Question for Fender bassman TV owners

[Oh! Henry]

I have a Bassman TV 15 that recently just stopped working for no apparent reason, I plugged in my bass and there was nothing, light was on but no sound! Before cutting out completely, It was dropping out for a few seconds when I was pushing it in some loud gigs. I replaced the preamp tube and voila sound was back and sounds great. However since I'm not a tech, I'm now afraid to take it to a gig in case that wasn't the real problem!!!

can it be something else?

I also noticed that the fan is always on, can that be an indication of something? I was under the impression that the fan only came on when the amp was running too hot?

Thanks

 

[JimmyM]

So you fixed it but you're not sure you fixed it? No, I'd have to say you fixed it.

 

[Oh! Henry]

lol, I guess the question does seem dumb when you look at it that way!! It just seemed like it was too easy to be true!

What about the fan thing? Since I know next to nothing about electronics, I'm just wondering if the problem I described was consistent with a tube about to go bad, or if some other underlying problem might come up a bite me in the ass on a gig.

 

[DTJ BASS]

The fan runs all the time on those amps, and yes sounds like you fixed the problem. So rock on!

 

[JimmyM]

lol, I guess the question does seem dumb when you look at it that way!! It just seemed like it was too easy to be true!

LOL! Well at least you can rejoice in the idea that sometimes the simplest and most obvious solution works.

 

[P-oddz]

Yes, the fan runs all the time.
I've had sound cut out on mine with what might have been a poor or uneven power source, or an element of overheating. Don't know if it was cutting out on you at a place you always play or not(?) I never ruled anything out specifically, but when mine cut during a set it was when we were playing on a boat. It was a summer concert series thing and it was hot, so it's not impossible that there may have been some thermal cutting or not (I turned it off when we had a little break and limped through a second set here and there by cutting volume). But the guitar players were also having some weird power anomalies, so I kind of cracked it up to be that.

But to sum up what others seem to be saying - it could have just been that your preamp tube was on its way out. If it cuts again, I guess you know that there might be more of an issue. In the meantime, if you don't have one already - I find it incredibly comforting to always have a backup plan at every show - whether it be another amp or DI, etc.