TUBE CARE & MAINTENANCE

VACUUM TUBE CARE

1. START UP: For the sake of simplicity, the Steel Guitar Black Box does not have a stand-by switch to allow the tube to warm up before the high voltage is applied to it. This should be considered with regards to tube life. The cold start-up of a Black Box is best kept to a minimum. That means if you are going to turn it on in a given day, you may want to just leave it on and warm until you pack it up for the evening. Frequent start-ups can contribute to premature aging of the tube. Fortunately replacement tubes are very inexpensive for the Black Box. You may want to purchase a back-up to keep on hand. This really goes for any tube gear.

The Revelation Tube Preamp has a stand-by switch. You should leave this switch in the down position when you turn on the power switch. Once power is on, wait about 15 seconds, and then turn on the Stand-By switch. The tube will be warmed by then and will not be stressed by the high voltage being applied.

2. REPLACEMENT: When the tubes begin to exhibit symptoms that suggest the need for replacement, the procedure is simple for any qualified person who understands the nature of a high voltage tube device. ONLY qualified personnel should attempt replacing the tubes. It must be done with the unit unplugged from the AC power source. Leave the Stand-By switch "up" and wait at least one minute. Then the lid is carefully removed by the Phillips screws on the top of the lid as well as the one on the faceplate. The tubes are then easily accessed by hand. The location of the tube type is clearly marked on the circuit board near the tube socket. Feel free to experiment with other brands of tubes as long as they are the same type.

3. TYPES:
STEEL GUITAR BLACK BOX - 1 tube
(1) 12AU7 (ECC82 or ECC802 or similar)

REVELATION TUBE PREAMP - 3 tubes
(2) 12AU7 (ECC82 or ECC802 or similar) - Tubes #1 and #3
(1) 12AX7 (ECC83 or ECC803 or similar) - Tube #2

TONIC TUBE PREAMP - 2 tubes
(1) 12AU7 (ECC82 or ECC802 or similar) - Tube #1
(1) 12AX7 (ECC83 or ECC803 or similar) - Tube #2