Best way to retube small box

[MesieBooga]

Hi Guys! The small box Mark series amps are so tight it is hard to reach the 12ax7's in V1 V2 V3 and V4!
Beside pulling it out of the box any other tricks anyone has?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

You might try turning it upside-down. This way you can see what you're doing, and have less fear of bending pins. I do this with small combos and heads all the time.

Just make sure that everything is still plugged in (Speaker, Reverb, etc.) when you're done.

 

[AMG1]

Mine are wide bodies and they are still a pain in the butt.

I'll put pillows in front of the amp and lean it foward. Although my hands are'nt huge my finger feel fumbley trying to line them up.

 

[MesieBooga]

I had a heck of a time putting the Chassis back in the box after taking photos and retubing he amp. That Reverb cord was almost impossible to plug in! :lol: I'd rather try to retube the amp without taking it out of the box now...

 

[AMG1]

When I pulled the chassis on the MkIII it went smooth. I just did'nt want to strip the screws when I put it back.

I'm not going to pull it apart just for tubes.

I guess its just you dont want the pins to fold over and if your not use to replaceing tubes every day its a pain. Takes a little patience .

 

[Monsta-Tone]

If you are really gentle when you try to push it in (sounds slightly connotative ), you should be able to feel if it's not lined up properly.

It does take a little while to figure this out.

If you can see the empty socket after removing one of them this will help you line them all up a little better. Most amps have them all oriented the same way.



My Soldano head is the worst, the 1st (and most important to the tone) 12AX7 is behind the Output Transformer and really close to the front of the amp, so it's extremely hard to reach. You basically have to do it by brail.

I start by putting the tube up to the socket. I then rotate the tube a little at a time until I feel it go in just a little bit more than it did in any other position.

Then I will try to push it in a bit. If it doesn't go, I keep moving it around and trying this method until it does go in.



On my Bedrock 621, I used to just put the amp up on a table or work bench, & turn it upsied-down. It is approximately the same size as a Mark I. This helped tremendously.

 

[RussB]

You need friggin' "ET" (phone home!) fingers to reach into the box...plus I have to remove a couple power tubes and the PI to get access. Why, oh why didn't they give access by removing the front panel?

Ever drop a tube into the fan? Try getting that puppy out with your fingers!

TIP: plug the reverb cables in with the chassis slid about 1/2 way back into the head box, and when you can still get at 'em easy.

 

[MesieBooga]

You need friggin' "ET" (phone home!) fingers to reach into the box...plus I have to remove a couple power tubes and the PI to get access. Why, oh why didn't they give access by removing the front panel?

Ever drop a tube into the fan? Try getting that puppy out with your fingers!

TIP: plug the reverb cables in with the chassis slid about 1/2 way back into the head box, and when you can still get at 'em easy.

Great tip on the Reverb!! But I actually meant the AC cable on the Reverb. Any tips on that?

 

[MesieBooga]

If you are really gentle when you try to push it in (sounds slightly connotative ), you should be able to feel if it's not lined up properly.

It does take a little while to figure this out.

If you can see the empty socket after removing one of them this will help you line them all up a little better. Most amps have them all oriented the same way.



My Soldano head is the worst, the 1st (and most important to the tone) 12AX7 is behind the Output Transformer and really close to the front of the amp, so it's extremely hard to reach. You basically have to do it by brail.

I start by putting the tube up to the socket. I then rotate the tube a little at a time until I feel it go in just a little bit more than it did in any other position.

Then I will try to push it in a bit. If it doesn't go, I keep moving it around and trying this method until it does go in.



On my Bedrock 621, I used to just put the amp up on a table or work bench, & turn it upsied-down. It is approximately the same size as a Mark I. This helped tremendously.

Yup!.... different amps face the tubes different, and usually pulling an easy one out to see which way to face it helps. (V5 on the IIC+)

 

[RussB]

Great tip on the Reverb!! But I actually meant the AC cable on the Reverb. Any tips on that?

The AC cable? You mean the plug for the fan???

If so, same method applies 8)

The reverb has and "in" and an "out" with both being RCA plugs.

 

[MesieBooga]

Great tip on the Reverb!! But I actually meant the AC cable on the Reverb. Any tips on that?

The AC cable? You mean the plug for the fan???

If so, same method applies 8)

The reverb has and "in" and an "out" with both being RCA plugs.

Funny- I put the RCA jacks in backwards... for a second I thought I didn't have 'verb (was checking out an amp I'm selling before it leaves as I don't really use reverb) until I was able to reach in there and change them around. What a job!
Yea btw the FAN..... DUH , that's what I meant.
I have a short box head (IIC+) coming with the original box now! 8) I don't know if those boxs are the same as the Gain Boost I sold with a new Mark IV shell. If that makes sence....

 

[908ssp]

I bought a stereo phono male and female today and am going to make a very short extension for the EQ/Reverb jack. I am just tiered of fighting to get that foot switch plugged in. I thought about possible moving the jack but I just don't want to make a mod like that when a 6 inch cable and a couple of ends can do the same job.

 

[MesieBooga]

I bought a stereo phono male and female today and am going to make a very short extension for the EQ/Reverb jack. I am just tiered of fighting to get that foot switch plugged in. I thought about possible moving the jack but I just don't want to make a mod like that when a 6 inch cable and a couple of ends can do the same job.

That's what those are! oh my gawd! LOL :lol: I've been meaning to post a question on those! :lol: You mean inside underneath next to the RCA jacks right?

 

[t0aj15]

Why, oh why didn't they give access by removing the front panel?

That's exactly what they did with my Mark IV short head. The front panel is removable (velcro) which makes changing the preamp tubes much easier.

 

[908ssp]

That's what those are! oh my gawd! LOL :lol: I've been meaning to post a question on those! :lol: You mean inside underneath next to the RCA jacks right?

Yes. The one on the right facing the rear of the amp is for a stereo cord for the EQ/Reverb foot-switch. The one on the left is some kind of power amp input or something I have never used it.

 

[MesieBooga]

If ....


My Soldano head is the worst, the 1st (and most important to the tone) 12AX7 is behind the Output Transformer and really close to the front of the amp, so it's extremely hard to reach. You basically have to do it by brail.
..

Doesn't the front cage come off on the Soldano SLO100? I used to own 1 or 2 and I thought thats how I did it.

 

[Boogiebabies]

Todd,

You mean to tell me that after 20 IIC+'s you dont have this stuff down?




Ed

 

[MesieBooga]

Todd,

You mean to tell me that after 20 IIC+'s you dont have this stuff down?




Ed

This was an OLD thread I replied too. :lol:

Answer: There is no easy way to retube a small box!

 

[Russ]

Why, oh why didn't they give access by removing the front panel?

That's exactly what they did with my Mark IV short head. The front panel is removable (velcro) which makes changing the preamp tubes much easier.

This is exactly why I chose to get a modern Mark IV head cabinet to replace my older Mark III cabinet housing my Mark IV. The older cabinet forced you to have nimble fingertips and reach beyond everything in the way coming from the rear. I am currently in a combo cabinet though so I might switch back before changing my preamp tubes or wait until I need to change them then swap them out while it is out of the combo cabinet.