Huge Touring Band | Huge Gig | Main Amp Died | Backup Amp Died | I Have Seven Hours

You know, no pressure...
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[@PsionicAudio]

The pair of 6L6s I put in this amp were new tubes. I didn't make that clear.

[@JPDESS]

hi lyle those little tung sol 5881 are not rated for 500v, they should produce 23 watt (old 6l6 version) you can take a look on the data sheet, not surprising that they are failling. best option would be the sovtek 5881 wgc if the retainer clip allows it. www.tungsol.com/specs/5881-tung-sol.pdf

[@luthiervandros]

@@JPDESS wxt

[@thisperfectworld]

Yesterday was the greatest amp repair day Billy's ever known.

[@aaronhiggs]

@@thisperfectworld he went to the right guy. Billy has a new tech. The tech is good; smart to know what you can and cannot do on the road ; and be smart enough to bring in a expert.

[@cgtbrad]

@@JPDESS The new production Tung Sol 6L6GC STR's can take a beating as well. If you can get them... Pretty tough right now...

[@knifeswitch5973]

“Yeah, I can look at your amp Billy. When do you need it back?”………….tonight……tonight toooooonight….tonight..tonight.

[@philbert006]

What an underrated (double) album....

[@rw80]

@@philbert006 not really. It sold about 50% more than Siamese dream. Which is exceptionally good for a double album.

[@philbert006]

@@rw80 this is true. But Siamese dream was their debut. An album released at the peak of their popularity sold 50% more than their debut. Not exactly overwhelming. Lol. I feel like Mellon collie had a lot more potential than it realized. I also feel like Billy Corgan being an asshole and acting crazy really hurt them at the time. Who knows. I surely don't recall as well as I would like. It's been almost thirty years, after all.

[@prydin]

Problems like that can CREEP up on you, if you know what I mean. :)

[@prillewitz]

So that is how that song was made which Bowie and Tina sing…….

[@TheMrMused]

And literally 100,000 people will have no idea how close they got to seeing an acoustic set. Bravo to the unsung heroes who keep the music pumping!

[@gavinvalentino6002]

"literally 100,000" *Spoken by yet another moron in 2022 who doesn't know the literal definition of the word, but thinks it sounds sokewl to sound like a 10-year-old girl.*

[@kosycat1]

letting two amps fail causeing an acustic set would be kind of lame imo. concidering their are so many working amps in the world. the one time you need one, or two they fail. pretty weird.id have a few more amps if i were them,or better ones

[@TheMrMused]

@@kosycat1 Amps, doubly so tube amps, are quite living creatures. As half of the instrument/amp combination, they account for 50% of an artist's sound and there really aren't "swap-in-ready" substitutes, not even within the same manufacturer. This is why artists stick with a specific model of an amp. Between the circuit design and the components, everything that goes into it makes it have a unique voice.

[@kosycat1]

@@TheMrMused I get it. i just dont think it makes sense.They all have one job though right? i'm sure they could have found a subsitution,or somthing better. Theirs not all that much that makes amps diffrent they amplify the sound. Point to point wiring sounds no diffrent than PCB. not sure of the band but they could have used any clean tube amp to plug their pedals into and got a acceptable sound. Hendrix was still Hendrix when he played a Les paul

[@mordokch]

If you're a mesa guy, your audience is probably used to seeing an acoustic set quite regularly lol

[@spudhimself5614]

Toured for 14 years teching for some A-listers and learned more in 23 odd minutes than in that whole time! Epic first watch and so happy I chanced upon your channel! Colour me a new fan!

[@elikjazdzewski7710]

Wow, what a small world! I had gotten a call yesterday from a network of friends who were all looking for two of these exact models to help give this particular person some backline. Next thing I know, I wake up and you’re here working on his stuff! Keep up the great work!

