mesa 6l6 tube life?

[fr0sty]

I've been putting mesa branded 6l6's in my mark 5 since I purchased new when they were first released. I'm very satisfied with their tone, but I seem to go through a set in less than a year. I only put a couple hours a week on them, sometimes less and I'm not rocking the **** out of them. I spend most my time in 45 watt mode with the master between 9 and 12.

Most other amps I've owned never seem to need new tubes as much as the V. So, for those of you that use non mesa tubes, what do you like and how long do they last?

 

[barryswanson]

I have had the original tubes in mine since I bought it 3.5 years ago still sounds great with similar use as you mention. What happens when you think you need new ones?
I was talking to a Mesa tech here in Australia the other day and he said this when I asked about if I should change my tubes because there old.

He said,

" If your amp is still loud your power tubes are fine, run it in 90 watt regardless of volume if you want your power tubes to last. Crankin your master and running output low doesn't cause the tubes to work harder because both those controls are pre power tubes.
If you notice a change in tone it'll be a pre amp tube."

 

[fr0sty]

The amp gets noisy. Most times is a spitty noise that comes and goes. New tubes clears that up. Right now the amp has a loud hum, which I hope will clear up with new tubes.

 

[barryswanson]

Yeah thats interesting because I spend a lot of time on 45 watts also because it sounds the best IMO. I've been reading some other threads here recently about problems other users are having running in 45 watt mode.

 

[HCarlH]

The amp gets noisy. Most times is a spitty noise that comes and goes. New tubes clears that up. Right now the amp has a loud hum, which I hope will clear up with new tubes.

Might it be a dirty tube socket or tube pin(s)? My Rivera Fandango failed to work at a gig. The light came on....no sound.
I took V1 out when I got home and cleaned the socket with DeOxit...waited for it to dry and put the tube back in. It's worked fine ever since.

 

[BlackBoxy]

The amp gets noisy. Most times is a spitty noise that comes and goes. New tubes clears that up. Right now the amp has a loud hum, which I hope will clear up with new tubes.

look like a tube became microphonic, meaning parts inside the glass bulb are vibrating ! it happen sometime with brand new quad of tube!

if you can isolate the culprit tube, buying a matched pair and changing exterior tubes would fix this problem !

 

[richaxes]

As far as I know the 45 watts mode puts a real strain on the power tubes so the ~1 year lifetime seems realistic to me this way. Normally (90 watts mode in the Mark V) any typical 6L6s should last at least 1000 hours up to an incredible 5000 hours, but the latter would be military-grade tubes.

 

[OldTelecasterMan]

I have a lot of hours on mine, as in quite a few jobs, 25+gigs through this year. Had a little something going on one night, odd noise, I reseated the power tubes and it went away. I run in 90 watt all the time, preamps in the channels way down, just cracked on and the main output way up, past 12 O'Clock. I like the tone with things breathing, let the power section work instead of driving the channel volume into it.

Tubes last a long time. My little F-30 boogie (now my backup amp) has about 100+ gigs on the same set of tubes. 2 or 3 nights a week and it's still cooking. Used it a couple of weeks ago just for a change in a medium sized club. Still going strong.

 

[Nicklotsaguitars]

Friend of mine still gigs his 2204 with the original valves in it, the back has never been off it in 33 years. Sounds fantastic.

Hate to say this, because I remember the first time I had it said to me. The hum, if constant (even when the amp is on standby) could be a symptom of the output transformer failing. Which could cause you to go through valves quickly.
Never heard one make a spitting sound though so hopefully it is a mucky socket.