Tourmaster volume issue

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dogula

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Hello! This is my first post. I have a Tourmaster head that I have been enjoying for the past two years but recently I'm running into some volume problems. I noticed that when I got the amp that the channel volume tapers on the OD channels go from fairly quiet to really loud around the 2:00 mark. I used to practice at band volume with the OD channels set to about 1:00 and the master at 10:30 to 11:00. This is now about as loud as someone shouting. The amp will still get really loud but I have to set the channel volumes at about 3:00. This happens regardless of the loop being engaged. I don't think it is an issue with the channels because it happens on all of them. Could this be a power tube or preamp tube issue? The sound of the amp hasn't changed just the volume. I'm kind of stumped. I don't mind replacing some tubes but I don't want to have to replace all of them if I don't have to.
 
i would start with preamp tubes.

most notably

v6 and v7 are for effects loop and reverb, so, i'd rule those out off the bat.

my guess is tube related, and it would be it's either:
preamp tubes, in this order,
a weak v1 tube
" v8 pi tube
possibly a weak v5 contour

or weak power tubes

easy to check if you have spares.
 
Ok, I got some new tubes and replaced the following slots one by one. V1, V4, V6, V8, and all power tubes. No change! The amp sounds a little better but is still pretty quiet. I noticed when I was replacing the power tubes that the 1st one right next to the phase inverter was glowing just like the other 3 but was much cooler. I could actually keep my hand on it while the others were scorching hot. When I replaced the power tubes they all get hot but I still don't have much volume. Can someone tell me if their amp is loud with the channel volumes and gain at 1:00 and the master at noon? I can compensate for the lack of volume by using the loop and cranking the effects return. I'm just concerned why it would be doing this if it isn't the tubes and I don't want to run into some issue down the road.
 
sounds like a screen grid resistor for that power tube, if it's staying cool..it's probably not getting any power.
you should have significant volume with those settings, i'd say somethings wrong internally with the amp.
try this:
turn the amp off.
put all power grid settings on maximum, or 100watts.
pull the two outer tubes, leave the 2 inner pair tubes in the respective slots.

put your ohm setting on half of what it was (8 if it was on 16, 4 if it was on 8)

try your amp now. see if it made a difference...report back or pm me.
 
I pulled the outer two tubes this morning and had the same results. I guess I'm taking it to a tech. All of the new power tubes do get hot so I'm not sure if its the screen resistor you spoke of. The amp sounds good and can still get loud but the settings I use are dramatically different then they used to be. Its almost like the master volume pot got screwed up. Interestingly, I used to have an Egnater M4 that this happened to. One day it just got quiet and I was having to turn the output knob way up. About two weeks later in the middle of band practice it decided to fix itself and get loud again.
 
pull the inner two power tubes.....leave the outer 2 power tubes in their slots.

repeat, and see if it's the same thing..if so, you COULD have a bad screen resistor on one or both of each pair (inner and outer) tubes, but, if it just happened all the sudden, i'd guess it's something else.

try that, and report back....not tech time yet my man....still stuff for you to try by process of elimination.
 
It has been a while since I have updated this. I pulled the two inner tubes yesterday and still got the same results. I'm going to band practice with it tonight for the first time in about 3 months. I will just crank the effects loop return while the loop is engaged to compensate for the lack of volume. Maybe something interesting will happen if I play it loud for 3 hours instead of 15 minutes.
 
I dunno if this is the same thing as what I'm experiencing or not. I am probably going to call Egnater support tomorrow. It seems that if I keep the master volume low, the amp fizzes and shimmers and sounds like crap. Then it jumps to an absolute blare. That may just be an artifact of the transformer. I need to call and find out. Trying to decide on whether the amp is broken or not, and whether to return it.
 
Weird. My amp is the opposite. The master volume is very smooth from quite to loud. However, the channel volumes especially on OD1 and OD2 go from kind of quite to really loud around 2 o'clock. You can talk loudly over my amp with OD1 or OD2 volume at noon and the master at noon. I know that isn't right! The only way the amp gets loud anymore is by using the effects loop with the send at about noon and the return cranked to 3:00 or so. I'm taking it in next week to an authorized repair place in the Dallas area. I will let you know what I find out. The weird thing is that the amp sounds fine aside from not being as loud as it used to. Also, I have never noticed any strange noises when the amp is turned down low. It sounds like something is up with both of our amps.
 
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