My amp had a nasty knock, now there's static...

**TheFantod** · #1 06-14-2010, 02:11 PM

...I've got a Peavey TNT155 BW that's about 10 years old. It's always been a true workhorse.

Last week it took a bit of a tumble in the back of a truck. Kind of scary when a 90+ lb. amp takes a tumble. Now, I've got a static that comes and goes. It sounds like a short somewhere 'cause it goes away if I rock the amp a bit.

Before I tear it down, is there any obvious solution I'm overlooking? I've noticed the pre-gain pot has become very scratchy. I've got some deoxit to take care of it. I'll probably clean all the pots while I'm at it.

I don't have any fears of tearing it down. I've built several BYOC pedals and modded several on my own. Just wondering if there's something specific to look for.

Anything else to check?

TIA

JimmyM · #2 06-14-2010, 02:34 PM

sounds like you're on it.

Rick Auricchio · #3 06-14-2010, 03:53 PM

Could be a crack in a PC board. They can be very hard to find.

craig.p · #4 06-14-2010, 04:59 PM

I second Rick's call. I hate troubleshooting those.

But you can also look for cold solder joints that were ready to let go anyway. Maybe you'll get lucky and spot something.

Use a magnifier. This is something you'll never spot no matter how good your eyesight.

Sometimes you can narrow things down by touching components and listening for the crackling.

Sometimes a heat gun and cold spray are helpful in finding cracked etches. But remember -- cover very small areas at a time.