Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Air blowing from input jack!
- Thread starter David Swanson
- Start date
It’s probably full of dust and crud blocking the output flow. Every time I pick up a used amp, I open it up and use some canned air to blow out any dust, and remove a lot of the crud with q-tips. I always try just water first, but smoke and sticky stuff comes off better with alcohol. I also use some tuner spray in all the pots and sliders. Most of the time that fixes any issues and it runs like new. If the fan is blocked, the amp will get hotter and the fan speed goes up to compensate, but if it still heats up too much, the amp will shut down usually temporarily until you fix the problem.
OP - is it a combo amp (amplifier plus speaker in one cabinet)?
That is the only explanation that makes any sense. otherwise, there is no way for what you're saying is happening to, erm, happen. Amplifiers have no moving parts, other than some of them having a fan, and more than one person here says that amp has no fan. It has to be from the speaker, and in that case the air coming out of the jack is not weird at all. However if the sound is strange in some way then maybe there is something wrong.
An audio clip is the only way we will ever get a clear picture of the problem. Or a video clip with audio.
That is the only explanation that makes any sense. otherwise, there is no way for what you're saying is happening to, erm, happen. Amplifiers have no moving parts, other than some of them having a fan, and more than one person here says that amp has no fan. It has to be from the speaker, and in that case the air coming out of the jack is not weird at all. However if the sound is strange in some way then maybe there is something wrong.
An audio clip is the only way we will ever get a clear picture of the problem. Or a video clip with audio.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
bass player: oh hey did you get a look at my amp?
amp tech: amp's haunted
bass player: what?
amp tech: *loading a pistol and firing up the soldering iron* amp's haunted
amp tech: amp's haunted
bass player: what?
amp tech: *loading a pistol and firing up the soldering iron* amp's haunted
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,949
- 5
- 220,562
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Tuner cleaner has no business anywhere near an amp.
Tuner cleaner was originally used to clean the spaces between the plates of large variable tuning caps. Bass amps don’t have these devices.
Tuner cleaner was originally used to clean the spaces between the plates of large variable tuning caps. Bass amps don’t have these devices.
OP posted then ghosted, unseen since the original post at 11:04 AM. But in any case, hey, welcome to TalkBass! Stick around and you can learn quite a bit. 
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,949
- 5
- 220,562
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Yup, or the switches within the “old school” selector. Not for use on carbon resistive elements.
There's these or stick a cut-down jack in there.
It is a special fan designed to prevent condensation in the input jack. Just about every amp has one.
Oh stop that, there's already enough rampant confusion in this thread. But funny though. 30+ posts later, I'm not so sure this isn't a successful troll. I'm still trying to figure out how air is pulsing out of an amp that doesn't work. 
I had a Schroeder cab that chuffed from a non-sealed 1/4" input jack and fixed it with a pencil eraser cut to length. Probably not the best solution, but was surprised Schroeder didn't use a sealed jack or better yet, just use Speakon jacks only.
Staedtler® Mars® Retractable Plastic Eraser
Staedtler® Mars® Retractable Plastic Eraser
Sorry. Friday morning giggles.
I couldn't help myself...
troll postOP posted then ghosted, unseen since the original post at 11:04 AM. But in any case, hey, welcome to TalkBass! Stick around and you can learn quite a bit.
EDIT---Not you, Bob. The OP...
Last edited:
