How long do Amp tubes last?
Hey skip,
thank you so much for sharing your extensive knowledge
and expertise.
I am having a blast with my Fender Bassman LTD.
I know I should of course change a tube if it is failing but
how long should tubes last? i bought the amp used from a guitar player and the
rectifier and Power tubes are at least 10 years old at this point.
Should I re-tube every few years? Do I just wait for a tube to fail?
How Long should I expect tubes to last? The amp gets played 4-5 hours at a couple
of very loud jams each week. Other-wise I use my 5 watt amp at home for practice.
thanks so much!
Hey Skip,
Thanks so much for the guidance on these questions! Well if tubes can handle a God like Estrin
gigging for that long, it’s a good frame of reference for us mortals.
thank you!
Much appreciated!
Hello Erik- Thanks for writing. One thing is certain: tubes last much longer than tube dealers would tell you! Preamp tubes like the 12AX7 can last for decades, and quality power tubes (in a well-designed amp) can last for years. I know for certain that Rick Estrin had the same Sovtek 5881s in his #1 Super Reverb for five years of hard touring. And that was when they were playing 200 gigs a year! One exception I should mention is EL-84 power tubes. They are not as rugged as the 6L6 and may need replacing every year or so.
Until your RI Bassman sounds weak, distorted, or is blowing fuses, I say run it!