Acoustic B200 Problems

Dallas852 · #1 04-30-2010, 07:46 AM

I bought an Acoustic B200 about a year ago and really liked everything about it. I never had a problem with it, until about 2 months ago. I started getting this strange high pitched whistle rattle. (Think Jetson's car sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdWswvLPdE0 that is the best way to describe it.)

I though it had something to do with my bass, but I wasnt sure. I took it into my local GC and plugged into it with a different bass, and it was making the same sound. The guy immediately said "it might be a speaker problem, not sure, so I'll just get you a new one". GREAT deal! Took the new one home, started playing on it, and already, not 2 months later, this one is doing it too. I'm so frustrated. I don't know what the deal is, and will probably just take it back and tell them its doing the same thing. Thing is, do I try a 3rd one? Or do I ask for my money back and put it towards something else? If they would even do that. Advice?

waleross · #2 04-30-2010, 09:05 AM

Trade it in for another make amp in the same price range.

SurferJoe46 · #3 04-30-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas852

I bought an Acoustic B200 about a year ago and really liked everything about it. I never had a problem with it, until about 2 months ago. I started getting this strange high pitched whistle rattle. (Think Jetson's car sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdWswvLPdE0 that is the best way to describe it.)

I though it had something to do with my bass, but I wasn't sure. I took it into my local GC and plugged into it with a different bass, and it was making the same sound. The guy immediately said "it might be a speaker problem, not sure, so I'll just get you a new one". GREAT deal! Took the new one home, started playing on it, and already, not 2 months later, this one is doing it too. I'm so frustrated. I don't know what the deal is, and will probably just take it back and tell them its doing the same thing. Thing is, do I try a 3rd one? Or do I ask for my money back and put it towards something else? If they would even do that. Advice?

For $50.00 more, you could have gone with the separate B-200H (head) and the B-115 cab.

HERE'S THE COMBO

That would open up a lot more opportunities to add the B-410 cab and/or the B-810 cab.

There are some 'issues' with the B-200 too in that you have that notch filter running 100% of the time and it's not able to be disabled as far as I know.

Other than that, it's really a pretty good amp and shouldn't be giving you troubles like that. Maybe it was a 'cab-whistle'? I've heard of cabs having air leaks that make odd noises.

Was the noise created when the amp wasn't making any music and just turned ON or did you have to have a bass playing through it to make the noise? It might offer some insight.

Dallas852 · #4 04-30-2010, 10:10 AM

Only when I was playing, and only when I play certain notes its seems like.

I like you idea of the head+cab. Maybe they'll let me trade it in for that?

guroove · #5 04-30-2010, 10:14 AM

+1 on the cab whistle. I have a small Acoustic combo and it whistles through the 1/4" jacks.

Dallas852 · #6 04-30-2010, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guroove

+1 on the cab whistle. I have a small Acoustic combo and it whistles through the 1/4" jacks.

How do you fix this problem?

guroove · #7 04-30-2010, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas852

How do you fix this problem?

The first part is finding where it is whistling from. If it's a jack, then 'fixing' it is difficult and requires some kind of modification. Some people open up the cab and put some kind of foam baffle inside. I just live with it. All the weird rattles and whistles the amp makes are part of my live sound. It may seem ridiculous, but in a noisy club, it isn't noticeable at all. If the problem wasn't present when the cabinet / amp was new, then it is possibly just a loose screw. Try turning all the screws until you find one that is loose.

orlando123 · #8 04-30-2010, 11:32 PM

I like the idea of the separate head and cab too if they will allow you to move up to that. I have the B200 too, I really like the amp but it makes a weird buzzing sound like an electric shaver every once and a while. It's only noticed when I'm not playing. I thought maybe it was a reaction from a cell phone or something. I've had mine too long to complain about it now so I'm just living with it. I dont know whats causing it to occur.

SurferJoe46 · #9 05-01-2010, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guroove

The first part is finding where it is whistling from. If it's a jack, then 'fixing' it is difficult and requires some kind of modification. Some people open up the cab and put some kind of foam baffle inside. I just live with it. All the weird rattles and whistles the amp makes are part of my live sound. It may seem ridiculous, but in a noisy club, it isn't noticeable at all. If the problem wasn't present when the cabinet / amp was new, then it is possibly just a loose screw. Try turning all the screws until you find one that is loose.

For the jack hole - I've heard of just sticking a dummy jack into it. Just make sure it has no connections inside the jack itself.

That might get messy.

seamonkey · #10 05-01-2010, 01:51 PM

If it's a year old, take it back to GC
You still have 2 years on the warranty
They will exchange it.

Dallas852 · #11 05-04-2010, 09:44 AM

Another new problem is a louder than normal HUM when not playing. If I touch any of the jacks, the hum stops, but if I am not physically touching it, its loud enough to be picked up by our little home recorder. Any ideas what this might be from?

-Side note: I took my first one in, and they replaced it, this is the replacement doing these crazy things. Do they honor a second return, because I CAN'T stand what it is doing, and no new amp should be doing this. I want to ask for my money back, or just use that money I paid for it towards something else. Do they do that also, in anyone's experience?

Pilgrim · #12 05-04-2010, 10:23 AM

As long as it's under warranty, it's covered whether it's the second one or the 10th.

Dallas852 · #13 05-04-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

As long as it's under warranty, it's covered whether it's the second one or the 10th.

Awesome, well I know what will be going back this weekend. Just wondering if they'll replace it with something else. Guess thats probably a better question for them.

steveTM · #14 06-05-2010, 04:20 PM

i just bought a B200... and have been experimenting i was wondering what are the best setting to use for metal?

christw · #15 06-05-2010, 04:29 PM

steveTM, it might be better to create a new thread requesting suggestions. It also wouldn't hurt to list some example bands/tones, what effects you may use, your bass, and playing style.