This is about my Hartke 3500 Transient Attack bass amp.
Last night I was testing a bass and getting ready to tune it up quick before the open mic I went to. I had an instrument cable plugged in already, and the way I had the cord routed, it was resting on the volume knob which is on the right of the face of the amp. The amp sits up at eye level so the weight of the cord was pressing on the volume knob. I needed to unplug that cord, and when I did, unbeknownst to me, it nicely slid over the volume knob and rotated it until it was all the way up. (!)
I did not see this. I plugged my bass in with another short instrument cable, and turned the amp on. I plucked the high C string. The amp was connected to an Eden 2x10 cab. Although the note was not very loud, it was louder than I usually like it to be when just tuning up, so I went to turn the volume knob down, and almost had a heart attack when I saw that it was all the way up!
Then, two seconds later, the amp just shut off. I never could get it to come back on again.
I am guessing that some kind of protective circuitry kicked in – so did I blow a fuse? Or did the 12AX7 tube that is in those amps, fail? I don’t know, like I said I literally played ONE NOTE – the high C – and the volume on the bass itself must have been turned down, because the note wasn’t very loud – but nonetheless, the amp shut off anyway.
Last night I was testing a bass and getting ready to tune it up quick before the open mic I went to. I had an instrument cable plugged in already, and the way I had the cord routed, it was resting on the volume knob which is on the right of the face of the amp. The amp sits up at eye level so the weight of the cord was pressing on the volume knob. I needed to unplug that cord, and when I did, unbeknownst to me, it nicely slid over the volume knob and rotated it until it was all the way up. (!)
I did not see this. I plugged my bass in with another short instrument cable, and turned the amp on. I plucked the high C string. The amp was connected to an Eden 2x10 cab. Although the note was not very loud, it was louder than I usually like it to be when just tuning up, so I went to turn the volume knob down, and almost had a heart attack when I saw that it was all the way up!
Then, two seconds later, the amp just shut off. I never could get it to come back on again.
I am guessing that some kind of protective circuitry kicked in – so did I blow a fuse? Or did the 12AX7 tube that is in those amps, fail? I don’t know, like I said I literally played ONE NOTE – the high C – and the volume on the bass itself must have been turned down, because the note wasn’t very loud – but nonetheless, the amp shut off anyway.
. I normally like my cabs rated at 2x the amp so I don't have to worry about being one minor accident away from disaster ...
