Sudden tube fail.

[IvanMike]

Had the oddest thing happen about a month ago. At a gig my SWR electric blue head just cut out. I use it as a preamp so I had to plug into the poweramp just using my sans amp pedal (which worked but had to crank the poweramp inputs quite a bit more).

Turns out the preamp tube just died. Swapped it out and all good. Never had a tube just fail like that, usually they get a little "wonky" IME first. They distort, get microphonic, go up and down in gain, etc. Never had one just die like that.

How unusual is this? Or have I just been really lucky till now?

[jastacey]

It happens ... must have been made on a Friday or a Monday !!!!

[KramerBassFan]

New or old tube?

[warnergt]

Originally Posted by jastacey

It happens ... must have been made on a Friday or a Monday !!!!

...or a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

They don't make tubes like they used to. I don't care if you get them
from Russia or Timbuktu.

[BassmanPaul]

If the heater goes open the tube will just die instantly. Pre-amp tube tend to live long lives - they really don't do much work. When the time is right, they'll go in what ever way they chose!

Paul

[jastacey]

Originally Posted by warnergt

...or a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

They don't make tubes like they used to. I don't care if you get them
from Russia or Timbuktu.

+1 to that !!!!

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

If the heater goes open the tube will just die instantly. Pre-amp tube tend to live long lives - they really don't do much work. When the time is right, they'll go in what ever way they chose!

i wish i could choose the method i'm going

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i wish i could choose the method i'm going

You're not going anywhere Jimmy! The powers that be know how lost we'd all be without you and so are making an exception in your case!!!

Besides only the good die young!

Paul

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

You're not going anywhere Jimmy! The powers that be know how lost we'd all be without you and so are making an exception in your case!!!

Besides only the good die young!

thanks paul!

hey...waitaminit! why you...!!!

[IvanMike]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

If the heater goes open the tube will just die instantly. Pre-amp tube tend to live long lives - they really don't do much work. When the time is right, they'll go in what ever way they chose!

Paul

good to know. Funny, i took a spare with me for years and never needed it. Of course, that day, the spare(s) were at home.

[MarTONEbass]

I just had the tube in my Read Purity die on me. Never happened before so I brought it to my local guy to have the pre checked out since it has never seen a tech before.