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Topic: Panic Time! |
Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 20 Mar 2019 8:06 pm |
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Anyone who plays an electric instrument sooner or later will experience a bad cable. And Murphy's law seems to always assure that it happens at the worst possible time!
I have always tried to arrive at the gig at least 30 minutes early to set up, test my rig and tune up my steel. I also always carry extra guitar cables, speaker wires, and extra mic, and XLR cable. extra strings, adapters, power supplies etc.
So recently I had allowed plenty of time as usual... and when I went to test and tune up _______________ nothin!
So I begin unplugging and replacing cables one by one (Basic troubleshooting)
However by this time the audience has begun arriving and asking when the music is going to start, so I'm getting nervous and sweating. Now because I am a solo act, I am the whole show... and I also have lots of effects pedals, backing trax, a vocal processor, small PA system etc.
So to make a long story shorter, Running out of time I ended up eliminating all my effects and just running my steel through my volume pedal direct to the amp. (Boy I really missed the reverb!)
It really threw me off my game and I felt really lousy for the first few songs but I finally got focused and just enjoyed the simplicity of the setup.
After the gig I rushed home and tested every cable, and of course it was the last one I tested that was bad. The one I least expected! Panic ended Thanks a lot MURPHY.
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 6:15 am
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| My mantra has always been...simplify. The more stuff you use (cables, power supplies, processors, stomp boxes, etc.), the bigger the chance for failure. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 7:27 am
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Of course, the last one you tested was bad.
After that you quit testing. 
Erv |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 1:21 pm
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Donny, what you say is so true, but I love gimmicks!
Erv, I know it's a joke like when you lose something and you find it in the last place you looked!
This one was really tricky to troubleshoot. Usually when a guitar cord goes bad, you can wiggle it and hear the crackle/pop of the signal intermittently cutting in and out. And I can often figure out which end is bad and fix it later.
But this cable was 1 side of a stereo (send return) cord I use to and from my volume pedal. It was completely dead... the wiggle test didn't work at all. I couldn't get it to make a sound.
Now that I think more about it I seem to remember stepping on the jack while it was still plugged in my volume pedal as I was packing up after a gig. My amp was off so I didn't think much about it at the time.
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 1:35 pm
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Dom,
You got it! 
Erv |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 28 Mar 2019 6:46 pm
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| Dom Franco wrote: |
| . It was completely dead... the wiggle test didn't work at all. |
For all the gear you brought being a one man show, perhaps a cable tester would be an addition to the kit and part of your 30 min regimen. 
Murphy's law is one, but since you're chief cook and bottle washer, the Peter Principle is another.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Sandy Inglis
From:
Christchurch New Zealand
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 12:20 am
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I have a Beyringher cable tester similar but does not do Speakon Cables (though I don't use them at present).
On similar subject, I have been getting tingles from the Mic whether I play guitar or PSG and I recently decided to check the earth on my Hi-Wall amp. There was no earth pin but inside was the earth wire hanging free behind the socket. Someone had simply busted off the earth pin to try to stop hum?
I replace the fused IEC socket and connected back the earth. It no longer caused tingles.
We now use a power conditioner for all the band and the noise and hum are virtually non-existent. The PA sounds so much cleaner.
Sandy
_________________
01'Zumsteel D10 9+9; Sho Bud D10 SuperPro; 6 String Lap Steel (Homemade); Peavey Nashville 1000; Fender Deluxe 85;
1968 Gibson SG; Taylor 710 CE; Encore Tele Copy; Peterson Tuner; HIWATT T40 C 40W/20W Combo |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 1:53 am
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Disconnecting an earth is a valid tactic for breaking hum loops, but LABEL THE PLUG "NO EARTH" so that you don't forget and use the item on its own, or sell it to someone you like.
I am living proof that this is worthwhile 
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 6:24 am
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Sandy,
I also have a Behringer tester and use it all the time to check out the cables I make up.
Erv
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 7:32 am
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When that happens to me I have scary dreams for like two weeks.
Sorry Dom!
One time after checking every chord it turned out that my slide-in pickup on my Sierra had somehow slid-out just enough during transit to lose contact. Uugh. |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 8:49 am
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If I'm not mistaken I think we're talking the death cap hum switch?
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 8:50 am
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Dom: "But this cable was 1 side of a stereo (send return) cord I use to and from my volume pedal."
A stereo TRS cord?
Did you have a spare?
You might want to consider simplifying your rig by using two "regular" guitar cables for this connection.
Also something to consider: A true bypass looper/switcher.
I am a big believer in these if you have more than 3-4 effects connected in series.
Not only for isolating a bad cable/pedal in the chain, but also for loading from the effects that may be happening. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 29 Mar 2019 9:46 am
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It was just a paired dual 1/4" guitar cable one red and one black, and yes I had a spare but just didn't have the time to switch out every cable. I began by ASSuming it was one of the cheap short links between effects units. Because they seem to go bad more frequently.
I know there are cable testers, but it would have taken even longer to test every cable with it.
My first step is to always check the amp by plugging in the guitar directly with a new cable, and it worked so I at least Knew I could play the gig. Then I started eliminating effects.
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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