help me!

[ZachariahG]

i know next to nothing about amps. let me preface this thread with that. all i know is that there is a rectifier tube, power tubes and preamp tubes. that's really it. but right now, my Mesa Maverick is eating fuses like chicken wings. and that's all i know. can anyone offer me help, is this something i can fix on my own, or do i HAVE to have it serviced, cause there's only one guy in orlando that fixes Mesas, and he'll charge me an arm and a leg.

thanks for any/all help!

ZachariahG

[gulliver]

Make sure you have the right fuse in it ... if it calls for a slow burner (slow-blow) and you have a regular one in there, it will burn out quickly. Of course, make sure the rating is correct per factory spec, not just what was in there before.

I once changed from 6L6s to EL34s, blew a fuse right away. The tech just spec'ed a higher fuse value.

[TopDog]

Which Fuse?
Does it pop fuses in standby?

Some amps have a primary and secondary fuse. If it's primary it could be power supply section. Secondary fuse is after the power supply -usually the power amp section. I'd have to see the schematic to tell for sure for that particular amp.

You might have a bad tube. To find out which one I would take out all the tubes out and replacing them one-by one seeing if the fuse pops, just make sure you power down when swapping them out and in.


Any glowing (red plating) on any tube?

[ZachariahG]

Make sure you have the right fuse in it ... if it calls for a slow burner (slow-blow) and you have a regular one in there, it will burn out quickly. Of course, make sure the rating is correct per factory spec, not just what was in there before.
I once changed from 6L6s to EL34s, blew a fuse right away. The tech just spec'ed a higher fuse value.

right under where the fuse goes, it says "2 A S.B." so i would imagine that means slow burner, like you were talking about. is that correct? i looked at one of the blown fuses and it just says 2 amp 250v, doesn't say anything else, i'm really hoping that this is my problem.

Which Fuse?
Does it pop fuses in standby?
Some amps have a primary and secondary fuse. If it's primary it could be power supply section. Secondary fuse is after the power supply -usually the power amp section. I'd have to see the schematic to tell for sure for that particular amp.
You might have a bad tube. To find out which one I would take out all the tubes out and replacing them one-by one seeing if the fuse pops, just make sure you power down when swapping them out and in.
Any glowing (red plating) on any tube?

the fuse pops moments after hitting the power switch, before i hit standby. as far as i know, there isn't a secondary fuse, and by that, i mean that i can't find a place where a secondary fuse would go. when the fuse pops, there's a bright flicker in the rectifier tube, but no red plating on anything.

thanks for your help guys!

EDIT: the fuse USUALLY pops before hit the standby switch, last night the amp actually played for about ten minutes, then i powered down, came back later and then it popped, once again, before i hit the standby switch.

[rockon1]

Probably a rectifier tube. I cant stress enough that every tube amp owner keeps a spare set of tubes around! With those on hand you could either pinpoint or eliminate them as problems. A lot of tube amp problems are simply tube related. You can pull the rectifier and power tubes then see if it blows. If not put the rectifier tube in alone. If it blows then its bad. If not put the power tubes in too. If it blows then its them. Rectifier tubes seem to be the first suspect followed by the power tubes. HTH Bob

[ZachariahG]

bought slow blow fuses today, amp wouldn't even turn on, just flipped the power switch, nothing happened, flipped it off, pulled out the fuse, blown. happened four times. suck. i'm just going to have to take it to someone. thanks for the help guys.

[rockon1]

Try removing the rectifier and power tubes and install a new fuse. If it doesnt blow its either the rectifier or power tubes. Bob

[Primakurtz]

The Maverick has a switch for tube or solid state rectifier; have you tried switching to the ss setting?