A few questions have been coming up about our recent tip on tube amp care (see inSync 6/21/99). A few examples: “Do these care tips apply to ANY tube appliance? I have a Digitech Valve Bass Guitar Pedal, which uses a tube for some of the patches. Am I damaging the tube or the pedal by shutting it down right after playing, putting it in the carrying case immediately, and heading for the door? Also, what care or precautions would you suggest for tube-type equipment (pedals OR amps) during winter months.”
Yes, those tips applied to any tube appliance. In general tubes are not as fragile as a hi-wattage light bulb. With them, vibrations while are up at temperature can cause the element to break. The same thing is true for excessive temperature shock (like moving from inside to outside with snow falling). But just because tubes aren’t as likely to break from some of this extreme treatment doesn’t mean that it won’t take its toll over time. When possible we recommend letting tube devices cool down before moving them at all. Tubes are not harmed by cold weather as long as they are allowed to warm up and cool off GRADUALLY. That means when you bring your amp inside from five hours in the back of a sub-zero truck you need to let it warm up to room temperature before applying power (this is basically true of all electronic equipment). If your amp is in a road case I would recommend (if you have time) letting the case warm up a while before removing the amp. Just break the seal on the case and let it warm up gradually. In some cases the tube sockets are more fragile than the tubes. They can get quite brittle when cold. Be careful about condensation too. It can accumulate around tube sockets, which can be fatal for the equipment. If you notice any condensation in or on your amp DO NOT TURN IT ON. Wait for it to evaporate or dry it out with a blow dryer (which is no doubt carried by your lead singer). A few basic precautions is all it takes to keep from unnecessarily abusing your tube gear. Most of the newer tube products are pretty robust. Do the best you can, but don’t lose too much sleep over it. We’ll be glad to sell you another one…