? Nah. It's just one tube and an easy fix.

[96tbird]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

There's a light bulb in a firehouse that's been working for 110 years.

There's anecdotal evidence I shouldn't have spare light bulbs.
If the manufacturer doesn't give me a warranty worth beans, I think that is evidence they don't think much of the part.

LOL just LOL.
My 75 v4-b has the original tubes in it. I am replacing them as a matter of course. Sure new prod. Are not as likely to be so rugged but go buy any small ss electronics and
90 days is all the warranty you get. Manufacturers only give a short warranty on tubes because they don't make them; they buy them in bulk. They know if they survive burn in period, they are likely to last years. Having a spare is merely best practice if you are getting paid as a musician. More guitards use tubes than do bass players these days and if they lose one in a show, the same problem exists. Now what??

[bassmodder]

I would be more inclined to take Andy's advice and just buy a cheap EQ stomp that can boost volume and stuff that into the FX in an emergency situation.

No lost screws, nervous fingers breaking components, and maybe another sound from a stomp.

Worst in 5 years I have had is a microphonic pre tube. A little gain vs. master volume adjustment got me through that gig, the one after it, again, then I finally replaced the tube.

I also left one of the amps I built (tube) in the back of my van for a few weeks driving around town... Bad idea but it still works great!





Edit: Still on my sextet of SED 6l6GC tubes in my Fender Studio Bass. 2 years and counting. Can't count the gigs and practices that amp has done. Oh, and it survived the moving van!