I have a Crate bt220h head and a bt115e enclosure. I was jamming earlier today pretty quietly and mid song my amp started playing at about 1/4 of the normal loudness. the clean chanel sounds like complete **** now and kinda muffly while the distorted chanel is super distorted even when the gain is hardly turned up any. Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be. I'd really appreciate any help.
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Crate amp crapped out
- Thread starter fuzzdaddyo
- Start date
bongomania
Commercial User
The problem IMO is that it's a Crate. Crappy construction quality. Sure you can ask "no, but what in particular caused the problem", but the thing is it could be practically anything in there gone bad. Loose solder joint somewhere, etc. Typical Crate.
Just a guess, but whatever the problem, it's probably not really worth fixing. Use it as a trade as is, and take what you can get for it on a new amp.
Yeah I know its not the greatest amp in the world but I have had alot of goods times with it and would rather not have to scrap it out. I think that a loose wire in my bass made a bad ground on the inside of the instrument. Also its kinda weird but I left it sit for an hour or so off and came back to it and it worked fine for a few minutes then again while playing it was like someone slowly turned the volume down. Any other ideas ladies and gents????
I have access to someone that can fix anything electronic but their not familiar with diagnosing amp problems.
I have access to someone that can fix anything electronic but their not familiar with diagnosing amp problems.
Sounds like a component is failing when the amp gets warm, or a cold solder joint. The Crates I've used have always been reliable (if unspectacular tonally), so if you get it fixed it'd probably work for a long time before it broke down again. I'd just take it to a shop and have them fix it.
I have seen something like this before... In a stereo.
The volume and mode selectors were inoperable but the remote would change them. Turns out the problem was the grease they use to give the pots that resistant feel when you turn them melted into the conductive area of the pots and effectively lifted the contacts off of the strips inside the pot. Took them apart and cleaned them and the problem went away. No crackling or anything.
The stereo was a Technics and would run VERY hot. A little too hot it seems.
You probubly won't get much for the amp, so it never hurts to poke around a little on it if you know what I mean.
Please be careful though. Amps are cheap. People are not.
The volume and mode selectors were inoperable but the remote would change them. Turns out the problem was the grease they use to give the pots that resistant feel when you turn them melted into the conductive area of the pots and effectively lifted the contacts off of the strips inside the pot. Took them apart and cleaned them and the problem went away. No crackling or anything.
The stereo was a Technics and would run VERY hot. A little too hot it seems.
You probubly won't get much for the amp, so it never hurts to poke around a little on it if you know what I mean.
Please be careful though. Amps are cheap. People are not.
Just my $0.02....I had close to the same problem with my Hartke 4000. I pulled out a new instrument cable and the problem went away.
BTW, I have the Crate BT220 head and have used it for the past 2 years w/o problems. I did buy a small fan and I run it on the back of the head every gig just to be safe.
I hope you find the problem!
BTW, I have the Crate BT220 head and have used it for the past 2 years w/o problems. I did buy a small fan and I run it on the back of the head every gig just to be safe.
I hope you find the problem!
typical crate? i dunno man. now granted, i have never been particularly turned on by anything from crate, but i will say that my experience shows crate to be quite reliable like peavey (in general terms). i have personally *never* witnessed anything crate taking a dump, though i have read horror stories.
FWIW, and YMMV.
hope you get your amp straightened out.
Thanks for everyones input on my problem. Its driving me f'n nuts. It's still doint the thing where it will work for the first few minutes its on then slowly fade out and sound like quiet crap. I'm trying to get ahold of someone at the crate call center but its not looking like thats going to happen until tomorrow. I remember sending in the warranty info when I got it so hopefully this might issue might be covered under. I cant find my copy of the warranty does anyone out there have any idea if what the conditions of the warranty might be? I tried checking their site and googling it but there site is less than informative.
I'm still looking for specifics to this fading issue, so if anyone has any ideas what part might might be the screwed up component it will definately help me if i end up having to take this beast apart.
I'm still looking for specifics to this fading issue, so if anyone has any ideas what part might might be the screwed up component it will definately help me if i end up having to take this beast apart.
Slow fade-out sound like something in the limiter is messed up. The limiter might have been hit pretty hard when the wire came loose, so.....
Or, the limiter is reacting to a real problem.
Could be as simple as bad solder joint. Or not.
Or, the limiter is reacting to a real problem.
Could be as simple as bad solder joint. Or not.
