Anyone ever try any of those tube amp biasing devices?

[tonemonster]

So here is the deal. I got like 5 tube amps (well 6 with my mesa, but those dont have bias pots) that will obviously need tubes from time to time. so I have NO reputable shops near me that will set bias on an amp. and I cannot see shipping one for a biasing. so I am thinking of buying one of those biasing tester things such as a bias rite, bias king, compu-bias, etc.... to have so I can do my own biasing.

have any of you used these? know anyone that used them? pros? cons? ideas? anyone? Buller?

just curious what brands are good, bad, ugly?

any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[MIB]

I think you can save yourself some bucks and read the bias with a multimeter and a 1 ohm resistor if I recall correctly.

[veemagic]

So tone, besides my sisters bedroom which we really need to talk about, where else are you located?

[straycat]

Ask Cyg he would know and give you all the info you need.

[Rsmacker]

If your amp has say, a quad power valve output stage, and it's biassed correctly now, just make sure you put a matched quartet of new valves in and it will be OK. If it's two matched pairs, just make sure the new ones are matched in pairs (and change the correct pairs).

Modern amps are pretty reliable, unless you want to start running them hot, there is little need to adjust them in reality, not like back in the dark ages. A bit like modern cars don't need you to dick about adjusting running mixtures - you can do it, if you really really want to, but the kind of people who do aren't usually Mr Average, like you or I.

Also, the fact that valves are graded and matched means that it's not like those old days where Mullard were churning out loads of, for example, EL34s and that's what you got - an EL34. You could have valves with wildly differing characteristics, and the only way to balance them out was to get in and re-bias the amp. Those old boys would have thought we were mental, grading and matching valves!