[@benburnett8109]

This is better than any crime thriller. This popped up in my YT feed at 7:29 Sunday May 1st and I watched it start to finish. I am forwarding this to my 21 year old Son. I am telling him all that time that true trades/craftsmen are a declining breed. You are a artisan. 100,000 people owe you a drink, a handshake and a thank you. Thanks for posting. I liked, subbed and shared.

[@JoshHaynesguitar]

Dude.......one of the folks running the fest (Mike) called me asking if anyone had one of these. I was able to find someone with a Mesa poweramp but it wasn't a Strategy. He was put on standby just incase these fried again. You saved the day man!!

[@Cajundaddydave]

Nice job on a very quick repair. I love the sound of Mesa amps right up until they quit working. Nice that this was only tubes and fuses and nobody let the smoke out of the capacitors.

[@EricStPierre]

It is always a pleasure watching a professional work under pressure. Thank you for this!

[@clownhands]

Despite all your rage you assured the amp could be played.

[@jeffsaginaw1769]

You are THE MAN! I just did a dead Mesa Studio PreAmp that spent 13 yrs in a studio rack and NEVER WORKED Appears it had a bad .1 400V cap on the 1st stage. Watching you advance thru the amp checking voltages - was really what the guitarist should have watched cause it all came down to a bad tube . Cheers!

[@tobiasryan8378]

That world famous band Crushing Squashes?

[@weschilton]

Wow, pretty impressive. This is where vast experience and vast troubleshooting chops comes into play. hat is not a simple amp to diagnose, but you did it anyway. Well done.

[@jameshenz1780]

Simply amazing! Such composure in a very tight situation. Definitely showcases your amazing knowledge. Thank you for sharing.

[@davedaveleadguitar]

Smashed the like button as soon as i read the title!!! Then subbed as i watched this situation unfold!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@soapboxearth2]

While watching this , you can really feel the sense of urgency.. and you're more calm than I am when I'm buzzing out issues with my own personal builds ... Great video

[@td7426]

This was amazing! I was feeling your stress. LOL! You are the definition of Grace Under Pressure.

[@gavinvalentino6002]

No need to capitalize anything unless you're referencing the actual Rush album.

[@td7426]

@@gavinvalentino6002 my talk-to-text on my phone does the capitalizing on phrases Etc.

[@toor30309]

Dude this is indeed riveting - thanks for sharing such a high profile quick response situation.

[@KE8UYV]

You're a huge inspiration to me. I hope to be a competent tech with half of your knowledge one day. There are very few guys these days that have your level of knowledge and experience

[@paulhammond21]

Smashing stuff... Ah man thanks for another great vid, you rock.

[@robotsongs]

"I know this is riveting to watch, but..." Yes, in fact, this was likely the most riveting video of yours I've ever seen! Good work!

[@jergervasi3331]

He's lucky this happened near YOU, Lyle!!! Great job. As always.

[@FixitFrank]

This was great! Fantastic work(Like you need to hear that). It sounds "Smashing"...

[@interruptor]

I spent a good 15 minutes trying to figure out what bands were around in 1979... SP were literally my favourite band through my teens... DOH!

[@ali2ndmail]

This is cool . One of my fave you tube “amp guys” working on one of my all time fave bands gear.

[@strangequark420]

Pumpkins! You saved the day for a generation! :)

[@Shiloh7377]

Im at the start of the video, and being that I've watched all your videos. They have the right man on the job!

[@GuitarIv69]

Great job man! Been recently subscribed to your channel, keep up the great work and the vids coming :)

[@bretolson8484]

Amazing. “Flight of the Bumblebee” in my head. (Edit: “Powerhouse” by Carl Stalling as rendered by Rush just as frenetic.) You’re an example of dedication to one’s trade and an inspiration. Thank you for sharing this mission with us.

[@namebrandmason]

"Powerhouse" was composed by Raymond Scott.

[@mikeflanders1292]

Awesome video man!! Just hearing the change in your vocal tone, compared to your other videos, made it interesting. Then add the ability to work fast and efficiently, made it great.

