May need new tubes 4 my brand new Mark V HALP! ASAP!

[sean106alcon]

Ok so maybe some may recall I jammed two weeks ago with my band and my Brand new Mark V was screaming with feedback like a banshee as some one said :lol: . Some some suggestions were to lower all the Masters on the channels' which I did (see pix below); and raise the output (I think, gotta look up the thread). So tonight I I made my settings with the Masters much lower then I had them and and still screaming ear piercing feedback. very annoying but sounded sick but in between note stops or changing some chords with a short break it screams. I take it tubes are not covered under warranty?

So being a tube noob to the whole fixed bias thing is new to me (as for 5 years I only played a Diezel VH4 and VH4S and always used EL 34 Ruby BSTR's from dougstubes.com......funny he lives right near me in Long Island and once I went to his house to pick up some tubes and his living room was stacked to the brim with tubes! ) So I always had to pay for a tech to bias it and put the new tubes in

So since I am used to having to have a tech bias a VH4 and use Ruby BSTR's EL34's and like them a lot...... I play a mix of new wave music cure/depeche mode tone combined with Metallica type tones for OD LOL if that makes any sense listen to my style of my band as I write and recorded all the guitars: http://www.myspace.com/centrifuse

So being a tube noob I know with the fixed bias I can just swap the tubes out and slap the new ones in Mesa recommends. However I never changed pre-amp tubes and wondering for you guys who opened up the cage in the back of the V and are well versed in Tubes. Is it as easy to swap out preamp tubes in a Mark V like the main power amp tubes? If so what tubes would you recommend for pre-amp? Do you think I just might need to change the preamp tubes and not the power amp tubes? or should I change out everything from preamp tubes to power amp tubes?

Also so sorry for the long and noob email (I will be a veteran soon as after 5 years of using a VH4 and VH4S playing I sold the Vh4 mono and the VH4S is going on the bay this weekend...and in love with the Mark V....maby getting another one so I havd two I can A/b one head with say......one on Mark IV for Ch3 and Mark I for Ch2 and the other with Mark IIC+ and Crunch on the other....but unlikely as once I get my finally live settings for the Mark V I should be set as I just bagged up a JC-120H head for my cleans). So one last questions. Based on my songs I write from the link (Magnify on that myspace link is best representative of my style.....cure-ish clean and Metallica kinda OD) should I get new 6l6's or EL 34's.

What is cool is if you don't recommend Mesa tubes, what other brand tubes will work with just swapping them out and switching to 6L6 or EL34; I live right near dougstubes.com and a can just scoop them up on the spot. LOL When I bought the Ruby's, I saw how her works out of his house and his living room was insane. Tubes from her to Gibraltar. :lol:

Thanks for bearing with my long post but much needed help as it sounds lovely at home on 90 watts and the out put down a bit and great tone. FYI tonight the cleans sound amazing, but it was CH2 crunch and Ch2 Mark IV mode that was giving me the issues. I even tried the IIc+ setting and tweaked a little and still....the same screaming "not nice feedback". I love feedback, but the feedback when you hold a note long and do some bending and it feedbacks out of a song.

Thanks again for reading my long post and please help figure this thing out. Thanks proud Boogie Mark V owners!

Also if this makes any difference on the problem I was using a Custom shop ESP set neck Explorer, 3P maple neck, mahogany body rosewood fret board, EMG 60 for cleans in the neck and 85 in the bridge. Normally I use the 81 in the bridge, but wanted to change things up. Thanks all!

 

[SteveO]

Preamp tubes are almost as easy as the power tubes, but you have to remove the metal can that covers them (just twist and it pops out), and you have to be careful of pin orientation when installing the new one. I have a head, and to get to the preamp tubes I pulled a couple of the power tubes so my hand could fit in there easier.

 

[sean106alcon]

Preamp tubes are almost as easy as the power tubes, but you have to remove the metal can that covers them (just twist and it pops out), and you have to be careful of pin orientation when installing the new one. I have a head, and to get to the preamp tubes I pulled a couple of the power tubes so my hand could fit in there easier.

Noob question again. So just remove the back chasis plate ove rthe 6L6's, pop out the 6;6'sand I have easy access to pulling out the Power amp tubez?m Thanks.

 

[eudaimonia02912]

With one exception, it's really easy to remove and replace all of the pre-amp tubes once the power amp tubes are out. (Keep track of the orientation of the tubes.)

The exception is V1, which is located behind the transformer. That is a pain to replace. Sometimes, when I try replacing it, I have no trouble, but other times I end up having the turn the amp upside down. Since I've got a combo, that's a real pain.

As for feedback--How close are you to the amp? Do you use a noise gate? An ISP Decimator last in chain before the amp will help to stop feedback.

 

[Barry]

How high are you running your main output ? Do you by chance have the solo on ?

 

[sean106alcon]

With one exception, it's really easy to remove and replace all of the pre-amp tubes once the power amp tubes are out. (Keep track of the orientation of the tubes.)

The exception is V1, which is located behind the transformer. That is a pain to replace. Sometimes, when I try replacing it, I have no trouble, but other times I end up having the turn the amp upside down. Since I've got a combo, that's a real pain.

As for feedback--How close are you to the amp? Do you use a noise gate? An ISP Decimator last in chain before the amp will help to stop feedback.

Yeah I am gonna change em all just to be safe to see what happens. Not sure to get EL34's or6L6's

Just not use to; if I should call boogie and ask them what to buy or buy after market JJ's or Tung Sol's etc...... from Dougstubes.com or just get them from Mesa. I have a boss NS-2 for noise but would prefer to not have to use a noise gate but if I have to........then so be it. It feedbacks when i am either close to the head and cab at the rehearsal space (4OHM recto cab) or away from it.....long cable. All I was using was a tuner in the tuner loop, and and CH-1 in the loops for chorus. Very a simpleton. :lol:


edit: also solo is off.

