Peavey Valve King 212 combo - Help!!!

[KingV]

I've had this amp for about 3 years and don't really use it too often. I play my little 15w combo at home and really only use the VK for gigs (once a month at the most). I got my tubes replaced 7 months ago after the original ones just crapped out on me... at a gig, of course.
Now I have a show coming up this Saturday and have yet another problem. Tonight at practice there was this piercing sound that sounded like the worst PA feedback imaginable. After a while I realized that the noise once shows up when I turn the reverb knob up past 2. I've tried different guitars, clean and dirty settings, with pedals or no pedals and it just won't stop. Has anyone here ever experienced this problem?
Like I said, I've had the tubes replaced, had to get a new footswitch because the channel/loop switch on the original was temperamental and of course always refused to work at gigs. For an amp that I barely get any use out of, I've had way too many problems and am about to throw this thing out a window!

[R.G.]

I've had this amp for about 3 years and don't really use it too often. I play my little 15w combo at home and really only use the VK for gigs (once a month at the most). I got my tubes replaced 7 months ago after the original ones just crapped out on me... at a gig, of course.

Now you are experienced, and will never play another gig without a backup set of tubes.

Right?

Now I have a show coming up this Saturday and have yet another problem. Tonight at practice there was this piercing sound that sounded like the worst PA feedback imaginable. After a while I realized that the noise once shows up when I turn the reverb knob up past 2. I've tried different guitars, clean and dirty settings, with pedals or no pedals and it just won't stop. Has anyone here ever experienced this problem?

Probably most of us. Are the cable plugs to the reverb tank clean and firmly seated?

Like I said, I've had the tubes replaced,

This is intended to be tough love. If you're going to play a tube amp, go learn how to put in tubes yourself and keep a back up set. Tubes *will* fail. There is a reason they're in sockets.

For extra credit, go pull out one tube and see what it sounds like with that tube dead. Now put it back in and pull out another. Now what does it sound like?

If all this is too much trouble, get a solid state amp. I'm not being snide, just realistic. It's a lot like owning a horse. If you really want to ride a horse, a motorcycle will not do. But there are different and more frequent maintenance issues with a horse that a motorcycle does not have.

had to get a new footswitch because the channel/loop switch on the original was temperamental and of course always refused to work at gigs. For an amp that I barely get any use out of, I've had way too many problems and am about to throw this thing out a window!

If it's really unreliable, ditch it and get one that is more reliable. But do your homework on what amps are reliable first. Go make friends with an amp tech. It will be the best time and effort you ever spent if you keep using tube amps.

[CharlieP]

The Valveking is wired in series. The amp will not work with one tube pulled! I believe you fixed the reverb spring if you are the same guy on the peavey forum. Spring was off! Learn how to maintain a tube amp. Knowing how to change tubes and where to find all the fuses is essential. Keep spares when going to a gig!

[tboy]

The Valveking is wired in series.

Just to be clear, do you mean the filaments are wired in series?

[Enzo]

Yes, the heaters are ALL wired in series.

Without looking at the schematic, if I recall correctly, they use the same 0.9A of DC current for all the tubes. The 6L6s are all in series, then they wired the three 12AX7s for 6v, and paralleled them. Since they each draw 0.3A @6v, the three in parallel make 0.9A. So that handily goes in series with the 6L6s.

Peavey has done that on a number of amps. The tubes are thus running on DC for quietness, and they don't need to distribute high current low voltage heater supplies around the amp. No more burnt up connector pins. Plus the DC supply runs off the same PT winding that powers the inevitable reverb IC and the relay circuits. One less winding on the PT then.

[KingV]

The Valveking is wired in series. The amp will not work with one tube pulled! I believe you fixed the reverb spring if you are the same guy on the peavey forum. Spring was off! Learn how to maintain a tube amp. Knowing how to change tubes and where to find all the fuses is essential. Keep spares when going to a gig!

Yeah, that was me in the Peavey forum. Thanks for your help!