It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:37 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 3:28 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:05 am
Posts: 133
Location: UK
I bought a used 1998 HRD off a (trustworthy) guy last year.
Every once in a while it had a crackle in the background whilst playing, a fire like crackle. It didn't effect the overall sound for a non gigging musician like me so I ignored it, the tone sounded great.
One day I plugged in and got no sound from my guitar, I fiddled with every knob to see if they changed anything and they didn't. All I could hear was this background crackle. I had to forget about repairing the amp for a while due to financial issues.

Anyway, I've just been offered the opportunity to start gigging with a band (finally), I don't want to pass this up but my amp is f**cked and there is no repair shops around here :\

Tonight out of desperation I turned my amp on to see if I could figure out the problem a bit better to explain to the folks on here.
I turn it on, I can hear that old fire like crackle, I plug my guitar in and I can actually hear it sort of faintly in the background, just sort of reverby, in fact its a lot more apparent with the reverb on full.
I tapped all the tubes/valves individually, none of the preamp tubes made a difference.
However, I tapped both the power amp tubes, the one on the left made no difference, the one on the right stopped the crackle completely for a period of around 10 seconds, the amp still played no sound (sans the barely audible faint reverby version of my guitar) and then the crackle began again. I tapped it again a while later and it did the exact same thing.

Could I be right in thinking I merely need to change that one dodgy tube? Is this a job I can do myself, without danger?

_________________
Turn the drums up in the umm, ear goggles


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 4:23 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
How old are all the tubes?

There are several problems that could cause such a crackle ranging from the simple (a bad tube) to the more complex (bad power supply capacitors, faulty solder joints at the tube sockets, and more). You could start off by changing the tubes (if they are original, I would replace all of them, they are relatively inexpensive), but if that doesn't fix the problem, you need to take the amp to a good tech for evaluation and probable repair. I get the impression from your e-mail that you are probably not well versed in troubleshooting and repairing a tube amp.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:00 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:06 pm
Posts: 86
Location: Massachusetts
You should also make sure that the tubes are well seated. Loose tubes can cause crackle. Also make sure all of your connections are solid.

I'd retube the whole thing and then check the old ones. Throw out any bad ones and keep the others for spares.

Another good thing to do is clean it out and tighten up the screws. It's amazing what kind of rattles and noises that can cause.

UNPLUG THE AMP AND LET IT SIT FOR HALF AN HOUR BEFORE YOU STICK YOUR HANDS IN THERE. I'm not kidding- there can be a lot of residual power in there that takes a while to dissipate.

_________________
Supersonic 22
Custom Classic Strat
ES-335 Natural
Les Paul Sunburst
American Ash Special Telecaster
Martin HD28
Egnater Renegade Head
Egnater Tourmaster 2X12 Cabinet
Eventide H9


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:39 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:18 pm
Posts: 6544
Mayercaster,

Welcome to the Forum!

One thing you may try is get a can of Deoxit D5 or GN5 and LIGHTLY spray all contact surfaces. Sockets, tube pins, jacks, plugs, edge/buss connectors. Seat the connections a couple or times to work the contact cleaner into the contact surfaces.


Now, try out the amp. Hopefully this will work. :D

http://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT%C2%AE-GOLD ... deoxit+gn5


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
Bad solder joints on the tube sockets can make it crackle too. As suggested, try reseating the tubes first.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:41 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
The problem can't be that urgent since it has been two days since the original post. :roll:

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Urgent Hot Rod Deluxe problem
Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 6:34 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
bluesky636 wrote:
The problem can't be that urgent since it has been two days since the original post. :roll:


The gentleman entered a 96-hour Guitar Hero marathon contest shortly after his original post. So you see, he's been *a bit* pre-occupied of late. Grand prize is a Squier Strat-Pak provided by his local Wong-Mart. If he's victorious he'll have no further need of such a problem-laden tube amp.

:mrgreen:

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
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] 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: