Een
Hi guys, I'm new to the forum. I've been a lurker for a while, but I finally have a real question to ask.
I bought a second hand Valveking 112 about 2 years ago. The amp was apparently 1 year old at the time, and sounded fine when I demoed it, but when I got home and started using it, I noticed a *tick* *tick* sound at regular intervals. Almost like a metronome. This was my first amp, and I didnt know what the cause could be. I asked around, and got varied answers...from inconsistent power stream, faulty guitar wiring, faulty guitar cable to valves needing replacement. I also got told that it's a bad idea to play an amp which has valves on their way out. I tried different guitars and cables, but the problem remained.
At the time I didnt have the cash for new valves, so I put the amp back in its box and sort of forgot about it for a while LOL.
My question is, is it safe to play an amp with valves that are worn/old and need replacing? Someone told me I could blow something on the amp if I play it like this. My n00b logic tells me the sound would just deteriorate until the valves are completely shot, but I cant see that it would cause any damage...unless a valve blows maybe? Is this even possible?
Heath
firstly do you or your neigbours have an electric fence , guranteed thats where the ticking metronome sound is coming from .
Een
No, not at the time.
I moved to a new house recently though, and this one does have an electric fence at the back, but I have not tried the amp yet in this new place. I'm just asking if it's safe to check it, without running the risk to cause more damage.
aja
+1 for the fence
Bad valves, especially valves that deteriorated at different rates, will cause the output transformer to heat up to the point where the insulation will melt off the wires in some cases.
Don't use old valves or ones that are mismatched. But they would have to be really old to cause permanent damage
Een
Thanks Aja and Tailon.
I guess it's safe then to power it up and see if the ticking is still there, but the plan is to get new valves in the near future in any case.
I got a new guitar recently (PRS SE Tremonti) as well as a Roland Micro Cube for 'discrete' practicing, but I'm curious to hear the Valveking before I get it serviced now.
AlanRatcliffe
I'd also suspect a fence first, but could be a faulty capacitor or just a bad solder joint (Peaveys occasionally show up with bad joints). Best is to try it out, and if the problem persists, get it to a tech. As aja said, the chances of doing any damage are minimal unless the valves are really far off spec - remember valves are the only "modern" technology that will survive the EMP of a nuclear blast (so in the event of nuclear war, all that will be left is a bunch of guitar toting cockroaches - and maybe Keith Richards).
Een
Alan Ratcliffe wrote(so in the event of nuclear war, all that will be left is a bunch of guitar toting cockroaches - and maybe Keith Richards).
HAHAHAHA classic!
Thanks for the feedback guys!
Een
Just an update.
The ticking noise is gone now...new electric fenced house and all :-[
Something else must have caused the interference in the old place.
Next stop, new valves.
