SvR65
Hi Guys, please help!!!
My rig, followed by the problem:
Tele> Compressor> Tube Screamer (Pedals are Kevin Coughlin made)> Laney VC15. Lately I've been experiencing major volume loss. Now it's difficult to pin point what happens and when exactly it happens, because it has happened on several occasions and it is so random that every single time it catches me by surprise! The thing is it is not a COMPLETE loss of volume, but what is left is barely audible (Very strange to me)
My thoughts on the problem (This is where I really need your input):
At first I thought it was my little amp overheating... I'm really not too clued up when it comes to electronics etc, but that was my thinking. Second time round I made sure the amp was well vented and cooled. Problem persists... Now I know that with an electric rig there are so many things that can actually go wrong and I don't have a clue as to where I must start looking for the problem. All I know is it's not faulty cables because I've changed them... :-\
Any ideas or suggestions welcome! Please!
inflames
Start by playing straight into the amp: guitar -> amp
If there is no problem, start placing your pedals one by one in front of the amp: guitar -> pedal -> amp
See if you can catch a pedal causing the problem.
Bob-Dubery
Apply the time honored principle of "process of elimination"
You have a little system there with several components. One of them is causing a problem, but which one? Remove or swop them out one at a time. Only change one thing at a time. If the problem persists then swop out one more item. This includes your guitar.
The thing to do is to work systematically and slowly. It does take more time this way, but if you just swop out everything or most things in one go and the problem disappears then you don't really know what was at fault and it may well come back to bite you again one day.
singemonkey
Didn't someone mention something about a dying tube doing this?
DonovanB
also check your leads too.
Like Bob and inflames says. Start straight into the amp. then add one, then two pedals until it happens again.
SvR65
Mmm, I'll make it my weekend goal to do the whole elimination thing... thanks guys!
inflames
How old is the amp? Have you ever replaced valves?
SvR65
I bought it in Jan 2009... So it's hardly more than a year old... Is it possible that one of the valves might have been damaged (by whatever cause) and is causing the problem?
What are the symptoms of a dying valve?
AlanRatcliffe
Also if the amp has an effects loop, plug a cable from the send to the return - might be dirt or a faulty switch on a jack. Otherwise, as others have said, go through the process of elimination to narrow it down to one item, then take it from there.
Valves, the time honoured method of checking them is to swap them out with your spares one by one and see if the problem persists. If it does (and it's definitely amp-related), take it to a tech.
SvR65
Thanks for all the advice guys - however things have taken a turn for the worse I fear...
What the amp does now besides losing volume:
So I thought that I'd try playing clean through the amp, cutting the effects pedals out, to try and see whether it is just the amp or not... Well when I switched the amp on to warm up it made the weirdest noise! Difficult to describe, but if I had to pin it to something it sounded like something deflating - a type of swoosh sound! ??? Crazy I know, but it was really wat it sounded like! I switched it off again - same thing. On again - SAME!
I'm clueless - if someone has experienced similar problems and can give me advice I'd really appreciate it - otherwise I'll have to take it to a tech...
[deleted]
Thats weird... Is it still doing it? all the time now?
SvR65
Yeah, lost volume last week Thursday at practice again... At first I thought it was the pedals, so Saturday I tried it clean into the amp, but when I switched it on it just started making the weirdest noise! Treid to describe it as best I could by the "deflating" and "swoosh" sounds... Hehe, have to hear it to understand. There's something wrong with it, that's all I know.
[deleted]
SvR65 wrote:
Yeah, lost volume last week Thursday at practice again... At first I thought it was the pedals, so Saturday I tried it clean into the amp, but when I switched it on it just started making the weirdest noise! Treid to describe it as best I could by the "deflating" and "swoosh" sounds... Hehe, have to hear it to understand. There's something wrong with it, that's all I know.
You could call it your signature sound, and start a whole new genre? Deflatecore?
TomCat
Stratisfear wrote:
SvR65 wrote:
Yeah, lost volume last week Thursday at practice again... At first I thought it was the pedals, so Saturday I tried it clean into the amp, but when I switched it on it just started making the weirdest noise! Treid to describe it as best I could by the "deflating" and "swoosh" sounds... Hehe, have to hear it to understand. There's something wrong with it, that's all I know.
You could call it your signature sound, and start a whole new genre? Deflatecore?
LOL....you are not helping....... ? ?
DonovanB
Stratisfear wrote:
You could call it your signature sound, and start a whole new genre? Deflatecore?
dunno if you ever saw that episode of friends where Ross discovers his "sound"
SvR65
Donovan,
I realised, after watching the friends episode you so kindly added in your reply, that I'm one selfish guy - while I was moaning about my amp making "funny sounds that make me think it's broken" I have, unknowingly, deprived the world of my new "sound"!
No longer will I complain about the "swoosh/hum/zingding" coming from my amp, but strive to incorporate that very sound into my everyday blues playing and present a completely NEW SOUND to the world!
Thanks, that episode has inspired me. ? ? ?
Bob-Dubery
SvR65 wrote:
Donovan,
I realised, after watching the friends episode you so kindly added in your reply, that I'm one selfish guy - while I was moaning about my amp making "funny sounds that make me think it's broken" I have, unknowingly, deprived the world of my new "sound"!
No longer will I complain about the "swoosh/hum/zingding" coming from my amp, but strive to incorporate that very sound into my everyday blues playing and present a completely NEW SOUND to the world!
Thanks, that episode has inspired me. ? ? ?
Be sure to send a sample to MattA. Then after you've become famous he can make his fortune (and add to yours) with the sell of his Swooshulator pedal.
TomCat
X-rated Bob wrote:
Be sure to send a sample to MattA. Then after you've become famous he can make his fortune (and add to yours) with the sell of his Swooshulator pedal.
:roflmao: :roflmao:
