General Music Chat

I have an Ampeg BA-115 Combo Amp. I had a gig recently where the amp started randomly making ratarded sounds during sound check. it sounded like what would happen when you take the 1/4 inch cable out half way except with a lot more boom and bassy. Does anybody have any ideas for what that could be? it would be nice to have somewhere to start rather than just guessing and hoping.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
David

Lots of possibilities so start with the easy stuff. Was it just a bad cord or bad speaker? Test both by trying different ones and see what you find. Does it still screw up at home or did it just overheat at the gig by pushing it too hard? Bass amps don't do well if fed low stage voltage or being pushed hard into clipping for a long time.

If cords, speaker, jacks, and connections are all ok you will need to find a good amp tech to see if it can be saved. A fried power supply in a solid state bass amp usually means it is beyond repair as it takes out the pc board as well.

Simple stuff first, check your chord to the amp, the input jack could be loose, your output jack on your bass could be loose.

If it gets beyond you then take it too a tech, those are some great bass amps, I used one in a class I taught a couple of years ago, great tone.

Good Luck

I've got one of those for my rehearsal space. If none of the previously mentioned things fix it, check to make sure you're not over-driving the amp. If the amp clips it will make a harsh noise; turn it down until it doesn't make the noise. Just because a dial goes to ten doesn't mean it's a good idea to turn it up to that level.

I also own one.

Sometimes you need to clean the input jack with tuner cleaner because the contacts get dirty and can cut in and out. The sleeve sometimes collects the oil and dirt from the guitar plug that gather on it from a lot of handling.
I just spray a little tuner on c cotton swab to clean the input jack. The jack sleeve is usually the culprit, but it is easy enough to clean the tip while you clean the sleeve.

Another possibility is that the solder connection on the jack have fractured. Those plastic jacks have about 6 terminals, and they can be "cold Soldered" (Cold soldering joint that was not heated properly during the wave soldering) at the factory and they show up only after years of use.
To fix that simply re solder them. And if that isn't it, look closely at the other solder connections for one that looks iffy and re solder it.

Does it only do it with the reverb up? Could be a ground wire, reverb spring touching the pwr, rvb tubes...

Does it only do it with the reverb up? Could be a ground wire, reverb spring touching the pwr, rvb tubes...

Trouble sHoot DIVIDE & CONQUER or 'HALF SPLIT" method
1) Get two Guitars A & B
2) Get two chords (A = Your old cord) , (B = a new Cord)

Code: Select all-Plug Guitar A Into Amp  using Cord A :  Verify the sound problem still exists.
-Repeat Using Cord B.  If the sound prob goes away , Your cord (A) was the prob. In that case swap to new cord (B)
But, If sound prob is still there   Do Next step:

Code: Select allPlug Guitar B into AMP, using Cord A: Verify that the sound problem still exists.
If the Sound Prob Goes away, its the cord jack sleeve in Guitar A, which needs repair.
If the Prob does not go away.  The problem is not the Guitars or the cords, but the amp.  In that case, check the Jack Sleeve of the amp.

(Do what slacker suggested i.e clean the jacks and or solder as necessary). If , after this, the problem is still there, the amp will need technician support.

Hey just a thought, you would probably get more readers if you interviewed controversial people for your blog.


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Does it only do it with the reverb up? Could be a ground wire, reverb spring touching the pwr, rvb tubes...

Ummmm,
No reverb in a BA115 combo bass amp:)
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/amp ... bass-combo

Does it only do it with the reverb up? Could be a ground wire, reverb spring touching the pwr, rvb tubes...

Ummmm,
No reverb in a BA115 combo bass amp:)
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/amp ... bass-combo

Sorry. Just glanced at the post.

Update: I tested the Amplifier at home and it seems to be crackling only when I hit the low E string. Im thinking its a wiring issue or worse, but if you guys got any other ideas my ears are open.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Sounds like a loose connection if it only goes off when using the lower register.

Update: I tested the Amplifier at home and it seems to be crackling only when I hit the low E string. Im thinking its a wiring issue or worse, but if you guys got any other ideas my ears are open.

Thanks for the help everyone.

If your amp uses tubes, check to see if one or more of the tubes is loose. (Re-seat where necessary). If that don't fix it Time to check with a tech

Musicians get very upset when amateurs post on Gen. Chat. about techy issues. Yet, they don't get upset when an amateur posts questions that should go on the topic Musicians tech questions & gear. We're working with a testy bunch here!

What I said earlier. I repaired amps for a living, and the problem you describe sounds like what I said earlier. CSJ or dirty sleeve.