Mesa Boogie Amplifier Troubleshooting

Introduction to troubleshooting Mesa Boogie amplifiers including tube maintenance, common oversights, troubleshooting blown fuses and preamp tubes.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• maintenance
• fuses
• blown
• amplifier
• tubes
• tube
• troubleshooting
• preamp
• Boogie
• Mesa (x)

[punkextremist]

"the (preamp) tubes have already been located in the most appropriate socket, and should never be pulled out all at once, and always swap one tube at a time. and to always return a perfectly good tube to its original socket"...does that mean I shouldn't replace a preamp tube unless one goes bad? I'm changing my power tubes in May (about a year after I bought my Dual Rec Roadster) and I was thinking about just changing them all, and keeping the old ones for backup at shows if one goes bad.

[mesaengineering1969]

@punkextremist Please direct product inquiries and Tech support questions to the factory in Petaluma :

US Domestic Support: (707) 778-6565

We are open 9:00am-5:00 pm Pacific Time,

[kimoband]

Hi

Great instructive videos, congratulations.

Now, I am having a problem witm my Mesa Boogie Roadster Head:

The amp sounds amazing till it reach 1 hour of playing, then the overdriven chanels starts to lose definition and when I change from clean chanel to overdriven chanel it takes like one second to get the sound, like a fade in sound.

Do you have some idea what is happening with the preamp tubes or the power tubes?

Thank you very much.

[mesaengineering1969]

@kimoband Please direct product inquiries and Tech support questions to the factory in Petaluma :

US Domestic Support: (707) 778-6565

We are open 9:00am-5:00 pm Pacific Time,

Monday through Thursday.

[Levi790]

I noticed that you just used your fingers on the tubes. I've been told that you should have a tissue or cloth to handle the tubes. Is this true? Do your finger oils do anything to the tubes or is this a myth?

[wezzley]

usefull tips. no matter how good the manual is, sometimes it's best to SEE how to troubleshoot.

[randynelson1]

I hear of people all the time replacing all the tubes at once. Does this need to be done. Does replacing the old tubes with new tubes make the amp sound better. I have a Triple Rectifier & I have had it for 10 years & I have never had any tube problems. But I sometimes wonder if it would sound better if I just install a new tube kit. If so does Mesa sell tube kits. On there web site they only sell in pairs. I'm scared to order any other brand like the JJ sets they have on ebay.

[gottfriedbrux]

Forgot to mention...It's a Lonestar Classic Head!

[Matiasbacchi]

hi, what can i do with the effects loop problem on 3 channel dual rectifier, its killing me!!!, i love mesa amps, in fact, i had a 2 channels triple rectifier, i changed it for a 3 channels dual and the effects loop is killing my tune.

please help!!!!!!

[rydock]

Shouldn't the amp be plugged into a cab? It doesn't seem plugged in when he's turning it on and off.

[diesect33]

@Levi790 no tissue... though. try cotton or other smooth cloths to wipe them down. nothing that "sheds"

[diesect33]

@Levi790 i doubt it's true as i use mine too and i self bias etc my other amps. I wipe the excess away though. does it seem to effect the lifespan of light bulbs? I'd justwipe them clean and i'd worry more about debris in the sockets than tubes. i have had some with COOKED dust on them and last for years. (the mesa i got as an example, had old mesa tubes they don't even sell or make anymore).