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Amp farting...

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by Ívar Þórólfsson, Oct 28, 2001.

  1. Oct 28, 2001 #1
    Ívar Þórólfsson

    Ívar Þórólfsson Mmmmmm...

    Apr 9, 2001
    Kopavogur, Iceland
    Hi all!

    At band practice today my amps suddenly started to "fart". My amp is a Yorkville 400B. It´s a 400W amp with a 15" Celestion speaker.
    I turned down both gain and volume to 1 and tried to play but it still farted. It was very noticable on the E and A string. I´ve got an active bass but I put in a new battery just a couple of weeks ago so that shouldn´t be the problem.
    After much fiddling about it suddenly stopped and seemed to do fine for the rest of the practice.
    I have usually got the gain at 5(from 1-10) and the volume on 2.

    Is this something I should be worried about? I´ve got an important gig coming up next friday and three other bands will be using my amp.

    Any opinions?
     
  2. Oct 28, 2001 #2
    Brad Johnson

    Brad Johnson Inactive

    Mar 8, 2000
    Gaithersburg, Md
    DR Strings
    Yes, you should be concerned... but first I'd check the bass out, especially the battery. Then test the rig at volume.

    What you've described is a classic sign of battery failure: the strings that produce the biggest signal start to distort.
     
  3. Oct 28, 2001 #3
    ikickuintheballs

    ikickuintheballs

    Mar 25, 2000
    Freeport, NY, USA
    I also have this problem.. but in my cab.. (genz benz) you should get it checked out.. it is really noticeable if you mic your amp.. but if you play live not many people will notice b/c of the band. :)
     
  4. Oct 28, 2001 #4
    Ívar Þórólfsson

    Ívar Þórólfsson Mmmmmm...

    Apr 9, 2001
    Kopavogur, Iceland
    Hmmmm....I just remembered something...

    We have our own soundsystem, Yorkville 512 amplified mixer and two monitors. I connect my bass amp via the line out on it and into our mixer and I use my bass amp as a personal monitor for myself. We use our mixer to amplify the bass, guitar and vocals. We recorded the practice onto a tape recorder, which was hooked up to the mixer. When we were listening to the tape, the fart was very apparent there. So the fart passed through the line out on my amp and into the mixer. Could it be that the battery in my bass has gone soft already? It´s only 3-4weeks old. My batteries have usually 3-4months life time.

    Could it be?
     
  5. Oct 28, 2001 #5
    Ty McNeely

    Ty McNeely

    Mar 27, 2000
    TX

    Do you make sure to unplug the bass when it's not in use? If the bass is left plugged in, the batteries will go dead extremely fast.
     
  6. Oct 28, 2001 #6
    Deman669

    Deman669

    May 11, 2001
    Caldwell, ID, USA
    If you got unlucky w/ your battery, or changed types/brands, or accidentally left it plugged in...yes, it could be
     
  7. Oct 28, 2001 #7
    Ívar Þórólfsson

    Ívar Þórólfsson Mmmmmm...

    Apr 9, 2001
    Kopavogur, Iceland
    Thanks for all the replies!

    I´m gonna check it out at next band practice. Since the "farting" was audible through the mixer the battery must be the culprit.

    Our practices are usually 2-3hrs, and my bass is plugged in during the practice. At all other times it´s in it´s case. This is something I´ve done for many years, so I couldn´t belive that the battery had gone soft so soon.

    Oh well, you learn as long as you live.....