Members Timmott Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 So how much should it cost? My tech told me the guy that does the amp repairs wants $200 to retube and rebias my amp, does that sound right?We both thought it sounded a little high. How much do you guys usually get charged for retubing your amps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Which amp, and are you supplying tubes? If they are doing a complete retube (supplying their own tubes), $200 is still high, but not stupidly so. If you are supplying tubes, tell that guy to go f- himself, and take it to a good tech that'll charge you what's appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boltino Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 So how much should it cost? My tech told me the guy that does the amp repairs wants $200 to retube and rebias my amp, does that sound right?We both thought it sounded a little high. How much do you guys usually get charged for retubing your amps? It depends pretty heavily on how many tubes your amp has. Wes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 The amp in question is my Mesa Boogie 50 Caliber and I dont have the tubes. But even so it only has 2 6L6's and 5 12AX7's, so the tubes shouldnt be that expensive. I'd like to see how much the guy charges to replace the tubes in a Duotone or Triamp . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Depending on the brand of tubes, you've got $100 or so in tubes, so $100 in labor - that's a bit high. I'd say $150 would be reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JBecker Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Do you know how to do it yourself? It's not that hard.... www.dougstubes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 With Mesa can you just replace the power tubes with a matched pair? preamps....no biggie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 {censored} - I totally spaced on that. A Mesa won't need a rebias - just order the tubes and pop them in yourself. If you want in converted to adjustable bias, $200 would be about right including tubes and a bias adjustment. I need coffee.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members misle Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Mesa Boogie amps cannot be re-biased! (at least not without modification) They are fixed biased. Contact Doug at Doug's Tubes, tell him that you have a Mesa Boogie 50 Caliber and he will provide you with great tubes that you will be able to swap with no problems. He will give you tubes with in the tolerance that Mesa designs for, so re-biasing is not needed. Expect to pay ~$100 for the tubes shipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jopop Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 $100+ for unscrewing the backplate, yanking tubes out, putting tubes in and screwing the backplate back on? You are being scammed, my friend. But, he _might_ use official Mesa tubes, which are expensive ($15 per pre, $40 per power tube), so it might not be that bad. If you order from Doug the tubes will probably cost around $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JerryP Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 You took it to a shop, shops have overhead so you're not going to get the tubes for the price you could order them on the internet for. You'll expect a warranty on any work he does, that's not free. If he were selling you Groove Tubes 12AX7's at list you could be looking at $100 for 5 12AX7's. Add $40 or so for the 6L6's. Then add a minimum shop rate of an hour and you have $200. I'd say that's about right for a repair shop. I'd assume they'll do more than just pop in the tubes and the amp will get a complete check over, testing, and cleaning.Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members "sasquatch" Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Mesa Boogie amps cannot be re-biased! (at least not without modification) They are fixed biased. Contact Doug at Doug's Tubes, tell him that you have a Mesa Boogie 50 Caliber and he will provide you with great tubes that you will be able to swap with no problems. He will give you tubes with in the tolerance that Mesa designs for, so re-biasing is not needed. Expect to pay ~$100 for the tubes shipped. +1 mesas are "fixed" bias. just pop in the new tubes. its like changing lightbulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 22, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Oh so I just unscrew the back plate, pop the old tubes out and put new ones in? Sweet, I didnt think it was that easy. Hopefully I dont {censored} it up when I do it xD. My tech at the shop said that the guy cleans everything up and whatnot, but I dont really have the extra money to pay for that kind of stuff. Thanks for helping me out guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jopop Posted June 22, 2007 Members Share Posted June 22, 2007 Buy a can of contact cleaner, it's like $5. It's useful for EVERYTHING. Cleaning jacks, sockets, potentiometers, eyeglasses and so on.. i use mine for everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tommythelurker Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Mesa Boogie amps cannot be re-biased! (at least not without modification) They are fixed biased. Contact Doug at Doug's Tubes, tell him that you have a Mesa Boogie 50 Caliber and he will provide you with great tubes that you will be able to swap with no problems.He will give you tubes with in the tolerance that Mesa designs for, so re-biasing is not needed. Even then it's still a good idea to check the bias to make sure they're running correctly. God I'm so sick if this bull{censored}. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Only if you get the right tubes. Read this post again CAREFULLYEven then it's still a good idea to check the bias to make sure they're running correctly. God I'm so sick if this bull{censored}. Well if I get the right tubes I should be okay then right? I'll contact the guy at dougstubes.com and I'm sure he can tell me what tubes I should put in it. What happens if it the amp isnt biased correctly anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tietjen Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 If it were not rebiased properly it would just run the tubes down quicker and change the tone some. But Mesa's cannot be rebiased without moding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tietjen Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 I have a 50 Marshal JMP. 2 Wnged EL34's 3 12AX7's. $250 price tag from my amp tech. I got the amp back and thought it was to trebbly. So I brought it back, he changed a cap, no charge, I took it home. I decided it was still to trebbly and I brought it in again... I said I need it darker, mod it... he changed some caps and resistors and tada... no extra charges, retubed, modded, biased, cleaned, and looked at by the best amp tech in Minnesota (Savage Audio, or Savage Amplifiers)... $250. Money well spent to make wure my investment was going to be able to rock as hard as I wanted it to . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 If it were not rebiased properly it would just run the tubes down quicker and change the tone some. But Mesa's cannot be rebiased without moding. Then then I should be fine just swapping the tubes without touching anything else then? Just making sure cause I dont wanna fuck up my amp . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tietjen Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 I had a DC3. I put JJ's in it and the dealer I bought them from said that they are the same as the Mesa tubes. And you won't f-up your amp... this is the way theya are designed. Its in your manual. If you don't have the manual you can download it from Mesa's sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Can anyone check Mesa's User Manual on the 50 Caliber Plus for me, I dont have enough free space on my computer to download the reader needed for it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tietjen Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 From the site: MAINTENANCE Excessive noise, feedback, squealing or rattling sounds coming from the speaker are almost always the result of a deteriorated 12AX7 preamp tube, usually the first ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Thanks alot tietjen! It says not to replace the preamp tubes unless a specific problem arises, but I've had the amp for almost 2 years and havent replaced the tubes yet so I think I'll just replace all of them. I'm gonna email the guy at dougstubes.com tonight and see what he suggests to put in my amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JBecker Posted June 23, 2007 Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Hey-- FWIW, Doug lives in Wantagh. I'm not sure if he's still cool with this, but I just went to his house to pickup tubes when I needed a new set (maybe I'll call him and head there this weekend). I'm sure if you've never changed them he'd be willing to sit down and show you how, though it's literally pull old out, push new in. He's a great guy and has some of the best prices as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Timmott Posted June 23, 2007 Author Members Share Posted June 23, 2007 Yeah I noticed he had a 516 area code number on his site. I myself live in Suffolk county and a ride out to Wantagh would probably only be about an hour away. I'll try to get in touch with him and see if he's ok with me driving out there and picking some tubes up (and to get him to show me how to fix/replace everything in my amp ). Plus I wouldnt have to wait for the tubes to ship out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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