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Post subject: Tube Rattle???
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:54 pm
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I have a hot rod deluxe and just today i started hearing a rattle coming from my amp when i play the low E string. After plucking the string a few time while trying to hear where it was coming from I found it to be the two 6l6's.. Does anyone know whether it's the socket or the tube itself? and if there are any easy fixes for that???

thanks guys


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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:43 pm
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If the tubes were tight in the sockets when you experienced the "rattle", it is probably one of the tubes gone bad. Power tubes should be replaced as a matched pair.

Are you sure it was one of the power tubes and not one of the preamp tubes? I've usually found the problem you describe to be one of the preamp tubes which can be replaced one at a time.

A gentle tap with a pencil with an eraser on the end as a note is played usually helps locate the bad tube(s).

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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:17 pm
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Tube rattle doesn't necessarily mean the tube is bad and not functioning properly. Most times you can get rid of the rattle with tube dampeners. The Hot Rod Deluxe is notorious for tube rattle. Power tubes can rattle too. They do in my HRDlx. The dampeners should take care of it. Why do you think they put the foam on the preamp tubes? The tubes are in a torture chamber. Piggyback amps rarely have this problem. Be gentle if you change the power tubes. The sockets are soldered directly to the printed circuit board by way of flimsy legs, and the connection tends to have cold solder joints at the board. This is one of the worst designs. The sockets are usually bolted to the chassis in more expensive amps.
Welcome to the wonderful world of tube amps.


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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:29 pm
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thanks for the info. i tried just pulling the tubes out (as gently as i could, which isn't easy cause they're really in there ha) and putting them back in and it seemed to stop. for now anyway. those "tube dampeners" sound like a good idea, i'll try that next. thanks again


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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:07 pm
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No problem and good luck!


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Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:18 pm
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Why tube dampeners when they cost as much as a preamp tube? I guess you'd save a little on using them on power tubes if they were the culprit, but why not get a tube that doesn't rattle?

BTW, my amp had the foam dampener on the preamp tubes and I still had one that rattled.

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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:21 am
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You can get tube dampers for a little over a dollar each. http://cgi.ebay.com/VACUUM-TUBE-AMP-DAM ... dZViewItem

In the Hot Rod series as well as a lot of combo amps, the power and preamp tubes are prone to rattle. A rattle does not necessarily mean the tube is bad, so why just keep buying tubes when you really don't need to. The only other way around it is to get a piggy back amp.
Most of the combo amps I've owned developed tube rattle at one time or another. If you spend 2 bucks and the tube still rattles, I'd get another tube. In most of my cases, the dampers worked.


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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:21 am
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For a buck or two- makes good sense. Thanks for the link.

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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:13 am
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No problem, I even use them as a preventative measure.


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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:30 pm
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Tube rattling for the HRD is a common problem, https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.ph ... gory_id=32

^ those special tubes from JJ are made to rattle less. In addition, a cheap solution is O-rings you can get from any hardware store, and they will work great.


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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:49 pm
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You've got to be sure they're high temp rings.


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Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:37 am
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O.K. fellow tube amp dudes.

my deville is still going nuts here, at volume level 3 or higher there is a buzzing sound seperate from the guitar tone, it continues for a couple of seconds after you shut down the volume on the guitar.

I have replaced the power tubes and the V-1 on the pre-amp side using a GT 12AX7R and switched the remaining tubes around trying to see if it would stop, it did for a bit and then started up again.

I just ordered a few more 12AX7R tubes so I can have fresh pre amp tubes in all of the positions.

any ideas ????

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Post subject: Re:
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 10:28 am
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63supro wrote:
You can get tube dampers for a little over a dollar each. http://cgi.ebay.com/VACUUM-TUBE-AMP-DAM ... dZViewItem

In the Hot Rod series as well as a lot of combo amps, the power and preamp tubes are prone to rattle. A rattle does not necessarily mean the tube is bad, so why just keep buying tubes when you really don't need to. The only other way around it is to get a piggy back amp.
Most of the combo amps I've owned developed tube rattle at one time or another. If you spend 2 bucks and the tube still rattles, I'd get another tube. In most of my cases, the dampers worked.


Snap, I know this is an old thread, but because its an ongoing problem with these amps I will post. It gets on my nerves when people say change the tube, why, tubes ant cheep, and if U buy another 2 in his case, and they still rattle its cost money for nothing, what a great answer ( changed the tubes ) gooor see if that sorts it goor, 9 times out of 10 if a tube is bad it won't rattle anyway, it is more of a crackling sound, anyway looks like he sorted it, not through changing the tube tho eh


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Post subject: Re: Tube Rattle???
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:33 am
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dezzy, Nope that's not always true and sometimes a tube replacement is the only answer. It comes with the territory. If you can't afford to replace a tube, maybe a head/cab or solid state modeling amp is the answer. Tube rattle is annoying and can be a problem if you record at lower volumes.

Blues Bondsman, I found this article on "cone cry" "As the speaker cone is vibrated by the voice coil, it can generate frequencies of its own that may be strong enough to be audible along with the intended note or signal from the musical instrument. These notes or tones may or may not be harmonically related to the intended note, and in some cases may be either higher or lower in frequency than the intended note. This usually means that the voice coil is driving the cone so hard that it is overcoming any damping and is essentially out of control. Sometimes manufacturers use huge magnets and loose spiders so they can win the 'sensitivity ratings' contest, but the result is a system that is difficult to control. Edge yowl is the term used to describe sounds that occur when the surround resonates, imparts energy back into the cone, and generates tones and notes that may or may not be harmonically related to the intended note."

Now for the big question, have you tried using the amp with a separate speaker to be sure it's not the cabinet itself buzzing and rattling. Arjay would be the one to ask about cone cry and ghost frequencies.

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