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Ampeg PF500/PF350 - part 3, I think

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#801
My Pf500 cuts out sometimes. It seems to do it when I am playing fast, low and fairly loud (volume @ 1:00, gain set as per manufacturer's advice, ultra low on and bass at 2:00 @ 4ohms). It is lame that it does it when I am showin' my stuff:bassist: - which I only do about once per set.
I bought mine fairly early on - I think June. Does anyone know if there is a revision number for later (hopefully updated) models?
I don't see anything on mine.
 
#803
Bass 45 said:
My Pf500 cuts out sometimes. It seems to do it when I am playing fast, low and fairly loud (volume @ 1:00, gain set as per manufacturer's advice, ultra low on and bass at 2:00 @ 4ohms). It is lame that it does it when I am showin' my stuff:bassist: - which I only do about once per set.
I bought mine fairly early on - I think June. Does anyone know if there is a revision number for later (hopefully updated) models?
I don't see anything on mine.
Click to expand...
They don't issue revision numbers for manufacturing defects, only design changes. Seeing as how the majority of folks have working heads, that tells me it's a manufacturing defect. But that's what your warranty is for, and Ampeg's quite good and fair with people who have problems.
 
#804
JimmyM said:
They don't issue revision numbers for manufacturing defects, only design changes. Seeing as how the majority of folks have working heads, that tells me it's a manufacturing defect. But that's what your warranty is for, and Ampeg's quite good and fair with people who have problems.
Click to expand...

Hi Jimmy. Should I call Ampeg about sending me another? There is only one authorized service center in my area and they usually hold your item for about a month - and I would bet a ten spot that in four weeks they will tell me that they were not able to duplicate the problem.
 
#806
JimmyM said:
They don't issue revision numbers for manufacturing defects, only design changes. Seeing as how the majority of folks have working heads, that tells me it's a manufacturing defect. But that's what your warranty is for, and Ampeg's quite good and fair with people who have problems.
Click to expand...

I'm not really worried about this issue. First, I intend to buy a new one, I've a "local" Ampeg dealer, located at a city 120km from where I live. The shop by itself is quite small, but that shop have a large online activity.
An other thing is that in Norway the law demand 3 years guarantee on an electrical product.
How is the tonal different between the PF500 and the PF350?
 
#807
Slight to my ears, except the PF500 has a more versatile EQ. Maybe if I sat down with them both for an hour I could find differences, but nothing that jumped out at me trying them on separate occasions.
 
#808
Bass 45 said:
My Pf500 cuts out sometimes. It seems to do it when I am playing fast, low and fairly loud (volume @ 1:00, gain set as per manufacturer's advice, ultra low on and bass at 2:00 @ 4ohms). It is lame that it does it when I am showin' my stuff:bassist: - which I only do about once per set.
I bought mine fairly early on - I think June. Does anyone know if there is a revision number for later (hopefully updated) models?
I don't see anything on mine.
Click to expand...

Hey man, whats 'gain set as per manufacturer's advice'? Am I missing out on some gain:volume ratio secret that gives better tone? :eyebrow:
 
#809
Dymond- said:
Hey man, whats 'gain set as per manufacturer's advice'? Am I missing out on some gain:volume ratio secret that gives better tone? :eyebrow:
Click to expand...

Something like this: With volume off, pluck your instrument while turning up the gain until the peak light begins to flash - then turn it back a bit and adjust compressor and volume to taste.

You can crank the gain for dirt, but I prefer clean and punchy myself.

Here is a youtube demo

 
#810
I'm in the same boat as you, Bass 45. Once my PF-500's master is past 12 o'clock, I am prone to it cutting out for a few seconds at a time. I have emailed Ampeg's support and received a reply the next biz day asking about all my settings. I hit 'em back with all the details last Monday, but have not heard anything since. Is there a link for a phone contact anywhere? I could only find email links on the Ampeg site.

Sadly, I'm losing faith here - this PF-500 was my second one. My first went into permanent fault 20 seconds after it was first plugged in and was returned through normal GC process. I love the way it sounds - I hope the third one's a charm.
 
#811
Bass 45 said:
Something like this: With volume off, pluck your instrument while turning up the gain until the peak light begins to flash - then turn it back a bit and adjust compressor and volume to taste.
Click to expand...

decuirj said:
Once my PF-500's master is past 12 o'clock, I am prone to it cutting out for a few seconds at a time.
Click to expand...

