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Post subject: HRDLX issues
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:01 pm
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I bought this amp new in '06, the other day while playing I turned the vol up a bit to 3 on the clean channel and heard the nastiest noise it's ever made. The sound got really garbled and nasty and the volume cut in and out, to the point that I had almost zero. This is the first time it has ever done this, it still has all the factory tubes but the amp really hasn't been played a hell of a lot. I tried getting it to reproduce the problem with my volume box (I live in an apartment) in the effects loop but didn't have any luck. Any ideas?


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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:08 pm
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Sounds like tube trouble to me.

Have you replaced tubes in an amp before? Take the back panel off the amp, you'll see the two big bottle power tubes and then a row of three pre-amp tubes with metal shield cans on them. These are a simple bayonet type, so twist them a little, push then pull them off. Once your tubes are all 'naked' turn the amp on, turn it up to 3, then tap each tube with a plastic pen to see if one of them is dicked. Tap them on the side a few times each. Hopefully if it's that simple one of them will start making the bad noises you described, and you can replace it.

If you don't get any of those noises then switch the amp to drive, then more drive, and repeat the process. If still no strange sounds then take it to an amp tech! Most likely scenario tho is a dying tube, and it should reveal itself to your tap tap tapping by going 'boing, crash, chhhhckkkggg' or something. If you get death noises from one of the power tubes then replace both cos they work in a pair.

There are many other things that could be causing the problem you described, but for all of those you need a qualified tube amp tech.


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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:10 pm
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oh, and the reason it's not doing it with your 'volume box' in the effects loop is because it's most likely being set off by mechanical vibration you will only get at a good volume. So it's just not going to do it when you run the thing quieter.


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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:09 pm
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I hadn't tried the pen trick yet, I had it pulled apart today to play with it (have two spare 12ax7's) but ended up having to run all over north Texas to get some things done. I'll give that a shot tomorrow, thank you!


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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:27 pm
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good luck with it! It's such a relief when you can get something working again in a very simple and instant kinda way. Hope that's the case for your Hot Rod.

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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:07 pm
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Testing now, results shortly!


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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:30 pm
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Well I think I found my culprit although I won't be 100% until tomorrow. I believe one of the preamp tubes was going. I got some strange sounds so I killed it and put one of my spare GT 12ax7's in, retapped, nothin. I'll crank it with the geetar tomorrow. Side note, I remember why I bought a tube amp finally aside from the tones, I've got it sitting on the kitchen table with the back off playing quietly watching the warm glow from the tubes. :)


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Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:43 pm
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sounds like you might have sorted it out. Hope so. For sure you'll know when you've had a chance to crank it a few times.

Yeah, the first winter I had on tour in Europe I was sleeping in an un-heated attic in Holland in between stretches on the road, and I used to use my vintage Australian 'Goldentone' 60 watt tube amp as a heater! Seriously, there was only a grill mesh like chicken wire covering the tubes in the back, so If I sat on it while I was reading it kept me warm. I'd leave it on all night, very quietly humming, to take the chill off the air. Wasn't much use as a lamp tho!

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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:22 pm
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Houston we still have a problem. Ugh. Any other ideas? It's doing it with either input jack.


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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:03 pm
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Damn! Well unless you're good at electronic repairs and know how to NOT get killed by the massive voltages stored in your amp (even when unplugged from the wall) - then now is the time to take it to a tube amp repair person.

Maybe someone else has more experience with your amp and can recognize the symptoms, but if it's not a tube I'm out of anyone-can-fixit ideas. Your problem could be any one of a number of things from a dry solder joint to a dying component, and it's gonna take a smart guy with a meter to hunt it down.
good luck!

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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:34 pm
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Yeah I don't feel like messing with it. I wire aircraft but have never played with caps and don't feel like shocking my self thru a wall like a cartoon. :( With my volume box in the loop and the amp vol up to 6-7 and my box regulating it down around where the amp would be volume wise at 3 it sounds fine. This is freakin weird.


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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:51 pm
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Yup it's those kinda probs that send you nuts. If it's only happenning at real volume then for sure some component is misbehaving only when it gets serious vibration. Did you check your speaker cable is firmly attached to the contacts?

Wisdom begins with not getting electrocuted for your art. 8)

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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:11 pm
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Sounds like you may have a bad one. Tech time!

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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:13 pm
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Ah, that sucks. Take it to a tech, he'll get those devils out your amp.

Good luck.

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Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:26 pm
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Some of the problems with the HRDlx are bad solder joints on the tube sockets where they connect to the board, the 5 watt cement resistors burning the traces on the board, cheap power supply caps failing, cheap jacks failing, tube sockets quickly losing tension and causing weak pin contact and the list can go on and on. I've had most of those problems on mine, that's why I got rid of it.

You can tell if it's the solder joints by removing the rear panel and gently wiggling the tubes one at a time and watch where the tubes connect to the board. If you see the joints move or look cracked, that's a problem. If the resistors are bad you'll see it. Also look for discoloration on the board.

It could still just be bad power tubes.


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