Took some time off to build an amp. It is now complete!!

[tasty]

Robbie, im gonna try and answer your question?  

(after all its easy once someone shows you how)

Tube amps have "standby" for the purpose of running the heaters in order to warm up the tubes.  Tubes have to be running at a certain temp in order for them to function.  When you place a tube amp on standby, the output to the speaker is muted but the tubes still have electricity running through them.  A tube amp must 'warm up'  before any sound will come out also.  Most would agree that the longer the tubes warm up, the better the sound.  Therefore the 'standby' switch is a useful tool when you want to warm up those tubes and not have static blaring out the speaker.

Therefore when you want to play through your tube amp, you must take the amp off of standby.

Hope this helps.