Roadster / Tube V1 easy question... Maybe

[THOMASME]

Will a Roadster Head produce any sound (driving a 2 x 12 cab) without preamp tube V1?


The slightly longer version with back story if you are interested.

In July 2012 purchased a Roadster head and 2 x 12 cabinet new and still in the factory sealed box from Long & McQuade. It has worked flawlessly from day 1. The amp is typically used once a week for 3 to 4 hours (jam night) and has seen only 2 outings at bars. I would estimate between 100 and 150 hours of total use to date. On Friday March 8th 2013. I turned it on to find that I had no sound, on any channel. Too keep this short... Without dismantling anything I narrowed the trouble down to one of the preamp tubes. One of my friends who actually works at Long & McQuade did me a favor and hand delivered a new Mesa tube to me and hung out while I check to see which tube needed to be replaced. When I removed the electronics/control chassis from the head casing we found that the was NO tube in preamp tube slot V1.

This leaves me with 2 possibilities.
1. If a Roadster will indeed put out sound with the V1 tube missing then I can accept that it may be a factory mistake. I would be mildly annoyed with the folks at Mesa, but it's not the end of the world.

2. If a Roadster will NOT put out sound with the V1 tube missing then that means that some one removed it and I have a large annoying personal problem that I need to deal with in regards to my band mates.


I did install the tube, and while I had it all apart for easy access check the other tubes, but I still could not get it to work properly. I have taken it in to Long & McQuade for service to see if they can figure it out.

I have also asked Mesa this question directly.

 

[jdurso]

I think it will work without anything in v1... check the manual because it lays out exactly what each slot does in the preamp. If I remember correctly v1 and v2 work in tandem so maybe no tube in v1 caused it to just drive the tube in v2 harder

 

[THOMASME]

The Roadster has no diagram in the manual.

 

[THOMASME]

I just got a reply back from the Mesa Holywood store.

"The amp should NOT produce any sound with the V1 preamp tube removed."

I still have yet to hear back from the repair techs who currently are looking at my amp. Also have yet to hear back from the Mesa factory in Petaluma.

 

[THOMASME]

I received a reply from the factory in Petaluma.

Hi Tom -

After speaking with our techs here, it should be impossible for there to be sound from the amp with the V1 Preamp tube removed. It's a distant possibility that there may be some slight bleed at extreme settings but, in general, unlikely.

It sounds to us like someone removed the tube from your amp. It's also possible that when you installed the tube it didn't go in quite right. Or, for that matter, that something else is wrong with the amp and it should be at a technician being looked at.

Hope this helps and let us know if anything else comes up.

Cheers,

Still no word from the repair tech on what else is wrong with the amp or how much this little "Prank" might cost me. :evil:

 

[THOMASME]

Got the head back from Long & McQuade. It seems that the replacement tube must have been a dud. The V1 tube was the only thing wrong with the amp. They replaced it and gave the amp a full system review and it worked just fine.

I still need to test it myself but I am sure it'll be fine.

 

[mesaboogie6L6]

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[THOMASME]

lol not really.

I still have the issue that someone in my band is a cowardly *******. :lol:

 

[domct203]

I'm glad the amp is OK.

lol not really.

I still have the issue that someone in my band is a cowardly *******. :lol:

I'm an "eye for an eye" kind of guy, I would start doing the same type of sh!t to their gear, and wouldn't stop until someone 'fessed-up.

Dom

 

[mesaboogie6L6]

Wow that is messed up! Are they jealous of your gear? Not EVEN acceptable at all in my band, that is asking for a kick in the ***, no joke! I'm so serious about my gear and the whole world knows it! I have a 90' Mark III Coli and it's in minty shape, it's treated like gold covered diamonds, I don't even like ANYONE carrying my gear, including cabs.

I hope you figure out who the practical joker is, glad your amp is ok, Roadsters are badass amps!

Hey Dom, I was thinking the same thing, I would be more likely to get violent though.............seriously.