Tube dampers

[floyd99]

hi guys

has anyone tried these:
Guitar Amp UltraSonic Damping Instruments ?

my 100w combo amp suffers terribly from tube rattle.. eg. a rattle sound particularly when playing bass notes. i've replaced the preamp (AX7's) and power (EL34's) and it didn't fix it. So i just came across these little damper devices... seems to be the possible cure for my woes. Wondering if anyone has tried them?

cheers
Dave

 

[Bassey]

Before you're spending money on those things make sure the cause is within the tubes. Perhaps it's the springs that hold the tubes in place. Or perhaps any other part of the amp's chassis. Best way to check is to check your amp with two people. one playing the note that seems to resonate the most (mostly this is a palm muted note of some sort) while the other person listens to the amp. Hold on to any objects suspect to make a noise. when you hold one of the springs for example, and the sound is gone...you've found your problem.

Don't know if these dampers you mentioned are a sollution. If it is indeed a microphonic I don't think that these will help because your resonation is inside the tube.

Greetz,

Bassey

 

[DrKev]

UltraSonic! Wow! Beyond the range of human hearing! That...
...doesn't sound like such a good name anymore? The guitar markets are so full of snakeoil and BS it's not funny.

Will this help? Yes probably. Do you need 'titanium C-rings' and 'xtra-beefy isolation pads'? Not in the slightest. As Bassey said, the cause is usually the tube not sitting tight in the retaing springs/clips. You'll find that in ten seconds with one finger and, with a small amout of thought and/or imagination, you'll come up with your own solution that will work beautifully.

 

[JMB27]

Tube dampers? Haven't tried 'em yet.

As with the other posts, check how your tubes are seated/fitted. Also, is the rattle happening when running clean, distorted, full-throttle, etc? And, what sort of speaker configuration? Lots of variables to consider when dealing with 'tube rattle'.

I've had tube amps (including Fender, Traynor, PV, etc) for the majority of my playing life and have sometimes gone round the bend chasin' out those rattles and funny noises ....

 

[candid_x]

They look as though they're more for microphonics than rattle problems.

Sometimes ratling tubes are actually rattling aluminum rivets that hold the tube socket in place. Touchy because you can't just start wailing on it with a hammer, but with care the rivet can be flattened tight, or else a drop of silicone can fill the gap and silence them.

You have to know where the actual rattle is coming from before you can remedy it.

 

[floyd99]

Thanks guys, all good suggestions.

It's definitely a tube rattle and not something else in the chasis or speaker. In fact now that I think of it, both of my amps suffer the same issue - and they're completly different amps/manufacturers.

I'll have a fiddle with the springs and other such components around the tubes and see if i can narrow it there.. I hadn't thought about the springs - and the spring loaded jackets that fit over the pre-amp tubes too. I can't recall if i have ever tried with those removed or not..

Failing that I can always try the dampers - they offer a 90 day return (ps. i agree with the BS terminology used ... titanium indeed lol.)

 

[douglasspears]

I am struggling with tube rattle from my Music Man HD130 2x12 combo. I had the EL34s replaced and they still rattle. Yes, it's the tubes, not microphonic, not the chassis, it's the tubes.

Let's take this thread as a given that it's really tube rattle, as I'd also be interested with what folks have used to stop tube rattle.

 

[floyd99]

i'm going to try suggestions offered by some of the guys ... but i think i'm also going to order some of these things - as they state on the website that they do help for just this issue, so i'll try. If they don't work I'll return them.

Will certainly let you know - i'm international so will take a week or two to receive.

I'm with you - i'm convinced the rattle is in the tubes themselves , and it's being enhanced due to the simple fact its a combo amp with a decent size speaker (12") and the vibration is decent, even at low volume. Who knows, i'm making assumptions

 

[spkirby]

I bought some of these for my Rivera and they made a world of difference...from loads of tube filament rattle (even with fresh tubes!!) to none. I recommend them.

 

[douglasspears]

I bought some of these for my Rivera and they made a world of difference...from loads of tube filament rattle (even with fresh tubes!!) to none. I recommend them.

awesome, thanks! If floyd99 has similarly positive results I'll try them too.

I've also seen those springs that hold the tubes steadier in the sockets....anyone have any experiences with those?

 

[58super]

Try a couple of high temperature o-rings from your local autoparts store fitted over the tube. A lot cheaper but not as flashy.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Mmmm - I'm gonna ask some guys "in the know" about these and see what they say. One has been fixing tube amps for a living for the last 30 years (he's a drummer!!) and the other builds them from scratch.

Will report back as soon as I know.

 

[douglasspears]

Will report back as soon as I know.

Please do. In addition to my Music Man HD-130, I also have a Peavey Classic 50 that I've had for over 10 years. It's NEVER had tube rattle, but I got new tubes put in it a few weeks ago as well, it now rattles too!?!?!

I think I just had a crappy brand of tubes installed, they make the amps "hum" more too.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I saw the amp builder today (not the repair man who is on holidays) and he has never seen one of these devices.

He doesn't think that they would make much difference. He said that he can exchange one valve for another and the replacement may be microphonic whereas the original wasn't.
He says that it is the filaments which cause this problem so having a "damper" fitted outside the tube on the glass as far as he could see had little merit.

His biggest tip was buy good valves (tubes) and he swears by this distributor Watford Valves :: Watford valves is a U.K company that has become one of Europe's leading supliers of tested, graded and guaranteed valves to the professional music industry.
all valves are guaranteed.

Another thing he said was that the problem is prevalent in combos - if you use an amp head he recommends using a lump of foam rubber between the speaker cab and the amp.

My old bass player has done this with his Orange amp which he has had since the 70's and hasn't had any problems.

If it works for you fine - but he said that he would get good valves before anything else.

The only mod that he once came across was like a chain mail jacket that fitted over the valve which dissipated heat - be he cannot recollect the name of the manufacturer.

So there's one view from an amp builder.

Totally OT another mate of mine was there that builds/rewinds pickuos and he had made a P90 pickup inside a humbucker cover - awesome !!!

Edit
Oh yeah I forgot - there was a Slo with a Floyd just come off the workbench - some drunk had crashed into it and the headstock had snapped - grrrrrrrr! but my mate did a great job of fixing it. The owner was an awesome player too!!