New MESA tube - redplate

[wagdog]

So after talking up MESA tubes here last week...

I put a new set of "mesa" EL84's (ordered from sweetwater) in my 5:25 about 10 days ago. I've got about 4 hours of play time on 'em (if that). I'm plinking away this evening when all of sudden "splat splat splat". Go look at that the back of the amp, and yup, redplating tube. Quickly turn it off and let things cool down. Sent an email off to Sweetwater, I'm sure they'll take care of me... and if not, I know MESA warranties their tubes.

Just bummed out. Love tubes. Love the tone. Hate it when things go bad!

 

[Mark Wein]

Thats the thing with tubes though...they can last a couple of decades or take a shit right out of the box.

 

[wagdog]

Yep.

MESA's testing procedure is supposed to alleviate some of that... supposed to.

 

[nuke_diver]

Now you have me scared....

 

[wagdog]

Now you have me scared....

Yeah... Mark pretty much hit the nail on the head though. Sometimes they last years, sometimes minutes.

 

[Modern Saint]

Tube mojo...

 

[Lerxst]

Shit happens. Here's to quick replacement set

 

[Chad]

That sucks. I am sure Sweetwater will take care of it, and if not Mesa will.

 

[wagdog]

Sweetwater is sending a replacement set, and a return label. That's why I shop with them.

 

[wagdog]

Well, found out today... they'll send a set and a return label when they get them back in stock, which might be tomorrow, might not be. Ughhh... not their fault, but ugghhhh nonetheless.

 

[GilmourD]

Blarg.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 4

 

[sleewell]

everyone should be ordering their tubes from laura aka the valve queen. she knows her stuff and tests each tube 2x before shipping. never had any issues with anything i have ever gotten from her. great prices and she ships right away.

 

[Lerxst]

Well, found out today... they'll send a set and a return label when they get them back in stock, which might be tomorrow, might not be. Ughhh... not their fault, but ugghhhh nonetheless.

That's why I used to always keep a spare set of power tubes and handful of good 12AX7s around. I don't play out anymore so it's not critical but I still have my spare tube stash.

 

[wagdog]

That's why I used to always keep a spare set of power tubes and handful of good 12AX7s around. I don't play out anymore so it's not critical but I still have my spare tube stash.

Yeah, I actually do have plenty of spares... just not MESA spares... and yes, I know, I can use other tubes - and at this point, I'd consider it but don't have a way to test the bias on an el84. I suppose I could pull the amp out of the chasis and measure the voltage drop across the B+ and both sides of the OT, but I really don't feel like it.