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Super Bassman Blowing the 10A fuse

tflk

tflk

Supporting Member
Aug 26, 2008
266
616
Seattle
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#1
I have a 2017 Fender Super Bassman - the 10A fuse on the back keeps blowing when I take it out of standby. Obviously something is pushing too much power and blowing the fuse. I talked to a tech guy today, and he said it's probably the tubes. Problem is - you can't buy the tubes for that amp. Not sure why - I was able to find a set for like $800. - Maybe it has something to do with the Ukraine/Russia thing? Anyway - I'm not sure what to do - I need an amp for some gigs and rehearsal. I currently have a 2001 Ashdown ABM500 that'll have to do for the time being, but I'm going to miss the warmness of those tubes. Seems nuts that I can't get replacement tubes without paying more than the amp is worth!

Anyone have this problem, or know if getting tubes is really a know issue these days?
 
#2
It could definitely be the tubes. It could be other things as well. Hopefully after the amp blew the second fuse, you accepted that there is some sort of problem and have stopped. If you keep trying it's likely that other damage will occur.

The Super Bassman runs a sextet of 6550 in the output section. Prices have gone up, but you should be able to buy a set for less than $800.

A sextet of JJs from Eurotubes is $360. I don't see anything on their website that indicates they are out of stock.

It looks like Antique Electronic Supply is out of 6550s, but I think they still have KT88s in stock. I would be surprised if KT88 will not work in the amp.

Also, your tube tech may have some assorted old tubes that may match up with any of the tubes in the amp that are still serviceable.
 
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#3
Wasnex said:
It could definitely be the tubes. It could be other things as well. Hopefully after the amp blew the second fuse, you accepted that there is some sort of problem and have stopped. If you keep trying it's likely that other damage will occur.

The Super Bassman runs a sextet of 6550 in the output section. Prices have gone up, but you should be able to buy a set for less than $800.

A sextet of JJs from Eurotubes is $360. I don't see anything on their website that indicates they are out of stock.

It looks like Antique Electronic Supply is out of 6550s, but I think they still have KT88s in stock. I would be surprised if KT88 will not work in the amp.

Also, your tube tech may have some assorted old tubes that may match up with any of the tubes in the amp that are still serviceable.
Click to expand...

A month or two ago 6550s seemed more available but yeah they’re sold out a lot of places now, especially for a sextet. Viva tubes has some in stock, but they’re more expensive than the eurotubes JJ sets. Most are closer to $4-500, which is still crazy pricing, but no reason OP should be paying $800 for a tube set.
 
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#6
tflk said:
I took it to a tech - And the thing is done for.
Click to expand...

Can you expand on this? Tube amps are usually repairable. Even if it has significant damage, it's a $2,200 amp.

Fender uses the same preamp in the Bassman 800 Head. It won't sound exactly the same, but probably about as close you can get. This is a hybrid with a class D output section in a traditional headcase. There used to be a Bassman 500 Head as well, but I believe it has been discontinued.
 
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#7
The tech took out the crappy tubes that were in the amp and replaced them with 6550's he had laying around. He said it was drawing too much power from somewhere even with the 6550s. So, the tubes are fine. He was worried that it would continue to blow that fuse - how and why? I have no idea. I have no clue about the guts of these amps. I know how to turn them on, dial in an awesome sound, and play. That's it.

He said eventually, if I keep running it as is, it'll burn up the transformer or something - Then he went on and on about how the tube industry will never come back, and it's pointless to even get a tube amp. Then he started talking about how that auto bias on the amp is dumb and never works. After all this he threw in a few jabs for the Ampeg SVT - "I see so many of these come through my shop, blah blah blah". I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

I hate those places ... poopie laying all over the place - you know what I mean - A 1980's Peavy amp half taken apart in the corner, some old keyboard with most of the keys missing. Stuff like that.

I'd rather just throw the Bassman in the lake and get something new. I just want something I don't have to worry about. Shocked the Ashdown ABM500 I had laying around for the last ten years still works.

Anyway Wasnex - thank you for commenting.
 
