Fender Blues Deluxe - noise problem

[psilocyborg]

Hey, I got this problem with a recently aquired Blues Deluxe ('93 or '94, not the reissue). At bedroom practice levels, it works beautifully, but when I haul it to band practice, I get this weird crackling sound at louder decibels. I'm thinking it's a bad solder connection or something (whether wire or component, I cannot tell) because I've found that if I lightly tap around on the backplate, in this one particular area, I can sometimes get the noise to quit for a while. But it's strange that it only kicks in at louder volumes. Should I just take it an amp tech and get it fixed for a price, or is there a fairly easy solution that a total amateur like me could make work?
thanks

[sumgai]

'borg,

I've found this same problem on a couple of different Fender amps, both recent models. Both times, it was one or more bad solder joints. I would have sworn, after looking at them for a long time, that they were good. Sure enough, after putting some heat to them anyways (just because I was outta valid options!), the problem disappeared.

So what if I had to shake my head in bafflement, the bottom line is, the amps were fixed. Try "touching up" all the joints around the power tubes and the output transformer, that's where I had to do the dirty work.

HTH


sumgai

[ChrisK]

Ya, mind the soldering!

I bot a Mesa Mark IV ($1950) that had been returned a few times by GC customers. While in the store the last time, someone broke off a pot shaft and lost the knob.

They sold it to me for $850. I ordered a new pot and knob (well, two of each, spares rule), a cover (lost in store) and a set of casters (also...). I proceeded to replace the pot, found two non-soldered lugs on pots for a bused wire, fixed 'em all and !BAM!, had me a cheap booger.

The unsoldered wires were in the lead tone stack section, hmmm wonder why it was returned?

I know that RoHS is forcing a lead-free environment, but solder-free is going somewhat to far.

[sumgai]

RoHS.....

Stands for "Force even more manufacturing to go overseas". Bah, humbug! When will the gubbermint ever learn? (Answer: if they did learn, then by defintion, they would no longer be the government, now would they? ;D)

On a related note, I see on the site that explains RoHS, there is a list of exceptions, www.pb-free.info/rohsexemptions.htm. It has many exceptions and possible exceptions, down to and including:

"The use of lead in solder applications for electronic components of musical instruments having an average lifespan in excess of 10 years."

Oh what fun it is to live in interesting times!


sumgai