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Hartke Head Keeps Crapping Out

E

epsilonbass

Dec 5, 2004
41
0
#1
Hey guys,

I have a Hartke 7000, which is 2x350 amps, used in conjunction with a working man 410 8omh cab. I use the head in mono mode (as in just using half the amp) due to the one cab. Mostly use compression at around 3.

The problem I am seeing is that the sound signal keeps cutting out. I find that, when it cuts out, plucking a string hard or a quick whack to the strings will bring the sound back.

For example if i just softly play a string, about 10-20 seconds in the sound will just drop out, but then I whack the strings and the sound pops back on.

It's very strange and I'd equate it to like an audio gate set with a very high threshold.

The problem was subverted before by purchasing a Ampeg svt-3 pro amp head, which I played out of the same cab (so I know it isn't a problem with a cab). Sadly one day the Ampeg was stolen so now I'm back to the Hartke :bawl: . Oddly enough the Hartke was working without incident for about a month of semi-regular use, but now the issue has resurfaced...

Thanks for any help you can give!
 
#3
dmusic148 said:
It's probably a loose or poorly made solder connection in the amp.
Click to expand...
+1
yep... have a tech check for loose solder joints.
i own a mosfet 7000 and had similar problems.
took it to my amp tech, spent 100$ to go thru all the familiar joints and resolder.
its been on 3 consecutive road tours with no problems at all since. i keep it racked in a shock mount road case and never ever set the rack on my cabs. the early samson/harkte heads were soldered robotically and i havent seen a 7000 yet that didnt need
some tlc.
mostly keep mine as a backup now, but comes in handy on bigger stages when i need xtra watts!!
 
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#4
What you are describing is not identical, but similar to a recurring problem I had with my 3500 "Transient Attack" head (c. 1993) for about the last 5 years before I finally gave up on it and got something different.

Does this "gating" issue happen to the level coming out of your amp into the cabinet? Or is it only an issue with the onboard D.I.? My problems always seemed to be tied to the D.I.

Sorry to be a downer but in my case anyway, after about a half dozen times to different technicians, not one of them was ever able to execute a fix that lasted more than a few months.

I'm a huge fan of old Hartke cabs... but when it comes to their heads, ehhh. Recommend you go a different direction (brand) as soon as possible.
 
#5
I am experienceing something much like this.

I am running a GK400RB (4 ohm) into a single SWR Goliath II (8 Ohm) cab.

I will be playing along and instantly my signal cuts completely. Here's the really odd part: when the signal comes back it is not always strong. Often it's very quiet for a few seconds and then BOOM, it pops back up to volume.

The signal return seems to start when I wiggle my cord, bang the body of the bass or when I stomp a pedal on/off.

I'cve swapped out cords and removed all pedals to make sure that wasn't the cause.

Ideas?

Unfortunately, it has only started recently and I cannot repliate the problem on demand. Further, I am at the beginning of a string of shows so I am bound to be frustrated by this for a while.
 
#6
Haha, So I just opened it up thinking to my self, "hey I've soldered stuff before", and upon taking off the cover... "ohhhhhh crap!" Definitely not a job for myself to say the least...

The problem is definitely from amp to cab, and the D.I. has sounded like I'm playing next to the ocean as long as i remember. I definitely agree with you jaywa that getting another amp is the best move, as I was in heaven when i had the ampeg. But it really really sucks to have to put in that kind of investment again.

DickThunder (heh heh): do you know if $100 would be like the going rate for going through the solder joints? Cause I definitely don't want to find myself spending more on a possible fix than just picking up a new (or used) head.
 
#7
dogmantra: I have the same problem of not being able to replicate on demand. But it doesn't seem to be the bass or cords as I've played on other amps with no problem. So far the only fix I can come up with is constantly just plucking the strings decently hard.
 
#8
epsilonbass said:
So far the only fix I can come up with is constantly just plucking the strings decently hard.
Click to expand...

