"Rattling" sound of my Blackstar tube amp...

[Erlend_G]

So...

After a notoriously bumpy car ride to my uncle (and back), - thanks to the poor roads here in North Norway-

I've noticed that my Blackstar gives off a "rattling" noise, it sounds like you've put some rice grains into a lightbulb, and shake it.

AFAIK, this is because of a failed/damaged preamp tube? :o

Or is it?

Please let me know, so that I can fix the problem .

Thanks bros.

-Erlend

[FuseG4]

With the amp on and a little bit of gain and volume, but no guitar plugged in, gently tap each tube with something that won't get burned and won't break hot glass and won't get stuck to the speaker magnet. A chopstick or pencil works.
if you have a bad one it'll sound a lot louder than the others. A nice quiet tube has a dull thud or doink sound that doesn't ring and sustain. If you get a loud thud and lightbulb sounds through the amp when you tap, replace the tube
it can be preamp or power amp tubes that do it

[Gtrjunior]

I have had that happen once in the past.
It was a bad power tube on its way out.
But as Fuse states, it could be any tube in the amp.

[misterwhizzy]

Have you checked the spring-loaded clamps that hold the tubes in place? If one of those is loose, then you might be able to fix it for free and not have to worry about replacing tubes.

That being said, replacing tubes is fun and enlightening, so don't take that off the table just because it doesn't "need" to be done.

[Erlend_G]

Thanks for the replies, friends;

The amp still works; it just has this "rattling" sound when playing loud cleans.

I'll do the "tap test" as FuseG4 said.



-Erl

[beaubrummels]

Sounds like microphonics, but I haven't had that happen after rough transport before.

[ehdwuld]

is there something possibly stuck to the magnet

is the speaker possibly loose