HELP!! damaged tube socket

Dave Sloven

Dave Sloven

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I think I damaged the tube socket trying to get a new Tung Sol 12AX7 to go in. It might be that the prongs were a bit crooked on the new tube, or the socket might have been damaged as I pulled the old one out.

As it stands I am screwed. I can't get the tube back in

The PCB is quite flexxy so I don't like pushing too hard

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Are you able to determine if the tube pins actually line up between the socket contacts, instead of pushing to one side?

The contacts at the right arrow in your picture look a little tight, or like they got bent a little. Maybe, you could use a small screwdriver or something to spread the contacts a little. But, those contacts are fragile and can break easily if bent too far.

In a worst-case scenario, tube sockets are pretty cheap and should solder into the PCB without too much trouble. The biggest hassle may be getting the amp apart to the point where you can actually remove the old socket and solder a new one in.
 
Could you take a small nail or something of that sort and poke it in the messed up holes there on the tube socket ? Is the metal in the socket hole just bent ?
 
I've got the tube back in but now I have no input signal. Either the socket is stuffed or the tube is stuffed by me trying to get it back in. It is late now, in the morning I will try the tube I took from the socket next to it in this socket and see if that works

Worst thing is that I have gigs next Friday and Saturday
 
Seems I cracked the tube trying to get it back in. Socket is screwed. Calling tech first thing Monday
 
Cheap set of Dental Picks is good to have for messing with this type of stuff. If you can't find any leftover debris in the socket, and a known working tube doesn't do it, a copper trace to one of the pins might have cracked.

At any point during this whole ordeal, was there any electrical burnt smell?
 
Booked in for repairs next week. Power tubes are on their way here from Sydney so I should have them tomorrow or Thursday. Then I will take the amp and tubes out to Adelaide's best amp tech for a tube socket replacement, revalve and bias. Also to check over everything else, capacitors etc. We had to move our recording date on by a week.
 
I would like to know as much detail as possible about what was involved in getting your amp operating properly again, after it's fixed.

BTW... What amp is it?
 
syscokid said:
I would like to know as much detail as possible about what was involved in getting your amp operating properly again, after it's fixed.

BTW... What amp is it?
Click to expand...

I won't be there taking photos, but I can tell you what he tells me and what's on the invoice

It is a Peavey 6534+

The tube socket is my fault. I must have either not checked the end of the tube properly or pushed it in slightly crooked the first time. My eyesight is not the greatest. Age related and basically too much reading (I have a PhD in the humanities - hence the unemployment).
 
Sorry about the difficulty. I know the feeling!

Tube amps sound nice, but they are terribly sensitive and both difficult and dangerous to work on for most folk. The costs continue gain ground on the benefits for me.

That said, soon it will be good as new.
 
You really need a professional tube prong straightening tool for each type of tube you are using. The pins can be slightly off. Good techs have these for common tubes
 
Nothing wrong with this Peavey ... it's been a solid performer, lasted me four years on these tubes and I would say that the amp itself is possibly as old as 2010 so if they caps are an issue that's a fairly good run. So, no, that would not be appropriate.

You can 'F Mesa' or 'F Marshall' all you like though.

EDIT: Actually I just found the build date and it's August 2012. The caps might still be fine
 
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EL34BHTs arrived today so I immediately took them with my Peavey 6534+ and the preamp tubes I received last week to Frank at FM Audio in Prospect, on the other side of Adelaide. He noticed a manufacturing fault with the amp: someone didn't line the chassis up straight, and the knobs stick out slightly past the protective housing on one side. He will have to straighten the alignment and redrill several holes on that side to get it right. He will also install a new tube socket and all of the tubes I have given him, and bias the power tubes. Should have it back by the end of next week. In the meantime I have two gigs to play. One of them I can borrow a 5150 II from a friend; the other one I might need to hire a 6505 or 6505+ from a hire company tomorrow :eek:

Tried using our bassist's son's Peavey Butcher (the recent model, not the '80s one). It was shite, nobody could hear me over the bass and drums. Couldn't get anywhere near my sound, even with drive pedals.

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