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The Fender Super Bassman 300 thread

#3,341
So here's a question for you all. I have tried looking through some of this thread (it's massive so I searched rather than read through). I'm having some issues with my Super Bassman. Sometimes when I turn it on it will cut out. The process I go through is to hook it up, put it in stand by and turn it on. I normally leave it a few minutes (more than the recommended 1 mintue), then turn it on.

If it cuts out the lights on the auto bias all flash red. The amp won't produce any sound and you also can't change channels. Turning the amp off and then back on fixes it and the issue won't come back at least that session. Seems to only be from cold. It's had a new set of matched valves all over pre and power ones. The auto bias was replaced by Fender, yet the issue still persists. Have any of you had this issue with it cutting out?

The auto bias will cycle through the valves in green when first turned to stand by. Once it's on they turn solid green for a few seconds, then flash for a few second then solid, then flash etc... I left this for about 5 mintues with nothing changing. Is this normal for the auto bias?

It's a weird one but I'm at a loss now and figured I'd ask in the largest Super Bassman thread. Hopefully someone can help.
 
#3,343
rodl2005 said:
Don't know sorry. Is the fixed auto bias under a warranty?

About the only thing I try n do is have the volume knob out, so it's in MUTE and leave it like this for a minute or two, then, usually, check that the bias lights are all ok, then un mute to play.
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It wasn't fixed under warranty but fixed free of charge. I'm not the original owner and it was an ex-Fender artist that had the amp prioer to me. So as soon as they saw the serial they knew it was bought from them but offered the board without charge.

So you don't put the amp into stand by when you turn it on? What you do is turn it on with the volume out to mute it instead?
 
#3,346
Ferengo said:
It wasn't fixed under warranty but fixed free of charge. I'm not the original owner and it was an ex-Fender artist that had the amp prioer to me. So as soon as they saw the serial they knew it was bought from them but offered the board without charge.

So you don't put the amp into stand by when you turn it on? What you do is turn it on with the volume out to mute it instead?
Click to expand...
As the two above, standby with mute on, outta standby leave in mute for a minute or so, then un mute
 
#3,347
So I tried it again tonight. Didn't cut out but after 15 mins of the amp being fully on the lights on the bias were going solid for a few second then flashing for a few. I turned it back into standby to hear a pop. Back on and the lights were solid. I tried this a couple more times and sometimes it popped, sometimes it didn't. Then it stopped being solid green and went back to doing the above.

Shortly after this I popped it back in to stand by to then get a solid orange light on 3b. Take it out of stand by and it goes green. In stand by again, orange. Back on green. Then stand by and it's green but the popping is back.

Do you guys ever get a random orange light in just stand by?

Do you get pops using the stand by switch at all? Guessing maybe not if you're using mute?

How long does it take your lights to go solid green after being in stand by?

I'm awaiting Fender getting back to me which won't be until next week now. If I can gather info on how long or what people do it can help me when speaking to them about normal operations for the amp.

I'll try what you guys suggest tomorrow.
 
#3,350
Rezdog said:
Greetings from the North,

I know it may be inconvenient but I would get it to a competent Fender Tech soon.

Rezdog
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's been in. The usual checks were done (I'm getting a list tomorrow) then the tech contacted Fender as there's a lot of unusual components in these amps compared to others. Like I was told, they can do what Fender say again and again but if I can speak directly with Fender and even get them to look at it the that would be better. I'm just awaiting Fender getting back to me but any info I can gather will help. So far am on page 51 of this thread with a few bits of info.
 
#3,354
flatwound62p said:
Noticed in your video the top red light on the left is lit up strong. That might mean somebody has set the bias for super dooper hot. Have you tried to reset the bias? Hold the two arrow buttons down for about five seconds until the row of lights start flashing to reset it to normal bias. Worth a shot.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I reset the bias last night just to check. I normally run it dead centre. That time I was trying to run it hotter to see if it made any difference. I also tried it colder but neither changed anything.

Is it true that when you take it out of stand by it will continue to bias for longer at lower volumes? Someone mentioned that unless they turn the amp up they don't get the lights turning solid green. I'll need to check this at next rehearsal but that won't be until a week on Wednesday now. Just thought someone might know.
 

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