Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 I recently bought a '67 Blackface Bassman, and I'm having an issue with it. There is a low pitch humming that rings through at a noticeable volume and is accentuated when I play low notes or the open low E string. Anyone know what might cause this or where I should look before I take it to a tech? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lolque? Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 Did you try it with a different guitar, speaker, straight to the amp, different cables, etc? How old are the power and preamp tubes? Are the caps original? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 I've tried different guitars, tried straight in. I don't have different cables or speakers, but I don't have this issue with other amps. I don't know how old the tubes are for sure, but I was told they've been used less than a year. Not sure about the caps, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Reauchambeau Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 those are classic symptoms of bad caps, assuming you've verified the output tubes are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thom Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 I wouldn't call myself a 'vintage fender amp guy', and I am not at all an amp tech or anything... But when {censored} like that happens to my amp, I usually first check if none of the tubes are loose or anything. Then I try replacing the tubes by some spairs. {censored}ty advice, but I'd personally keep my hands of it if it's something more serious then just broken/loose tubes or a torn speaker or whatever. Edit: Apparantly I was typing slow as {censored} again, all I said's been covered before I posted. Hope for your sake you don't need new power caps, cuz that's not exactly cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ispunk Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 It probably needs to be given a general check up by an amp tech. Pretty standard for any old tube amp that you're not sure has been looked at in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 those are classic symptoms of bad caps, assuming you've verified the output tubes are good. I was sort of afraid of that. Right, to the tech she goes. Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lolque? Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 those are classic symptoms of bad caps, assuming you've verified the output tubes are good. Yep. A cap job for a bassman really isn't that bad cost wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 More than price I'm worried about finding a decent tech around here. Seems like a needle in a haystack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 have a tech run it over. if its all original like my 68 silverface, the caps are due for a change. thats more than likely whats wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members V Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 Yup. Probably caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ispunk Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 And don't forget to have the cord changed to a 3 prong if it hasn't been done already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 And don't forget to have the cord changed to a 3 prong if it hasn't been done already. also this. its not bad to have it as the original if you plan on always using a dual amp set up and having them all on at once, but if you plan on using it alone a 3 prong is probably a good idea unless you like to get zapped every once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 More than price I'm worried about finding a decent tech around here. Seems like a needle in a haystack. yeah, luckily the tech in my town is actually a solid dude and cuts me breaks. to have a 3 prong cable put in my bassman was 25 bucks tops. rebias of my laney is 20 something. full retube is about 60. full re cap for my bassman will be a little over 100. when i hear horror stories of insane prices for that {censored} i feel very lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 It's got a 3 prong already, which is awesome. I had been told when I bought it that it had been serviced recently and when I asked about caps I got a "yeah, definitely". Was hoping I wasn't being lied to, but oh well. Thanks for the help guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 It's got a 3 prong already, which is awesome. I had been told when I bought it that it had been serviced recently and when I asked about caps I got a "yeah, definitely". Was hoping I wasn't being lied to, but oh well. Thanks for the help guys! Maybe you weren't being lied to... it might have been a bad (new) cap, or a new tube that is dying prematurely - it happens. Either way, take it to a good tech and have them have a look. If you need to ship it, leave it unplugged for at least a day or two, then remove all the tubes and drop the chassis out of the cabinet. Heavily pad the tubes and ship it all off to a tech. It won't be cheap to ship, but it's less expensive than shipping the whole amp, and if you don't have any good techs within reasonable travel distance, that may be your only viable option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 Maybe you weren't being lied to... it might have been a bad (new) cap, or a new tube that is dying prematurely - it happens. Either way, take it to a good tech and have them have a look. If you need to ship it, leave it unplugged for at least a day or two, then remove all the tubes and drop the chassis out of the cabinet. Heavily pad the tubes and ship it all off to a tech. It won't be cheap to ship, but it's less expensive than shipping the whole amp, and if you don't have any good techs within reasonable travel distance, that may be your only viable option. this. shipping it ff will suck due to even more wait time, but in the end itll benefit you. pretty sure soemone on here posted about a guy that restors bassmans. if you want it like original spec, try and find the link. suppose to be solid at what he does. probably not cheap though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nathanlux Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 Send it to Ben Fargen for Hot Mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 also, get a patch cable and jump the channels. gives the amp a bit more punch when you turn up both volumes to 10. on mine, the bass side is best for running fuzz into it. jump the normal channel with it it adds bit more punch from the treble and bass. works awesome and making a nice noticable difference. the amp alone has a nice organic over drive distortion to it. ts9 with a bassman is lovely. side note, if you plug into one on the bass side, make sure when you jump it from input 2 on the bass to input 2 on the normal side and vice versa. if you dont youll get a nice annoying hum out of the amp. at least this happens with mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 Maybe you weren't being lied to... it might have been a bad (new) cap, or a new tube that is dying prematurely - it happens. Either way, take it to a good tech and have them have a look. If you need to ship it, leave it unplugged for at least a day or two, then remove all the tubes and drop the chassis out of the cabinet. Heavily pad the tubes and ship it all off to a tech. It won't be cheap to ship, but it's less expensive than shipping the whole amp, and if you don't have any good techs within reasonable travel distance, that may be your only viable option. Fair enough. I'm really hoping to not have to ship it, but I'll definitely follow this if need be. Crohny, I'll definitely be jumpering it when it gets a clean bill of health. I've been running a Manx into the bass side and it's a beautiful racket. I also love my BYOC Mighty Mouse into the normal channel. I really want to try a Harmonic Percolator into this thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 yeah man, these are a good building block for pedals, but the normal channel by itself is lovely. can be a nice clean tone and if you crank the volume it can get a decent break up. love this amp. need to get a second as a back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 Mine didn't break up at all when cranked. One of the first clues there might be a problem. But the clean tone on either side is pretty fantastic. I'm running a CP Jaguar and a '72 Tele Deluxe RI with a P90 neck, Humbucker bridge set up and it's fantastic. I saw it sitting in the corner of Guitar Center for $600 with a roadcase and jumped on it. So happy I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 yeah there should be slight break up. nothing crazy but there should be break up when pushed hard. specially if jumping channels. have it looked at. my amp is 100 percent original. even have old ass rca tubes in it still and it sounds lovely. needs a cap job, but nothing needed right off the bat. get some ghost notes when i play an F any where on the neck. kind of went away which was strange but still a hint of it. single coils with this amp is bliss. i have a lp 1960 studio with p90s and a fade gibson v with a p94 in the neck and 57 classic plus in the bridge. those 2 guitars through this amp is the ultimate blues rig. then add my earth bound audio supercollider and it becomes an ultimate metal rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roaring20's Posted May 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 I haven't jumpered it yet, hadn't even thought about it. Mine seems mostly original, definitely the original transformers. Old owner put some NOS Sylvania power tubes in it and they sound pretty nice. I'll probably go ahead and get it retubed when I take it in though. I'd love to throw a Supercollider in front of it, that has to be bliss. I'm planning on picking up a Formula Number 5 and a suped up Rat for the standard drive tones and maybe a Bluebeard for the fuzzed out goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crohny Posted May 30, 2011 Members Share Posted May 30, 2011 if the tubes are good and you like the way it sounds, leave them till they die. i was going to replace the rcas but my tech talked me out of it. i really want to throw a pharoah in front of this and a meathead. the supercollider sounds {censored}ing awesome with this amp. i jump the channel running straight into the bass channel with my chain being guitar > ts9> supercollider> hardwire delay> amp. awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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