Mesa Maverick Rattle

[roblues]

Hi Guys,

At gig volume I'm getting a baby rattle type (fast and high pitched) noise out of my 1x12 Mesa Maverick. I hear it when sustaining pretty much any note or chord. I've tighten down the chasis and reverb tank. Tubes are heathy but I think it may be the rectifier or the fan. Your ideas are appreciated.
Thanks,
-Rob

PS. Its Sunday here and I plan to call Mesa tomorrow too.

 

[rockon1]

Get somebody to make the amp "rattle" while you grab the rectifer and power tubes(with an oven mit of course). Bob

 

[roblues]

? I searched this forum first and thought I was asking a serious question.

 

[FrankieSixxxgun]

? I searched this forum first and thought I was asking a serious question.

And you got a serious answer. Sounds like mechanical rattle in a tube, and it can be easily diagnosed by having somebody play your amp while you grab each tube (with an oven mitt or towel since they're hot) until it stops. Once you find out which tube it is, you replace it. It's pretty common for an EL84 to start getting mechanical rattle, especially in a louder combo amp like a Maverick.

 

[SatelliteAmps]

Agreed. I prefer using a silicon high temp glove.

 

[roblues]

Wow! I'll give it a go.
Thanks all.

 

[Brion]

The Maverick can run tube or silicon diode rectifiers. Just switch it to silicone and play it. If it still rattles, probably not your rectifier tube I'd definitely look at the tubes though. I find that most of the EL84 amps I've owned (currently have a Maverick myself) get rattles. Most of the time it's the EL84's, every once in a while I've found a preamp tube that rattles

 

[Crowbar]

Sounds like a tube to me too, try tapping them with pencil eraser. But I gotta tell ya, the last time I had a nasty buzz noise I thought it was the speaker, but it turned out to be a small amount of loose vinyl covering. You would never have thought that little bit could have made that sound, so do kick all your tires, rattles can drive ya nuts.

 

[SatelliteAmps]

I try not to use pencil's, as graphite can conduct electricity. And the eraser usually has metal around it as well. Use a wooden dowel.

 

[roblues]

Update ... I tapped the tubes and had my cousin play while I held the tubes one-by-one with an oven mitt. The rectifier tube was the most obvious culprit. Installed a new one the other day and all seems better! Thanks again for all the help.