My hartke ha3500 is on the fritz.

bathnapkin · #1 07-12-2011, 04:01 PM

So I had this problem with my Hartke HA3500 near the end of last year where it made a distorted farting noise noise whenever I played. Luckily It just went away after a few weeks so I didn't have to get any warranty work done.

I figured it was either the head or the cab then because I had tried different cables and different basses (both active and passive. I even tried a guitar) but it's been doing it every once in a while lately and now it back to farting all of the time. It seems to only do it with loud low notes though. I tried different cables and guitars again but I recently bought a new cab so I checked the cab other and sure enough it did. With both cabs hooked up you can hear the distortion out of each as well. As well as a loud hum that wasn't there before. It was a big inconvenience because I had to cut my bass Sunday night.

My question is if anyone here has experience with Hartke warrenty work. Do I have to send to their factory or do they allow local dealers to do the work under warranty? I have another gig friday and I would like to have it up and running by then

Or is there anything super simple that I could be missing?

BassmanPaul · #2 07-12-2011, 04:07 PM

I think you should rent an amp for your gig. Call Hartke customer service and ask THEM how they work. They'll probably know better than we will.

knucklehead G · #3 07-12-2011, 04:08 PM

Side bets on how long until Larry Hartke swoops in to save the day? You're in good shape dude, the owner posts on this forum often. I've personally spoken with him on the phone before, I had questions about his amps and we BSed for twenty minutes while he helped me pick out the setup I needed. Then I had to go and get married and blow that stack money, but I'm saving up again..

BassmanPaul · #4 07-12-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knucklehead G

Then I had to go and get married and blow that stack money, but I'm saving up again..

Obviously you were thinking with the wrong head!

jaywa · #5 07-12-2011, 04:11 PM

This sounds very similar to a recurring problem I had back in the day with my beloved "Transient Attack" era 3500 head. Except in my case the recurring problem was with the onboard XLR out and would manifest itself only when plugged into a P.A.

Agree with knucklehead, I bet Mr. Hartke will be along here pretty soon to help you out.

tekdiver500ft · #6 07-12-2011, 04:13 PM

Why is it when something goes wrong, it's always "on" me???

Kidding aside, I'm sure Larry and company will take care of you.

bathnapkin · #7 07-12-2011, 04:14 PM

Wow I didn't know he posted on the forum.

The fact that he gives out his personal phone number is what made me interested in the company in the first place but I didn't know he was so involved.

JimmyM · #8 07-12-2011, 05:13 PM

Oh yeah. He'll refer you to call his CS specialist Joe something or he'll take care of it himself. And then he'll set your bass on fire!

knucklehead G · #9 07-12-2011, 05:34 PM

Or stick it in an oven. He serves up great customer service, with a side of classic Fenders. Regular or extra crispy?

totallywink · #10 07-12-2011, 06:14 PM

My old 2/10 combo, from 1993, with the 3500 head died last month and it's sitting at the repair shop. I should know what's happening with the head next week (fingers crossed). Let us know how it goes with Hartke warranty!!

Larry Hartke · #11 07-13-2011, 08:24 AM

Hey Bathnapkin,

No problem we will get you back on the road, just give my service manager Joe Antonelli a call 1-800-328-2882 (New York). Thanks for playing Hartke and if you need further assistance you can reach me at 201-680-8153 cell or lahartke@comcast.net

jaywa · #12 07-13-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by totallywink

My old 2/10 combo, from 1993, with the 3500 head died last month and it's sitting at the repair shop.

I had one of these too! Same year even.

Loved it. Used to stack it on top of an XL-410 cabinet (that I still have) for essentially, a 6x10 350-watt stack that gave me all the volume I ever needed.

Way too heavy a rig for my aging bod to cart around anymore though.

bathnapkin · #13 07-13-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Hartke

Hey Bathnapkin,

No problem we will get you back on the road, just give my service manager Joe Antonelli a call 1-800-328-2882 (New York). Thanks for playing Hartke and if you need further assistance you can reach me at 201-680-8153 cell or lahartke@comcast.net

I will certainly do that thank you.
In the meantime I remembered reading in my sansamp bass driver di manual that they recommend to put it straight into the effects return to bypass most of the tone shaping of the amp. I found my sansamp to try this and I get no distortion! So I will be able to gig without a problem Friday I just have to bring my pedalboard with me.

Edit: Joe's on lunch so I'll call later but I went ahead and opened the top to see if changing the tube would fix it and It started working fine! but when I put the old tube in again to compare it worked fine too

So my amp is working but the distortion is bound to show up out of nowhere again.

totallywink · #14 07-13-2011, 12:22 PM

@ jaywa, I ran the 2/10 with a 1/15 and it was a nice tone. Handled my five string nicely. But I agree with you that the rig is a bit heavy to move around.... (sad).

totallywink · #15 07-19-2011, 02:05 PM

Got my Hartke 3500 2/10 combo head back today from Dave's Sound and it works great. I run this 2/10 combo with a 1/15 and it's a good sound - it's actually been my rig since 1993 or so. The combo is heavy but as someone who is unemployed, a new rig will have to wait.