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Amp Cuts out & in

A

ammocdr

Nov 25, 2020
5
2
#1
I have Fender Rumble Studio 40 amp I use at home for practice. I've had it just over a year. About 2 months ago, it began to cut out, then fade in while using it. Most annoying. I took it to a guitar shop to have it repaired, but the tech said he couldn't find anything wrong. He took it apart. All the connections were tight and none of the circuitry was burned out, and it was clean.
Has anyone else had this issue with this amp or any other? Advice? I intend to get new setup, but with separate head and speaker cabinet. However, I hate to throw away the Fender, if I can salvage it. Any suggestions for fixing it?
 
#2
This is consistent with a protection circuit kicking in if you're playing too loud for the amp, but it's hard to say.

Have you ruled out whatever bass you're playing and cables and the like? Without hearing your issues, it sounds like it could be an intermittent short at that end (our guitarist has been having issues with his head, and only just recently has it become clear the problems were on the guitar end).
 
#3
cheapbasslovin said:
This is consistent with a protection circuit kicking in if you're playing too loud for the amp, but it's hard to say.

Have you ruled out whatever bass you're playing and cables and the like? Without hearing your issues, it sounds like it could be an intermittent short at that end (our guitarist has been having issues with his head, and only just recently has it become clear the problems were on the guitar end).
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply! Your explanation re: the protection circuit sounds feasible. When it goes out, it makes a clicking sound, then it fades in after a few seconds. When I took the amp to the guitar shop, I also took my guitar and chords to rule them out. The technician plugged my guitar into other heads and it played without mishap. In fact, after he'd taken apart and reassembled my amp, he played it without an issue. As soon as I got back home, it acted up again. I was thinking I have a poltergeist; or maybe I was getting some sort of power surge at home that we didn't get at the shop. Anyway, yours is the best answer I've gotten, so I will pursue that approach as I continue to troubleshoot. Thanks, again.
 
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#6
Funk With Me said:
The worst problems are the ones that don’t show when the amp is on the bench.

See if you can get a short cell phone video of the amp acting up, then the technician has at least a little something to go by.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion. I made a recording and took it to the tech. He knew when he heard it, that I wasn't crazy. Still, he couldn't find the source of the malfunction. I'm going to take it to another shop next week. Maybe someone there can fix it, or take mine as a trade-in.
 
#7
Funk With Me said:
Also, have you tried different outlets in your house ? People here have posted before about amps that are fussy about the power they get at different places. Especially if they have self protection circuits.
Click to expand...
Another good suggestion. I hadn't tried that. The thing's been plugged into the same outlet since I bought it, but only recently started acting up. I'll try it when I practice tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks for the help!
 
#9
Just use that amp when sound is “in.” Take another amp for backup. If this is even and odd days you know what to do. :)

Okay no help at all. Sorry.

I’ve had the experience. No one could find solution. Store took it back. It had been recently purchased and was floor model. I found two more new and bought them. Of course not a failure ever.
 
#11
agedhorse said:
Have you tried the obvious... different bass and cable?
Click to expand...
Yes, sir. First thing I did was swap cables and guitars. Same result. Then I took the amp to the shop, with the two cables and two guitars. Just frustrating. Some days, I can play for several hours without it cutting out at all. Most days, I play for two minutes and it cuts out. I'll take to to another shop to see if anything can be done. But I've resolved to buy a new amp...this time separate head and speaker cabinet.
 
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#12
ammocdr said:
I have Fender Rumble Studio 40 amp I use at home for practice. I've had it just over a year. About 2 months ago, it began to cut out, then fade in while using it. Most annoying. I took it to a guitar shop to have it repaired, but the tech said he couldn't find anything wrong. He took it apart. All the connections were tight and none of the circuitry was burned out, and it was clean.
Has anyone else had this issue with this amp or any other? Advice? I intend to get new setup, but with separate head and speaker cabinet. However, I hate to throw away the Fender, if I can salvage it. Any suggestions for fixing it?
Click to expand...

I just began having this problem as well. Going through Fender to find out if it is still under warranty. Let me know if you have an update. Thanks.
 
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#13
PhilsterPhil said:
I just began having this problem as well. Going through Fender to find out if it is still under warranty. Let me know if you have an update. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm also a Fender Rumble Studio 40 owner of a two+ years and it started cutting out a couple weeks ago. I was playing and it shut off by itself. It does turn back on but only stays on for 5-10 seconds and then shuts off again. My local Fender-approved shop won't touch it (since it's digital) so I'd hate to think that $400 gets you a Fender amp that dies after a short time. I used this amp *maybe* once a week or two, and it has never left my place...it's the definition of light usage.
 
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#16
Just as a follow-up: I contacted Fender directly about this issue and they immediately offered a replacement (I just needed to provide a copy of my original receipt). As I had purchased it in very early 2021, my amp was definitely out of warranty, but they replaced it without charge and shipped it to my address. Got to give a huge thank-you to Fender for this service!
 
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#17
Krokodyle said:
Just as a follow-up: I contacted Fender directly about this issue and they immediately offered a replacement (I just needed to provide a copy of my original receipt). As I had purchased it in very early 2021, my amp was definitely out of warranty, but they replaced it without charge and shipped it to my address. Got to give a huge thank-you to Fender for this service!
Click to expand...
That's good to hear. My experience working under the Fender corporate banner was that they were generally better than average when it comes to customer service. Unfortunately "average" is slipping a bit.
 
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