EL84 tube retainers?

[HoboMan]

EL84 tube retainers?
Anybody install any on their EL84 amp?
Thinking about putting some on my Budda SuperDrive.

 

[kevin hart]

I've never installed them, but my ÷13 JRT9/15 came with them and the amp has been problem free for 11 years so i guess they work.

 

[jlinde]

Yes, great idea! My superdrive can be a rattling SOB when I open her up. Not sure why they didn't come stock with the amp. I use the rubber tube dampened with good luck on mine....that is with NOS holland amperex 84's. Couldn't find a new production 84 or 5u4 that didn't rattle inside of her. The tube building process of the 50's-60's is unfortunately a lost art. I've been stockpiling for a while. There's nothing wrong with some good ol' tube hoarding!

 

[HoboMan]

+ Quote

Yes, great idea! My superdrive can be a rattling SOB when I open her up. Not sure why they didn't come stock with the amp. I use the rubber tube dampened with good luck on mine....that is with NOS holland amperex 84's. Couldn't find a new production 84 or 5u4 that didn't rattle inside of her. The tube building process of the 50's-60's is unfortunately a lost art. I've been stockpiling for a while. There's nothing wrong with some good ol' tube hoarding!

I'm not getting any tube rattle but I do find that I was getting a static/hum last week and it went away after I reseated the powertubes.
My amp gets hauled around a lot and I think some tube retainers could help.

 

[guitarjazz]

+ Quote


I'm not getting any tube rattle but I do find that I was getting a static/hum last week and it went away after I reseated the powertubes.
My amp gets hauled around a lot and I think some tube retainers could help.

Do you use a road case?

 

[HoboMan]

Do you use a road case?

No road case.
I use Tuki padded covers on two and the cheap vinyl cover on the other.
If I used road cases I wouldn't have the room to put them in my car.

 

[RussB]

Tubesandmore.com

They offer some very nice ones for around $7 each but they need a base to attach to

They also have the bent wire ones. They tend to pop off the tube by themselves though

 

[guitarjazz]

No road case.
I use Tuki padded covers on two and the cheap vinyl cover on the other.
If I used road cases I would have the room to put them in my car.

I can dig it. I bought a road case for a vintage brown Concert. At the first gig I opened it and the original 5881's were smashed to pieces..no retainers!

 

[HoboMan]

OK, I looked at my Budda chassis and it has little bolts & nuts holding the tube sockets in.
I'm wondering if this is a do it yourself project?
I'm really good at repairing things but I don't want to mess anything up or electrocute myself.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/R.../EL84-Power-Tube-Spring-Retainer#.VavegJO37tQ

 

[HoboMan]

http://www.mojotone.com/amp-parts/R.../EL84-Power-Tube-Spring-Retainer#.VavegJO37tQ

Thanks!

That's looks easy enough to install.

 

[boyce89976]

I installed some on an older amp. Usually, there are two nuts on the inside of the chassis that are epoxied or glued into place after the tube socket is installed. If those get moved, or dislodged, be prepared to reach inside the chassis to re-install them.

 

[jlinde]

OK, I looked at my Budda chassis and it has little bolts & nuts holding the tube sockets in.
I'm wondering if this is a do it yourself project?
I'm really good at repairing things but I don't want to mess anything up or electrocute myself.

Alligator clip pin 1 on your v1 tube socket to the chassis. That will discharge your caps. I ALWAYS do that any time I'm inside of an amp. Let me know how they work for you. I may install them on my sd18.

 

[HoboMan]

I installed some on an older amp. Usually, there are two nuts on the inside of the chassis that are epoxied or glued into place after the tube socket is installed. If those get moved, or dislodged, be prepared to reach inside the chassis to re-install them.

I saw the nuts. I thought that I would have to use some needle nose pliers to hold them while removing the bolts. Glad to hear they are probably glued down.

Alligator clip pin 1 on your v1 tube socket to the chassis. That will discharge your caps. I ALWAYS do that any time I'm inside of an amp. Let me know how they work for you. I may install them on my sd18.

Thanks for the tip on how to discharge the caps.

I ordered the retainers today.
Probably won't get to install them until next week but I'll definitely post back with an update.

 

[HoboMan]

I installed some on an older amp. Usually, there are two nuts on the inside of the chassis that are epoxied or glued into place after the tube socket is installed. If those get moved, or dislodged, be prepared to reach inside the chassis to re-install them.

OK, installed the first set tonight on one of my SD18s.
Not as easy as I hoped but not too hard.
The problem is the nuts on the ends of the bolts are not attached to the chassis. They fall right off when you remove the bolt.
I small set of angle needle nose pliers helped me get them back on.

I really like having these on here. The hold the tubes really tight.
As I mentioned earlier my gigging amps get moved around a lot. Couple of gigs ago I was getting a static sound that went away after reseating the power tubes.

Here's some pics:

 

[HoboMan]

OK, just finished installing retainers on my SD30.

REALLY liking these things.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

Good job

 

[boyce89976]

Nice job! Those are the same ones I've used... I like them a lot better than the wire ones. The problem with the nuts is exactly what I warned you about... Same thing happened to me... PITA!

 

[HoboMan]

Good job

Thanks!

Nice job! Those are the same ones I've used... I like them a lot better than the wire ones. The problem with the nuts is exactly what I warned you about... Same thing happened to me... PITA!

Yeah, those dam nuts are definitely a PITA.

These things really hold the tubes in tightly. Very happy with them.
Thanks for all the help/suggestions guys!

 

[gldtp99]

I used these on a friend's Guild Thunder 1 RVT combo (w/ECL86 output tubes):

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/vacuum-tube-retainer-belton-el84s-high-quality

I used the little "L" angle brackets from this type of tube retainer to attach to the two spring clips:

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/retainer-fits-el34-5881-and-6l6gc-tubes

I like the Belton high quality EL84 tube retainers better than these springy wire type EL84 tube retainers (but these work ok):

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/vacuum-tube-retainer-el84-tubes