Marshall Class 5 Fixed - Thanks Teledog & Everyone....

[studio1087]

New Power Tube.....world of difference.

I ordered a new EL84 and two ECC83's from Tube Depot. The new EL84 fixed the dreaded rattle. Better said, it fixed the michrophonic rattle (I never had the dreaded chassis rattle).

A few of you thought is was michrophonics and not the evil first generation rattle. You were correcto.

Thanks!

Weird thing....I replaced all three tubes and the whole amp went dead. I looked and the new EL84 was glowing.....the ECC83's were not glowing. I yanked the new ECC83's and put the old ECC83's back in and the amp fired up minus the rattle.

I got dead ECC83's????????? Or did I install them wrong???

All the new tubes are JJ's. Two new ECC83 JJ's dead on arrival.

Does that make any sense??????


Happy Happy Joy Joy (except for the ECC83's but I'm still very grateful)....



Maybe this is not a first generation Class 5. Does anyone know the serial number cut from the bad ones to the better ones?????


THANKS!!

[Gtarzan81]

Is the back 1 piece, or 3 pieces?

If 3, then its newer.

[FadedLP]

That sucks if the tubes were DOA. Did you contact the tube depot?

What happened, you heard rattling so you bought all new tubes? I'm asking because I just bought a Class 5. I heard it's really hard to get to the tubes on this amp-did you have any problems? Could you post a walk-through?

[Gtarzan81]

Getting to the tubes is about a 5-7 minute procedure. You gotta take off the back, and unbolt the chassis basically.

[FadedLP]

I was hoping it would be easy but I read it was difficult on this amp. If you change the tubes do you have to/can you re-bias it?

[Cygnus X1]

It''s a single ended cathode biased EL84.
No need to rebias.

Yes, it is possible to install the ECC83 (12AX7A's) wrong.
And bent pins out of the box can make those tubes seem DOA.

[studio1087]

Originally Posted by FadedLP

I heard it's really hard to get to the tubes on this amp-did you have any problems? Could you post a walk-through?

Not hard!

I took mine apart and put it back together twice in 15 minutes.

1. The perforated metal grate on the back has three short phillips wood screws - remove them and the grate.

2. The upper wooded baffle on the back has four phillips wood screws - remove them.

3. The actual metal amp chassis has 4 short phillips metal screws (two on top and two in back) - remove them and hold the chassis as you remove the last one. The chassis now can tilt forward in the cabinet and slide out the back.

I didn't even use a power screw driver....I just did it old school with a screw driver is it was quick and simple.

10 screws - chassis slides out.



John

[FadedLP]

Thanks for the info! So what have you done to yours so far? Retube? if so, what kind?

[studio1087]

I replaced the power tube with a JJ tube from Tube Depot. I have less rattle and a lot more clean clarity when I do chicken picking spanky stuff with my Tele. I didn't play a humbucker guitar through it yet with the new tube but the middle strings had more spank and clarity with the new tube. Big $10.00 upgrade!

I bought a pair of these - Link



I also bought this because I have no self control when I see a cool T-Shirt....



Yah......chicks dig a shirt like that......yah.......

I love TubeDepot....check out there speaker prices. Neat company.

[Liam]

Originally Posted by studio1087

Weird thing....I replaced all three tubes and the whole amp went dead. I looked and the new EL84 was glowing.....the ECC83's were not glowing. I yanked the new ECC83's and put the old ECC83's back in and the amp fired up minus the rattle.

I got dead ECC83's????????? Or did I install them wrong???

All the new tubes are JJ's. Two new ECC83 JJ's dead on arrival.

Does that make any sense??????

Sometimes the glow from an ECC83 can be hard to spot depending on the internal arrangement. I'd be really surprised if you got 2 dead ones, not sure I've ever had a totally dead new tube. Might be worth checking them individually.

Glad you're sorted. It sounded so much like a bad EL84 in your video I was pretty sure it was worth the gamble on just trying another tube.

Liam

[studio1087]

Thanks Liam...if one of the tone tubes were dead the whole amp would be dead correct?

Maybe I should try the ECC83's individually with an older ECC83 in the other position.

The other weird news....The rattle came back slightly on night two.

I'm really struggling with this. GC online has a 10% off one item deal going. I can get a brand new (with warranty) Class 5 for $360 through 10.31.10.

I could put the problematic Class 5 back on Craigslist and get my $200 back in a couple days. I only paid $200 for the Class 5.

I'm $160 away from having a "new with warranty" Class 5. I don't want to pee money into fixing the thing when I'm so close to getting new (financially close).

SamAsh has a limited red one and I dig the grill.

I'm $160 away from this......I don't know man.....(what to do)????

[Liam]

Thanks Liam...if one of the tone tubes were dead the whole amp would be dead correct?

Yes

The other weird news....The rattle came back slightly on night two.

Oh no!!

I tend to go with the "devil I know". If the rattle is on its way back, you're probably not going to pee money into fixing it. You've already had the back off the amp, so could follow the instructions for where the rattle might be fairly easily.

Liam

If you are getting rid, check for shipping costs to UK... I might be interested!