SVT-3 Problems

[codyfreakinb]

Hey everyone,

So I just recently bought a used SVT-3 Pro this summer and it has been working great up until now. The other day it started making a loud hum when it is first turned on and you hear the popping of turning on the racktuner thru the cab now and the sound of the bass is horribly muffled. After about ten minutes though, the sound goes away and it plays fine.

Is this because the tubes are getting old and need more warm-up time or could it be some electrical issue? The guy I bought it from said the tubes were last changed in 2006 I believe.

[BassmanPaul]

When buying a used tube head the cost of a once over by a tech should be considered. I would advise a trip to a tube tech.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

When buying a used tube head the cost of a once over by a tech should be considered. I would advise a trip to a tube tech.

+1 Used gear is just that, used gear. New tubes in 2006.....new used tubes.....new production from a weak run......NOS (New Old Stock) that were actually used tubes not new or actual NOS (hard to know for sure). Were tube sockets cleaned and retentioned or did the previous owner just slip them in?

[Jerrold Tiers]

Cleaning is good.... for the preamp tubes in these, "re-tensioning" the sockets is not good..... the contacts are already weak, compared to power tube sockets, and fiddling with them usually does no particular good. It is possible to make matters worse, not better.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by Jerrold Tiers

Cleaning is good.... for the preamp tubes in these, "re-tensioning" the sockets is not good..... the contacts are already weak, compared to power tube sockets, and fiddling with them usually does no particular good. It is possible to make matters worse, not better.

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in the memory banks.