[@jbradleymusic]

This brings me back to my retail guitar shop days. Something's broken, they're on at 8, it's 3 o'clock, and I don't have a direct replacement for what they're using, aaaand GO.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Because if you have four channels of amp, and none of them work, you KNOW it's because they didn't bother to get them fixed as each one failed...

[@antonix_81]

Great ! Didn't know Smashing Pumpkins used those amps! Great work 🤟🏻

[@mikaloor7836]

This was fun to see. I worked as a gtr tech for SP in 2014-2016. Not for BC but sometimes I helped his techs with amp stuff. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if those were the same 5881s I put in back in 2014 haha.

[@drewsollars2239]

Pretty good looking lineup for that festival, glad to see Elvin Bishop is still rockin'

[@OtherWorldExplorers]

This is my first time watching your channel and actually. I like this kind of video. It's exciting it's using your wits and knowledge all at once.. Subscribing because I like this one.

[@Impractical_Engineer]

I saw the title and couldn't click fast enough. This is the Master professor at his finest.

[@samuel_towle]

A smashing job sir!

[@u.s.a.198]

As always thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! I'm a life long learner, this is gold for me! I fix my own electronics or anything else that breaks!

[@paroblynn]

Smashing job bud, surprised there were no pumpkin seeds around.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Maybe that's what was rattling around in the backup amp...

[@markntexas8265]

Thank you for sharing this. You remind me of my dad in many ways. While I am sure you charged accordingly I know some might be tempted to overcharge. Of course you and I know the next time someone needs a referral the local guy that gave your number and name would think differently plus it easier to sleep at night. Bravo

[@PsionicAudio]

Thanks Mark. No Rock Stah Rate, no Rush/Emergency Bendover Fee. ;)

[@morris7025]

That's a Smashing Good Job mate! Well done : )

[@TheBoomtown4]

Cool! I love the smudging pamkins!

[@frankpicha7180]

Great job. Lyle! The show must go on!

[@cammackellar]

You smashed that pumpkin. Fantastic work.

[@robertedwards3147]

very good fault finding systems used by you it was a joy to watch unlike other amp repair vids on you tube

[@kootenaystringworks1765]

Smashing video, I feel like a Pumpkin Head.

[@pauldavis6356]

Rapid fire repair - love it. The Pumpkins will be Smashing tonight for sure. 😎

[@vinny142]

This is one of those stories that you have to remember: a backup is only any good if you maintain it as well as you do the primary. Or better yet: just use the damn thing as a primary. There is a video about the equipment of AC/DC and their amp guy has a dedicated station for fixing the heads because the artist keeps blowing them up because he things the best sound is made when the amp is driven past it's technical specs. The artist is wrong, but most good artists are not all there in the head anyway. The way that their map-guy solved the problem was to have all his amps in rotation. There are no spares sitting on shelves, they are all used every x gigs. Not just because they break but very much because using them bwill highlight any problem *before* it becomes a problem and *while* you still have other amps ready to use. In IT they use this same principle; there are no primary and backup servers, there is a pool of servers that all share the work so if one develops a problem it can be fixed while the rest of the pool continues to work. Some setups really require a single primary computer but even then they force a failover to the secondary computer during maintenance ours, just to see if that procedure works and if the secondary is till ok. TL;DR: *use your backups as primaries* and do it often.

[@paulmorley1225]

You could have wrapped that all into one word... redundancy.

[@DTXBrian]

Having spare amps would have been nice in this scenario... but as far as the internal redundancy of the amp is concerned, this was a poor design which used a singular 8 amp power fuse for both sides, therefore it had one point of failure for both the primary and backup. I do not know if they have produced a better design since, but I would hope so. In any case, neither maintaining the backup like the primary, nor using the backup within this amp as a primary periodically would have prevented this from occurring.

