Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • Thread starter Thread starter rayc
  • Start date Start date
rayc

rayc

retroreprobate
Today my 2nd hand marshall 4x12 arrived.
I decided to get it so that I could get a more guitar sound when recording, (I'd been using a single cone 200w bass cab previously).
I had my Marshall 100w Superbass MkII worked on just before Xmas so I was looking forward to introducing the two Marshall pieces & cranking it up to get some glorious saturated valve break tone.
BUT NO!
The amp wouldn't light up!
Fuse blown.
That's what was happening before I paid $300 to get it fixed.
Forlorn is probably the best adjective I can think of for myself at present.
 
Did you check the wiring of the cabinet? It may have been wired in parallel, giving it an ohms rating that your amp cant work with. Just a thought.

I would go with f&#%*@g pissed off myself.....
 
I would say the introduction didn't fare to well.
 
Dude that sucks. Take it back to your tech and ream his ass.
 
Coitus interruptus. I hate that shit. Yeah, I'd have a word with the tech.
 
I sent the tech an email & he rang 5 mins later - very worried.
he asked if I'd try another fuse, (he even offered to post me some), as it's often the case that a smlal voltage spike occurs with power on in some older amps. he can & will fit a device that will even out the voltage when I flick the switch.
I tried another 2 amp fuse, (took me 2 hrs to find one in the house), and it worked OK. I had a nice little noodle session with amp & cab. I've left the amp off for 24 hrs & will have another noodle tonight I HOPE!
 
Fuses can be fucked power tubes or not having the correct load on the head.
 
I have the correct load & there was a shorting tube which was replaced & the rest were bench tested.
I tried the amp/cab again last night. Turned on! Turned up! I should've tuned up!
Things seem fine at present.
Thanks for your interest folks.
Question: sonically is the cabinet better off on the ground, (on its casters), or on a milk crate?
I'm considering lifting it because the top speaker is at knee hight when I'm at the head & I'm worried about putting mu kee through it but am equally concerned for the best sonically.
 
rayc said:
I have the correct load & there was a shorting tube which was replaced & the rest were bench tested.
I tried the amp/cab again last night. Turned on! Turned up! I should've tuned up!
Things seem fine at present.
Thanks for your interest folks.
Question: sonically is the cabinet better off on the ground, (on its casters), or on a milk crate?
I'm considering lifting it because the top speaker is at knee hight when I'm at the head & I'm worried about putting mu kee through it but am equally concerned for the best sonically.
Click to expand...

Those old amps can be finnicky - here's hoping the amp will behave itself now :D
Are you getting any more high mids out of your #1 with the new cabinet? 12 vz 15
I play a 412 on casters - it's one of those that is slanted upwards on the top 2 speakers.
I find that just right for listening without kiling my ears.
I heard if you have no casters, raising it off the floor will reduce the bass - but that may or may not be correct....
 
Bass can stack up in the cab-to-floor corner. If you mic the top speakers, it's not that big a deal. The lower speakers can sound fatter if the cab is all the way on the floor. The 4x12 I've been recording sits on cinder blocks and it's quite bright.
 
Depending on how good your tech is, it is likely a tube and/or bias issue. It's tough finding four EL34's that bias up identically, especially with the Russian 'stuff' these days. And many 'cowboys' like to bias hot, since it does sound great. However, if you have flaky Russian tubes biased hot to begin with, and one tube out of four is even hotter, you have troubles.
I'd ask how hot he baised the amp, and how close the four tubes were.
Just a weird thought; a 2A fuse doesn't sound right. There's a 1A on the HT side, and the primary ought to be 4A or 5A.
 
I had another play last night - all seems good. I have the cab, (yeah Ido with the stanted section at top), on a milk crate. I read your responses and given that the room I'm in has a tendency to build up bass, (it can hang in there for quite some time actually so I'll HAVE TO get a bass trap or two SOOON), I figured a crate would decouple it from the floor and keep it away from my short knees.
I will be keeping an eye on things: if it starts blowing things again I'll get the tech to remediate.
Yes, 2 amp fuse on the mains side - I double checked not only the labelling on the head but also the fuse put in there by the tech.
Attached are a couple of shots of the Wall'O'Watts! wall of watts.webpwall of watts 2.webp
 
rayc said:
Yes, 2 amp fuse on the mains side - I double checked not only the labelling on the head but also the fuse put in there by the tech.
Click to expand...

Then you are in Europe somewhere. In North America, it would be at least a 4A fuse, and some heads I have seen show 5A. My guess is that with a 220VAC primary, the 2A fuse now seems right. Maybe try a 'slo blo' type. But I'd still triple check the bias, and each tube. This has happened to me more than once.
 
ranjam,
Australia = 240v. Slow blow might be the go if I can score one: the 2nd fuse is a slow blow.
The tech diagnosed a shorting valve, he couldn't match the nonoriginal valves in the amp so asked if I waned to stay with an unmatched set, (each one was different), or get a matched set. Given that the valves were at least 25 years old I decided to get the matched set in, seated & biased. He did those things, IF things deteriorate again I'll be asking for the check for gratis.
 
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