Broken Amp?

[frochahcho]

Hey yall. Couple days ago i turned my amp all the way up and started playing which must of blew the speakers or the fuse out. Its a pretty crappy practice amp that came along with the first bass guitar i purchased and wondering how i could possibly fix it. How do you locate whats wrong with it (speakers blown, fuse blown, etc.)? Also if it is the fuse how do you remove it from the actual amp itself (noticed that on the back of the amp theres a tiny 1/2" by 1/2" box that says "FUSE" on it)?

[AwkwardLoudness]

It might help if you tell us what amp you have. Is it tube or solid state?

Does the speaker(s) make no sound at all? Does the amp turn on at all? What are the symptoms?

If the main fuse (only fuse?) is blown, then the amp won't turn on and the fuse itself will be visibly cloudy or shorted. Try to look at the fuse if you can remove it and the amp won't turn on. Take a picture. You could probably access that fuse behind the box that says 'fuse' on it. Maybe the box unscrews or slides out to reveal the fuse.

Blown speakers will make sounds, but not pleasant musical sounds.

You could have blown output transistors or blown tubes. There could be a broken solder joint or other connection. There could be a fried component somewhere in the amp. Maybe your patch cable came loose.

[BassmanPaul]

Practice amps are simply not worth the money to repair. If the power light goes on when you switch the amp on the fuse is OK. If you blew the driver a replacement would probably cost more than a used replacement amp. Just cos it's a bass amp doesn't mean you can crank all the controls and the amp will survive. No bass amp will!

[frochahcho]

Yep the light still switches on, still playable for a short period of time (sounds good here) then starts making not so pleasent ones, then eventually dies and makes no noise. What has me baffled is that it plays fine for a short period of time fine, mabe 10 minutes tops before it makes not so nice noise and dies out. Usually i haved to wait another hour or so to use it again. So im curious, is the speakers only PARTIALLY blown? The amp is an Silvertone BAX that came as a package with my first bass guitar. Solid state amp im guessing. Had it maxed volume to try to hear my self over the drummer :/ Dumb idea, shoulda used the PA. Here is the link with the picture of the amp.

http://www.amazon.com/Silvertone-Gui...5347860&sr=8-1

[frochahcho]

What do you think? Worth getting it repaired or better off buying a new amp? and if so anyone have any suggestions on any practice amp thats $100 or less?

[NWB]

Generally speaking, small practice amps don't stand up very well to drums.

For $100, I'd be looking for a used Peavey combo with a DI to send a signal to the PA.

[frochahcho]

Originally Posted by NWB

Generally speaking, small practice amps don't stand up very well to drums.

Yes i learned that the hard way :s