• 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.

Cause of blown speaker

gbrooding

gbrooding

Inactive
Dec 22, 2011
730
1,156
#1
Situation: Fender Bassman 100 solid state combo amp. MXR Octave pedal (not using battery, using adaptor), G&L L-1500 bass. I plugged everything in, turn amp on with bass volume off, and the amp makes a loud rumble noise and I see the speaker bouncing hard up and down. I unplug the cable going into the amp, and it stops. I am at a complete loss as to what to even look for. The speaker is toast, but I want to find the problem to make sure it doesn't happen again. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Greg
 
#11
Bad cable, partially inserted cable, adapter wrong polarity causing burst of noise.

Where was the amplifier's gain/ master set?
Where was the pedal inserted? Effects loop? Or in front if amp?

The only thing that conceivably could have caused this would be TOO MUCH POWER SENT TO THE SPEAKER. So the master was dimed right?
 
  • Like
Reactions: skychief, SunnBass and squidtastic
#13
/\/\3phist0 said:
Bad cable, partially inserted cable, adapter wrong polarity causing burst of noise.

Where was the amplifier's gain/ master set?
Where was the pedal inserted? Effects loop? Or in front if amp?

The only thing that conceivably could have caused this would be TOO MUCH POWER SENT TO THE SPEAKER. So the master was dimed right?
Click to expand...
the Amps gain was at 4 and the master at 5. Only pedal used was an octave pedal. Bass to pedal to amp.
 
#15
Downunderwonder said:
If the bass volume was up at all there may have been feedback of sub frequency. If the overtones from the speaker were strong enough to keep the octave generating more sub, boom. Or carrots.
Click to expand...
gbrooding said:
Thing is the volume on the bass guitar was off.
Click to expand...
I understood Greg's post. I don't think there's anything tricky about it.

This is a weird one, though. By all rights, it shouldn't have happened, yet it did. I don't know that a BOD is a strong enough force to where it could cause your amp to go into some sort of weird oscillation mode when the volume of your bass is turned down. I've plugged one into an amp several times and turned it on and it's never caused any problems. I'm thinking your amp chose that particular time to go on the fritz, Greg, but it's really hard to know without being there, especially with all the info you've given us...assuming you're not BSing us and leaving out something very important :D
 
#16
Yeah I've tried to write out everything that I knew happened and the order of events. I am relatively inexperienced in the technical aspects of what could have happened. Last thing I want to do is bs anyone! I am just trying to figure out/isolate the problem so it doesn't happen again. I have had the amp for around 15 years. .. no problem. The octave pedal around a year. .. no problem. The bass a week. It is a G&L L-1500. I can't think of anything else that might be important?
 
#17
An amp you've had for 15 years with no problem? Well there's the answer...you're overdue! I'd definitely bet on it being something in the amp causing an oscillation knowing that. Of course, if you plug that bass and BOD into another amp and smoke it, too, I am wrong. But I doubt you will. Have you tried it elsewhere yet?
 
#18
Yes I've played the bass with and without the pedal on three different rigs since then with no issues. (Nervous each time I might add). Also added the scr-di just to see how that sounded. No problems at all.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back