Help! My Mesa is sick...
- Thread starter Tapew0rm
- Start date
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S-O
t(-.-t)
Did you buy it new? If so, I think they have a 5 year warranty. Give mesa a call.
Or open it up, bad capacitors can be easy to spot, they usually bubble/bump up at the top like an opened jar test for quality seal thingy, but more extreme. Or they spray liquid everywhere, and that's no fun.
Find a tech, or call mesa!
Or open it up, bad capacitors can be easy to spot, they usually bubble/bump up at the top like an opened jar test for quality seal thingy, but more extreme. Or they spray liquid everywhere, and that's no fun.
Find a tech, or call mesa!
cardinal
Buys guitars, sometimes plays them
How old are the preamp tubes? This sounds very much like what I hear when my amps need new preamp tubes.
I bought the amp used about 2 years ago and the guy said the it had been re-tubed recently. I think I swap some of the pre-amp tubes around (leaving V5 in place) to see if there is a difference. If there is still noise I'll open it up and look at the caps.
It still has great sound and is loud as hell so I'm hoping its a pre-amp tube.
It still has great sound and is loud as hell so I'm hoping its a pre-amp tube.
If he had 'changed them recently', knowing the stretches that many people who sell their amps consider 'recently' that could be over a year.
I changed my (bought brand new) roadster's preamp tubes after 2 years and only when I did did I notice how noisy and crackly it had been and how crap it was sounding.
I'd just buy a whole new set of preamp tubes if they're that kind of age.
Turn the amp up like you said and watch the power tubes, what you're hearing sounds like what you would if one of your tubes was arcing. You get arcing in a tube when there's air in there as the seals aren't perfect and air gets in over time. Air also means your filaments will be corroding with every use and a tube could go mid use which won't do anything any favours.
Be safe, consider a full retube, see a tech if you need reassurance.
I changed my (bought brand new) roadster's preamp tubes after 2 years and only when I did did I notice how noisy and crackly it had been and how crap it was sounding.
I'd just buy a whole new set of preamp tubes if they're that kind of age.
Turn the amp up like you said and watch the power tubes, what you're hearing sounds like what you would if one of your tubes was arcing. You get arcing in a tube when there's air in there as the seals aren't perfect and air gets in over time. Air also means your filaments will be corroding with every use and a tube could go mid use which won't do anything any favours.
Be safe, consider a full retube, see a tech if you need reassurance.
most likely a bad/dying tube. since the previous owner said 'recently retubed', i'd estimate that your tubes are at least 2,5 - 3 years old. in this case you should be retubing anyway.
even if it's just a microphonic preamp tube causing the noise, i'd still retube the whole amp.
even if it's just a microphonic preamp tube causing the noise, i'd still retube the whole amp.
most likely a bad/dying tube. since the previous owner said 'recently retubed', i'd estimate that your tubes are at least 2,5 - 3 years old. in this case you should be retubing anyway.
even if it's just a microphonic preamp tube causing the noise, i'd still retube the whole amp.
Pretty crazy modern tubes dying so fast. Makes NOS tubes more attractive to buy when you here stories of them lasting for 20 years in amps.
Never heard of that 
incinerated_guitar
Well-Known Member
My B52 was doing the same thing, just figured it was a bad ground or something. I retubed it with some JJ's and it turned out to be bad tubes. I guess thats what happens when an amp sits in guitar center for a few years
