New owner of a 1994 Dual Rectifier. help to not wreck it!

[eagan11]

Just bought a early 1994 Dual Rectifier s#004017. I think i know What it is any help on that would be great. i"m also new to tube heads. Any advise as to not wrecking it and how to care for it would be great.

 

[sixtonoize]

Always match your impedances, use high-quality speaker cables, and turn it UP!

 

[sixtonoize]

Also, make sure to put it on Standby (Power ON, Standby OFF) for at least 2 minutes before playing to allow the tubes to warm up to operating temperature, and let your amp sit for two minutes AFTER turning it off before you move it.

Tubes are more susceptible to handling damage when they're warm.

 

[Elpelotero]

download the manual on the mesa boogie website

 

[eagan11]

Well my 1994 dual recto 2 channel has developed a noise. it only happens on the dirty channel when hitting a heavy palm mute with a quick stop. It sounds kinda tingy ringy fuzy yucky sound. i tapped on a few of the tubes and it seemed to stop. i then powered down the head for awhile and when i turned it back on the noise was gone........until it warmed up.
I have checked the cable and guitar and well as a different cab. but still there.

thanks, Ian

 

[JW123]

Put some fresh preamp tubes in there dude

 

[Botch]

Put some fresh preamp tubes in there dude

+1

I had a similar problem when my pre's were going bad, a fresh set of tubes fixed it.

 

[Kung-Fool]

Well my 1994 dual recto 2 channel has developed a noise. it only happens on the dirty channel when hitting a heavy palm mute with a quick stop. It sounds kinda tingy ringy fuzy yucky sound. i tapped on a few of the tubes and it seemed to stop. i then powered down the head for awhile and when i turned it back on the noise was gone........until it warmed up.
I have checked the cable and guitar and well as a different cab. but still there.

thanks, Ian

I had this exact thing happen to me and it was my guitar. I had to put a small peice of foam inbetween the headstock and the strings just in front of the nut.

 

[JW123]

Hey Shredd this is JW 123 from Bandmix, We havent worked up that song Burn yet, but we play it before we start our gigs and a lot of people have a lot of positive things to say about it. That song rocks dude!

 

[eagan11]

OK fist off thanks for your help. Now i need to know about which tubes to use.

the preamp tubes are the 12Ax7's. i was told if i want to clean up the clean channel i could put in some 12AU7's, will this effect the dirty channel?

the power tubes are "mesa" 6l6's. can i install some JJ's or sovtech's
and do they need to be bias set? I thought the Mesa"s had a fixed bias.

Guitar center has some Mesa Tubes that are matched for $48 a duet.
will i be OK putting these in?

thnaks[/quote]

 

[Sustain]

yeah, the mesa tubes will be in range. Just make sure you pair each duet with the inner and outer sockets, as in if you end up with say 2 greens and 2 grays, put the grays in the outer, and greens in the inner tube sockets (or the reverse)

Mesa tubes are sovtek AFAIK

i would be wary about making uneducated tube swapping in your preamp section, this can drastically alter your tone, and not necessarily in a good way.

BTW I just bought mine earlier last year, # 3715. Loving it.

I yanked my 6L6's out and put my old EH el34's from my JCM 800 in it...lovin it!!! Running half tube set with el34's, im getting some major crunch.

 

[eagan11]

SO IF I ONLY RUN HLF THE TUBE SET WHAT DOES THAT DO THO THE AMP. I ASSUME YOU MEAN ONLY INSTALLING TUBES IN THE OUTTER OR INNER SOCKETS

 

[Sustain]

it gives me earlier breakup, its more saturated. plus i like the el34 sound.

I am considering getting 2 hot 6L6 style tubes that are tested within the DR el34 spec, and put them in too. I am hoping this will give me the depth and clarity from the 6L6's, with the crunch and warmth I get from the el34s.

if you run half the power tubes you need to remove one rectifier tube (doesnt matter which) and consider all your ohms to be off by around 50%. Mesa has told me its not a exact half tube for half impedance change, but its close enough to treat it as such. Basically it means your 4 ohm taps become 8 ohm taps, etc, on down the line.

I switched to half tubes when I still ran my 6L6's and everyone thought it was a big difference. I know I liked it. I liked it even more after I dropped my el34's in.


Enjoy your new amp! After 20 years playing my JCM800, im glad I made the move to boogie.

[edit] if your amp is from early 94, I guess I should consider changing my signature