This makes me wonder if it might not be something with your onboard compression circuit (which is another problem I had to have fixed at one point on my 3500). I don't know if it's possible for an out of whack compression circuit to be acting like a noise gate, but it seems like something to investigate, at least.
 
#9
If I can offer advice, I would say it is time to get a new head if you have that in the budget. I used a Hartke 3500 for years and then one day it started burning out the tubes. The first time it happened I wasn't alarmed and I replaced the tube. Then when that tube burned out after about 30 minutes of use, I realized I had a short in the tube channel. I could still use the head running the solid state channel only, but I missed the tube tone. My solution was to go out an buy a Mesa M-pulse 600. Problem solved! :)
 
#10
So engedi, you're basically saying that once a 3500/7000 starts to go, then it's kind of a snowball effect from there and you're best to move on as soon as possible?

That would square with my experience. And why I eventually moved on. It was a sad day for me to put the 3500 on the shelf for good... I loved that thing when it was working.
 
#11
jaywa said:
So engedi, you're basically saying that once a 3500/7000 starts to go, then it's kind of a snowball effect from there and you're best to move on as soon as possible?

That would square with my experience. And why I eventually moved on. It was a sad day for me to put the 3500 on the shelf for good... I loved that thing when it was working.
Click to expand...

I had to go with the same decision making process when decided to replace or not to replace the transmission on my old beat up Ford Ranger. Do I want to put money into something that is essentially worthless? Hartke was an innovater in the mosfet hybrid amp, but I feel that other companies have perfected and improved on what Hartke started. Unless you just love the tone of the Hartke, a new rig with a higher standard of build quality is a better investment IMHO.
 
#12
epsilonbass said:
Haha, So I just opened it up thinking to my self, "hey I've soldered stuff before", and upon taking off the cover... "ohhhhhh crap!" Definitely not a job for myself to say the least...
Click to expand...

+1 yeah man....more than u wanna tackle in there, unless u can see something obvious. have seen cold solders in the tube area,
and near wear the comp knob is located.

epsilonbass said:
DickThunder (heh heh): do you know if $100 would be like the going rate for going through the solder joints? Cause I definitely don't want to find myself spending more on a possible fix than just picking up a new (or used) head.
Click to expand...

100$ seems to be average for the big lookaround and fix's if not too deep in. i've had my 7000 for 9yrs and put a total of 300$
in repairs and paid 200$ for it......gotten my $$ worth i think
i am HAPPILY using LH1000's now, and LOVE them........very inexpensive and dependable!!
although the 7000 is still riding in one of my racks,
ready for duty.......just in case
 
#13
epsilonbass said:
dogmantra: I have the same problem of not being able to replicate on demand. But it doesn't seem to be the bass or cords as I've played on other amps with no problem. So far the only fix I can come up with is constantly just plucking the strings decently hard.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and that seems to be the main source of my frustration.

I think it started a month or so back. I recall finishing a gig and thinking that there were some weird spots that I didn't hear well, but I figured it was me or the room. Then two weeks ago in rehearsal it happened a bit. Then nothing for a while, but as of last week it is now constant.

I still have an old beater Hartke that I can use but I hate going back to that thing.
 
#16
I know this is a 10-year-old post, but I recently got a Hartke 7000 for $100.00 because it was having the same issue. I took it to an authorized Hartke repair shop here in the Dallas area and they confirmed it was weak soldering production process combined with the chassis design. This was a known issue to the authorized repair centers.

Apparently, the original Hartke chassis design is flawed. When you rack it, the front face locks into the rack while the weight of the amp pulls the back half slightly down. This causes a slight break in the solder joints, which under normal circumstances would compensate for the sub-millimeter separation.

The tech reinforced the amp and reflowed/resoldered the connections. Cost me $180.00 to restore this amazing head. He recommended that not rack it and just add handles and rubber feet.

In the end, I paid a total of $280.00 for an amp that I loved and lost back in the late 1990's.
 
#17
Racking it is no problem provided it’s racked correctly with rear rack rail support. The problem is improper racking.
 

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