Tube Amps in Church

[smssatts]

I play at my church where we do a 4 song set before the sermon and just one song afterward. Between practice before the service and the sermon, my amp is on for about 2 hours. The sermon is about 1-1.5 hrs and then we play one more song, so like 5 more minutes of amp time.

My question is, would you turn off your amp for the sermon break, and then back on for one last song? Or would you just leave your amp on during the 1 hr break? I have a Blues Jr. III. Thanks for all your expert advice.

Sean

[westin]

Doesn't it have standby?

[smssatts]

No standby. When you turn it on it takes like a minute to actually "turn on"

[Bartholomew3]

I would put it on standby - every time you turn on a tube amp puts stress on amp components & tubes which have to warm-up agin.

On the other hand I abused a 67 twin reverb for over 40 years on gigs and jam sessions in a few countries and it still works pretty good at low volumes - in my living room on it's third set of tubes. Probably needs capacitors and speakers but all amps need maintenance sooner or later.

So it's your choice - nothing is forever anyways.

[smssatts]

I think standby would be the obvious solution here only the Blues Jr's don't have it...

[TaylorPlayer]

I would leave it on. Tubes sound best when nice and warmed up anyway. I often will practice or play for a few hours at a time through both my tube amps and neither has a standby switch. I can tell after awhile when the tubes are nice and warm, the sound is great. I would think turning on and off for that amount of time would be harder on the tubes.

Remember, when some of us were kids, the TV's ran on tubes. Ours was on for hours at a time with no problems. I can't even remember my dad ever replacing tubes.

By the way.... 1 to 1 1/2 hour sermons?!?!?!

[sjwieczorkow]

Originally Posted by TaylorPlayer

By the way.... 1 to 1 1/2 hour sermons?!?!?!

I agree. Think of the children!

Wouldn't want to be a kid during Xmas Eve mass at that
church.

[smssatts]

I knew this would take over the discussion eventually. Now you see my dilemma! If it were 30-45 mins I would leave my amp on for sure. But since I never know how long it's gonna go, I get worried over leaving my amp on unplayed for an hour and a half. It's not that big a deal but I'm just curious what some of you would do.

[Chase TM]

What about modding the amp to include a standby? I'm really nervous about using amps without a standby and this might be a good move to increase the longevity of your amp.

[losergeek]

I'd leave it on - kill the guitar with your tuner and maybe turn down the master volume - it'll be fine.

[Muttcaster]

Originally Posted by TaylorPlayer

By the way.... 1 to 1 1/2 hour sermons?!?!?!

As a preacher myself, I was thinking more of this:

we play one more song, so like 5 more minutes of amp time.

Whoa... five minutes for ONE song?

I'd leave it on- people play in bars for 4 hours.

[candybluecrook]

Originally Posted by Bartholomew3

I would put it on standby - every time you turn on a tube amp puts stress on amp components & tubes which have to warm-up agin.

On the other hand I abused a 67 twin reverb for over 40 years on gigs and jam sessions in a few countries and it still works pretty good at low volumes - in my living room on it's third set of tubes. Probably needs capacitors and speakers but all amps need maintenance sooner or later.

So it's your choice - nothing is forever anyways.

Have your bias and capacitors checked. My pre cbs super reverb has been gigged by a professional for years before I got it, and I've been playing it out on gigs for a few years now. It usually gets to sit still now. As I use my Nashville 1000 for most big gigs now. Sorry im using my DROID and I bumped the wrong pic

[candybluecrook]

That's the one I was trying for lol

[Old Cane]

So, is there something physically wrong with it that you can't leave it on for a couple of hours? On big stages we leave our gear on and come back some hours later after a meal, a nap and a shower. In the summer, in the south, in a tent, yeah you might want to turn it off if the sound guy is ok with that.

It's not a toaster guys. Just turn the guitar down or unplug the cable from the amp and walk away.

[candybluecrook]

Originally Posted by Old Cane

So, is there something physically wrong with it that you can't leave it on for a couple of hours? On big stages we leave our gear on and come back some hours later after a meal, a nap and a shower. In the summer, in the south, in a tent, yeah you might want to turn it off if the sound guy is ok with that.

It's not a toaster guys. Just turn the guitar down or unplug the cable from the amp and walk away.

+1

[KCJonez]

Isn't there a climate crisis going on? I don't know what the weather's like in Bellingham, but in Toronto it's been over 40 degrees for a month with the humidity (that's 104+ in farenheit). I say kill the switch, let the audience chill out for a minute while you wait for the amp to warm, and do your part to help conserve energy.

[allen082]

I'd just leave it on. May not be the best for it, but its certainly not gonna kill it. Just one of the perks of no standby.

[Shorecaster]

I would leave the amp on... and take a nap.

[BigDaddyLH]

Originally Posted by KCJonez

Isn't there a climate crisis going on? I don't know what the weather's like in Bellingham, but in Toronto it's been over 40 degrees for a month with the humidity (that's 104+ in farenheit). I say kill the switch, let the audience chill out for a minute while you wait for the amp to warm, and do your part to help conserve energy.

It's actually been cool and wet, out west. As to your first sentence, where's my ten-foot pole?

[Late Comer]

As someone else said, if you were playing in a club or arena, the amp would be on for a few hours, so it will be fine for a 1 hour sermon.

HOWEVER, do NOT unplug the cord from the amp. I forget the exact science, but years ago it was pounded into me that tube amps freak out if they don't have an input signal. It's ok to not be playing, but do not unplug.

Turning down your guitar's volume will be fine.