Need help w/ annoying amp crackle!

M

moppet01

New member
I recently acquired an Ampeg Super Jet tube amp (model is SJ-12T), and whenever the amp is turned on it gives off a very annoying (although not terribly loud) crackling sound.

It happens whether the volume is turned up, or all the way down, and whether or not there is an instrument plugged into it.

Is this just a bad tube problem, or something else, like some kind of interference?

Any tips would be hugely appreciated!!

Thanks,
Mark
 
Is this one of the ampeg reissues or the originals. How many tubes ya got? You could try pulling one at a time and that might help answer the question. You can still find places with tube testors. If its an old amp the caps can get leaky and cause this, you need someone who knows what there doing to find it (them). It could be a bad connection or cold soldier joint, not sure of that. Its not a hum so its probably not a ground.
Hope this helps somewhat. I might have a schematic for it if its vintage.
Go to your nearest library and order Jack Darr's guitar amplifier repair manual, (I think thats the full proper title)
it has ampeg schematics and good easy checks for a bunch of stuff including guitars, cables, etc. old book,
vintage.
 
It's not vintage, it's one of the new ones (probably about 3 or 4 years old). Anyway, thanks for the tips, I'll try taking the tubes out one at a time and see what happens.

Thanks,
Mark
 
Just a warning:

I have an Ampeg Tri-Axis VT60 (or something like that, the name is so long I can never remember it) that has had little crackley sounds since I got ahold of it. I sent it to my amp guy, who does an awesome job on My old Fenders and Vox amps, and after a week, he still couldnt find it. This is a 3 channel 60 watt head. Just an FYI.

H2H
 
I have never owned a VT60 but have owned two V4's and one VT-22, they were the exact same amps, one suitcase and one piggyback style. I have looked at the schematic of a VT60 and they seem to be scaled back models of the VT-22 which probably had more balls than
any other amp I have ever owned and thats alot of amps. I can name some good artists who used those amps, Stones, Johnny Winter used V4s, just for two. Ampegs are still my favorite amps; I do have a guy who works on my amps and never fails, I dont think he even uses a schematic.
 
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