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So, I've got a Silverface Deluxe Reverb and it is making these pretty loud hisses and washes and crackles.

Here's a clip, it is much louder than it sounds there, volumes at 3 on it. There's no input in the amp either.

[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/wolfhorse/ampsamp1[/soundcloud]

Things it isn't: reverb, microphonic tube, speaker.


What could it be?

Power tubes maybe? I just had a 6V6 go out in my amp and it crackled like that, getting gradually louder until a fuse blew, cutting off the power section. Replaced all power tubes and rectifier and biased, good as new.

That may be it. I guess I'll order some t00bz. Thanks for the help.

And I am now wondering if prices went up. Shit.

I paid that much for the amp.

It could be the transformer. I couldn't listen to the clip (I'm on my phone) but the description sounds similar to a problem I had with a BF reissue Twin.

Sell it to a would-be Merzbow.

At any rate, the only thing you can do is bring it to a tech. Don't be stupid.

I think I'll try the tube replacement first. I don't want to pay $60 for someone to tell me that the tubes are bad. Probably should though.

Most amps will blow a fuse when tubes are going bad. Not sure about the DR but fuse issues should point directly to the problem.

If you have a spare set of tubes around, wouldn't hurt to switch 'em out, troubleshoot away. I hate paying techs to diagnose simple issues too. If it's a transformer, you're headed to a tech regardless, may as well do what you can to narrow down the cause before spending any $$.

unless the amp is cathode biased i would advice against just replacing the tubes yourself without have a tech properly bias it. i'm not 100% sure, but i think fenders are NOT cathode biased.

Yes, biasing will be required, not very difficult though.

also, to me that clip sounds like you should have the power supply caps checked out, i mean the amp is like 30+ years old. has the amp ever been re-capped?

^Not to my knowledge.


Ahh, that's right. I've only ever replaced them on a cathode bias. Off to the tech then.

Thanks, completely forgot.

Just listened to the clip. That sounds exactly the same as my Twin did. If I were a betting man, I'd put all my money on the problem being the transistor. Hopefully not, because those are a pain to replace on older amps. Even if its not that, I'd have a tech look at it.

I'd rather pay a tech to figure out the problem than go fucking around with a treasured piece of gear.

Especially when I don't know what's wrong with it.

Because that means I don't know how to fix it.

Which means I'm taking it to the tech.

Who will tell me what's wrong with it.

And then fix it for a nominal fee.

Which is considerably less than
"Oh fuck,
I'm retarded
and have done
irreparable damage
to this treasured piece
of musical amplification."







I like line breaks.