Help! - Fried Hartke 3500?

[eagle67]

The pre amp section on my Hartke 3500 is dead. When I plug into either the "Active" or "Passive" front inputs, Nothing. If I send the signal from my bass to a Sansamp BDDI, and from there to the Hartke "Effects Return" input, everything on the amp works fine. Is this fixable?

[TinIndian]

Most anything is fixable - just depends on if it is econmical to fix. I would contact Hartke, they have excellent customer service, and get their recomendation on how to proceed.

[DWBass]

Call Larry!

[Larry Hartke]

Eagle 67,

At first I thought this post was a recipe. Personally I prefer charcoal grilled 3500’s. Just give my service manager the great Joe Antonelli a call at 1-800-328-2882 (New York) and he will help you out. I'm right here if you need further help 201-680-8153 Cell or lahartke@comcast.net

Thanks for playing Hartke!

[B-string]

Sounds like the the interconnect cables or the effects return jack. May be a simple fix.

[BassmanPaul]

Try jumpering the FX send and return with a signal cable to eliminate the switching contacts.

[LarryO]

Looks like this was solved within 2 hours. All posts after #4 are unnecessary (including mine). Service like this is making me strognly consider a hartke rig. I think most people can get a good tone out of just about any amp and cab. the question is "Is that the tone you want?" I am sure I can find a tone I like out of almost any amp and cab........Customer service and reliability is what I'm shopping for.

[grendle]

Great head, stupid powerful, just needs a better sounding tube in the pre. Had mine 20 years, still kicking azz.

[krstko]

Originally Posted by grendle

Great head, stupid powerful, just needs a better sounding tube in the pre. Had mine 20 years, still kicking azz.

just change the tube xD

[grendle]

Originally Posted by krstko

just change the tube xD

Yep sylvania 5751. Head is Soooooo much more boutique sounding now.

[eagle67]

Originally Posted by Larry Hartke

Eagle 67,

At first I thought this post was a recipe. Personally I prefer charcoal grilled 3500’s. Just give my service manager the great Joe Antonelli a call at 1-800-328-2882 (New York) and he will help you out. I'm right here if you need further help 201-680-8153 Cell or lahartke@comcast.net

Thanks for playing Hartke!

Thanks so much Larry. I've always really liked my Hartke Amp, but never gave too much thought about customer service. The HA 3500 has been so reliable I never had to. Your post yesterday shouts loud about the quality of the whole Hartke company. I'll let you know how I make out, and man do I ever hope someone can bring this amp back to life. Thanks again.
-Eagle

[eagle67]

Originally Posted by B-string

Sounds like the the interconnect cables or the effects return jack. May be a simple fix.

Try jumpering the FX sent and return with a signal cable to eliminate the switching contacts.



Thanks for your input guys, but just to clear things up, The FX Return section is working, but the 2 main front inputs are not

[BassmanPaul]

We know the power amp is working from your first post. We are trying to discover if signal gets to the send jack. With nothing in the send and return, the signal is supposed to be routed to the return. If the switch that does this is corroded no signal will reach the power section.

[acousticzone]

It definately sounds like the pre amp, if you re able to use return in. I just bought a Hartke LH1000 in Oct and it fried last night at a gig. Loud hissing and (bacon n eggs sound) but still had signal. Couldn t use it though. Just passed the American Musical Supply 45 day warranty,so I have to take it up with Hartke. Too soon to be having problems though. I think they might be China made these days,but not sure.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

We know the power amp is working from your first post. We are trying to discover if signal gets to the send jack. With nothing in the send and return, the signal is supposed to be routed to the return. If the switch that does this is corroded no signal will reach the power section.

Yep...it's worth a try and you can use a conventional instrument cable for the trial. This is not specific to the Hartke line; I experienced the same fault with an Ampeg preamp.

Riis

[Craig_S]

Originally Posted by krstko

just change the tube xD

IME my 3500 sounded best with a long plate 12AX7 in it. I used a Sovtek tube. Tube snobs would tell you to use a better tube. I never had a problem with microphonics or any other noise with mine.

I sold my 3500 to a friend, after playing it for several years. it's still in service. I miss it, sometimes.

[B-string]

Can happen with ANYONE'S serial effects loop. The contacts are internal on the effects return jack between the preamp and power amp. Unused the contacts suffer fretting, when used they can build dirt (and smoke tars if you play bars). Common problem that can cause all kinds of weird troubles from fading out to hissing and squealing, to cracking/cutting out to what sounds like speakers farting or major amp failure.

[eagle67]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

We know the power amp is working from your first post. We are trying to discover if signal gets to the send jack. With nothing in the send and return, the signal is supposed to be routed to the return. If the switch that does this is corroded no signal will reach the power section.

Can happen with ANYONE'S serial effects loop. The contacts are internal on the effects return jack between the preamp and power amp. Unused the contacts suffer fretting, when used they can build dirt (and smoke tars if you play bars). Common problem that can cause all kinds of weird troubles from fading out to hissing and squealing, to cracking/cutting out to what sounds like speakers farting or major amp failure.


>> BassmanPaul and B-String. Sorry guys, I didn't mean to question your reading skills. Right now I'm looking at the block diagram from the manual, and starting to understand what you've been saying about FX Send/Return. Connecting "Send" with "Return" restored the amp to what sounds like normal. My amp also has a switch which allows you to select and blend how much "Send" vs. how much "Return" is sent to the power section. The switch had been set to 100% "Return", so no signal to the power section??? So, when I adjusted this to 50/50, (and also removed the jumper) it sounds like the problem has been solved! I'll know for sure when I go to practice and hook up to the big speakers Thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction. Now if you guys can just explain this to me, I won't have to go back to Community College and re-enroll in that electronics course I took 20 years ago. Thanks again.

[BassmanPaul]

Glad to have been of assistance.

[B-string]

Once you used the effects return jack the contacts slid against each other and temp restored connection. Still needs a quick shot of DeoxIT in the jack and work a plug in and out several times to make sure it is cleaned.
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