02-24-2016, 01:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-24-2016, 10:29 PM by karpathion.)
So, I bought an old Crate Stealth 50w head, about 2 months ago. I paid $75 for it, because the input jack was fucked.
I ended up replacing the input, effect loop, and speaker jacks. While I had the board lifted, I noticed a few swollen electrolytics, so I went ahead and changed all of those. Since I was doing that, I changed all the old Wima tone caps in the preamp with some new polyester film caps I had.
I've spent about $50 on this thing already, so my total is about $125 in it.
Last night I started noticing a gradual drop in output.
After a few minutes, it made one of those quick big drops in volume, them came back up. I look up and sure as hell, the 2 far left power tubes are burning a dark orange, almost red.
A quad of 6v6's is just as expensive as 6l6's. They range from $70-$120.
I just don't know if I want to keep putting money into a 20 year old, Crate tube amp. Yeah, this little thing is a diamond in the ruff. Best tube amp Crate ever made. Lee Jackson knows how to do that modded Marshall thing as good as anyone. It's the only ever amp I've ever had that felt like my old Pittbull. I like it!
The thing is, as soon as I change the tubes, I'm going to find something else that needs to be fixed. Now, it becomes a money and time pit.
Is it worth it if you really like the amp? Or do you just say fuck it, and sell the damn thing.
I ended up replacing the input, effect loop, and speaker jacks. While I had the board lifted, I noticed a few swollen electrolytics, so I went ahead and changed all of those. Since I was doing that, I changed all the old Wima tone caps in the preamp with some new polyester film caps I had.
I've spent about $50 on this thing already, so my total is about $125 in it.
Last night I started noticing a gradual drop in output.
After a few minutes, it made one of those quick big drops in volume, them came back up. I look up and sure as hell, the 2 far left power tubes are burning a dark orange, almost red.
A quad of 6v6's is just as expensive as 6l6's. They range from $70-$120.
I just don't know if I want to keep putting money into a 20 year old, Crate tube amp. Yeah, this little thing is a diamond in the ruff. Best tube amp Crate ever made. Lee Jackson knows how to do that modded Marshall thing as good as anyone. It's the only ever amp I've ever had that felt like my old Pittbull. I like it!
The thing is, as soon as I change the tubes, I'm going to find something else that needs to be fixed. Now, it becomes a money and time pit.
Is it worth it if you really like the amp? Or do you just say fuck it, and sell the damn thing.
I hear Mexico is nice this time of year.