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Topic: Effect of dirty power on tube vs. solid state amps |
Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 4 Nov 2017 4:31 pm |
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I played a gig last night in an old building in Lodi, CA. As soon as I turned on my Twin Reverb it started buzzing loudly, even when the volume was turned completely off. The guitar player's Fender Pro Reverb, which is also tube driven did the same thing. We tried everything imaginable but couldn't get the amps to quiet down. All instruments have single coil pickups.
Then the guitar player broke out his emergency amp, a little solid state Fender, and it was quiet. So I got out a Peavey Session 400 converted head (also solid state) that I carry as an emergency amp, and it was also quiet. We played the night using the solid state amps.
Why would tube amps be so affected by funky building wiring whereas solid state amps don't seem to be bothered?
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 4 Nov 2017 4:47 pm
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| If you unplugged the guitars and left the tube amps on was there any hum or only when the guitars were plugged in. Could be a grounding issue in the club wiring. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 4 Nov 2017 4:59 pm
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I don't recall unplugging the guitars while the tube amps were buzzing.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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J.D.White
From:
Lafayette, Louisiana
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Posted 4 Nov 2017 5:44 pm
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This might be a good $7 investment to have. (also available at Lowes / Home Depot)
https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Receptacle-Professional/dp/B000RUL2UU
I would guess that the outlet polarity was reversed. Back before grounded / 3 prong outlets were standard - amps had polarity switches. The easiest way to tell if the switch needed to be flipped (besides getting shocked when touching a microphone) was the loudness of the buzz. Tube amps buzzed loudest (probably because of the filament wiring) - solid state amps were the quietest - especially with humbucking pickups.
Definitely something to check before playing there again. |
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J.D.White
From:
Lafayette, Louisiana
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Posted 5 Nov 2017 3:38 am
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Remembering a gig that I used to play - my amp / guitar would sound fine until the club owner would turn on the fluorescent beverage signs outside - then my amp would buzz so loud that I would have to turn off the volume on my guitar in between songs. (Single Coil Stratocaster into a Fender Super Reverb).
There were plenty of fluorescent signs and lighting inside the club - but they didn't affect my amp like the ones outside (over 200 feet away).
Maybe a bad starter / ballast, or the way it was wired? There was also a ungrounded metal railing around the bandstand that could have been another factor?
* I was the only one playing through a tube amp - and the only one with a buzzing amp. |
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