How to fix hum from reverb?

Let's talk guitar amplfiers

Moderator: jingle_jangle

Post Reply
User avatar
octagon
Senior Member
Posts: 3798
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:19 pm

How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by octagon »

I got this on friday. It is a Peavey Artist 240(PDF)

This amp work fine and sounds great except for the reverb. The amp starts to hum as I turn up the reverb and I cant even tell if the reverb is working as the noise gets so loud.

Any suggestions or trouble shooting tips for this problem? The reverb must be solid state as it just has 4 power tubes. Anyone able to read the schematic in the pdf ?

I guess it would help if I get a footswitch for this amp because it seems that is the only way to turn the reverb on and off.

Image
Image
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 15029
Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2000 5:00 am
Contact:

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by admin »

Mitch: I am sure Greg will have some great pointers here. While we wait for him to see this post I have been down this road before. I suspect that it may be interference from the power transformer. If you can unscrew the reverb tank and move it away from the transformer while still hooked up you might be able to notice that the hum lessens the further away you go. This may provide some useful information about the fix. Unpluging the reverb cables may let you isolate it to the tank.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm

Please join the Official RickResource Forum Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/379271585440277
User avatar
octagon
Senior Member
Posts: 3798
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:19 pm

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by octagon »

admin wrote:Mitch: I am sure Greg will have some great pointers here. While we wait for him to see this post I have been down this road before. I suspect that it may be interference from the power transformer. If you can unscrew the reverb tank and move it away from the transformer while still hooked up you might be able to notice that the hum lessens the further away you go. This may provide some useful information about the fix. Unpluging the reverb cables may let you isolate it to the tank.
Thanks Peter! I will try that.
User avatar
soundmasterg
RRF Consultant
Posts: 1921
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 1:06 pm

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by soundmasterg »

The preamp and reverb sections are solid state, and the power amp uses tubes. I don't know much about solid state and haven't messed with reverb a lot either, but generally hum from reverb is going to be caused from too much gain or possibly some caps being bad. the transistors used in the reverb section could have gone bad but thats hard to tell without troubleshooting. I'd suggest to take the amp to a tech, or if you feel like messing with it and know what you're doing, you can try to troubleshoot it yourself.

Greg
User avatar
johnallg
Rick-a-holic
Posts: 17688
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:13 pm

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by johnallg »

If the tubes check out and you get good volume and reverb volume, then I would look at power supply capacitors in the SS stages. Electrolytic or tantalum coupling caps are also suspect.
User avatar
octagon
Senior Member
Posts: 3798
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:19 pm

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by octagon »

Thanks guys! Well,I didn't want to mess with it so I sold the Peavey.I got a Kustom amp which I like better.

Image
User avatar
jps
RRF Consultant
Posts: 37142
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2003 6:00 am

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by jps »

Good move, Mitch! 8)
User avatar
beatlefreak
Senior Member
Posts: 6160
Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:45 am
Contact:

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by beatlefreak »

Nice looking Kustom Kombo, Mitch.
Ka is a wheel.
User avatar
octagon
Senior Member
Posts: 3798
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:19 pm

Re: How to fix hum from reverb?

Post by octagon »

Thanks guys! I got a Kustom guitar to match it. Sounds so good.

Image
Post Reply

Return to “Greg's Amplifier and Tube Tech Forum: by Greg Simon”