Express owners - do your's glow in the dark!!?

[Reg]

Have just got my Express back again (see ealier post).
Now this went away becuase of a vibration and a 12AX7 valve (tube) that hardly glowed despite being already being replaced.
Well the amp returned from Mesa's tech and......

Now two of these valves don't seem to glow.
They are the middle and 2nd from the right as you look from behind.
I have had the lights off and it is so hard to see any glow from them. There might just be a tiny faint glow although some of that is reflection from the adjacent valves.

Is this normal for these models (5:50)?
If anyone has one of these, please let me know.
If they aren't supposed to glow, I can't see what they are doing there.
Oh, and the retaining clips for the 6l6s were bent so far open they weren't doing any "retaining" at all.

As for sound, the clean seems a bit "grittier" than I remember.
Still, the shop have said they will let me upgrade to another model if I want to.

 

[richt]

Hmm....I have a gig tonight, so let me see if I can remember to note the tubes glowing or not. I'll let you know tomorrow if I can remember to remember!

Cheers,

Richt

 

[18&Life]

tubes always glow ,doesn't matter wich model your amp is.
Tubes with the same models should be glowind the same way.
:wink:

 

[abecon5]

Reg, I would upgrade to a MKIV if th shop is letting you.
This amp would be leaving a bad taste in my mouth no matter what at this point.
good luck man!

 

[18&Life]

Reg, I would upgrade to a MKIV if th shop is letting you.
This amp would be leaving a bad taste in my mouth no matter what at this point.
good luck man!

+1.000

 

[domct203]

The glow you see is the cathode heater. I've seen "bad" tubes that glow really bright, as well as "good" tubes that hardly glow at all. If you are getting good sound (no crackling, sputtering, ringing, etc) the tube is working glow or (hardly) no glow.

Dom

 

[jtb226]

after reading your other topic and this one, i would suggest switching to a different model, even if everything is actually fine with the amp now. i know if it were me, i'd always have that worry of it breaking again in the back of my mind. like others have said, don't let this one bad experience ruin your taste for mesa. i honestly believe they are some of the best amps in the world. it seems like you just had a run of bad luck with a new amp series. i'd say go back to the shop and try some stuff out and see what you like. maybe a lonestar or stiletto ace and upgrade to that. best of luck!