Owning a tube amp. Advice?

[madmax1012]

Also, now is a good time to get reacquainted with your equipment. Try EVERYTHING (you own) WITH YOUR NEW AMP. Never hurts to hear what old gear sounds like through new amps.

Yeah, that's why I have the DS-1 out in the first place. It sounded okay with my old amp, an SS, but with this, I can't really use it much.
But I've been experiment with guitar volume, amp gain, as much as I can think of. And thanks for all the info everybody!

Another question though. When you have the amp in standby, is it okay to unplug and switch guitars or change pedals, or should I turn the amp off first?

i usually just flick it into standby, but if I'm lazy and want to piss people off, I just unplug my cables

[madmax1012]

I can't believe I forgot to check this, but your amp has a buffered effects loop on the back. DEFINITELY experiment with that asset

[Gone Fission]

dont run into a large impedance than your output tap, if you need to run a mistmatch always into a smaller impedance load. Example, if you have an 8 ohm cab, dont run the 4 ohm tap on your amp into it, ideally the 8 ohm tap but if the 16 ohm tap is all you have that mismatch is not that bad

Although the 16 ohm tap into a 4 ohm cab or 8 ohm tap into a 2 ohm cab isn't something you want to be putting your amp through. Try to keep the amp output within 2 times the ohms of the cab.

[Holy Schnikes]

dont run into a large impedance than your output tap, if you need to run a mistmatch always into a smaller impedance load. Example, if you have an 8 ohm cab, dont run the 4 ohm tap on your amp into it, ideally the 8 ohm tap but if the 16 ohm tap is all you have that mismatch is not that bad

Key advice and something many who regularly use tube amps (esp dudes at gear stores) are clueless about.

An easy way I remember is this example:

8 ohm head -> 4 ohm cab will result in less resistance encountered at the cab, thus the tubes may push a little harder than normal cuz they can. However, the end result may be faster than normal tube wear but nothing too serious.

8 ohm -> 16 ohm cab will result in too much resistance encountered at the cab and could result in flashback voltage (I have limited tech-speak-savvy, please excuse) which may or may not damage the OT. I also would think the tubes are working EXTRA hard in this situation but not sure. Never do it myself

8 ohm head -> 8 ohm cabs x 2, amp will see 4 ohms and needs to be set accordingly.
8 ohm head -> 16 ohm cabs x 2, amp will see 8 ohms so perfect match

...and so on like that.

[Toonster]

Be even more careful than before about shady power outlets and running too many amps/equipment on the same powerstrip. A tube amp is WAY more finicky about sudden power outages than SS amps.

I always have a box of fuses with me on gigs because of this..

[Toonster]

Oh and according to the manual of my Mesa Bass 400, always turn it of without it being in standby modus..

[zRobertez]

Oh and according to the manual of my Mesa Bass 400, always turn it of without it being in standby modus..

When I turn mine off from not standby, I get a loud pop and then something like a laser gun noise a few seconds later. If I put it in standby and then shut it off a bit later, it seems fine. I didn't see anything in the manual.

[new05002]

dont run into a large impedance than your output tap, if you need to run a mistmatch always into a smaller impedance load. Example, if you have an 8 ohm cab, dont run the 4 ohm tap on your amp into it, ideally the 8 ohm tap but if the 16 ohm tap is all you have that mismatch is not that bad

Although the 16 ohm tap into a 4 ohm cab or 8 ohm tap into a 2 ohm cab isn't something you want to be putting your amp through. Try to keep the amp output within 2 times the ohms of the cab.

yea that large of a mismatch will not be great, a noticeable loss in power probably but better than going into a larger impedance load. Ideally match it up!

[Ghost Hip]

...If someone borrows your amp at a show and they sound awesome, look at what they had your amp set at and steal their sound.

Oh, more tube amp related: After I'm playing I turn the amp to stand by and wait around 30 seconds before turning it off, that gets rid of the loud pop that someone mentioned. I fill this extra 30 seconds of time with unplugging my English Muff'n pre-amp and turning off my Deluxe Memory Man's power.

Other activities to fill this time may include turning on your Xbox, finding a place to set your guitar, going to the bathroom, stretching, or comforting your significant other.

[Holy Schnikes]

...If someone borrows your amp at a show and they sound awesome, look at what they had your amp set at and steal their sound.

Oh, more tube amp related: After I'm playing I turn the amp to stand by and wait around 30 seconds before turning it off, that gets rid of the loud pop that someone mentioned. I fill this extra 30 seconds of time with unplugging my English Muff'n pre-amp and turning off my Deluxe Memory Man's power.

Other activities to fill this time may include turning on your Xbox, finding a place to set your guitar, going to the bathroom, stretching, or comforting your significant other.

Haha, lots it solid, practical advice in this post!