It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:47 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 23 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:59 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:55 pm
Posts: 11
So I recently bought a Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue....and absolutely love it. However, over the weekend I noticed a slight hiss (not your normal "idle" hiss) when playing notes or chords.

It's rather quiet, but I'm still hearing it. I'm by no means an expert on the electronics of an amp and the tubes and whatnot and was hoping someone could help me out here. I've included a 5 second clip where the hiss can be heard following the note being played.

Any suggestions?

https://soundcloud.com/johnnybgood-5/memo-1-2


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:56 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:45 pm
Posts: 1169
Is it the amp or the guitar? What happens if you turn the volume down on the guitar?

_________________
In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:27 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:55 pm
Posts: 11
Pretty sure the amp. I've kneeled behind the amp to try and locate the source of the hiss, and I can hear it coming from the back of the cabinet somewhere. Maybe a tube that's loose or perhaps on its way out? I just find that hard to believe on a brand new amp.

If I turn the volume down enough on my guitar (or the amp), it's harder to hear it, and it pretty much stops. So something with the louder volumes or vibrations that come with that.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:16 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:53 pm
Posts: 2252
Location: Harvard IL
Slowhand, I'm suspecting a dodgie preamp tube or loose connection. At any rate, I think Shimmilou, and the other folks can help you. Considering that this is a '65 reissue, the modern amp forum might be the the place to go. Although, maybe the guys want to chime in on this amp's situation and deal with it right here? Art

_________________
None of Us are free, if One of Us is chained !


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 6:13 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:55 pm
Posts: 11
That'd be great. I'm such a newb with amp maintenance, I'd love some tips on where to go from here. Simple replacement? How do you fix a loose connection? Is it common for brand new tubes to come with this sort of issue? Thanks guys.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:59 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
SlowhandBlues84, nice riffing. I suggest trying a known good external speaker to rule-out a funky OEM one. Now, the shaggy dog story. Bear with me. :lol:

Also, in DRRIs, I've found that the main filter caps of some were not good. More than a couple of these amps I've worked on had oddball harmonics riding above certain notes and chords. I tried replacing tubes. Replacing coupling caps. Adjusting output tube bias all over the place. Still the same odd harmonics.

Then, another tech told me that some modern RI Fender amps use boarderline off-shore made main filter caps. And that replacing them with good, quality ones solved this issue.

I tried some NOS Mallory caps I had in stock. Ramped up the amp with a Variac over a couple of hours. Voila! No more oddball tones riding on notes.

I have done this replacement ever since. On every RI I've worked on that had noise issues that I couldn't nail down to tubes, speaker, or bias settings.

I recommend these (if you decide to do this swap).

http://www.thetubestore.com/Capacitors/ ... -22uF-500V

http://angela.com/spragueatom20uf500vdc ... citor.aspx


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:07 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
BMW2002Ti wrote:
Then, another tech told me that some modern RI Fender amps use boarderline off-shore made main filter caps. And that replacing them with good, quality ones solved this issue.


+1000!

All of the re-issues use those POFS IC-brand electrolytics and they're found even in the high-end Custom Shop amps. They were the first things I ditched in my TRRI and DRRI. Recommend F&T or Sprague Atom replacements. And don't forget the bias-supply cap.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:45 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:55 pm
Posts: 11
Does this sound like a cap issue to you guys? Was hoping for a simple five replacement, I guess I'll have to find a tech who can help me out. I'm clueless with this stuff.

Are these relatively inexpensive fixes?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:50 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
A quality set of caps for a DR or DRRI runs about $85 for the DIY'er. A shop tech will likely charge a minimum of $150, parts and labor.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:53 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:45 pm
Posts: 1169
Retroverbial wrote:
BMW2002Ti wrote:
Then, another tech told me that some modern RI Fender amps use boarderline off-shore made main filter caps. And that replacing them with good, quality ones solved this issue.


+1000!

All of the re-issues use those POFS IC-brand electrolytics and they're found even in the high-end Custom Shop amps. They were the first things I ditched in my TRRI and DRRI. Recommend F&T or Sprague Atom replacements. And don't forget the bias-supply cap.

Arjay

Now I know why you're never buying another new/late model amp from Fender. If you pay close to a grand or more for a new amp and immediately have to upgrade parts then something is terribly wrong.

_________________
In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:56 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
mhowell wrote:
Now I know why you're never buying another new/late model amp from Fender. If you pay close to a grand or more for a new amp and immediately have to upgrade parts then something is terribly wrong.


DING DING DING......we have a winnah!

:wink:

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:04 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
SlowhandBlues84, I'm kind of a power supply freak-a-zoid. It's the foundation of any amp Good tone and long life based on a solid PS. So filter caps, good power tranny, solid rectification, and good resistors in the PS help make a consistent unit.

It's what made Fender amps famous, in the first place. And why those vintage amps are still prized.

Unfortunately, I feel (and it maybe just me) -- that much of today's amp bad issues are due to fundamental power supply problems. And this is not just Fender amps.

Kinda like a car engine. If it ain't got a good bottom end, don't expect a ton of fancy gizmos on the top or surface to make it a legend. I guess the same could be said about women. :lol:

Ok, I'm off the soapbox, for now. Good luck! Keep us in the loop.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:33 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:55 pm
Posts: 11
Will do! Seeing a trusted amp tech after work, hopefully it's just a bad tube.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:11 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Op posted in Modern Amp forum. Neither shimmilou nor I can hear any hiss.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help Identifying Tube Amp Hiss (Sound Clip Included)
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:12 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm
Posts: 2889
Don't forget all the rattles AKA hiss troubles several of us had with newer DRRI's that all turned out to be the Ruby 5AR4 rectifier tubes Buzzing/Rattling

I think three of us in a row found our rectifiers had issues and they were all the Ruby branded ones

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 23 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: