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So last year I got a killer deal on an old HD-130, but lately I just haven't been happy with it. It breaks up pretty early on the dial and is really selective about what dirt pedals it likes. It just doesn't seem as loud as it should be.

I noticed the tubes in it are EL34s, so they aren't original. Should I replace them with the 6CA7s? I feel like I should probably get it recapped as well. Everything I've read about these amps is that they're way loud, way clean, and eat pedals for breakfast. Would new tubes And caps get this puppy where I want it? I should probably include that I'm using a 16 ohm Orange 2x12, when the HD130 is set up for 8 ohms. There is an 8 ohm 2x12 locally I've been meaning to buy, but I just need a little more scratch.

But caps and tubes might get me there?

Help me out guys, I just feel like the amp is so close to being what I want.

do you know when it was last recapped? sounds like a problem I had with my v4. it was screaming when I first got it, then a week later it sounded like a fuzz with a dying battery. insanely quick break up, zero sustain. turns out caps have never been replaced and two of the tubes were incorrect.. cost me half a nut to get it back up to speed .t.

I have no idea. Probably a long time ago. I got it at a Pawn America, so there was no guarantee of like "yeah it's been retuned and recapped, ya idiot." It was more like "This is sub-$200, you should probably buy it"

I will save up some pennies and take it to a tech. I got it for way less than what you see them selling for online, so I don't mind dropping a couple hundo on it to get it in rocking shape!

ThurberMingus wrote:So last year I got a killer deal on an old HD-130, but lately I just haven't been happy with it. It breaks up pretty early on the dial and is really selective about what dirt pedals it likes. It just doesn't seem as loud as it should be.

I noticed the tubes in it are EL34s, so they aren't original. Should I replace them with the 6CA7s? I feel like I should probably get it recapped as well. Everything I've read about these amps is that they're way loud, way clean, and eat pedals for breakfast. Would new tubes And caps get this puppy where I want it? I should probably include that I'm using a 16 ohm Orange 2x12, when the HD130 is set up for 8 ohms. There is an 8 ohm 2x12 locally I've been meaning to buy, but I just need a little more scratch.

But caps and tubes might get me there?

Help me out guys, I just feel like the amp is so close to being what I want.

I think EL34s are the same thing as 6CA7s. But I ain't sure. And I think they internet just hypes the shit out of everything. I've had an HD130 and HD65 combo. They were pretty clean, stiff amps but I didn't think they were obscenely loud and clean. They still broke up, just not as much as other amps. IDK, maybe they all had EL34s in them.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah I guess 6CA7s are like US EL34s, but can handle the gnarly plate voltage of the Musicman. I'm gonna see what the local tech says, even though he's kind of a hardass, and use my DSL100 in the mean time.

My hd130 takes pedals like a boss. Loud as hell too. Breakup isn't as extreme as the other series, but it can break up.

Yeah I'm playing kinda/not really (compared to my old band) loud and it is breaking up quite a bit. It's really picky about pedals, but fortunately my Mini sounds really fucking good with it. I'd rather it was just clean at the level I'm playing at so I could smash the front end with the Elements.

what you're describing sounds a lot like my HD did when I first got it. I got some work done on it (new tubes, complete cleaning, rebiased, new power switch) and I haven't had work on it since then (about 2 years ago). depending on how cool the techs around you are, it shouldn't cost too much. I was charged around $200-250, and to me I definitely got my moneys worth.

also getting a 4 or 8 ohm cab is probably a good idea for that amp

ThurberMingus wrote:Yeah I guess 6CA7s are like US EL34s, but can handle the gnarly plate voltage of the Musicman. I'm gonna see what the local tech says, even though he's kind of a hardass, and use my DSL100 in the mean time.

I'd strongly recommend staying away from the ehx 6ca7's, my two traynors were going through pairs every 6 months, and retubed both those amps with those tubes twice, they are shit. Have had no problems with the jj 6ca7's, going strong for 2 years now in both amps.

My HD-130 has problems too. Got it in a trade. It's in awesome shape for being 42 years old. Seller told me it had just been to the same tech I use. It worked great for a week, and bam. Turns off.

I'm thinking one of the power tubes blew, and the fuse along with it.

Looks like it's going to the tech. dammit.

It sounds like either caps or power tubes or both. My HD 130 got along with most pedals, but never did like RATs. Go figure.

Off-topic....But I guess reading about these HD-130 issues is good to tame my GAS.

The recording quality here isn't the greatest, but their studio recorded stuff is on youtube as well, in case anyone's interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIWAUvcq6aY

HD-130 + Jazzmaster

Don't have his chops though

Why don't you re-wire your cab in parallel to get 4ohm?

rot gut wrote:Why don't you re-wire your cab in parallel to get 4ohm?

+1

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