[@DaveStejna]

Love the video. I own a 500 and a 395. I've played the 500 continuously since '92, thousands of shows, it's only been in the shop 2-3 times for actual issues that were all very minor, and actually never left me high and dry at a show ever. I'll never part with them, they are absolute workhorses. Mesa gets a lot of flack on some stuff, but IMHO from first hand experience these amps deliver. I know Billy has toured with these since the early 90's - thousands of shows, I'd say they're holding up pretty well too all things considered!

[@ColinAverill]

Smashing good job, mate!

[@PerryCodes]

Clue number two ;) Growing up 90 miles s/w of Chicago, they were easily my favorite band in the early 90's!

[@barthrvatin8297]

LOL I see what you did there!

[@keithb.9189]

I hope they dedicated the show or a song to Psionic Audio!

[@kosmicwizard]

Good job, as always!

[@nobodynoone2500]

Figured out whose amps these are before you gave it away. Very cool. Also ledgendary amps in their own right, purported to be a favorite of the late Prince, used on purple rain.

[@shovington67]

Nice work. With a bunch of borrowed tubes, one 8amp slo-blo to fix the problem, on a Saturday when the parts store is closed, and power amps that need a serious amount of TLC and certainly a partial rebuild considering all the neglect they've seen for a touring rig. Tisk, tisk...

[@spguitar]

I have Billy’s Machina Diezel VH4 about an hour from you. Glad to know there’s a good tech close!

[@arfer1470]

Great video, edge of seat stuff 👌

[@sgt.grinch3299]

This is my second video of yours. I am watching them back to back. I just found your site and I am enamored by your knowledge and ability. I watched the under $500 amp video. I’m not a guitarist, but I need to learn about equipment so I may help my Grandson with his journey to become a guitarist. Thank you so much.

[@hkguitar1984]

You're in good company Sarge.

[@williambock1821]

That was cool! I’m sure 1979 will sound great!

[@PerryCodes]

And it will make their day great!

[@donewithmodernlife]

They rarely play it anymore, sadly.

[@audunrundberg9180]

My favorite band for 30 years. Amazing video. I don’t know much about the SP gear, but from what I understand from the other comments I must have heard this amp when I’ve seen them live over the years.

[@PsionicAudio]

The tech said Billy bought them in '93 and used them live ever since. Studio for Melancholy and after.

[@donewithmodernlife]

@@PsionicAudio I saw them in 93 on the Siamese Dream tour & they were indeed using them. Switched back & forth between a Marshall JMP-1 & ADA MP-1 for preamps.

[@vetramiga1]

@@PsionicAudio kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZa5eWisirdrq5o even 10 years ago, same labels

[@Bairov]

@@PsionicAudio wow

[@roycedot]

@@donewithmodernlife the pair of JMP-1's used on Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie were sold on Reverb 6 years ago for $30k. Kind of low if you ask me. He also sold a JCM800 that was a big part of his rack and it sold for $3,600, also seemed low for me. Google "billy corgan reverb marshall"

[@Shiloh7377]

Also Lyle, it was fun to hear your voice change , will you were in a hurry...lol....that was awsone...Ya done Good!!!!

[@acoustic61]

Amazing skills in a crunch!

[@thromboid]

Ha, when I saw it was a Strategy I wondered if *that* might be the band. :) Great work - grace under pressure.

[@michaelcorvin4330]

The cherubs rock again. Great work, man!

[@NikolausBrocke]

I very much enjoyed your exiting live story. Thanks.

[@Cottonrocket]

That was interesting and fun for us to watch. Thank you.

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

this is a great video. I like the set up and finely edited vids but there on the hop videos are real. I really like that. 👍 from me

[@richardk7256]

Nicely done!

[@CJBlake-rf7mv]

Such a wealth of knowledge. Thank you.

[@toadstkr]

Smashing job 😉

[@richardlynch5632]

Last time I checked...its not a perfect world...?🤣😎👍 You work well under pressure 😉😎👍 Hope the gig goes well for the band😎👍 Need a fuzz pedal😉😎👍 Bravo

[@adeptgopnik]

nice work man. doesnt hurt the buisness to help out a large act on short notice either.

