how borked is my amp?

Recording Techniques, People Skills, Gear, Recording Spaces, Computers, and DIY

Moderators: drumsound, tomb

User avatar
Smitty
tinnitus
Posts: 1246
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:14 am
Location: columbus, oh

how borked is my amp?

Post by Smitty » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:55 pm

i'm planning on taking it in, but i'm out of town for the weekend and am trying to figure out how screwed i am in terms of getting it fixed.

Fender Hot Rod Deville 410. makes a squealing, buzzing, humming, HURRRR-ing noise, alternating between them randomly, even with nothing plugged into it. kind of sounds like a combination of low level feedback and a small screaming animal on a tiny motorboat.

i'm guessing it's a short of some kind, but that's just because it sounds similar to what happens when you plug a REALLY bad cable into it.

any ideas?
"I try to hate all my gear equally at all times to keep the balance of power in my favor." - Brad Sucks

User avatar
JGriffin
zen recordist
Posts: 6739
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 1:44 pm
Location: criticizing globally, offending locally
Contact:

Post by JGriffin » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:05 pm

Whatever it is, please make sure you get a good 24-bit recording of that noise for future design projects.


That's how I'd react anyway.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:28 pm

Donny Who Loved Bowling - A Small Screaming Animal On A Tiny Motorboat

Coming soon from Toxic Bag Records!
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Re: how borked is my amp?

Post by RefD » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:29 pm

Smitty wrote:Fender Hot Rod Deville 410. makes a squealing, buzzing, humming, HURRRR-ing noise, alternating between them randomly, even with nothing plugged into it. kind of sounds like a combination of low level feedback and a small screaming animal on a tiny motorboat.
assuming a reputable tech, my ejumacated guess is you're not totally screwed.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

User avatar
the finger genius
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 746
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:32 pm

Post by the finger genius » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:16 pm

RefD wrote:Donny Who Loved Bowling
Face it, there isn't any connection to Vietnam.
vvv wrote:
That said, what I'm gettin' at is, perfectionism is for the truly defective.

You may quote me.
_________________

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:34 pm

the finger genius wrote:
RefD wrote:Donny Who Loved Bowling
Face it, there isn't any connection to Vietnam.
Well, there isn't a literal connection, Dude.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

User avatar
RodC
dead but not forgotten
Posts: 2039
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:53 pm
Location: Right outside the door
Contact:

Post by RodC » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:45 pm

Could just be a crappy tube in the preamp. Does it crackle and pop when as the tubes cool down when you power it off?
'Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones'

http://www.beyondsanityproductions.com
http://www.myspace.com/beyondsanity

User avatar
the finger genius
re-cappin' neve
Posts: 746
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:32 pm

Post by the finger genius » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:58 pm

RefD wrote:
the finger genius wrote:
RefD wrote:Donny Who Loved Bowling
Face it, there isn't any connection to Vietnam.
Well, there isn't a literal connection, Dude.
Face it, Walter, there isn't any connection!
vvv wrote:
That said, what I'm gettin' at is, perfectionism is for the truly defective.

You may quote me.
_________________

ckeene
suffering 'studio suck'
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 2:15 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA
Contact:

Post by ckeene » Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:35 pm

I'm going with "what is a loose solder joint" for $200, Alex

User avatar
Smitty
tinnitus
Posts: 1246
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:14 am
Location: columbus, oh

Post by Smitty » Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:40 pm

i'm keeping track of these answers, and there will be a prize for the first person to have correctly diagnosed the problem after i find out what it really is.
"I try to hate all my gear equally at all times to keep the balance of power in my favor." - Brad Sucks

User avatar
JGriffin
zen recordist
Posts: 6739
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 1:44 pm
Location: criticizing globally, offending locally
Contact:

Post by JGriffin » Thu Sep 11, 2008 8:45 pm

be sure to tell us when new shit has come to light.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

thethingwiththestuff
george martin
Posts: 1296
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:00 pm
Location: philly

Post by thethingwiththestuff » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:33 pm

isn't that the sound of a tube going microphonic? (i am no amp tech)

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:44 pm

dwlb wrote:be sure to tell us when new shit has come to light.
this made me think of changing my kids' poop diapers. :|
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

User avatar
JGriffin
zen recordist
Posts: 6739
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 1:44 pm
Location: criticizing globally, offending locally
Contact:

Post by JGriffin » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:24 pm

thethingwiththestuff wrote:isn't that the sound of a tube going microphonic? (i am no amp tech)
truthfully that was my thought as well, but since I am also no amp tech I decided to go with the "don't be helpful at all" approach.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

RefD
on a wing and a prayer
Posts: 5993
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:10 pm

Post by RefD » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:30 pm

dwlb wrote:
thethingwiththestuff wrote:isn't that the sound of a tube going microphonic? (i am no amp tech)
truthfully that was my thought as well, but since I am also no amp tech I decided to go with the "don't be helpful at all" approach.
i've had a few amps with that problem in the last 25 years and what the OP describes isn't that.

a tube going microphonic just makes a ringing sound, sometimes like keys rattling while you play, and it only gets worse with time.

...but it never sounds like like a "combination of low level feedback and a small screaming animal on a tiny motorboat", in my experience.
?What need is there to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears.? -- Seneca

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 49 guests