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#9
tflk said:
And why TalkBass replaces the bad word "S$#* with Poopie is beyond me.
Click to expand...

Funny enough, this reminds me of a post made years ago when it was first implemented. Not sure if it was Talkbass or the person's phone doing it, but the exchange between the two guys was great. They were debating about something (on here? SHOCKER) and one of them retorted back with "I know my [****], ok?" and it came out "I know my poopie, ok?"

Had a lot of us in stitches...several more replies of how certain people "Ain't poopie" and how the "poopie hit the fan" on many occasions :roflmao:



On the topic of the OP though, sorry to hear about the amp, I drooled over those many a day. Lotta great tube preamps out there that may get you close. Best of luck on the hunt, good thing you got a backup!! :bassist:
 
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#11
tflk said:
The tech took out the crappy tubes that were in the amp and replaced them with 6550's he had laying around. He said it was drawing too much power from somewhere even with the 6550s. So, the tubes are fine. He was worried that it would continue to blow that fuse - how and why? I have no idea. I have no clue about the guts of these amps. I know how to turn them on, dial in an awesome sound, and play. That's it.

He said eventually, if I keep running it as is, it'll burn up the transformer or something - Then he went on and on about how the tube industry will never come back, and it's pointless to even get a tube amp. Then he started talking about how that auto bias on the amp is dumb and never works. After all this he threw in a few jabs for the Ampeg SVT - "I see so many of these come through my shop, blah blah blah". I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

I hate those places ... poopie laying all over the place - you know what I mean - A 1980's Peavy amp half taken apart in the corner, some old keyboard with most of the keys missing. Stuff like that.

I'd rather just throw the Bassman in the lake and get something new. I just want something I don't have to worry about. Shocked the Ashdown ABM500 I had laying around for the last ten years still works.

Anyway Wasnex - thank you for commenting.
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm not buying what this tech is saying and just leave it at that.
 
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#15
tflk said:
The tech took out the crappy tubes that were in the amp and replaced them with 6550's he had laying around. He said it was drawing too much power from somewhere even with the 6550s. So, the tubes are fine. He was worried that it would continue to blow that fuse - how and why?
Click to expand...

His "worry" is genuine - of course it's going to keep blowing fuses, chiefly because your tech has no idea what he's doing. Tube amps are beyond the capabilities of most random folks to troubleshoot, but anyone who claims to be an amp tech should be able to find what's causing fuses to blow. It could be a tube (most of the time, there is one fault in an amplifier, not a bunch of them), it could be a rectifier (diode or tube), it could be a capacitor in the power supply, it could be a transformer issue - all of those are relatively simple things to troubleshoot, and there's probably only a dozen real candidates to check in an amp that's blowing fuses - most of the components are in places where, no matter how they might fail, it wouldn't blow a fuse. Your amp isn't "done", but you should definitely be "done" with that tech.
 
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#16
I am no tech but I have owned and used tube amps for many years. An amp that is blowing fuses probably needs new power capacitors and maybe a transformer. The transformer cost can run high but it should be worth it on an amp of that size. Maybe not. I find that tubes rarely go bad, if they are in an amp with good capacitors.
I will recommend a GK 400RB as a bulletproof amp that sounds great and doesn't cost much these days.
Good luck with your amp quest.
 
#17
micguy said:
His "worry" is genuine - of course it's going to keep blowing fuses, chiefly because your tech has no idea what he's doing. Tube amps are beyond the capabilities of most random folks to troubleshoot, but anyone who claims to be an amp tech should be able to find what's causing fuses to blow. It could be a tube (most of the time, there is one fault in an amplifier, not a bunch of them), it could be a rectifier (diode or tube), it could be a capacitor in the power supply, it could be a transformer issue - all of those are relatively simple things to troubleshoot, and there's probably only a dozen real candidates to check in an amp that's blowing fuses - most of the components are in places where, no matter how they might fail, it wouldn't blow a fuse. Your amp isn't "done", but you should definitely be "done" with that tech.
Click to expand...
▲This▲ If the guy doesn't know how to troubleshoot, you don't want him messing with your amp. There has to be someone in the Seattle area that repairs tube amps.
 
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