Weird rattling/cracking sound coming from amp...

JoshOohAh · #1 11-02-2010, 01:56 PM

So I've had this problem for awhile where in the middle of just playing my amp would make this crackling,rattling sound to my notes. My whole amp would just sound lower and the notes would just sound completely weird. It wasn't that big of a deal because it would happen once a week while I'm practicing and it usually went away. However it took this long to go off when I needed it the most. I was jamming with my friend and then it went off. Now it's been going off doing this cracking sound every single day. Not only does it crackle, it lowers the sound too.

I can't seem to identify wither it's the head or cabinet or even the bass causing this. I know it's not the cord because I have tried 2 or 3 cords and it's the same thing. I tried feeling the back of the speakers to see if a magnet somehow got stuck to it and I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary.

My equipment is all brand new stuff nothing is used and I bought it all in May.

Please any help would be great

lowendblues · #2 11-02-2010, 06:23 PM

Is your bass active??? check your battery.
Check your cables again. Both speaker cables and guitar cords. Replace them if you can and see if the problem continues. Check the jack on your bass, is it loose and shorting out? You might take a peak inside your cabinet. you could have a loose connection in there as well.

It could be several things,, but sounds like a bad cord somewhere to me.

JoshOohAh · #3 11-02-2010, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowendblues

Is your bass active??? check your battery.
Check your cables again. Both speaker cables and guitar cords. Replace them if you can and see if the problem continues. Check the jack on your bass, is it loose and shorting out? You might take a peak inside your cabinet. you could have a loose connection in there as well.

It could be several things,, but sounds like a bad cord somewhere to me.

My bass is passive. I once again checked my cables even tried using my friends and still the same problem will randomly come up. The nut on my bass where the patch cord goes in is lose and goes loose all the time. It happened on my old bass too and I think it's because of the patch cord I use (I should be using a right angle because of the way it's on) However when I tighten it, it doesn't seem to help the problem. I can't peak into my cab because is completely blocked off with 1 peep whole which I put a flashlight through but was close to useless since I can't see far through that peep hole.

I do completely agree with you that it has to be a loose cord somewhere but I just wish I could identify it. I want to bring my equipment somewhere to get repaired but I can't drop it off and say "Oh just wait the problem will occur at some point"

Anyways thanks for the help

lt762x39 · #4 11-02-2010, 11:58 PM

Lowend is steering you in the right direction. If you have any electrician friends have them ring out your patch cords with a mutimeter and flex them around to see if they get shorted out or go open. If the cords are ok then look at the head to see if the jack is loose. There has to be a way into your amp head. If the jack is loose or has been loosed up the wires that were soldered to it may have broken off or are in the process of doing that. One note on the safety side make sure you unplug the amp before you go poking around or you might get a new curly hair do... Then the same friend with electrical knowlege should be able to solder your wires back to the jack body after tweaking it down very snugly. After that you should be good for another 100k miles ;0) the other thing that can wreck your day is leaking cap (capacitors)

lt762x39 · #5 11-03-2010, 12:03 AM

If the stuff is still "new" under warrenty take it back to the shop where you made your purchase and they should fix it or replace it. Don't open up the amp head unless its out of warrenty because that would void it

JoshOohAh · #6 11-03-2010, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lt762x39

Lowend is steering you in the right direction. If you have any electrician friends have them ring out your patch cords with a mutimeter and flex them around to see if they get shorted out or go open. If the cords are ok then look at the head to see if the jack is loose. There has to be a way into your amp head. If the jack is loose or has been loosed up the wires that were soldered to it may have broken off or are in the process of doing that. One note on the safety side make sure you unplug the amp before you go poking around or you might get a new curly hair do... Then the same friend with electrical knowlege should be able to solder your wires back to the jack body after tweaking it down very snugly. After that you should be good for another 100k miles ;0) the other thing that can wreck your day is leaking cap (capacitors)

Too bad I don't know anyone like that

Quote:

Originally Posted by lt762x39

If the stuff is still "new" under warrenty take it back to the shop where you made your purchase and they should fix it or replace it. Don't open up the amp head unless its out of warrenty because that would void it

I called the place I bought it but he can't really do anything since I can't find the problem

Metal Mitch · #7 11-03-2010, 12:24 AM

Could be the electrical power in your house.

I moved into an older house last year, and my GK 400RB does that as long as the furnace is on. Strangely, the Ampeg SVT3-PRO seems immune to it.

Voltage dip and/or excessive noise on the power line.

JoshOohAh · #8 11-03-2010, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metal Mitch

Could be the electrical power in your house.

I moved into an older house last year, and my GK 400RB does that as long as the furnace is on. Strangely, the Ampeg SVT3-PRO seems immune to it.

Voltage dip and/or excessive noise on the power line.

It can't be that because as I said before I experienced it at my buddies house for the first time and I jam there a lot.

Thanks for the suggestion though I will try and be more aware though next time it happens just in case I'm wrong

**Rune Bivrin** · #9 11-03-2010, 01:17 AM

Classical diagnosis trick: Whack the amp somewhat gently to see if you can bring out the problem or make it go away. With new equipment there's a reasonable risk there's a bad solder in the amp. Mechanical manipulation can reveal that.

If so, it's down the warranty path.

lowendblues · #10 11-03-2010, 04:07 AM

I bought a new Hartke amp a few years ago and had a similar problem. Drove me crazy. One day I decided to open up the amp (Im no electrician by any means) and found a "ribbon" cable just barely plugged into the circuit board. All I did was plug it in 'til it snapped into place, problem solved.

So I'd take a look anyway,, it could be a similar problem.

JoshOohAh · #11 11-03-2010, 08:42 PM

K I found a way to temporarily get rid of the problem. If I slap the strings as hard I possibly can and enough times it will go away for a bit. Does this sound like a problem with my bass now?

**Rune Bivrin** · #12 11-17-2010, 08:03 AM

No. It sounds as if the vibrations in the amp from the sound is enough to fix the poor connection temporarily.

Dave Kerr · #13 11-17-2010, 08:14 AM

Can't you just plug a different bass, or a guitar, into the amp and see if you get the same issues? Swap cables? You can at least identify whether the bass, cable or amp is the issue.

JoshOohAh · #14 11-17-2010, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Kerr

Can't you just plug a different bass, or a guitar, into the amp and see if you get the same issues? Swap cables? You can at least identify whether the bass, cable or amp is the issue.

Yea and I've been practicing with my old bass for hours without the problem occurring so I am almost convinced it is the Bass

fall bass best · #15 07-29-2011, 12:37 PM

hello

just wanted to find out if you ever found the cause of this problem?

i have a rickenbacker 330. i realize this is a bass forum, but the problem that you have described is pretty much identical to what i've had for the past year with my guitar. and it's driving me mad.

i've been down all the same avenues as yourself with regards to checking amp cables etc. i've taken it to techs and tried to describe it without ever being able to get the sound then and there. but without fail, i play a show and there it is.

i'd be really grateful if you did find anything out, that you could let me know.

cheers