Oh my god, my amp just died.

FeuerFrei · #1 12-01-2009, 01:21 AM

At practice tonight, we're jamming along having a grand ol time, I got the beast only about 1/3rd power, so we're using 400 out of 1200 watts and that's all I need to fill the practice space.

Then, in the middle of the song, I drop out of the mix, first thing you always check was did I just kick a cable out, well that would be a no.

Then I turn my head, and all the lights on my amp are dead....

And toggling the switch doesn't fix it....

(insert your favorite profanity here)

Then the drummer talks into his mic, and oh look, the PA is dead, and then I notice my pedal board is dark. The heater that we added because it was cold almost managed to look guilty as it had popped a breaker, but for that small moment I thought for sure the show was over.

I hate heaters.

warnergt · #2 12-01-2009, 11:33 AM

That can be scary.

When you see sparks, smoke and fire, that's really scary.

dmusic148 · #3 12-01-2009, 11:33 AM

Made me look.

SoonerMatt · #4 12-01-2009, 11:36 AM

That's a scary situation. At least you didn't see smoke coming out of your amp's vents like mine did back in HS.

FeuerFrei · #5 12-01-2009, 12:05 PM

Yeah, I am glad there was no smoke, and the fact that my amp, the PA, and the heater were on their own circuit really added to the fear, I dropped out during a non singing part, the guitarist was still hot, and the lights were still on.

mrkreuzschlitz · #6 12-01-2009, 02:33 PM

Kinda like the time at a show where I almost borrowed someones amp because mine wasn't working.

It turns out I didn't have my preamp return cable plugged in all the way (literally, it moved 1/8" in and it was fine, it was really touchy) and I fixed it as he was bringing his head on stage. Whoops.

Rick Auricchio · #7 12-01-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeuerFrei

...I got the beast only about 1/3rd power, so we're using 400 out of 1200 watts...

Just as a point of education, the position of the master volume control will never control how much power the amp puts out. It controls the sensitivity of the power amp.

The sensitivity adjustment controls the following: "How much input level is needed to get full power output?"

If you slam the input hard enough, you will get full power out. How hard? That depends on the volume control.

But don't think that having the knob "halfway" means "half power." If you drop your bass on the floor you'll probably get full power easily.

bongomania · #8 12-01-2009, 03:09 PM

^^^^ Exactly!!!! You absolutely were not at "1/3rd power", it doesn't work that way.

chicago_mike · #9 12-01-2009, 03:29 PM

Do you know how many fuses are for the practice space? Is it a rental room or a garage?

The teachable moment is the obvious of too much current draw on the ac lines.

Now sort of un related, but still usefull...think of this as a side note. Invest in an ac outlet checker. To see whats wired hot / return, if its in phase with other outlets or not. Very handy when you play "iffy-looking" clubs.

side note 2, you'd have to have the master volume after the output transistors for it to be a "real" master volume and to get 1/3 power, but even then, thats still incorrect.

konodl18 · #10 12-01-2009, 04:59 PM

I freak out when stuff quits working. I always assume the worst and think, hmmm... how many shows am I going to have to play just to replace that? Then I realize that 99% of the time it's human error. Lucky for us!

FeuerFrei · #11 12-01-2009, 08:27 PM

It's a garage, so far as I can tell we're on two circuits in there, I am one on channel with the PA, the guitarist is on the other one with the lighting.

And I know that's not how it works, it was more to clarify I didn't have it dimed all the way.

M0ses · #12 12-01-2009, 08:32 PM

The first time I bought an amp, it was also my first one with Gain and Volume. I played it at GC and thought it sounded sweet so I brought it home.

NOTHING. No sound. The light's on....
I check my bass volume. I check the cable. The amp volume. The plug. EVERYTHING. I FREAK OUT for probably five minutes. I spent MONTHS of savings on this thing.

Whoops, Gain is at zero......

mrkreuzschlitz · #13 12-02-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeuerFrei

It's a garage, so far as I can tell we're on two circuits in there, I am one on channel with the PA, the guitarist is on the other one with the lighting.

And I know that's not how it works, it was more to clarify I didn't have it dimed all the way.

Wait, your band practices with lights going?
Mine did too, but I'll tell you, it's just a waste of electricity, save for the practices right before big shows. And that's definitely when you are just going over your set, not actually changing/modifying anything.