How I Use The Standby Switch

A little video about how I would use the standby switch on valve/tube amplifiers. This is just my opinion and what I have found through my experiences, and other advice of people I trust. YMMV!

[@johnperalta8152]

The English accent is good for singing not so much for speaking sorry

[@RDamps]

Thanks so much for taking time out of your day for this constructive criticism. I’ll take this onboard.

[@0megalul309]

Your ears need checking cos there's an obvious lack of skill issue. People in the rest of the world have no issue understanding American and GB English

[@jameswilliford5478]

Excellent Video. Ridiculous that someone would comment about your accent, that is in no way hard to understand. I'm a southerner in the United States and no one that speaks and understands English would have a problem understanding everything that is being said.

[@jasonstacey8577]

Something wrong with you😂😂

[@HUGEHARDTHICKANDVEINY]

🤡🤡🤡

[@ianbarker2599]

Top advise, my dad was a repair engineer, TV's radios and so on, a valve man through and through and had me wiring stuff when I was 8!!!! I remember him telling me something similar. Top memory recall, thanks 👍

[@JimmyDevere]

It takes about 30 mins of hard playing for the transformers to get hot and when they do they are really cooking. So much of the tone is from the trans so it makes perfect sense your explanation. Subscribed.

[@RDamps]

Thank you Jimmy. More content coming soon. Just been very busy with my other line of work lately

[@davidochandoblasco1546]

Excellent information mister. Very much appreciated.

[@RDamps]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davidochandoblasco1546]

@@RDamps As a Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp + Simul 295 poweramp owner, does this procedure work fine? I should then disconnect the poweramp first (without touching standby) then the same on the preamp? Thanks for your time and regards!

[@RDamps]

Yes, you are correct. As to the studio pre, the standby on that is just a mute switch. There is really no point in it being there.

[@davidochandoblasco1546]

@@RDamps Well that actually makes a lot of sense! Now I see what I have to do crystal clear. Thanks!!!!! :)

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

I spoke to the current senior tech at Marshall awhile ago. He stated that the Standby was specifically put in amps so the user could take a break and leave it powered on so the tubes stay warm and the amp quiet. That was it's purpose. He stated the optimal way to use the standby is Standby on and then switch the power on. Wait 30 seconds and then switch standby off. Before turning off, switch the standby back on and then turn the amp off. He said it doesn't hurt the amp at all to turn the amp off with the standby off....he said it's literally this way so that when you go to turn the amp back on, the standby will already be on. After all of this said, this was all for modern marshall amps. The DSL series for instance, the caps drain to low/no voltage regardless of the standby when turned off. Older amps are different. So everything this guy says...about Plexi's anyway is true!

[@bobmartino8073]

In a live gig setting, I switch the standby on while switching guitars and then switch the standby off. Bad or good? I never liked unplugging a guitar while a tube amp is on even with the volume down (which no sound guy likes you to do during a live show) unless the standby is on.

[@shckltnebay]

I find my Fender amps sound best at about 10-30 mins after that I start getting some sag maybe im checking the bias to soon? You should mention not to move amps while they are still hot.

[@RDamps]

Very good point on not moving them once on and until cooled down properly. Yep you should only set the bias once properly warmed up. You should check 5 mins after switching on too, as to check so its not too high a bias already and causing damage though! Thanks for listening

[@mazetujuh]

tell me science point of view of this method

[@bwpm1467]

Keep hearing totally different things about turning it off.

[@chusmusic]

this is it

[@snakebite8925]

Within the power of guitar tube amps, mostly max 100Watt, many times round 50 Watt, it is complete useless to have a standby switches. Did you ever see a radio with standby switch. Me neither. The only devices that have a useful standby switch are big power transmitters. In guitar amps it ruins the cathode so the life time with sb switch is shorter. Why are so many guitar amps with a standby switch. It is the heritage from Leo Fender. Leo Fender was in the early days a serviceman for receivers and transmitters. So he thought that the sb switch was useful in his amps. The first amps from Leo Fender were derived from radio amplifiers. And then every manufacturer copied his Bassman (Marshall jtm45 and many more) all with this ridicules stand by switches. Do not use them at all.

[@RDamps]

I agree, I don’t use mine at all.