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Dangcrapit! Just left my board (including a Minstrel tube OD) on for two days!

Discussion in 'Effects, Pedals, Strings & Things' started by sstweed, Jan 27, 2012.

  1. Jan 27, 2012 #1
    sstweed

    sstweed Supporting Member

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    Including my tube driven Kingsley Minstrel! It was powered on (and covered with a towel) from Tuesday night to late Thursday night because a certain dumba$$ boutique pedal collecting guitarist forgot to flip the switch on the power strip. I usually even go so far as to unplug the strip, but must have gotten distracted this time.

    Well, I fired it all up and it sounded great! Opened the back of the Kingsley and nothing looked or smelled hot. May have knocked a little life off the tubes but other than that, this thing appears to be bullet proof. Really a work of art on the inside by the way. The funny thing is the outside of the Strymon El Cap was warmer than the Kingsley!

    Thank you Simon for building the Abrams tank of overdrive pedals!
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2012
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    #1
  2. Jan 27, 2012 #2
    kakev

    kakev Member

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    You might be taking little too seriously, nothing wrong with that though. I would be very surprised (and extremely disappointed qualitywise) if pedals were affected anyway if leaved on for longer periods. Hell, I never swicth off my stereo system and that's even recommended by manufacturer, except
    if i'm not home say for weekend, i only put those to standby which is basically same as mute..
     
    kakev, Jan 27, 2012
    kakev, Jan 27, 2012
    #2
  3. Jan 27, 2012 #3
    lux_interior

    lux_interior Member

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    The life of preamp tubes is very, very long. Assuming no spikes or surges occured, nothing would happen even if you left it on for years. I've got some Telefunkens and Mullards that have been in gigs since '64 and they still sound fantastic (not my gigs - I wasn't born then :D).
     
    lux_interior, Jan 27, 2012
    lux_interior, Jan 27, 2012
    #3
  4. Jan 27, 2012 #4
    sstweed

    sstweed Supporting Member

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    Yes the transistor and digital pedals shouldn't care. But leaving a tube driven device on all the time seems like asking for trouble. But maybe not, other than running the tubes a little longer than they needed too. The pedal didn't get any warmer than it does playing a normal evening, even after being on 48 plus hours covered by a towel! I would worry about my tube amp if I did that, but maybe wrongly so? Maybe tube stuff is tougher than I give it credit for.
     
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    #4
  5. Jan 27, 2012 #5
    Stratm69

    Stratm69 Member

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    According to Effectrode, he himself left his Tube Vibe on overnight. After playing it the next day it actually sounded better apparently. I remember reading this on his website a long time ago.
     
    Stratm69, Jan 27, 2012
    Stratm69, Jan 27, 2012
    #5
  6. Jan 27, 2012 #6
    sstweed

    sstweed Supporting Member

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    I know pre-amp tubes have a pretty long life when treated properly (whatever that means). But turned on and left on for days without rest seemed harsh. But what do I know? Hell for all I know it did them some good. I just envisioned hot warped circuit boards and the like. But it looked like another normal day. Built like a tank, that's how I like stuff. It has modern Tong-sols in it by the way.
     
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    #6
  7. Jan 27, 2012 #7
    Heady Jam Fan

    Heady Jam Fan Member

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    Next test: leave it in the oven for two days.
     
    Heady Jam Fan, Jan 27, 2012
    Heady Jam Fan, Jan 27, 2012
    #7
  8. Jan 27, 2012 #8
    damnuandurdog

    damnuandurdog Member

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    You cover your pedals with a towel?
     
    damnuandurdog, Jan 27, 2012
    damnuandurdog, Jan 27, 2012
    #8
  9. Jan 27, 2012 #9
    FuzzGazer

    FuzzGazer Member

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    This is TGP my brother.
     
    FuzzGazer, Jan 27, 2012
    FuzzGazer, Jan 27, 2012
    #9
  10. Jan 27, 2012 #10
    josh.rigaud

    josh.rigaud Member

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    So do I actually... And wash my hands before I play ...
     
    josh.rigaud, Jan 27, 2012
    josh.rigaud, Jan 27, 2012
    #10
  11. Jan 27, 2012 #11
    sstweed

    sstweed Supporting Member

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    Ha! Yes I cover them when I leave them out. I'm a single dad, so no wife to nag about them being left on the living room floor for days at a time between gigs. I have three kids and a dog, to much opportunity there for disaster. So rather than run the risk of having my Minstrel doused in chocolate milk, I throw a towel over them if they are going to sit there for a while. They're mounted on a Pedaltrain with a nice hard shell case the rest of the time.
     
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    sstweed, Jan 27, 2012
    #11
  12. Jan 27, 2012 #12
    UncleLarry

    UncleLarry Member

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    Yep, preamp tubes can last for decades. 12xx7-type tubes have been used since the late 40's in radios, PA amps, TVs and other devices which were left on constantly and may still test good today. Power tubes are a different story, especially in guitar amps. Most guitar amps run power tubes way over maximum specified voltages, which is why it is not so good to leave your amp running for extended periods.
     
    UncleLarry, Jan 27, 2012
    UncleLarry, Jan 27, 2012
    #12
  13. Jan 27, 2012 #13
    4nd3h

    4nd3h Member

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    Actually, that's a good idea. My pedals are just yuckily dusty.

    RE-towel
     
    4nd3h, Jan 27, 2012
    4nd3h, Jan 27, 2012
    #13
  14. Jan 29, 2012 #14
    ManUBobby7

    ManUBobby7 Member

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    ^^^ lmao !!! haha

    Hey let me know what tubes sound best if youre ever gonna experiment. I got a telefunken and 50's brimar that currently arent in use - I'll let you know how they sound if I swap them in :D
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2012
    ManUBobby7, Jan 29, 2012
    ManUBobby7, Jan 29, 2012
    #14
  15. Jan 30, 2012 #15
    teleclem

    teleclem Member

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    Lol

    This actually happened to me too (albeit for a day only). I left the house and left the power strip off. But someone decided to watch some movies and plugged in the media player to my powerstrip. Left the powerstrip on. I only noticed when I went in to haul my gear to rehearsals.
     
    teleclem, Jan 30, 2012
    teleclem, Jan 30, 2012
    #15

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