Amp Maintenance You Can Do

Clean your guitar leads

Use a clean cloth and some Isopropyl Alcohol or Methylated Spirits to clean the ends of your guitar leads. That gunk has to go somewhere, and you don’t want it in your amp and pedals. Plus, learning to wrap your leads properly will make them last longer. It’s a great “watching TV job”!

Turn on your amp regularly:

Even if you’re not using it, turn on your amp every 3 to 6 months. Some components, like the big filter capacitors, can degrade if the amp isn’t powered up regularly.

Cover it!

The easiest and most effective thing you can do is to keep a cover on your amp when you’re not using it. Even if you don’t have an expensive padded cover, a towel will do the trick, especially if your amp has cooling vents or upward-facing controls and input sockets that attract dust. Remember, amps generate heat, and dust can act like an unwanted blanket.

Swap preamp valves:

If you enjoy experimenting with different sounds, you can safely swap preamp valves of the same type. It’s a fun way to tailor your tone. For example, try swapping a 12AX7 with a 5751 or even a 12AY7 for more clean headroom. Just be careful not to bend a pin when aligning the valve, as this could cause problems. If you’re unsure which valves to choose for the sound you want, it might be a bit of a guessing game (and potentially expensive). Feel free to sign up for my newsletter for more tips. As a musician and tech, I can help you find the perfect sound.

Important Safety Warnings

Warning 3

Don’t change power valves on your own. In an emergency during a gig, it might be okay, but bring your amp to a professional straight after. Most amps over 10W need to be biased, and valves need to be in matched pairs. Class A amps might not need biasing, but careful matching of valves is still crucial.

By following these tips and warnings, you can keep your amp in top shape and enjoy its great sound for years to come!

Warning 1

Never open a valve amp. The voltages inside can be extremely dangerous. If you think 240V is deadly, touching a capacitor that’s holding 400V to 700V can be even worse, even with the power cable unplugged. Safety first!

Warning 1

Warning 2

Never change an external fuse with the power cable plugged in. Similar to Warning 1, this can be very dangerous. The amp’s power switch might be off, but the mains fuse can still have 240V on it.

Warning 2

Never change an external fuse with the power cable plugged in. Similar to Warning 1, this can be very dangerous. The amp’s power switch might be off, but the mains fuse can still have 240V on it.

Amp Maintenance You Can Do

Clean your guitar leads

Turn on your amp regularly:

Cover it!

Swap preamp valves:

Important Safety Warnings

Warning 3

Warning 1

Warning 1

Warning 2

Warning 2

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