HOW TO CHANGE TUBES IN A MESA BOOGIE AMP HEAD - Mesa Boogie Mark V

This video is about how to change tubes in a mesa boogie amp head. I am changing out the tubes in my Mark V 5:25 in this video. I am by no means a professional; however, the steps I took to make this video are how I figured out how to change the tubes out of this amp. Thanks for watching!
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[@HidrodemolicionEPT]

Hey man, you saved my life! I didn't know how to take off the covers on the preamp tubes on my JP2C. Thanks, and greetings from México city!

[@xanderraymondcharles]

Happy to help man! Cheers from the USA!

[@chriswickens]

Same, just had a fuse blow at a show and have to replace tubes. This video is solid gold!

[@adamsomerville2719]

This video also helped me out with my Mesa Express. Same thing for the basket and chassis removal, reverb wire screw and spring loaded clip thingys

[@DavideAnastasia]

For those we are asking about biasing, only power tubes require it. Preamp tube do not. In the mesa, bias is fixed and Mesa know exactly what tubes are required to work correctly in their amp, hence buy mesa power tubes. For preamp, pick and choose what you want/like. P.S. Amps require less re-tubing than what the market makes you believe (of course).

[@elvis_chen]

Thanks for sharing, Mesa should also make an official tutorial like this!

[@xanderraymondcharles]

Hey anytime thanks for checking it out!

[@creativestudio4873]

Next time you keep the head upside-down when removing the chassis to avoid risking any damage to the components snd you should keep it unplugged for a coiple of hours for the capacitors to discharge. ..They can hold it for several hours and can carry quite a high voltage

[@DavideAnastasia]

I am expecting a modern amplifier (like the one in the video) to have a drain resistor in parallel with the power caps, so your advice is over cautious. In general though, you have a valid point.

[@steeldragonjovi]

This video was exactly what I needed!! Thanks for sharing

[@fjk1138]

Awesome detailed video, thank you for doing this!

[@Wermiin]

Thanks my man. Just looking to buy one of these used tomorrow and a retube is going to be required for sure. Great heads up

[@steveshreds353]

Excellent video!!! Thanks so much

[@robynbyrne812]

Awesome Thanks for taking the time to do this video

[@xanderraymondcharles]

hey no worries Robyn I hope it helped!

[@amarildodepaula7017]

Great video! Thanks so much!

[@echodigger]

I just picked up a used Mark V 25 yesterday along with a wide body Mesa 1x12 cab. Killer tone and I love it. But today I had to take it apart to clean out the fan and dust out the inside. The only thing I did different was to use a popsicle stick to move that black plug gently away from the wood bracing inside the head. From there it slid out easier.

[@khushurohit1]

Thank you so much... You are a life saver!!!!

[@dimebagtribute]

My Mark V 25 was made the same day as yours 😄

[@xajlalondex]

Just got a used mark V 25 & after 2 long sessions of playing she just shut off and won’t turn back on lol hoping it’s the power tubed and not everything that needs to be replaced. Just bought a replacement kit with power tubes and pre amp. Will try this🤘🏻

[@deasnutz4ever]

Thanks for the video

[@RawadAMassih]

Great vid man. Perry Mason is on 😁

[@Snowy0123]

I recently got the mark 5 25, .love it.

[@xanderraymondcharles]

awesome man! I love it as well. I've got a question for you which setting do you use for channel 2?

[@Snowy0123]

Stay Metal Ray I'm going through a huge Petrucci phase right now so I'm using the II c+ with the gain dialed back a little and a Maxon OD808 and a Keeley compressor(kind of like a clean boost).Silky milky smooth. The older I get the less gain I'm using.

[@xanderraymondcharles]

dude I hear ya. 15 year old me would dime the gain scoop the mids haha. Nowadays the gain doesn't pass 1 o clock. I use the mark IV setting personally

[@Snowy0123]

Stay Metal Ray I'm at about 1 or 2 o'clock with 2c+ but the mk 4 I think it's good at noon or below.

[@JFRiley]

Gret video, and very timely! Just yesterday I discovered a thread on the "boogie board" about the Mark V "Saturation Mod" where the poster recommends swapping the 12AX7 in the V2 spot (V4 or V6 on the big amp) with a 12AT7. Apparently, from the 32 PAGES of replies, the difference is night and day, so I've been scouring the net looking for instructions on how do do this. You should check out the thread, you might like to try it as well.

[@xanderraymondcharles]

Hey man happy to help! I was in your exact same shoes where I couldn't find a tutorial on how to get my dumb stupid hands in that tiny space. So I decided to just ripping things out until I figured it out. I'll check out the thread

[@JFRiley]

Hey, I put that 12AX7 tube in a few weeks back. Phenomenal. I'm going to make a video about it later but it's easily worth the $20 from Sweetwater. I LIKED my V:35 before, now I LOVE it.

[@prw139]

Hello there, i just saw this video. Thanks for the upload. The previous tubes were JJ? Were the power tubes of the JJ's matched pair as well when you put them before or it didn't need to be? Thanks.

[@sgperformer]

1) I love your tattoos, 2) I respect your shout out to Our Savior, 3) I love that Flag and, 4) THANKS FOR THE VID MAN, THIS WAS DRIVING ME F-ing Crazy!

[@NuZTheRockerOFFICIAL]

DUDE, THIS IS SICK! I needed this video, I'm a mark V 25 owner, but I really would like to try new things, like changing the standard Mesa tubes to something like jj's... Is the bias not a thing to dial with?

