Maybe some of you gents could help me here. I bought a CyberTwin SE, used, from Guitar Center. I got a service contract with it, just in case I bought someone's turd. Of course, hoping never to use it.

But I have some sort of high pitched noise coming from my CT when I use the Hot Rod drive circuits. It happens from time to time, like when I tap lightly on the amp, and even faintly when using the buttons on the panel, but most pronounced in the hot rod 1,2,3 drive circuits. The sound is very much like the sound a wine glass makes when you rub your finger across the top, a musical, glass-like, high-pitched whine. My gut instinct is this is filament rattle, but... I am no whiz when it comes to electronics.

Any opinions? Please?

There are two preamp tubes, that sounds like one of the tubes is bad. Normally preamp tubes last forever, those should be just stock GT tubes.

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Tony Houston

Yep, microphonic preamp tube. Gently tap on the tube(s) with a pencil or something. The bad tube should make some noise, probably like the whining sound you've been hearing. Preamp tubes are pretty cheap, unless you buy NOS or something really special. I'd buy a couple of extras to keep on hand.

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2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

Thanks for the replies. I had planned to replace both preamp tubes pretty soon with some JJ tubes from Eurotubes. If this is the problem, that replacement will have to come quicker than I had planned. I can't deal with that noise!

It doesn't happen all the time, but happens when A) the hot rod tone stack is used, and B) at high volume. And, faintly whenever I even use the buttons on the front panel, or when I tap-tap-tap on the amp. I had blamed it on a bad preamp tube when I first heard it, but wanted to make sure it wasn't something really bad. ie, buying someone's lemon that they traded into Guitar Center to let become someone else's major problem.

Example of the noise, created for your viewing pleasure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woproh-V4nM

Thanks for the input.

Hey a. Davis, I just have to say that your video is one of the best ways to ask for help figuring out a noise I've seen. Anyway, it definitely sounds like one of the tubes is bad. Do the pencil tap thing and see if it makes it worse.

Since you got the maintenance agreement, you should see if Guitar Center will fix it for free. You could still replace the tubes with some custom ones but it would be good to have some working OEM spares around too.

Keep us updated, I'd like to know if your new tubes fix the prob.

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Check out my Blog about my career in a live band.

Haha, well "tubes" aren't covered in Guitar Center's service plan. I called. But, they're inexpensive enough that I really don't mind just getting a pair. That's probably easier than hassling with warranty work, anyway. Plus, it's a few years old (2007), so a vacuum tube going bad isn't too far fetched.

I really appreciate the responses. I'll more than likely get a pair of regular whatever-brand 12AX7 they have tomorrow, then get a set of better/custom JJ tubes or something similar later when my money tree blooms again!

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1999 Fender American Standard Stratocaster, Lake Placid Blue (with a little age this color gets beautiful)
Rio Grande DCSS Pickups
2007 Fender CyberTwin SE

Guitar Center was awfully proud of their GrooveTubes, at $23 each, but I got them anyway. They work really well, and sound a lot better than the tubes I had! I'd have spent what GC wanted just to get rid of that noise! I followed recommendations I had read at eurotubes and got some electrical contact cleaner and made sure they had good contact.

Anyone want to guess which tube went bad?

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1999 Fender American Standard Stratocaster, Lake Placid Blue (with a little age this color gets beautiful)
Rio Grande DCSS Pickups
2007 Fender CyberTwin SE

I would say the tube on the left!

Thanks for the great pics, it would be cool to see some pics of where the tubes are placed in the amp and how you replaced them too. I'm sure a lot of forum members haven't taken their tubes out or even looked at them.

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Check out my Blog about my career in a live band.

The tube on the left was my guess, as well. All cloudy and hazed over in the getter. My guess would be that is indicative of overheating at some point.

I can take some pics of my tubes and how they were installed if you think it would be helpful for others. I'll have to turn my amp off and let it cool

It sounds soooo much better now, even at low volumes. Maybe it's all mental, haha... but it seems to sound a lot better.

PS: I am liking this new forum layout.

EDIT: Here are some basic photos of the tubes for those who haven't had to replace them yet.


Most of you will see this little contraption in the upper-right corner of your amp, above the LH speaker (right hand side from the back lol).



Now that the little foam piece is away, you push up and untwist (LH turn) the metal cover from its little locking lug point and pull down to remove.



The tubes, exposed. Ready to pull these out and replace with new. Gentle steady pressure is all it takes to seat these tubes. I was recommended to spray the new tubes with electrical contact cleaner and work them in/out a few times to remove any corrosion that may have built up in there. I did it; it works great for me. Whether I had corrosion or not I don't know, but there are no pops/hissing noise so it was good advice.

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1999 Fender American Standard Stratocaster, Lake Placid Blue (with a little age this color gets beautiful)
Rio Grande DCSS Pickups
2007 Fender CyberTwin SE

I'd like to join also !

bought a used CT SE and whilst the sound is OK, this thing drives me crazy since I can not dial in a specific preset. The dial seems to act at random. Since I don't know how a new CT acts in this respect (I suppose you can give the data wheel a spin and can choose out of a logical sequence f memory banks and amps, sounds etc....) Any of you had any experience like this ? I already checked on loose cables etc. and also have reset different times, but nothing seems to work.
What could it be and is it costly to have it fixed ?
Thanks you all !

