Hey Guys, im new to talkbass, seems like an awesome site for info! Just wondering if anyone would have any knowledge on this. I have a warwick WA600 amp and a 1x15 cab. I recently tried using an old ibanez distortion pedal just for sh*+s and giggles, i have a passive fender j and used the passive input to run the pedal through. The amp overheated and shut down, im assuming it shut down from oveheating anyhow. Its never felt hot and we play pretty loud. I turned it off and waited a while and it came back to life no problems. Just wondering if I've done something wrong with the pedal situation? I've just bought a bass big muff and a little scared to cook my amp again. Should i use the active input if im going to send more signal? Or is this a totally unrelated issue? It's been fine since and I haven't tried using any pedals.
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Overheating with pedal?
- Thread starter Threesheets
- Start date
Welcome to TB 3S!
Your distortion pedal is providing more content to the signal, requiring more power. With the added distortion you may be less likely to hear if the amp itself is distorting from turning it up. The pedal is also likely boosting the signal into the amp. Try the active input and mind the master control.
Your distortion pedal is providing more content to the signal, requiring more power. With the added distortion you may be less likely to hear if the amp itself is distorting from turning it up. The pedal is also likely boosting the signal into the amp. Try the active input and mind the master control.
Unity gain is your friend. Very hard to set unity gain with a distortion pedal sometimes as distortion is kind of tricky that way, but it is your friend. However, an amp shouldn't be overheating simply from adding a dirt pedal unless you're already pushing it to the Bejeezus Belt. I would contact Warwick CS and ask their opinion and provide more info, such as settings, bass used, etc.
How would the class of amp have anything to do with a higher content signal causing shutdown?
Well, I guess some may be better protected than the old lead sleds.
I've not found that to be the case at all with micros. Then again, the way I run them at a fraction of their capabilities, I guess I wouldn't
Some of the old lead sleds are not protected nothing at all.
The design engineers of the lead sleds in the very old past could not read in a crytsal ball what's really going on sound wise in the very future.
There is about a couple of very famous old designs which can't withstand a strain of, lets say not more than 50% of rated power strain over time without suffering a total damage.
edit,
and if an amplifier is still "ready to go" on the next gig does not mean the amplifier was not already damged at some content on a previous event.
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Just came in to say I've been using distortion (and every other effect made) for the better part of 25 years and I've never had an amp shut down because of it.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
+1 I'm pushing sixteen pedals through my 50 watt Ampeg tube head and it's not breaking a sweat.
Trying to get back to that SS tone, eh?
Of course you guys can use pedals all day long. Distortion still means more power for the same settings. It's just a byproduct of the altered waveform... more current. That's in part why (especially) dirty boys should have system headroom.
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I guess I'm an old dinosaur... I thought the goal in bass amplification was to avoid distortion at any cost..
I love your avatar.Aarrggghh! Multiple double negatives!
Sorry.
OK back to the topic.
How's your Germin? Can you use German slang without error?
I guess I'm an old dinosaur... I thought the goal in bass amplification was to avoid distortion at any cost..
I think distorted bass came on pretty late. 1960's?
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
@ThisBass has been on here long enough by now that his dialect is just part of the TB fabric.
Thanks for the replies everyone! I don't have the master vol past 12 but the gain is usually up, should i drop the gain and just use the pedal for dirt? I recently bought a bass big muff and tried it out, while it's didn't shut down the amp i did notice it was getting pretty warm, I'm starting to suspect the fan isn't working as it should? Or at all. Am i better off with a tube amp?
Thanks for your reply! I don't usually have the master vol past 12, it's plenty loud and the vol one the pedal i set to match or just a smidg over the clean vol so I'm not really pushing it any louder. I'll try the active input and see what it does but will this change the sound or vol of the amp while not using the pedal?
Unity gain would mean the volume stays the same when you turn the pedal on, only the tone changes.
Yeah that's pretty much what I'm doing, it's only to have a tone change rather than a boost in vol, if i do use it to boost vol is that what's going to cook my amp? Also, should i turn the gain back on my amp when using the muff?
