Since I don't know either you or nikininja, I will simply accept what you say here. However I would also point out that nik's apparently vast and all knowing experience doesn't negate my own or my own opinions. Ultimately it's up to the OP to decide if, what and how anything on an internet forum given by total strangers applies to his/her situation. That is after all the point of a "public forum" to begin with...to get differing and various opinions. Maybe that Mesa's tubes are getting weak and maybe his guitars pickups are "loosing their polarity" and maybe the problem lies elsewhere completely...only the OP will know for sure in any case.

Incidentally, I would also point out that I don't think the issue here is how long tubes/valves will "last". I've seen TV sets with tubes that were 30-40 years old or more where the tubes "worked just fine". In a guitar amp however, the subject is how those tubes sound after 1 year, 4 years, 10 years or 40 years...and most tube amp owners usually find that a heavily played amp will start to loose some tone (and/or volume) with tubes that are a year or so old. Doesn't mean the tubes are "bad" or non-working, but they do not generally sound "fresh" either. Obviously how an amp is biased plays a very strong role in this...a hotter running amp burns thru tubes faster...simple law of physics. On the other hand, it doesn't mean that amp is biased "wrong" per say either...if that's the sound the amp owner prefers, then it's correct as long as said owner knows the pitfalls. I would also point out that how a given amp "sounds" is simply a subjective thing in and of itself. Some folks like the sound of a brand new tube amp, I'm sure others prefer the sound of something a little more "worn" and yet others are perfectly happy with a basic solid state. No one is more "right" or "wrong" in that regards...if you're happy with what you play, it's all cool but don't expect every single other person to have your exact same taste in sound either and more over, just because they don't agree with you don't think for one moment that automatically makes them wrong. Maybe nik likes the sound of old worn out tubes...and that's cool, but in regards to the OP's original question about loosing some volume, I think that checking the tubes on the amp is still a very valid point.

Anyways, you and nikininja are both certainly welcome to your opinions, but I am also entitled to mine as well and again it's up to the OP to decide if any of this bears any weight in any case.

Peace,
Jim

Lomitus, i dont refute your suggestion and yes my initial post was ignorant and stupid, written in haste without the consideration the matter deserved. I do however maintain the opinion that as soon as any problem is mentioned regarding guitar tone or volume people assume its a valve gone bad. When in fact valve circuit related problems only account for roughly 1/3rd of the symptoms of amp problems. I heard from a very respectable authority that a lot of this is caused by hype from repair shops who want to sell valves and keep a demand for valves going. Not entirely for their own intrests i hasten to add. In Fact i've experienced similar treatment by a marshall dealer who claimed i needed new ecc83s in a 5 month old jcm800. It was nothing of the sort although the dealer did replace the valves. The problem was some weird oscillation caused by using a power surge protector.

Yes my valves do last me a hell of a long time, but i baby my amps to extremes. Often refusing to use them unless certain demands are met. Also as i previously stated i like my valves well worn in, not microphonic but well used.


Ceri, a mate of the missus and brother in law has set up a shop making his own drums if your interested. http://www.highwooddrums.co.uk Tell him Darren Maltby sent you.

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No no and no

Ohmygod, ohmygod: there's some nice things there! This is not the point in the economy to be showing me that stuff - I've been trying so hard to kick my snare drum buying habit!

...Mind you, the prices on the shells are not bad... Hmmm...

Uh-oh...!

- C