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Need help with Hartke 3500 - dirty pot?

M

mebrown20

Jul 22, 2005
32
6
#1
Hi,
I have a Hartke 3500 head that I am using as a power amp for my Zoom B2.1u. No EQ or compression engaged, right now using only SS Pre-amp. Lately I am getting a sound like static on a bad radio through the head.

I tried going direct with my bass to the head and still get the noise. It will do it without the bass even plugged in. It decreases in volume as I turn the master volume down, and gets louder as I increase the volume of the master volume.

I suspect it could be a dirty pot, since the head is 10 years old and I have never cleaned it. Can anyone offer any suggestions on how to clean the pot, or any other problem area it could be? Thanks for your help in advance.
 
#4
Thanks for the response. I tried different speaker cables, no change. I also tried the pre-amp tube solo, no change. It seems to all be concentrated on the master volume, which made me think dirty pot.
 
#6
Hi I own a older Hartke 7000 head. I also have this problem. Its always been this way. doesn't matter what you do. My cousin has a 5000 with the same problem. I would like to get it straighten out so I didn't have to buy a new head.
 
#7
BTW I have owned this head since I was 16. The head is 14 years old. I have replaced the tube with a NOS tube of the same number. I am going to try and get a new groove tube and try it out. I have also had problems with some of the 1/4 in jacks. The noise as far as I can remember has been there since it was new though. This head still thumps hard. But when your not playing you hear this white noise. I would like to send it in but @ tech service $50 an hour, I almost want to try out a lh1000. There are like 500 bucks on ams or something
 

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