LSS crackling & sputtering

[scienceguy]

Hi all,
I'm out of clues for my latest malady - my Lonestar Special is sputtering and popping, so I did the usual:
1. Replaced all of the tubes with fresh ones.
2. Turned off the fan.
3. Turned off the effects loop.
4. Unplugged everything from the input.

I called one of the techs at MB and he didn't have an answer either.
Now come to find out that I get the sputtering & popping even when all of the controls are turned down to zero. Turning anything up or down doesn't make a difference.

The noise is worst is 5W mode - both channels. Still get a little in 15W mode, and it's least offensive in 30W mode - but it's still there.

Anybody got any ideas before I take this to a tech to look at it? And second question - does anyone have a favorite tech in the Athens, GA area?

Thanks!

 

[Sebber]

Hi all,
I'm out of clues for my latest malady - my Lonestar Special is sputtering and popping, so I did the usual:
1. Replaced all of the tubes with fresh ones.
2. Turned off the fan.
3. Turned off the effects loop.
4. Unplugged everything from the input.

I called one of the techs at MB and he didn't have an answer either.
Now come to find out that I get the sputtering & popping even when all of the controls are turned down to zero. Turning anything up or down doesn't make a difference.

The noise is worst is 5W mode - both channels. Still get a little in 15W mode, and it's least offensive in 30W mode - but it's still there.

Anybody got any ideas before I take this to a tech to look at it? And second question - does anyone have a favorite tech in the Athens, GA area?

Thanks!

Does it still happen when you flip the hard bypass switch for the FX loop? I had a similar problem with my LSS a couple of years ago, bypassing the FX loop "fixed" it.

 

[scienceguy]

Does it still happen when you flip the hard bypass switch for the FX loop? I had a similar problem with my LSS a couple of years ago, bypassing the FX loop "fixed" it.

Flipping the bypass switch or putting in a patch cable to connect effects out to in - neither of those worked.

 

[scienceguy]

All is well - apparently all I needed was the old contact-spray-on-the-power-tube-pins-and-sockets trick.

Please resume your normal activities.

 

[Sebber]

All is well - apparently all I needed was the old contact-spray-on-the-power-tube-pins-and-sockets trick.

Please resume your normal activities.

I do love a story with a happy ending! Congrats dude.

 

[mommysboy]

All is well - apparently all I needed was the old contact-spray-on-the-power-tube-pins-and-sockets trick.

Please resume your normal activities.

Hey man - I'm having a similar issue. Can you tell me what you did to fix it? What kind of spray did you use? Did you do to all tubes. Details would be killer. Thx!

 

[scienceguy]

All is well - apparently all I needed was the old contact-spray-on-the-power-tube-pins-and-sockets trick.

Please resume your normal activities.

Hey man - I'm having a similar issue. Can you tell me what you did to fix it? What kind of spray did you use? Did you do to all tubes. Details would be killer. Thx!

Sad to say, the issue returned. I wound up taking it to Andrews Amp Labs in ATL - turned out to be a couple of fried resistors. $3 in parts and 2 hrs labor...