On/Off switch on guitar instead of stand by on amp?

[Heft]

I have an entry level tube amp with no stand by. Would an on/off toggle on my guitar do the same thing, assuming if I left the amp powered on all the time? Or would that cook the tubes?
I don't have a diagram for this. Would it just a sp/st on the ground out?
Thanks in advance.

 

[stratamania]

Briefly. No it would not do the same thing.

 

[amigarobbo]

You really don't want anything wired to the amp's high tension line attached to a guitar. I'm sure a clever person could make it safe, reed switch or something, but I think 'just no' is the correct answer.

 

[mayfly]

If you are intending to just interrupt and ground the signal at the guitar, it would mute the sound but it would not do the same thing as a standby switch.  The standby switch typically* turns off the high tension power supply to the tube plates but leaves the heaters powered.  This means that the tubes are still 'cooking' even under standby.  If you only do it for a few minutes (like between sets) it will be fine.



* I've also seen designs where the power tubes are still fully powered (smaller fenders like deluxe reverbs) and designs where they just interrupt the ground connection on the power transformer, which also removes the grid supply.  In all cases though, the heaters are still powered.