that's what i thought. thanks for the confirmation. I vaguely remember reading about blue glow being normal in one of the old rca manuals (i think).Originally Posted by ICBM
no problem, and thanks for the info. I haven't been brave enough to take the chassis out yet
ICBM can I hassle you once more!! Sorry :-(
Hi mate, I tried PM'ing you but your inbox is full (no doubt with more inane questions like mine!) so thought I'd post here instead, thanks.
This Black Pearl is doing my head in it has to be said!! Unfortunately when it works I love the sound of it so I'm loathe to get rid and would prefer to get it fixed.
Today I've been playing and I now know its the amp and not my fx connections. The volume went on me again (I must add it does however seem to correlate occasionally with a pop from switching my comp or od on if that means anything?), and I tried going straight in, and through my fx etc. and had no joy with getting it to work again. After putting it on standby for 5 minutes the volume returned briefly before going again, so taking a wooden skewer I began tapping on all the valves one by one. All seem fine except one of the outside EL84's (which isn't in the signal path as I'm in 2 tube mode) when tapped, produces some strange noises through the speakers. It's not a microphonic sound, more a rumbling static but intermittent for about 2 seconds or so.
I know I keep asking but any ideas? I know now it at least needs to see a tech now, its just weird as this valve is not in the signal path on 2 tube mode although there is heater current going to it. I was even told by Genz Benz I could remove this one in 15 watt mode as it wouldn't effect the amp so long as I didn't switch it to 4 tubes without it connected. Do you think its shorting something inside the amp or a loose connection or something?
Cheers for your help as ever, its much appreciated!
Thanks,
Al
And what to my wondering eyes should appear? ...................... Nothing
Yes, that is possible. Even with the valve turned off, a short in it can still cause trouble - because it's unlikely the valve is fully disconnected, it will most likely just be the cathode that is, so a short involving any other the other electrodes could cause problems with the 'on' valve it's paralleled with - I've come across this with other amps. Try removing the suspect valve, and its pair, and running the amp in 15W mode. (Make sure you mark the valves so you know which one is the suspect one in future...)
But (reading back here) did you not replace the EL84s already? If so it's not that, since it's close to impossible that two separate sets could have exactly the same problem with only one valve.
PM box now cleared.
Last edited by ICBM; 8th January 2013 at 01:09 PM.
"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand" - Homer Simpson
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Lol, yep replaced the EL84's with known good matched quad so I guess its something in the amp causing the issue then?Yes, that is possible. Even with the valve turned off, a short in it can still cause trouble - because it's unlikely the valve is fully disconnected, it will most likely just be the cathode that is, so a short involving any other the other electrodes could cause problems with the 'on' valve it's paralleled with - I've come across this with other amps. Try removing the suspect valve, and its pair, and running the amp in 15W mode. (Make sure you mark the valves so you know which one is the suspect one in future...)
But (reading back here) did you not replace the EL84s already? If so it's not that, since it's close to impossible that two separate sets could have exactly the same problem with only one valve.
PM box now cleared
I would try removing them but the amp has just stayed quiet now, won't come back to normal volume any more? Bugger....
And what to my wondering eyes should appear? ...................... Nothing
Get it to a tech *now* before the fault goes away again! It should be easy to find if it's staying broken.
"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand" - Homer Simpson
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Haha, spoke to GAK it's being collected Thursday and sent back to them before heading to Fender for repair hopefully. Fingers crossed that it stays broken and I can get it sorted out!
Cheers
And what to my wondering eyes should appear? ...................... Nothing
P.s. does anyone have any experience of Fender service shop repairs?
And what to my wondering eyes should appear? ...................... Nothing
^ i had a faulty excelsior... i'm not sure if it was the shop or fender who tried to fix it, though.
they didn't really manage to fix itor at least, they fixed one of the problems and made the other one worse.
good luck with your repair, though. as icbm says, at least a proper fault is normally better than an intermittent one.
Cheers Dave, I've got my doubts about returning it now to be honest because I think they'll miss the fault and return it or class it as uneconomical and not let me have it back. Hmmmmmmmmmm^ i had a faulty excelsior... i'm not sure if it was the shop or fender who tried to fix it, though.
they didn't really manage to fix it
good luck with your repair, though. as icbm says, at least a proper fault is normally better than an intermittent one.
And what to my wondering eyes should appear? ...................... Nothing
yeah that's the problem if you want to keep it. It's kind of ironic since the shop would probably want you to keep it (so they get to keep your money), but in my limited experience with it, getting it fixed can get you into a massive faff if you're not careful... i've returned two amps now (not to GAK) which weren't properly fixed the first time.
Luckily enough (or unluckily depending on how you look at it, i guess) mine was faulty from the get go when they still had replacements available.
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