Issues w/ Peavey C50 410:

[supersoldier71]

I was noodling around on the amp and all of a sudden, the volume drops DRASTICALLY...not silence, the amp was still amplifying, just not what it should.

What equipment do I need to figure out what's wrong with it, is this equipment expensive, and can I use it for other stuff around the house?

I have a bit of technical training, so multimeters are not foreign to me, but I don't want to shell out a bunch of money for new tubes if they're not the [likely] cause, and I don't want to shell out the dough for a tech to look at it if all it needs is new tubes.

HELP!!!!

 

[guiltless]

There are a number of things that could cause that symptom. The most likely of those things is tubes.

My suggestion, go to eurotubes.com and pick up a set for that amp. They aren't too pricey and if the issue isn't fixed, then at least you have an extra set for WHEN the current ones fail. Then take it to a tech. Those things are awful to try to work on.

 

[Member 1963]

Most likely cause for that actually is the switching jack in the effects loop being dirty. Plug a cable from the send to the return and if the problem stops thats the reason. Then just shoot some deoxit in the send jack, which is usually the one that is switched.

 

[BPSUL]

Tube sets are expensive. Get one spare preamp tube from another amp or a buddy's amp then begin swapping it into v1, v2, v3. Chances are you will find a bad tube...