Basic Guitar Amp Care And Maintenance

Here we’re going to give you a few tips on how to maintain and care for your guitar amplifier. This isn’t an in depth technical guide by any means but it should help you get the most out of your gear. Looking after a guitar amp is relatively straightforward.

Obviously a tube amp will require a bit more maintenance than a solid state model. There are however a few very important do’s and don’ts when it comes to maintaining and caring for your amp. Some are obvious and some are not so obvious.

Extreme Temperatures Are Costly

Like all electronic equipment, an amplifier doesn’t like things too hot or too cold. Sudden fluctuations in temperature can also cause big problems. You need to avoid sources of heat such as radiators and keep things well ventilated. Always allow your amp to warm up before use and cool down afterwards.

Keep It Dry

This might sound rather obvious but water and electrical equipment don’t tend to mix well! If you’re playing outdoors, invest in an amplifier cover. Make sure you don’t spill your beer all over it either! If the worst happens and your amp does get wet, you need to dry it out as quickly as possible and don’t turn it on for a few days.

Just like water, dust can also cause all sorts of problems with electronic circuitry.

Handle With Care - (Isn’t that a song title?)

Amps tend to get moved around a lot so the likelihood of it getting dropped is fairly high. Bouncing it around in the back of a dusty old van won’t do it much good either. Transport your amplifier with care and fasten it securely when it is in the back of a vehicle.

(The Travelling Wilburys by the way)

Don’t Turn to 11

Not before you turn it on at least!

Seriously though, make sure your volume isn’t turned up to the max when you turn the amp on, as you could damage it. You don’t want a power surge to fry your components do you?

Avoid Dust

Just like water, dust can also cause all sorts of problems with electronic circuitry. Obviously some environments are worse than others but it’s certainly a good idea to use dust covers when your amp isn’t being used.

Replace Your Tubes

If you own a valve amp, you’ll have to replace the tubes sooner or later. Preamp tubes can last many years but the power tubes will probably need replacing every 2 years or so due to the high voltages involved. You’ll usually be able to tell when the valves are on their way out as there’ll be all sorts of noises and noticeable changes in tone.

Note:
It isn’t recommended to mess about in the back of an amplifier unless you really know what you’re doing. There are lots of high voltages present even when the amp is switched off. If in doubt, take it to a professional.

Firmware Updates

The advent of modelling amps introduces another important step into amplifier maintenance. If you own this type of amplifier, you’ll need to ensure that you keep the firmware up to date. Basically, you need to keep an eye out for any important updates that are available from the manufacturer, just as you would with your smartphone or PC.

In Brief

By way of a recap, if you want to ensure the longevity of your guitar amp, ensure you follow the tips below.

1. Avoid extremes of temperature and keep well ventilated
2. Keep your amp dry and avoid spillages
3. Handle carefully and transport securely
4. Keep the volume low when you turn on the amp
5. Use a dust cover when the amp isn’t in use
6. Replace the tubes in your valve amp as necessary
7. Keep the firmware on your modelling amp updated

Fundamentally, if you look after your amp, it should give you many years of trouble free use.