Diamond Amplification Assassin - Manual (Page 7)

ASSASSIN OWNER’S MANUAL
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before. Here is how they work on this amp. Your treble knob really will decrease and
increase high end frequencies. DO NOT use your Treble knob for “brightness.” That is the
function of the Presence knob. Presence on this amp could be labeled “brightness.” If you
want your tone more aggressive, roll the presence up. If you want to smooth it out a bit, bring
it down. Pretty simple, huh?
NOTE: Work your guitar’s volume knob and listen to how well the amp cleans up. Try
a setting with more gain, then roll off your guitar’s volume to clean it up, rolling the volume
back up for grittier passages or leads.
MODE SWITCH
Your amp comes with a “Mode” switch that switches between two different gain styles. Try
them both and use your preferred mode. It is normal to hear some volume difference
between the two modes.
TUBES
TUBE TYPES
Your amp uses EL84 power tubes and 12AX7A-C power tubes. It can be retubed with any
EL84 or 12AX7 tubes.
CHANGING/REPLACING TUBES
Preamp tubes have a much longer life than power tubes. You are not likely to have to
replace them unless one or more tubes fail. Generally, any good 12AX7, ECC83 or
replacement tube will be OK, although they can change your amp’s tone.
If you play regularly, power tubes should be changed every 6 months to a year. If you don’t
play frequently, they can last longer. NOTE: While power tubes can simply and suddenly
fail, they generally degrade over time. So while your tubes may be working, they will
not sound the same as they get older. People often go years with the same power tubes
and never replace them claiming, “Well, they still work fine.” You can be assured that the
amp, however, does not sound the same as it does with new, functioning tubes. DON’T
WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR A DIFFERENCE. FOLLOW A REGIMENTED TUBE CHANGING
SCHEDULE TO AVOID HEARING A DIFFERENCE.
Your amp is “cathode-biased” so you do not need to re-bias when changing power tubes.
Just purchase a “matched” set of EL84’s. We do not recommend replacing only one tube.
DIAGNOSING TUBE PROBLEMS
Most tube amp problems relate to the tubes themselves. After all, tubes are not the cutting
edge of technological advancement. DA tube choices are based both on tone and reliability.
Nevertheless, tube problems are not infrequent occurrences. But before you have to worry
about shipping your amp for repairs, learning to diagnose a tube problem can keep you
rockin’.