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A mind gone down the tubes: At home with BUGERA's resident guitar guru Joe Delaney
One of the most important things is making sure your power valves are correctly biased. Rest assured this does not mean convincing your valves to root for your favorite football team or to vote yes for a new freeway. When it comes to valves, biasing is the process of making sure the correct voltage is running through them. As you use your valves, the bias requirements can change, so having them inspected every six to twelve months can help you maintain a rich valve tone.
Be sure to get an experienced professional to do this because a little bit of error can make a big difference, and a big error can cut your power valves' lives extremely short. Your preamp valves, on the other hand, don't need to be biased.
Another thing to remember about valves is that they get warm when in use. To keep them performing longer, be sure to keep the valves cool when you're not using the amp. Keep your valves out of direct sunlight. You should also give them a quick rubdown with a cloth when they've had a chance to cool down after use. It's also important to make sure the speaker impedance is in line with what the amp is built to handle. Otherwise, overheating can take place.
The life of a valve depends on several factors: how long they've been in your amp, how hard they've been used, how much they've been shaken or vibrated and how often they've been subjected to extreme temperatures. If you play all the time with the valves pushed to the point of distortion, you might use them up in as little as six months.
On the other hand, if you use your amp infrequently and take excellent care of your valves, you might not have to change them for several years.
When it comes to knowing when to change your valves or have your amp serviced, your most valuable asset is your ears. If your amp does not sound right, if it doesn't sustain like it normally does, if it lacks clarity or delivers unequal volume between notes, you may need new valves. When that time comes, be sure to treat yourself to the best valves you can buy. We make a wide variety of hand-selected, top-quality valves, each with their own distinct personality and abilities to make your sound something truly one-of-a-kind.
