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Hartke bit the dust Need advice

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by cman227, Jul 18, 2017.

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  1. Jul 18, 2017 #1
    cman227

    cman227

    Dec 21, 2014
    So I had an audition tonight. Thought I would take one last run through the material and suddenly no sound. Checked all the obvious stuff (chords, fuses, changed outlets). The light is on but no sound. If you unplug the chord from the bass and touch the end you still get the crackel and if you turn the gain all the way up you can hear the bass faintly. I had this amp for 8 years, it's survived drunks spilling beer on it and countless gigs in hot enviroments. And it picks tonight to crap out.
     
  2. Jul 18, 2017 #2
    bobyoung53

    bobyoung53 Supporting Member

    Aug 29, 2004
    Pueblo Libre, Lima, Perú
    Are you sure it's the amp? If you still get noise when you touch the cord that's going into the amp it sounds like the amp is still working.
     
    leto likes this.
  3. Jul 18, 2017 #3
    Sparky Mark

    Sparky Mark

    May 8, 2008
    United Kingdom
    I had the same experience with another manufacturers amp. It turned out to be a pre amp pcb fault. You haven't mentioned which amp you have? If it's an LH series then the tube could be worth swapping as that's an easy thing to try.
     
  4. Jul 18, 2017 #4
    mmbongo

    mmbongo I have too many basses. Supporting Member

    Aug 5, 2009
    Upstate, South Carolina
    Not an issue. Just grab your backup head and you're set.

    You DO have a backup head, right!?!? :)
     
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  5. Jul 18, 2017 #5
    Skeptismo

    Skeptismo

    Sep 5, 2011
    Washington
    Run backup equipment, or go DI and monitor...if worse comes to worse, borrow from a trusted friend or rent an amp from a local music store?
     
    leto likes this.
  6. Jul 18, 2017 #6
    DWBass

    DWBass The Funkfather

    Jan 24, 2003
    Newport News, VA via NYC
    Bass active? Change the battery?
     
    bobyoung53, edencab, leto and 1 other person like this.
  7. Jul 18, 2017 #7
    Ampslut

    Ampslut

    May 15, 2017
    Barrackville WV
    Could be the problem.
     
  8. Jul 19, 2017 #8
    Lvjoebass

    Lvjoebass In Memoriam

    Jan 19, 2017
    Let us know what you find out! I have ha5500 that survived a tumble out of a truck with only a sheared shaft. No issues after 10 years or so!
     
  9. Jul 19, 2017 #9
    BassmanPaul

    BassmanPaul Inactive

    Aug 25, 2007
    Scarborough Ontario Canada
    if the amp has an Effects Loop link send and return with a signal cable. Same for pre-amp out power amp in jacks.
     
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  10. Jul 19, 2017 #10
    Systolic

    Systolic

    Nov 29, 2009
    Madison,Wisconsin
    What model amp?
     
  11. Jul 19, 2017 #11
    bass40hz

    bass40hz Cigar smoker, scotch drinker, American Patriot Supporting Member

    Aug 13, 2014
    Richlands, NC
    Its a Hartke...throw it out and buy GK gear ;-)
     
    bassthumpersf, Lvjoebass and bound'n'blocked like this.
  12. Jul 19, 2017 #12
    LKTraz

    LKTraz

    Dec 11, 2016
    Hegins, PA
    If it's a head/cab rig, try subbing out the cable from the head to the cab. It's possible that there's only a few angel hair strands trying to do all the work.

    The preamp tube as said before may also be the culprit.

    Failing those as the problem, scramble to borrow from a friend and get the Hartke to a trusted repair shop.