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Hi all. I know someone has probably asked this already but couldn't find an answer searching the forum.
My 1980 Fender Deluxe is having issues. The output volume has dropped and the sound is getting more and more distorted Same result in both channels). I tried swapping the preamp tubes with one I know is good and that didn't help. I switched the 12AT7 to see if that helped. I pulled tubes from Channel1, Reverb channel, and tremelo channel. Same sound from the amp. I don't see any plates glowing red. A couple of tubes glow blue but that is normal I think. The tubes are all Groove Tubes from the late 1980's. Nothing on the amp has been touched since 1988. I just ordered a complete set of JJ's including the 5U4GT. Amp has a JBL G-125 8 ohm speaker in it.
This amp has never had a cap job.
One other issue with the amp. When I bought this in 88 the tremelo wouldn't work without a pedal being plugged in. My friend just put a plug in with a permanent connection made. This works but the tremelo sound has been getting less smooth recently. As I said, I have had this amp for 25 years without having anything done to it. I mostly played acoustic but have been playing in a really low-volume band for a year and a half now.
Tonight I shut the lights off to look at the tubes in the dark. I noticed when I looked in the extension speaker jack, I could see an orange glow pulsing that matched the tremelo speed. It was almost like a spark but has a glow about it.
I intend to do a cap job on it as soon as possible and will be ordering caps this week. I will be getting an expert to help me with cap job so I can learn how to do it.
Do you think it is dangerous to my new tubes to even pull them in and see if it fixes the volume loss and distortion? Should I not put the new tubes in until a cap job has been done?
I am a newbie. I have just read Dave Hunter's book so I don't know enough to take voltage readings for you to look at.
My 1980 Fender Deluxe is having issues. The output volume has dropped and the sound is getting more and more distorted Same result in both channels). I tried swapping the preamp tubes with one I know is good and that didn't help. I switched the 12AT7 to see if that helped. I pulled tubes from Channel1, Reverb channel, and tremelo channel. Same sound from the amp. I don't see any plates glowing red. A couple of tubes glow blue but that is normal I think. The tubes are all Groove Tubes from the late 1980's. Nothing on the amp has been touched since 1988. I just ordered a complete set of JJ's including the 5U4GT. Amp has a JBL G-125 8 ohm speaker in it.
This amp has never had a cap job.
One other issue with the amp. When I bought this in 88 the tremelo wouldn't work without a pedal being plugged in. My friend just put a plug in with a permanent connection made. This works but the tremelo sound has been getting less smooth recently. As I said, I have had this amp for 25 years without having anything done to it. I mostly played acoustic but have been playing in a really low-volume band for a year and a half now.
Tonight I shut the lights off to look at the tubes in the dark. I noticed when I looked in the extension speaker jack, I could see an orange glow pulsing that matched the tremelo speed. It was almost like a spark but has a glow about it.
I intend to do a cap job on it as soon as possible and will be ordering caps this week. I will be getting an expert to help me with cap job so I can learn how to do it.
Do you think it is dangerous to my new tubes to even pull them in and see if it fixes the volume loss and distortion? Should I not put the new tubes in until a cap job has been done?
I am a newbie. I have just read Dave Hunter's book so I don't know enough to take voltage readings for you to look at.
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