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Topic: New Years' Eve - broke my rule...ack! Dead amp! |
Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 1 Jan 2009 9:32 am |
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Last night's soundcheck went perfectly; I had brought my 35-watt Holland tube amp to the gig to play both steel and guitar through; my main Tele is SO hot that it and my steel have about the same output, and I don't play steel with a squeaky-clean tone anyway.
So it sounded tremendous with the amp cranked up to about 8.
Until 90 seconds before we were to play and I watched the pilot light flicker and go out. Jumped to the amp, pulled the fuse - perfect. Checked the rectifier...fine. But dark. EVERYTHING was dark. Quickly checked power source - fine. So I grabbed a "house" Lab 5 solid state amp, threw it in front of mine, plugged into it, guessed at settings, stuck an SM57 in front of one of the speakers and sat back at my steel during the first bar of "Like a Rolling Stone". Seriously, this was all in less than 2 minutes!
Got lucky and the amp sounded amazingly good with my setup. During the first break I checked it again and it was dead as a doornail. No smoke or smell so I don't think the PT cooked off; probably a bum switch or connection.
But I broke my steadfast rule for the fist time in about 20 years - ALWAYS bring a backup amp. When you play tube amps, "stuff" happens.
Sigh. It'll be on the test bench in about an hour.....
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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John Groover McDuffie
From:
LA California, USA
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Posted 1 Jan 2009 10:03 am
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| BUMMER, but nice recovery! |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 1 Jan 2009 10:03 am
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Let us know if it comes around after you zap it with the fibulator.
Hopefully, it's something simple and fast to fix.  |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 1 Jan 2009 11:15 am
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This is why I always carry a Pod with me. One time my Dual Showman had a problem, couldn't find it, so I just plugged the Pod into the club's solid-state bass amp - worked fine. Another time something else crapped out, it was a very low-volume gig, so I put the Pod straight into the PA and it worked. I mostly use it for guitar these days, but it's a good and very lightweight emergency kit.
Lucky you had the Lab around. |
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Marc Jenkins
From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 1 Jan 2009 12:53 pm
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That blows, Jim! A 2 minute turn-around is pretty great, though.
I can't imagine bringing multiple amps. I don't think they'd fit in my friends' car... No that I could afford it, either. |
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Chris Johnson
From:
USA
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Posted 1 Jan 2009 1:03 pm
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| Instead of a second amp, I just carry my boss GE7 equalizer just in case my peavey goes out. I can dail in a respectable tone out of any amp with that gadget |
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