[@xanderraymondcharles]

Hey man happy to help! Glad you dug it! I've had JJ's in the head before it sounds awesome! And "bias" you mean a bias mod?

[@DarkNunzio97]

Yeah, sorry for answering lately. Uhm.. I mean this amps have fixed bias.. Then, changing the power tubes with another brand's is going to be a problem?

[@xanderraymondcharles]

I have had no issues changing tubes/brands in the past. I think it's fine

[@misticformula1485]

Curious how often you will have to change tubes if playing in that low volume bedroom setting everyday for like an hour a day. Mainly asking for budgeting the costs of tubes if I end up getting a mark v 25 to play at home. I can always use a solid state sometimes to save on tube costs if push comes to shove. Don’t feel I would really have to play tube every single day. Good tutorial by the way. This is really helpful because I never had a tube amp before.

[@xanderraymondcharles]

Hey man thanks I'm glad you were able to learn something from it! When to change tubes is always a debated topic. In your case, since you are going to play at bed room volume, your tubes should last longer. It all depends on how long you have the amp on, how loud it is, how long you play etc. A general rule of thumb is when you start hearing some hissing or popping or you feel you're losing tone, then it's time to change em. I play this amp a lot and I plan on changing them once a year. Some people say every year, some people say every 5 years. It all depends. I hope this helps!

[@misticformula1485]

Stay Metal Ray That was extremely helpful! Thanks a ton!

[@xanderraymondcharles]

anytime man! I'm happy to help you out

[@Sharppz15]

Thank you

[@TalalRane]

Thx a lot

[@rrguitar1]

So no need tobias the amp when going to EL34? Never heard of simply switching out power tubes, but then again, this is my first boogie. I have 35 w head and want to go from the stock el84 to 34.

[@sighermike]

Interesting point about touching tubes with your hands. I've always heard you should wear gloves because of the oil on your hands, yet the Mesa channel shows them removing and reinstalling tubes with their bare hands. Makes you wonder, right?

[@braveandnew7817]

Ty

[@jixxxxer17]

good video, just one question is the Mark V 5:25 very loud ? I saw one video where a guy was playing out and he said he loved the Mark V 5:25 but sold it bc he said it just wasn't loud enough with drums and another loud guitar player next to him, what do you think ? Peace !

[@xanderraymondcharles]

I agree. It’s stupid loud!

[@marktheshark99]

@@xanderraymondcharles Drummer, singer and a bassest kept telling me to turn mine down, 4x12 cab. Not even up half way.

[@comand0Metalero1]

Dude this amp is really loud, in my room I can barely set it to 1-3 on the master

[@jixxxxer17]

@@comand0Metalero1 Thanks i have to find the YT video of this guy who was selling his bc he said it just wasn't loud enough on stage with others , etc. I kind of doubted this be he was dead serious about it being not lough enough, thanks for all the replies by everone, Peace !

[@LoveGuitar63277]

Great video! A few tips -1) UNPLUG the two cables going to the reverb tank and just leave the retaining tab screwed to the inside of the cabinet. You can gently push/pull some extra length using the portions you disconnected if you need some extra slack. If they are too tight to push/pull (the CABLE ONLY - don't pull on the part going into the chassis) LOOSEN the screw holding the tab but leave it in place. 2) MAYBE try placing the head on its face/front down to replace the chassis BEING CAREFUL NOT TO DROP it into the cabinet. Stabilize the upturned head so it doesn't want to fall over on you - towels, boxes, whatever works. 3) Unsure if this is the head we're discussing here, the Express version or both: Mesa says you can remove the front grill to replace just the pre-amp tubes. It might be a tight squeeze for big hands. Remove the 4 screws on the front of the grill and gently but firmly push from the INSIDE OF THE HEAD at the CORNERS to pop the grill off. If there's not enough room for you to remove the tube covers then go ahead and pull the chassis. Viola! Just hints I found on Mesa forums.

[@ArtGuitarLTX]

Are you using tubes from Mesa Boogie or some tubes off another manufacturer? Thinking of getting some JJ tubes off Amazon.

[@leandropim]

i'm having some hiss/hum noise (same with zero gain, zero master, zero guitar) and pops when switch channels, could it be the tubes?

[@gearwalker89]

Most definitely could need a fresh set of tubes. I had a EVH that was doing similar things. I swapped out the tubes and bam, my amp was back on steroids after that lol *Swapped out both EL34's and all the pre amp tubes.

[@dononelson]

wear a pair of cheep vinyl or plastic gloves when putting in tubes. Oils from your fingers create hotspots on your tubes, and can cause them to crack mid-gig... no fun with glass shards all over the inside of your amp.

[@Explorer12888]

Is bias necessary for this amp after changing the tubes?

[@creativestudio4873]

MotörheadCharge Not for a Mesa. .. Stated by the company ...no biasing when using Mesa tubes but, they have no bias adjustment so it kinda contradicts if using another brand like JJs

[@jbro8552]

Where did you get the T-Shirt ?

[@xanderraymondcharles]

my mom got it for me as a gift so I have no idea haha

[@Disabledguitarist1985]

A rectoverb 25 should be similar i imagine?

[@71GA]

15:16 You changed all the tubes and fucked them immediately with a power on... You need to warm up the tubes before applying full power...

[@xanderraymondcharles]

I didn’t :)

[@endezeichengrimm]

Didn't the user manual have instructions? Mesa does have a video of troubleshooting tips: watch?v=wSl-l9aWDHw

[@chevelle99xify]

Love how you dont show what kind they are,, psshhh

[@Andy7String]

heres for a mark v 90w head kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5WXnJWdds-Zoac