When not feedbacking the amp killed. Barry, it was at 90 watts on each channel and overall output at 1 o' clock. Sliders set to pre-set for Ch2-Ch3. CH1 I have set to sliders as with my EMG 60's for clean on my Explorers I get a sick clean punchy tone. Thanks.

 

[Heritage Softail]

My amp noise/swish sound was a 12AX7 tube. MKIV mode was going bad. Changing the tubes did change the character of the amp a bit. You could get a few new different flavor 12AX7s and roll them thru the amp, get rid of the bad tube and see how you like the new tube sound. V1,2,3 made the most change to my ears. I also changed to SED Winged C 6L6 tubes when plugging in some Tung Sol 12's. The net effect of changing all tubes was very noticable to me in CH1. You may not like it. Now Ch1 Tweed can cover early Sabbath when cranked. I like it. The rest of the amp channels just seem a little more touch sensitive and a tiny bit more organic/gainy.? I guess you could say it sounds even more separated from that fake solid state tube emulation sound. Right now I am on a tube quest for a few really sweet NOS globes for V1. Looking at a late 50's short blackplate, and researching more b4 spending $$$. Tone is good now with the Tung Sols, just habitually tweaking....

Let us know what tubes you go with and what you think of the end result.

 

[wezzley]

i just put a new tung-sol 12ax7 in V1. a bit more clarity in all channels and a bit more "bite"/attack in distorted sounds. funny how a €12 tube can make a difference in feel/tone.

 

[Jim Ed Love]

What kind of pickups are in your guitar? I have gotten squealing in the past with high gain. I soaked my pickups in hot wax and this really made a difference. I had little to no squealing after that.

 

[sean106alcon]

i just put a new tung-sol 12ax7 in V1. a bit more clarity in all channels and a bit more "bite"/attack in distorted sounds. funny how a €12 tube can make a difference in feel/tone.

Sorry for another tube noob question. But the tung-sol 12ax7's ar pre or pwer amp tubes? and I am assuming with the fixed bias you can just pop em in?

Jim, all my guitars have EMG 60 and EMG 81 or EMG 85's in the bridge. So it was the 85 that hat all the squeal the last two times. Have not tried the other guitars with 81's at band volumes yet. Thanks guys!

 

[phyrexia]

"Fixed-Bias" refers only to the power tubes. You'll never have to worry about biasing a 12AX7 in any amp.

12AX7s are a type of preamp tube. In our amps, there are seven 12AX7s, four 6L6s, and a 5U4GB.

 

[sean106alcon]

I was looking at these. What is the difference between the standard test and "balanced triodes" versions from dougs tubes dot come? Think these would be a nice set instead of the mesa brand to slap in?

Top of the page:
http://dougstubes.com/12ax7.html

Thanks guys.

 

[derekjason]

does every goddamn mark V have an effin tube problem or am i imagining things? :?:

 

[sean106alcon]

I dunno man. I have been reading more and more on hear and seems to be an issue.

It sounds great at home and very quiet at 9watts and semi-loud volume master output. But i was kinda disappointed with this whole feedback issue. I had the master output at like 1 o'clock and still seemed not loud enough next to the drummer as I was trying the lowering of the masters on the channels to combat the feedback, so it must be the tubes.

In our amps, there are seven 12AX7s, four 6L6s, and a 5U4GB

So dougs tubes sells these tube tone kits for mesa's. But looks like they just come with 5 or 6 preamp tubes. What would you recommend for the 6th or 7th tube and placement; and which kit looks like a better "cocktail as he calls em LOL? Doug knows his **** and I know so many people on boards who buy from him.
Check out the kits. I am assuming they just come with 6 because they recto's just have 6 preamp tubes?? Thanks again guys.

http://dougstubes.com/tonekits.html

 

[sted]

I gotta say mate, those settings are fine, you shouldnt be getting feedback with it, theyre more or less what I use with my EMG 81 guitar and I get no feedback, although your output setting is quite high. Have you tried hard bypassing so that the channel masters are doing the volume? Also do you play very near your amp or use extra pedals?

 

[sean106alcon]

I gotta say mate, those settings are fine, you shouldnt be getting feedback with it, theyre more or less what I use with my EMG 81 guitar and I get no feedback, although your output setting is quite high. Have you tried hard bypassing so that the channel masters are doing the volume? Also do you play very near your amp or use extra pedals?

Hey man, no I use the FX loop so as I like to just always have chorus on Ch1. I also make sure I am not near the amp and keep the foot switch far away. So it has to be the tubes. I just emailed dougestubes.com what is the best configurations for V1-V7 and even the power amp tubes I am gonna just change em all out and see what happens. Doug is the man and knows his ****. He has some Mesa tone kits on his site but not for the Mark V. I always got my tubes from him for my VH4's. No other pedals but a tuner in the tuner out. Thanks.

 

[sean106alcon]

So yeah I was emailing back and forth the Mr. Tube Master Doug at dougstubes.com and he said the screaming is coming from a bad preamp tube. So I am just going to buy his Mesa pre-amp cocktail of:

V1 Tungsol 12AX7
- V2 High Gain JJECC83
- V3 Penta 12AX7
- V4 Penta 12AX7
- V5 Shuguang 12AX7 9th gen
- V6 Sovtek LP/LPS
- V7Penta Labs 12AX7
and maybe a EH 5U4GB

But I think he is right it is all on the preamp tubes. Thanks.

 

[sted]

Let us know how it goes mate! Definitley interested as to what difference it makes!

 

[sean106alcon]

Let us know how it goes mate! Definitley interested as to what difference it makes!

you got it, should be getting them Friday night and install them Saturday; and then light her up!