Bassman volume issues

[Empty Pockets]

Sometimes while playing through the BASS channel I get a loud crackly noise and then the volume control is no longer effective -- i turn it to 0 and it still sounds dimed. I have no idea what could be causing this...do any of you?

Thanks

-X

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Bad volume pot.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Bad volume pot.

Or something closely related to it.

What defect would make a volume pot be full "on" all of the time though???

Maybe two terminals touching or a loose wire come unsoldered and now touching or the pot coming apart inside in some way???

 

[jeremy]

Re: Bassman volume issues

first thing i would try is blowing out the pot with contact cleaner like deoxit and spinning it to clean out any gunk.

this only happens sometimes?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Yeah it seems like it only happens when I try to get a heavy but quiet tone. Like the amp is telling me "DUDE just turn it up!" I figured it was the Ghost of Old School Heavy but a bad pot sounds more "logical."

Where can one aquire said "contact cleaner"? Could I grab it at the Guitarget when I get some new amp cables?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Bassman volume issues

im sure you could, probably in audio if not accessorys

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Radio Shack would have some contact cleaner. Lew

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Doesn't it sound like two lugs making intermittant connections? (Isn't this the Bassman that knocked around enough in shipping to break tubes?)

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Bassman volume issues

yeah it's that bassman, so i hope there aren't any more internal problems. the tech i took it to only glanced at it quickly enough to tell me it was a fixed bias and sold me tubes and got me out the door. i hope the amp's okay, it's my first real tube job.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Bassman volume issues

contact cleaner is your friend!

 

[J Moose]

Re: Bassman volume issues

What defect would make a volume pot be full "on" all of the time though???

Maybe two terminals touching or a loose wire come unsoldered and now touching or the pot coming apart inside in some way???

Something like that...

It's shorting out somehow... not providing any resistence so it goes 'full kill'.

Could be a broken wiper or something inside the pot too...

Is the amp on top of the cab? See if vibration has any cause/effect influence...

Though, loud crackly noises are never a good sign... How long does the noise last for?

 

[Smilemon]

Re: Bassman volume issues

My pro junior had a weird gain ramp up thingy, at 1 it sounded like it was at 3 and at 5 it had no sound at all... i changed tubes and it all went away.... Weird ****.

 

[ES350]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Bad wiper, ground lift, bad joints---just replace the pot, there's nothing downstream that would cause this problem. It's an easy job, get a CTS 1 meg solid shaft and be happy for another 40 years. Fender sells them packaged for around 6-7 bucks...don't buy an Alpha 'almost good enough' pot.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Bassman volume issues

Wow thanks for all the responses guys! I'm gonna try the contact cleaner before i switch the potentiometer but it does sound like that's the only issue.

The loud crackling noise only lasts for like a second, just a burst of sound. And sometimes it happens as I'm switching it on and off standby, but again only on the bass channel...

 

[J Moose]

Re: Bassman volume issues

The loud crackling noise only lasts for like a second, just a burst of sound. And sometimes it happens as I'm switching it on and off standby, but again only on the bass channel...

That doesn't sound like a bad volume pot as much as maybe an intermittent connection somewhere else...