New Valve Jr - Problem, Please Help

[Scott C]

Thanks for letting me continue to cry on your shoulder.

 

I know it's an inexpensive amp, but it should at least work more than three days in a row. If the problems I'm having are typical, I imagine there are a bunch of people out here thinking like me "this may be my LAST Epiphone amp".

 

I'll keep playing it with the stock power tube, and start looking at sewatt.com. If I can get it to last a week or two, then I'll dive into the innards to mod it. If it blows the stock tube, I may just send it back.

 

Thanks again.

[Scott C]

Well, I thought I'd put the second Ruby EL84 into the amp. That tube lasted 7 minutes and the tube cracked all the way around the base and is not a vacuum tube anymore.

 

So, I think I will be returning this amp and maybe start over again someday on a new (and maybe different amp).

 

Thanks.

[Eracer_Team]

The Valve Jr was designed for 110vac with a maximum of 115vac.. Epiphone "can't" help it the power utility companies insist on running the power grid at 125vac

 

You might as well take it back since you have a warranty since you don’t want to crawl inside and adjust things.

[Scott C]

Thanks. This has been an educational experience to say the least.

 

I learned (I guess I knew this) that the standard voltage in the U.S. is 120V.

 

I learned that the voltage in the room with my amp is 121.2V -- 1% higher than it should be, but can't complain about 1%.

 

I learned Epiphone designed an amp for consumer use in the US to operate at 115V (6% lower than the standard voltage in the US).

 

And, I learned that even at 115V, Epiphone designed an amp to run "hot", meaning that for most people that plug the amp in in the U.S. at 120V, it will be running very hot.

 

When my amp runs hot, I learned that a Ruby tube will last anywhere from 7 to 45 minutes in it and when it fails it will crack the tube.

 

So, I'm out $20 in tubes, plus whatever it costs to ship the amp back.

 

Sorry for sounding bitter, but I was looking forward to this amp. My plan was to play it a while in stock form to really get the feel of it, then maybe mod it a bit to my liking. Instead, all I got was headaches. For all the good things I've heard about these amps, I'm just disappointed that I got stuck with a lemon that literally cracks the tubes.

[cGil]

Sorry you got off to a bad start with tube amps; but honestly it wasn't your amp's fault the tubes died off so fast like that. And it certainly wasn't to blame for cracking the tube's glass envelope. Apparently, both tube were dropped, most likely at the same time. They're kinda fragile, you know. A good el84, (like a JJ that hasn't been dropped) should last a few months in a stock VJr, even under those high wall voltages.

 

Gil...

[m-theory]

Chyah! T'aint the amp's fault that the tubes had hairline fractures that splintered open when they got hot!

[Scott C]

I didn't say it was anyone's fault, just saying that I learned that this tube amp might not be for me right now.

My house is 121V, and I've been told Epiphone designed the amp for 110 or 115V (the side of the amp box says "110-120V"). I bought two tubes, did not drop them, and they lasted 45 minutes and 7 minutes.

 

So, I'll focus on my guitar playing and maybe try this tube amp thing some other time.

 

Thanks all.

[cGil]

Not suggesting you dropped 'em. But consider the fact that there's a long chain of shipping and handling from the manufacturer and on, just to get into your hands; and it's easy to imagine that damage can occur in any number of ways along the way. If you do buy another tube amp in the future, I would highly recommend finding a different source to buy your tubes from.

 

Gil...

[Scott C]

Not suggesting you dropped 'em. But consider the fact that there's a long chain of shipping and handling from the manufacturer and on' date=' just to get into your hands; and it's easy to imagine that damage can occur in any number of ways along the way. If you do buy another tube amp in the future, I would highly recommend finding a different source to buy your tubes from.

 

Gil...[/quote']

 

Understood. That's what I was trying to say. Tubes are as delicate as lightbulbs, are made in China or Russia, shipped to some warehouse in the U.S., then UPS delivers them to my home. Then if they pop in under an hour, it's "yup, tubes is tubes". I guess I just got spoiled with the reliability and durability of SS amps.

 

And right now, my guitar playing audience consists of - including me - one person, so I'll focus on playing guitar, and maybe sometime in the future I'll take a dip into the world of tube amps again.

 

But for now, in pursuit of simplifying my life, I'll stick with my little evil SS amps. (by the way, a while ago I bought my daughter a used Peavey Transtube 15W bass amp, and that cheap little thing has a real nice sound with my guitar - for a bedroon/practice amp).

 

Thanks again to all for your input, especially you Gil. You've been informative, patient, and level headed throughout my little adventure here.