Mesa 400 inputs acting up

[beatsbears]

I purchased a used Mesa 400 a few months ago, and so far am just in love with the amp. When i purchased it it was in pretty rough shape (missing 1 handle, missing a few nuts, rack wear, and the inputs seemed really loose). Anyway, fastforward to now, after a few gigs and numerous practices the amp started acting up at our last practice. I tend to run through both channels using a y cable. However, while playing my sound cut out completely. I checked everything trying to find the problem, and immediatly after removing the cable from channel 1, the sound came back just fine and continued to sound fine once i re-inserted into channel 1... only to cut out again minutes later. Obviously the amp will be taken to a tech soon, as I have a short tour coming up. I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas what would cause both channel to cut out?

Thanks Thanks!

 

[anderbass]

Next time it acts up, try patching a cord between your effects send and return jacks on the back side. If that doesn't immediately restore sound, remove that patch cord and try the same test with the effects jacks on the front of your amp. If inserting either of these patch cords instantly corrects the problem, you've just got dirty switching contacts in one of your effects return jacks.

 

[beatsbears]

Thanks for the tip! I've got practice tonight so I'll keep a patch handy.

 

[anderbass]

Yer welcome, you could also see if exercising your effects blend knob back and forth a few times restores sound. (then leave it on 0 unless your patching effects)

 

[Downunderwonder]

Could be anywhere from the bass to the speaker. I'd look at the Y cable. How the hell do you check a cable?

 

[craig.p]

If the input jacks are loose, they've probably gone past their rated insertion count. (Yes, there actually is a spec for that.) Maybe one jack flakes out in a manner that shorts phone plug tip to ground, which would take out the entire signal because all three tips (hot) are connected together and all three sleeves (ground) are connected together too.

 

[nukes_da_bass]

If the input jacks are loose, they've probably gone past their rated insertion count.

That soooo reminds me of marriage....