[@KarlKarsnark]

A Smashing success, I'd say!

[@doc_matter]

The title and intro to the video is very intention grabbing and this is very intense!!

[@DROPTUNED]

Best KZbin channel

[@FakeGlasses]

Lol "And I won't say what the band is..." Well played sir.

[@mozilla2576]

That was a fun ride, thanks!

[@guitartec]

Nice R&R work.

[@royrobles7423]

30 years ago I had a chance to train and later take over an amp repair shop in Houston tx...the gentleman was getting on in years...and wanted to retire....anyways I had 2 kids and wife...plus a new house and a couple of cars to pay for....I just could not walk away from a 100,000 dollar a year job...in 1995....I really wanted to ...but I just could not do it....anyways....if I need an amp repair I hope I can get you to do it for me....luckily all.my amps are new...and I only play an hour a day....we will see how long my luck holds out...cause they do not make them like they used to....great job sir !

[@michaelmiller-ce4du]

You are the man!!!

[@rogerdat7807]

Great vid Sir.

[@timbianco5325]

Great video considering the pressure of time constraints you worked against

[@imannonymous7707]

I didnt have time to watch this, got a tiny little gig myself this am hope you made it man

[@arthurleblanc7272]

Stores are all closed but, ..... 1 slice of cold pizza, a 8 amp fuse, and few new tubes all handy and in stock and presto, two amps in and out the door in less time than it takes for some of us to write a comment or re-string a couple of guitars and get a whole new hot pizza. You have once again restored our faith in Humanity during these trying times.There's enough of a story for a legendary epic rock & roll song here. Keep up the good work.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Don't have time to point the camera, but be damned if I'm gonna go hungry! Gotta have priorities.

[@RickyMontijo]

I wish I could matrix plug this guy’s knowledge into my head lol

[@bigdognance]

Great Video...Thanks 🤠

[@fretmelter5150]

Surely SP should use Orange amps! 😜 Great job is short time. 👍

[@jcool0122]

Smashing.....

[@notplaying2379]

Smashing video.

[@jonnybeck6723]

That was great Lyle (as per) Thanx for the inspiration, which I sorely need to attack my poor ailing Egnater Rebel 20 (which no one will touch) I would've paid a coupla hundred bucks to get rid of some 120hz hum & tone improvement (?) Oh well...

[@JamieWoodfinJr]

Awesome save. 📻🎶👏😍

[@ndill1597]

I could watch this for days

[@KitchenDog03]

Unreal that you’re working on their Strategy amps..that’s what they switched over to during Mellon Collie and they’re still using them to this day. So cool.

[@J.C...]

Smashing Pumpkins?! Nice! That album was released in the mid 90s, IIRC. Wow! They really like those Mesas! Edit: yep. October of '95. Jeez. I remember that. This album was all the rage back then. I didn't have it but my best friend did so I still heard it daily 🤣

[@donewithmodernlife]

They were using these on the Siamese Dream touring cycle as well. I saw them in 93 at Bartow Arena in Birmingham Alabama & Billy & James both had them powering their rack systems.

[@tonguescum5137]

Homer Simpson smiling politely.

[@jcoriha]

Billy should have moved over to Fryette's a long time ago! I love his sounds, and I've been using an old VHT 2150 for 20 + years.

[@truescotsman4103]

his pumpkin got smashed

[@plgplgplg]

Excellent vid.

[@stevenjefferies9415]

you have earned my sub, sir

[@johnwelch557]

oh jeezy, I was gonna paint the house today, but you took all my energy away....🥴

[@thestudbq]

Awesome repair

[@PhuketMyMac]

Congratulations!

[@jimandcathep9915]

Probably an unpopular opinion here- but an axe fx fm3 is well worth the $900 to carry as a back up that never fails. Anyway - great job under pressure!

[@rodakjones7574]

Word. I was thinking or I could just pull the cab sim and direct box out of my backpack in 30 seconds, and tell them to get their shit together cause ain't nobody got time for that.