ToneKing Making Sounds Like It's Dying

[js5255]

i have a metropolitan that i've only had for a couple of months. just yesterday it started making some bad noises... at quiet volumes its a hiss/distortion that gets worse the more bass i add. (top strings don't really cause the noise, but as i play lower strings it gets noisy). at a louder volume it has that same distortion only louder and it also sounds like its struggling for power. sort like it's going in and out. louder and softer...

any ideas? thanks in advance!

[RussB]

Is it a tube amp?

If so, first thing to try is swapping in good tubes one at a time (or in the case of power tubes, all of them)

[js5255]

yeah thanks russ, that was my first idea... i had a good source for tubes, but lost the website, need some good 6v6's... any suggestions?

i figure i'll replace the 4 power tubes first.. it certainly "sounds" like a power problem...

[schmidlin]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=909073

[Skullbros]

i have a metropolitan that i've only had for a couple of months. just yesterday it started making some bad noises... at quiet volumes its a hiss/distortion that gets worse the more bass i add. (top strings don't really cause the noise, but as i play lower strings it gets noisy). at a louder volume it has that same distortion only louder and it also sounds like its struggling for power. sort like it's going in and out. louder and softer...

any ideas? thanks in advance!

Didja buy it brand new? You said you got it a couple of months ago so if you bought new it's under warranty. If not I'd head straight for my amp tech. No sense in shooting in the dark.

[js5255]

i'd love to head to an amp tech but i don't know one I truly trust... anyone know of one in asheville, nc? might be a good idea to start a thread about that...

[js5255]

thanks for that tube link scmid, really appreate it

[js5255]

Didja buy it brand new? You said you got it a couple of months ago so if you bought new it's under warranty. If not I'd head straight for my amp tech. No sense in shooting in the dark.

i bought it second hand but i believe the amp has a 2 year warranty that transfers to a second owner. the last thing i want to to is pack and ship this thing, that would cost a fortune and cause possible damage... i guess as a last resort.

[Blue Strat]

Yes, try tubes first. You'll need them sooner than later anyway and it's probably cheaper than round trip shipping for service.

[oldhousescott]

Call Mark Bartel, he'll be your best bet to start troubleshooting. Hopefully, it's not something to do with the power control circuitry.

[WaltC]

doesn't Mark live within driving distance of Ashville? Nope, he lives in Baltimore, MD, sorry. But there are a lot of tube amp, cabinet and tube guys in the NC area.

[terrapin]

I would replace the Rectifier tube first. Remove the power tubes and replace the Rectifier. If the problem is gone then it was the Rectifier. If problem still exists replace the power tubes.

[js5255]

thanks for the advice terrapin. which is the rectifier? theres 5 small preamp tubes, one big preamp tube (looks like a 6v6) and of course the 4 power tubes... forgive my ignorance.

[terrapin]

thanks for the advice terrapin. which is the rectifier? theres 5 small preamp tubes, one big preamp tube (looks like a 6v6) and of course the 4 power tubes... forgive my ignorance.

The big Octal tube that looks like a power tube is the rectifier. Probably a 5au4, but not sure. I erroneously said remove the power tubes. You can't do that as you will not hear anything if you do that. Just try a new rectifier and see if the noise goes away. If it doesn't I would try replacing the power tubes next. It may not be a tube problem, but it is the best place to start.

[js5255]

its gotten so bad now that when i simply turn it on it's making popping noises and really bad hiss, squeals.... hope its not serious! thanks for all the help :)