Did I get Screwed on this amp?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kjv1993
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Kjv1993

Kjv1993

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I just bought a new Kustom 12A tube amp on craigslist for 80$ which I planned on using for recording.The only thing is, when i turn up the volume, it rattles. Im not sure if its just the tube or other electronics as well but Im kinda mad. Im gonna try to re sell it, but before that is there anything I can do about that rattle?
 
Why don't you try and find what is rattling before getting mad and wanting to sell it...it may be an easy fix. :)
 
yeah just tighten everything up...or Ill take it off your hands if you pay shipping lol :)
 
When I work on cars rattles can be very difficult to pinpoint.

I've taken a piece of car auto hose, say 5/8" or 3/4" inside diameter, and held it to one ear and with the other end go over the whole area that could be rattling. You wouldn't believe how that can isolate the source.

Also make sure you just aren't running more bass than the speaker can reasonably handle.
 
That is a good idea and i will try it. But its definatly not the speaker because i took out the actual amp part and hooked it up to the speaker through the external speaker jack and it didnt rattle.
 
It's probably something stupid.

Like the handle, metal corners, or if it's got a metal grille take that thing off and use it for grating soil or something - make french fries. Metal speaker grilles work for protection during transportation but they sound absolutely horrible - and you see them on JBL's and all kinds of good speaker boxes - I don't get it. You need something like burlap (non-plastic) for a grille cloth, but I agree there's not much protection there.

I've made amp cabinets in the last few years, and every amp I've redone is quieter than it originally was. The biggest culprit I found, and I think this is a chronic guitar amp problem, is that they don't mount the transformer so it doesn't physically vibrate and cause noise.

I've taken the transformers and mounted them in rubber and foam so that they simply don't act like vibrators.
 
dintymoore said:
It's probably something stupid.

Like the handle, metal corners, or if it's got a metal grille take that thing off and use it for grating soil or something - make french fries. Metal speaker grilles work for protection during transportation but they sound absolutely horrible - and you see them on JBL's and all kinds of good speaker boxes - I don't get it. You need something like burlap (non-plastic) for a grille cloth, but I agree there's not much protection there.

I've made amp cabinets in the last few years, and every amp I've redone is quieter than it originally was. The biggest culprit I found, and I think this is a chronic guitar amp problem, is that they don't mount the transformer so it doesn't physically vibrate and cause noise.

I've taken the transformers and mounted them in rubber and foam so that they simply don't act like vibrators.
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Ok I think the transformer is making alot of the rattling. So I think Im gonna start there. What is the best thing to do that isnt permant because if i cant figure it out Im gonna re sell it. Could I just un screw it and hold it w/ rubber gloves while playing the notes that make it rattle to see if that really is the problem?
 
Could you press a piece of wood against the transformer, like maybe a wooden hammer handle, and stop the rattling, or at least tell if that's it.

Maybe it will change the sound enough to tell. The noise I've heard from transformers was more the hum than an actual rattle sound. If the transformer's held in by bolts or screws I'd tighten them, and tighten everything else like metal corners etc...

They should make a movie about transformers.
 
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