Misbehaving Combo Amp!

[Almuzura]

Hello, TalkBass community. My 15-inch cone CRATE BX-100 has been malfunctioning. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to buy another amp. I might do that but, regardless, I would like to know what is wrong with my CRATE.

Being located in Italy, it is not easy (should I say impossible?) at the moment to have my amp checked by a tech, especially because I live in a remote location. So I was wondering if anybody here had seen something similar.

I created a video that shows what's going on with my amp. Please, check it out.

 

[Jim C]

Great video to show the problem.
Do you think it's related to heat, how hard you play, or just intermittent?
Other than going to a tech, a common at home experiment is to use a standard 1/4" guitar cable between the effects send and return jacks.
My guess is that this will not solve the problem.

 

[JimmyM]

Hello, TalkBass community. My 15-inch cone CRATE BX-100 has been malfunctioning. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to buy another amp. I might do that but, regardless, I would like to know what is wrong with my CRATE.

Being located in Italy, it is not easy (should I say impossible?) at the moment to have my amp checked by a tech, especially because I live in a remote location. So I was wondering if anybody here had seen something similar.

I created a video that shows what's going on with my amp. Please, check it out.

First thing I'd do is stick an instrument cable in between the send and return and see if it clears up. If so, then it's probably corroded inside, and you can knock a lot of it out by jamming a plug into the jacks in and out quickly a few times. If not, then I'm not sure what to do, but I'd be looking for problematic knobs or switches or a cold solder on the PC board.

Killer playing, and if you can figure out how to switch that distortion in and out when you want it, that would be awesome

 

[Almuzura]

T

Great video to show the problem.

Thank you.

Do you think it's related to heat, how hard you play, or just intermittent?

I tried playing in different situations, hard and soft, change the EQ, the gain etc. It keeps happening in any case. I don't think heat is an issue.

Other than going to a tech, a common at home experiment is to use a standard 1/4" guitar cable between the effects send and return jacks.
My guess is that this will not solve the problem.

I have just tried that but nothing has changed. Thank you for your help anyway.

 

[Almuzura]

First thing I'd do is stick an instrument cable in between the send and return and see if it clears up.

Just tried that without any results.

Killer playing

I don't think so, just messing around. But thank you for the compliment, and for your advice as well.

 

[Jim C]

BTW, stay safe!
I have family in Rome and Iscernia.

 

[Almuzura]

BTW, stay safe!
I have family in Rome and Iscernia.

I'm in Sardinia. Thank you and best wishes to them as well.

 

[Wisebass]

Ciao Almuzura

Please, check it out.

Your amp has a Lemmy! They are dangerous! Unpredictable! They come and go and force your amp to overdrive!

The only thing you can do is to give in and play louder!

hope I could make you smile! (live is hard enough these days!)

Do you use a passive bass or an active? => battery check?


Wise(b)ass

 

[Almuzura]

Ciao Almuzura



Your amp has a Lemmy! They are dangerous! Unpredictable! They come and go and force your amp to overdrive!

View attachment 3806265

The only thing you can do is to give in and play louder!

hope I could make you smile! (live is hard enough these days!)

Do you use a passive bass or an active? => battery check?


Wise(b)ass

Yes, you made me smile! In the video I was playing a passive bass. But I tried with my other 2 basses as well, same result. Thank you for your message.

 

[basscooker]

Is there a connection for a channel selector switch? If so, with the amp off insert and remove a plug 5 or 6 times rapidly.

Is there a push button to turn on the overdrive? Try cycling that a few times as well if it has one.

Again, with the amp off, crank the gain min to max and back a few times too.

I agree this is a tech-time issue, but maybe some of these suggestions can prove to be at least a temporary solution. Good luck.

 

[Almuzura]

Is there a connection for a channel selector switch? Is there a push button to turn on the overdrive?

It's a single-channel amp, no overdrive switch.

Again, with the amp off, crank the gain min to max and back a few times too.

I tried with no success. There is a -15dB button for active basses but even with that pressed down and the gain very low (with my passive bass) the sound is overdriven.

Thank you for your suggestions anyway.

 

[ihixulu]

Are you able to create that distortion using the controls on the amp?

 

[Almuzura]

Are you able to create that distortion using the controls on the amp?

I might but I would't be able to tell if it's the distortion I created or if it's the one that naturally occurs. I will try anyway.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hello, TalkBass community. My 15-inch cone CRATE BX-100 has been malfunctioning. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to buy another amp. I might do that but, regardless, I would like to know what is wrong with my CRATE.

Being located in Italy, it is not easy (should I say impossible?) at the moment to have my amp checked by a tech, especially because I live in a remote location. So I was wondering if anybody here had seen something similar.

I created a video that shows what's going on with my amp. Please, check it out.

Hmmmmm...new amp? That'll fix the problem real quick.

 

[dbase]

Hmmmmm...new amp? That'll fix the problem real quick.

Get the new amp.... You have our permission

 

[Bassdirty]

I saw you tried different basses, but have ya tried a new (or known good) cable?
??
Just spitballin here..

 

[btmpancake]

Maybe one of these needs replacing where you plug into your amp. Real easy to replace.Not expensive

 

[basscooker]

Maybe one of these needs replacing where you plug into your amp. Real easy to replace.Not expensiveView attachment 3807160

... Or just cleaned. Caig de-oxit.

The connector may be a panel mount as shown, but it could also be a PCB mount, a little trickier to swap but doable.

Good suggestion to check that.

OP, can you make the issue stop by adjusting the gain downward when it is happening?

I'm spitballing as well.

 

[thetragichero]

that was my first production bass amp
hopefully you don't have to haul it around anywhere because between the size and just a single handle on the top it's not very fun to move

 

[basscooker]

Oh, does it happen with headphones too? If not, the problem is not in the preamp section.