My question is now that I've changed my preamp tubes and got a little taste of that, how much do differing tubes change the sound of the amp? I've seen 12AX7 tubes from $13 Sovteks to $50 new-old stock Tung-Sols, all the way to $199 each Raytheon mil-spec tubes original from 1962. I'd love to hear some different tubes just to see how much (or little) change they bring to the table with the CyberTwin - or even with other amps.

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1999 Fender American Standard Stratocaster, Lake Placid Blue (with a little age this color gets beautiful)
Rio Grande DCSS Pickups
2007 Fender CyberTwin SE

a.Davis, thanks for the excellent pics! I'm sure others will find them useful as well. You're tempting me to try some tube swaps!

_________________
Check out my Blog about my career in a live band.

These new tubes are still microphonic, but not nearly as bad. If I put the master volume at 5 and use the Hot Rod tube drive circuits, it still has a high pitched microphonic sound. Usually for the first few minutes, until the tubes have a chance to warm up.

Is that pretty normal, though? Maybe I'm not letting the tubes get up to operating temp, because after a few minutes of gently coaxing (and sometimes not so gently coaxing) the hot rod circuits up to a master volume of 5, the ringing will go away. Maybe the tube[s] in operation has a chance to get up to temp and expand enough to stop the vibration.

Just speculation mostly...
It happens most on Johnny Stecchino's "CS HotRod SE" preset from his trading post and the "Red Wine" preset from Patchwizard.com - both of which use the Hot Rod drive circuits.

Maybe I should just play at lower volumes..... ...

EDIT:
I switched those Groove Tube Sovteks for a set of JJ ECC83S' I found today at sam ash. Now it sounds like it's supposed to sound! The little amp really sings now.

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1999 Fender American Standard Stratocaster, Lake Placid Blue (with a little age this color gets beautiful)
Rio Grande DCSS Pickups
2007 Fender CyberTwin SE

Can I join ??

I posted a new topic about when I should replace my CT tubes & what should I use, well I found out everything I need to know right here !!! Im ordering some up right now. Gonna go with GT12AX7 or the Sovtecks (or whatever they are called) Ive heard good things about both. I also heard on a Harmony Central review that a guy pulled the tubes out of his CT & played it & it made no difference at all. hmmmmmmm.......

Ryan.

Greetings gentlemen

I hope this being my first post i can contribute or at the very least ask some question i have yet to see posted about the CTSE. This might be a long post so you might want to grab a beverage or three!

I've owned my baby for 4 years now?..i think? lol........of course it needs not to be repeated again that it is a tone machine, and the more time you put into it the more you get out.

Now i defiantly agree with that philosophy however i do think there could be some ways to perhaps speed up the process that only experienced folks could help with.

I myself derived from more of the Poverty musician end of things, one amp, one guitar,a wah, and what ever peddle i could scratch up, tone was certainly not in abundance. I dont know about you folks but sometimes i still feel overwhelmed just buy the shear limitless options the CTSE presents

Anyhoo i prattle

When building tone knowledge is power (please insert witch ever 80's cartoon that this slogan reminds you of), so if someone would be kind enough to answer my bible esk post of length i swear a case of beer is on me if you ever in the cold white area of town!

No.01 - Tone Stack
Would someone please give me a little history on the amps, famous artists who might have used what, but more specifically if your searching for a specific tone what tone stack should you start out with-
For example -
I know you should select a Blackface if your looking for that Fender Strat clean tone, i've heard to get that country twang the Tweed would be the way to go.
Im assuming the British would be dial in the British invasion type stuff ie, Beatles............The modern is fenders attempt at the Marshell...................and I'll be honest British and Dyna-Touch i have no clue...............how far off am i on the tones????

No.02 - Tone Stack Location
OK Ug..............feel free to point and laugh at the idiot but what the hell does this mean?...........is this suppose to be the amp with the distortion button down on or off the selected tone stack?

No.03 - Drive Circuitry

This is where I'm completely lost, if i have a tone stack type of say blackface, then i select dyna touch in the drive circuitry............what am i really going for then?

Don't worry i know what Reverb type is hahahaha............im not that incompetent however -

Reverb in levelDwell - is an internal reverb that is always there no matter what you do with the outside reverb knob correct?

so then what an how would apply the Reverb tone/shape - Reverb time and Reverb Diffusion?.............im used to ONE reverb knob.............not all these!!!!

Speaker Phase - Can someone give me some examples on what these options are used for

The Reverb / FX selections......................huh?.............no clue lol

When i first picked up the amp, i dialed in a good distortion or two i was happy with, some great cleans and it was all the effects and bells and whistles that really sold it for me.........................i fall for good looking girls with not much under the surface to.......lol..........bad habit.

Since i've started to write a lot more complicated and different various forms of music i've really tried to explore what the CTSE can do, but im getting frustrated because i do not have the technical education nor the experience with various fender amps to really know where to start............mostly i just noodle around until i stumble on something i like.

Any advice or help is muchly appreciated
Thanks