Tube help!!

[mHagartyjC]

Hey there,

My Fender Twin Amp is acting up. I've never owned a Fender Twin Amp before, so I really have no clue how to troubleshoot it. The Soldano I used for years before this was much easier to deal with.

Anyway, recently it's lost a bit of power, the tone has lost attack, and there's a feedback/squeal even when my guitar is switched off or my tuner pedal is enabled, it's always there.

Any clue what I need to do to solve this problem? Do I need new power tubes??

[stokes]

Sounds like it could be tubes.How old are the ones you have in there and what are they?The feedback/squealing could be reverb related,tubes would be the first suspect here as well.The loss of power and attack is likely power tube related.

[mHagartyjC]

Well, it was serviced about 3 months ago, and I believe they changed the tubes then. They're Mesa 6L6 GC's. I really dont wanna go messing with whatever kinda housing those pre-amp tubes are in, so I don't know what type they are, nor how old they are.

Kind of a tube dummy.

[Mars Amp Repair]

12AX7 shields

Well, it was serviced about 3 months ago, and I believe they changed the tubes then. They're Mesa 6L6 GC's. I really dont wanna go messing with whatever kinda housing those pre-amp tubes are in, so I don't know what type they are, nor how old they are.

Kind of a tube dummy.

Those tube sheilds on the preamp tubes are bayonette type. You basically just push down on them (towards the chassis) & then twist counter-clockwise about an 1/8 of a turn & they pop off. you might take off the shields & just lightly tap those tubes to see if your squealing changes or goes away.

As far as a lessening in power, it could be lotz of things. I know if an amp has issues close to my warranty period, I'd honor the warranty for labor & only charge for any addl parts needed...can you take it back to the guy who repaired it? glen

[mHagartyjC]

Yeah, I probably can. The only problem is that while the tech's at the guitar store I bought it from/got it serviced at are competent, they're so bogged down that I wouldn't see it again for a month or so.

Now that I take another look at it, there isn't much of a power lessening, that could just be in my head. It's really just the tone.