(New) Rivera Chubster issue

[Huckleberry]

I brought my new amp home (Rivera Chubster 40). I played it it for a while and found that when I palm mute the low E string, I'm hearing a buzzing from the back of the amp. Didn't do it in the store the last few months, but I don't recall playing "Barracuda" through it very much, either.
A call to Rivera (who were very nice) got me moving the speaker wire away from the tubes, tightening all the screws I could find...but to no avail. It's not constant, but happens more than half the time. I refuse to believe "all combos do that." It's a $1400 amp!

I'm thinking it may be the filaments in one of the tubes..?

Anyway, it's my birthday present to myself, and I'm cranky now.

[Guitar Josh]

Rivera R series amps are notorious for having flabby bottom end. Change the speaker. I have no issues with low end with my Eminence Black Patriot.

[telecopter]

I have one and haven't noticed what you are describing. Try unplugging the speaker and plugging an ext. cab into it, or back up another combo to it and plug the speaker of that combo in to it(obviously it should be 8 ohms!). That way you can at least isolate the speaker as the potential problem.

You can also swap power tubes and see if that helps.

[rockon1]

Hate to say it but combo's are alays a struggle with vibrations! Thats not to say they cant be eliminated but they are just prone to them and tube rattle-nature of the beast. That said the Chubster has one of the most rock solid cabs Ive seen on a combo! The small chassis is mounted with eight screws ,the cross brace is mounted with t-nuts and screws not wood screws-everythings very ridgid! If I have a combo thats rattle resistant its the Chubster! Sooo... Start checking things. Check all the chassis mounting screws. Check the brace scews. Check the speaker mounting screws. Check the pre amp tube cans-sometimes those buggers vibrate. If all else fails try another set of power tubes since they may be the culprit too. Good luck Bob

[Huckleberry]

All the screws are snug.

Tube cans off only lessen it the smallest amount.

Turning the amp up just makes it worse.

I took Friday off so I could pick up my amp and JAM for 3 days. I've done nothing but chase down this noise.

The Chubster goes back tomorrow, and I want my money back.

[rockon1]

All the screws are snug.

Tube cans off only lessen it the smallest amount.

Turning the amp up just makes it worse.

I took Friday off so I could pick up my amp and JAM for 3 days. I've done nothing but chase down this noise.

The Chubster goes back tomorrow, and I want my money back.

I feel your frustration but it could be as simple as a bad tube-any amp can come with one of those. Bob

[telecopter]

That's a bummer...I tell 'ya I love mine.

[Huckleberry]

I feel your frustration but it could be as simple as a bad tube-any amp can come with one of those. Bob


Well, that depends on whether or not I have to pay for the re-tube & rebias. The it's more $$ on top of what I've spent.

I'll see what the store has to say about it tomorrow.

[Huckleberry]

Store opens at 1pm. Wish me luck!

Seriously: I don't even have a "2nd choice" amp lined up.

[Huckleberry]

Okay. Now I'm bent!

When the amp crackled a bit this morning, I thought: "Wow. I may just have a preamp tube going. That's actually a relief!"

So I left the amp home, went to the store, and bought $30 worth of 12ax7s. I returned home pretty psyched.

The preamp tubes in this amp will not come out. What the heck?

So my wife & brother are running the whole thing back tomorrow. Amp, new tubes, etc. I'm calling ahead & telling them I just want my $$ back.

[rockon1]

The stock sovtek 12AX7's are very tight. It took all my strength to pull mine out. They do come out though. I suggest a piece of rubber to wrap around the tube to help grab it and protect your fingers.Thats the good news. The bad news is that if its tube rattle your hearing its probably from the E34L's not the pre amp tubes. Bob

[Huckleberry]

The stock sovtek 12AX7's are very tight. It took all my strength to pull mine out. They do come out though. I suggest a piece of rubber to wrap around the tube to help grab it and protect your fingers.Thats the good news. The bad news is that if its tube rattle your hearing its probably from the E34L's not the pre amp tubes. Bob

Fair enough. It was brought to the store today. They offered to have their tech give it a once over, re-tube it, and if I am still not satisfied: I get my money back.

I await the results patiently.

[PFunk]

I'd say dump-it. First impressions count. That's a decent amp and this is probably an exception to the rule- do they have another new one? If you like the amp then exchange it and let the store manager deal with that particular one.

This wouldn't be close to the day-to-day issues that he normally deals with. That tech's time will eat away at their margin on that amp so they should be willing to minimize their loss(which is proportionately much less than yours) as well. Knowing this how much time will be afforded towards a "once over" and what does that mean?

These guys want to do whatever it takes as quickly as possiblbe to get you back out the door.

They have mechanisms in place with the manufacturer to deal with lemons- you don't.

Good luck.

[Huckleberry]

I'd say dump-it. First impressions count. That's a decent amp and this is probably an exception to the rule- do they have another new one? If you like the amp then exchange it and let the store manager deal with that particular one.

This wouldn't be close to the day-to-day issues that he normally deals with. That tech's time will eat away at their margin on that amp so they should be willing to minimize their loss(which is proportionately much less than yours) as well. Knowing this how much time will be afforded towards a "once over" and what does that mean?

These guys want to do whatever it takes as quickly as possiblbe to get you back out the door.

They have mechanisms in place with the manufacturer to deal with lemons- you don't.

Good luck.


Been a loyal customer for years, and spent a lot of money there. Owner & manager are good guys, and have been really good to me on more than one occassion. I'm not worried about shenanigans from the store at all.

[PFunk]

That's good to know. While reading your comments above it felt as if this thing might be headed towards getting out of hand.

[Huckleberry]

That's good to know. While reading your comments above it felt as if this thing might be headed towards getting out of hand.

Oh, I'm ticked off at the fact that an amp of this price & reputation isn't working out for me "out of the box". In fact, I have a bet with my wife that it won't.

But I've been unamplified since last summer, and really thought I was "all done".