I had exactly the same problem pop up with my PF500 and emailed Ampeg about it as well. Their customer service is pretty stellar in my opinion... I had a reply within an hour and then several emails over the next few days discussing/troubleshooting the problem.

Bass 45 is right, always set the gain with the volume and compressor off. Ampeg actually had this in the manual for another amp with similar controls (I always forget which one, someone posted about it in the PF Part 2 thread while discussion this issue), sounds they probably should've put it in the manual for the PF500 too.

Here's the reply I got from Ampeg after some initial troubleshooting:

Rebecca from Loud Inc Support said:
The PF Series are a Class D amp and if they sent a clipped signal/square wave it will gate itself. However, even if you aren’t seeing any Peak LED’s coming on, we can still overload the circuit. One thing I would recommend doing is turning the compression all the way down when you set your initial levels, this way you can guarantee that you have a nice clean signal, and are then applying compression to that same signal.
Click to expand...

I've followed that advice and haven't had a problem since.

5sg.
 
#814
Thanks Jimmy and 5-String; I will DEFINITELY try that before I call 'em up directly. I could have sworn I've done this before - but I def want to exhaust all user error issues before escalating. I've worn a headset before, and don't envy their job.

Glad to hear folks are upbeat about how they operate. It ain't what they do when things go right -- it's what they do when things go wrong.
 
#817
fivestringgecko said:
I had exactly the same problem pop up with my PF500 and emailed Ampeg about it as well. Their customer service is pretty stellar in my opinion... I had a reply within an hour and then several emails over the next few days discussing/troubleshooting the problem.

Bass 45 is right, always set the gain with the volume and compressor off. Ampeg actually had this in the manual for another amp with similar controls (I always forget which one, someone posted about it in the PF Part 2 thread while discussion this issue), sounds they probably should've put it in the manual for the PF500 too.

Here's the reply I got from Ampeg after some initial troubleshooting:

I've followed that advice and haven't had a problem since.

5sg.
Click to expand...

So how do you sett the amp with OD pedal or fuzz in front of it?
 
#819
Bass 45 said:
My Pf500 cuts out sometimes. It seems to do it when I am playing fast, low and fairly loud (volume @ 1:00, gain set as per manufacturer's advice, ultra low on and bass at 2:00 @ 4ohms).
"I bought mine fairly early on - I think June. Does anyone know if there is a revision number for later (hopefully updated) models?"

ME: This is still happening? I was gonna snag a PF500 cause I liked the tone of it on U-tube vids I've watched/heard. But I thought these shut down issues were a done deal by now; tho yours is from June. :eyebrow: maybe its from that batch. :confused:

I would be pushing mine pretty hard at gigs. Single 4 ohm cab TB153 or Neox 212T, NO PA support, always 5 string bass, sports bars/biker bars kinda loudish blues rock gigs. Maybe its user error of the Ampegs?

I just got home from a "new country", med size nite club gig where I usually use the TBcab or 2xRS-210's w/GB STM-900 w/55-02D bass. I took the 55-02 but I decided try my UL410 (8ohm) w/MB-F1 head. The F1 usually plays real nice with that cab n bass. First couple sets had alot boom in the room but realized gitard had the PA set too loud/boomy and was making me roll knobs left/right to get a cleaner sound. I was coming thru the mics too much. We fixed the PA and as more crowd showed up the rig settled down and got fairly tight.

Still wasn't pushing this rig very hard but at times I would to accent some notes/runs/slides pretty hard. I wonder if a PF500 woulda shut down under those conditions. Again, with some of the gain/comp. settings I'm reading here this could all be user error. That's why I was considering the SVT-7 for more headroom/wattage. I'll keep an eye on these threads and see how it turns out.

Still think folks might be misusing settings on the PF500 from what I read here, not sure. Now I may do that at times and haven't shut down my STM-900 or Markbass heads yet.

Let's watch; see how it turns out. :ninja: You guys with issues pls return with your fix even if its user error related to be fair so we'll know what's going. :cool:
Click to expand...
 
#820
I used setting's ampeg suggested, didnt stop mine cutting out or the peak light coming on. Until iturned the gain and volume to below half, luckily i had my sansamp to boost the level.
 
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