Questions
Below are some answers to commonly asked questions. If however, you have a question that remains unanswered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If I change my tubes, do I need to re-bias my amplifier?
Most often, the answer to this is “No”. If you’re buying stock tubes, such as 5881’s or 6L6’s, there won’t be any problem. For other applications, such as a using KT66, KT88, or 6L6S tubes, call Soldano for re-biasing recommendations.
How often should I change my tubes?
Tubes are like lightbulbs – they could go out at any time. Generally, if you’re playing hard, tube life can be anywhere from 6 months to a year, although we’ve seen tubes last much longer than that. Preamp tubes can last indefinitely.
How do I know if I need to change my tubes?
If your amplifier makes strange noises (hisses or squeals), or if it experiences a lack of power or a lack of bottom end.
How do I determine if my preamp tubes or my output tubes need to be changed?
If you’re experiencing a lack of bottom end and power, it’s probably your output tubes. If you’re hearing strange sounds coming from your amplifier, turn your gain section up in volume, and slowly turn the master volume down. If the noises persist after the master volume has been turned down, it’s an output tube. If the noises go away after turning the master volume down, it’s an input tube.
Do you modify amplifiers?
Yes we do. We will do anything from a simple modification to a one-of-a-kind custom amplifier. However, understand that time is at a premium , and modifications will cost money. The most popularly requested modifications have all been incorporated into the Decatone.
What is the Warren Haynes mod?
The Warren Haynes mod is a bright switch for the overdrive channel. It takes away top end, and gives the amp more of a “rounded” tone, but ONLY in low gain settings, between approximately 1 and 4. The switch doesn’t add bottom end, it just removes top end, which may make it sound “bassier”.
What is the warranty on Soldano amplifiers?
SLO100, Surf Box, X99, X88R, and the SM100 have lifetime warranties, excluding tubes and transformers, and we will replace or repair these at our discretion. If any of these amplifiers have been modified without Soldano’s knowledge, permission, or guidance, your warranty is temporarily nullified. Soldano will charge to fix or change any “bad” modifications that have been done to your amplifier, after which your warranty will be reinstated.
On all of our other amplifiers, the warranty is one year parts and labor, excluding tubes and transformers. We are liberal with this. If there is damage due to a faulty part or faulty workmanship, we can choose to repair the amplifier.
How do I find out if my amp is under warranty?
If it’s an SLO100, Surf Box, X99, X88R, or a SM100, it is under warranty – unless it’s been modified as such stated in the previous response. On any of our other products, if you are the original owner of the amplifier, and you’ve had it for one year or less, it’s under warranty. You will need to provide proof of purchase for warranty repairs for these other products.
How do I obtain warranty service locally?
You don’t. All of our warranty service is done here at the factory.
How do I return my amplifier for servicing?
Call Soldano so you can receive a Return Authorization (RA) number. Speak to our technician and explain what you are returning . When you do return your amplifier, please remember to include your name, address, daytime and evening phone number, and a full description of the problem.
Are your amplifiers Class A or Class A/B?
All Soldano amplifiers are class A/B. This allows our amplifiers to have a tight bottom end sound, a glassy top end, a lot of clean headroom, and long tube life. Check out for more details on Class A & Class A/B amps.
Are your amplifiers all tube?
Yes, our amplifiers are all-tube including the reverb circuits and effects loops.
Can I use an A/B box with my Hot Rod 50 in the 2 input channels?
No. Basically this won’t work because when a cord is plugged into the low input the signal from the high input is disconnected. The amp could be modified to get around this, however there would be a large difference in the volume between the two inputs.
Can the clean/crunch switch on the SLO100 be made footswitchable?
No, we don’t recommend this. We’ve done this on one amplifier, but this is a difficult modification. When the channel is switched between clean and crunch, the volume goes WAY up. We recommend trying out a Decatone, an X99, or an X88R is you’d like more multi-channel versatility. If you already have an amplifier such as an SLO100, you could look at incorporating a Hot Rod 50 so you can add additional sounds to your rig.
