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212AV with obnoxious buzz, can’t trace, HELP,,,

Ringhammer

Ringhammer

Supporting Member
Sep 3, 2016
3,522
18,138
S. F. Bay Area
#1
Ok, I have has this Ampeg SVT-212AV for a week or so and when I got it, it was a bit noisy, with some buzzes here and there, but I tightened everything up and it sounded good since then, playing in my garage at low and medium volume. Yesterday I took to jam with some guys and now today I have it on at a rather low volume and I have an OBNOXIOUS buzz exactly at A/440. If I simply grab the side handle and twist, it will go away, but it isn’t the handle as I have it removed now and the buzz is still there. If I push on the cabinet at certain spot, or reach in and push on the speaker on the side that I have removed the handle, I can make it stop. I know it isn’t the speakers, and every single screw on the thing is as tight as I can screw it. How do you find this crazy buzz or what can be done. It sort of makes this cabinet unusable for what I mostly have it for which is practice in my garage. I really want some help here as I don’t want to feel like I tossed away $400 on this.
 
#3
Actually upon further inspection, and increase in volume, it is much more severe and while it is the worst at A/440, it comes out at other lower notes as well. There is a cross support near the handle, but like I said, at a louder volume it is really buzzing, and pressing those spots that stopped it before, doesn’t seem to do the trick.
 
#6
Ringhammer said:
Ok, I have has this Ampeg SVT-212AV for a week or so and when I got it, it was a bit noisy, with some buzzes here and there, but I tightened everything up and it sounded good since then, playing in my garage at low and medium volume. Yesterday I took to jam with some guys and now today I have it on at a rather low volume and I have an OBNOXIOUS buzz exactly at A/440. If I simply grab the side handle and twist, it will go away, but it isn’t the handle as I have it removed now and the buzz is still there. If I push on the cabinet at certain spot, or reach in and push on the speaker on the side that I have removed the handle, I can make it stop. I know it isn’t the speakers, and every single screw on the thing is as tight as I can screw it. How do you find this crazy buzz or what can be done. It sort of makes this cabinet unusable for what I mostly have it for which is practice in my garage. I really want some help here as I don’t want to feel like I tossed away $400 on this.
Click to expand...
400 is less than half price. Find out where it stops with pressure, and get it tighter.
 
#7
I did discover that at higher volume when I push kinda hard on the back, a lot of the buzz is reduced or eliminated. I’ll keep playing with it, but my current thinking is I can possible find a way to support the back panel better somehow.
 
#13
I once had a Fender PRO series NEO 15 cabinet that did the same exact thing. It turned out to be the layers of the plywood, in the baffle board were delaminating. Pushing hard against the front baffle would almost stop it. It was used but still under warranty. Fender even confirmed the date of manufacture. However Fender wouldn't do anything because I didn't have the original receipt. When I pulled the speaker, it was obvious that the glue in the original p[plywood was defective internally between the layers, you could visibly see it coming apart in the speaker cutout and where small pieces of the wood fell out leaving gaps in the plywood. The small pieces were laying inside the cabinet which to me meant they fell out during assembly at the factory before the speaker was finally mounted. Fender still would do zero to help me. I even offered to buy an empty cabinet without hardware, electronics, or speakers and they still wouldn't do anything. I told them I'd been a bassist since 1969 always used Fender products and also the owner of a music store during the 70's and early 80's and we were a Fender dealer. They could've cared less. Welcome to FMIC where customer service goes to die.

Since the cabinet was front mount I tried to inject glue in between the layers and clamp it tight till it dried. Made no difference, still buzzed. I dumped the cabinet for a big loss as it was unusable. That was back in 2015 and I haven't bought a Fender amp of any type and don't intend to ever again. I'll buy their basses and guitars but no more amps period. Sounds like your cabinet might have a similar issue. I hope you get it worked out.
 
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#14
Well, I have some ideas, but if it’s as bad as your cabinet was, it’ll be a shame because I like the cabinet for sure. I notice if I push on the back when I have it buzzing it seems to stop. This may sound extreme, but I’m thinking of running some all-thread through the back and the baffle (behind the grille, of course), and gently squeezing the cabinet. Unfortunately, your description of the delaminating plywood sounds like it’s possible here, however I have had the speakers out and one of the handles, and the wood looks good, so I don’t know. I’ll probably start by finding a way to tighten the corner joints from the inside, maybe pre-drilling some 1x1 and glue and screw it in the corners? Hell I don’t know. I certainly can’t sell it, so I guess I can try anything.
 
#18
I had this exact same issue with my first 212av. Same frequency and everything. Came that way straight from retail. It was horrendous. I tried everything I could to fix it, and eventually had to have MF swap it out. They did, and my second one has never given me an issue after 3 years. But unfortunately, I think this was just an issue that affected a good number of these off the line, and there was nothing I could do to mitigate the issue. I know this doesn’t help, but i thought my experience could be insightful.
 
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#19
FenderB said:
Just my 2 cents, like everyone else.
Click to expand...
Identifying the cause of the problem helps with making suggestions that help the OP. Just randomly replacing parts is not going to help.
 
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#20
captainofsmooth said:
I had this exact same issue with my first 212av. Same frequency and everything. Came that way straight from retail. It was horrendous. I tried everything I could to fix it, and eventually had to have MF swap it out. They did, and my second one has never given me an issue after 3 years. But unfortunately, I think this was just an issue that affected a good number of these off the line, and there was nothing I could do to mitigate the issue. I know this doesn’t help, but i thought my experience could be insightful.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I am not going to be able to return it. Looks like I got stuck with a lemon. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find someone selling one for cheap that doesn’t have the same issues, and I can part this one out, or keep the spare speakers, grille, etc. in case I pop a speaker or rip the grille. Of course I will do all I can think of, even if it starts to ruin it cosmetically to try to make it useable before I spend any money on another. And, if it gets to that, I am bringing an amp and playing it loud before I buy.
 
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