Weird Mesa Amp Issue

[Andrew Lamprecht]

So the other day I was playing with my Mesa pretty loud and then I started to get this static sound. Its like a crackle and it is almost half the volume when I play. If I stop playing it disappears and only does it when I play. Also, this only happens when the volume is above 3 or so. Both channels are the same. It sounds great and right when you hit a certain point in volume you get this annoying static. Power tubes? Any help here guys? I wouldn't mind not having to take this to a tech right now.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Switch out the pre tubes one at a time, power it up, and see if you can get it to disappear.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Sounds very similar to what my Mesa was doing when it was routinely shorting out power tubes. From what the manager at the Mesa shop told me, Mesas are generally very tough on power tubes, so you need good quality ones in there (which means NOT Mesa branded tubes, which are nothing but crummy Sovteks that have been sorted through and placed into matching sets).

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

I went through the pre amp tubes like you recommended Joe. I'm still having the same issue unfortunately.

I have a feeling its the power tubes.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Tube sockets might need to be cleaned.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Next time it happens, look in the back of the amp and see if one of your power tubes is glowing much more brightly than the other one. That's what happened in my case, and also how it is explained in my Mesa instruction manual. If that is the case, get rid of that tube and keep the other one as a backup. Then get a new set of heavy-duty power tubes, and have them installed by an amp tech, so he can make sure everything is working right.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Have you tried running it through a different speaker? Just a thought....

Give the guys at Mesa a call. They may be able to walk you through a diagnostic.

I think that if the tube substitution doesn't work, and it's not the speaker, then it's tech time.

Good luck!

Bill

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

I had a similar issue when my volume pot needed to be cleaned. Work the knob back and forth (no homo), and see if that makes things any better.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Tried some stuff. The volume knob isn't sticking or anything and through another speaker everything is the same.

Itsa, the power tubes don't glow at all. The filaments or whatever are enclosed so I can't see if one is shining brighter than the other.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

How do I clean the tube sockets?

 

[Kais]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

Do you have a radio shack near by? Buy some TV tuner cleaner from there, it's called something like that. Then spray some on the pegs of the tube, and repeatedly insert and remove.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

…repeatedly insert and remove.

This is excellent advice.

 

[Kais]

Re: Weird Mesa Amp Issue

This is excellent advice.

I couldn't think of a cleaner way to say it :laugh2: