Running a head with no cabinet attached

[ryanj]

I know what your thinking and yes, I know that I can't run my Stiletto without a cab hooked up. My question though is this: turned on my head and was getting my guitar plugged in, when I realized that the head was not connected to the cab. So, my head was on (in standby most of the time) for 3 to 4 minutes without a cab attached. How long does it actually take for damage to occur? My amp seems to be fine so I figure it is. I'm just curious. Also, what is being damaged by not having a load attached?

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

As long as it was in standby, and it was a short amount of time, it should be fine.

 

[Dale B.]

I know what your thinking and yes, I know that I can't run my Stiletto without a cab hooked up. My question though is this: turned on my head and was getting my guitar plugged in, when I realized that the head was not connected to the cab. So, my head was on (in standby most of the time) for 3 to 4 minutes without a cab attached. How long does it actually take for damage to occur? My amp seems to be fine so I figure it is. I'm just curious. Also, what is being damaged by not having a load attached?

Your Output Transformer can be damaged without a load attached. Like Ibanez said, if it was in Standby, you're fine. Also, if the volume is still at ZERO after you've turned the amp off of Standby, you are fine as well because the Output Transformer isn't seeing any current.

 

[MesaENGR412]

I've done that once before too, but my amp was only on for like a period of 5-10 secs of standby mode before i realized i hadn't finished hooking it up to the cab. Still runs and sounds great, Praise the Lord!! I now find it very useful and foolproof to do a diagnostic check before turing on the amp-->making sure everything is hooked up. Just a suggestion to all that might save alotta $$ on down the road! :wink:

-AJH
p.s. I hope nothing happened to your Stilleto ryan, good luck with that my friend-and let us know if it's alright***

 

[ryanj]

Well, things seem to be fine.... I celebrated by going to GC and purchasing a recto traditional cab! God, this thing is a different animal through a good cabinet. I spent the last 3 months playing through a 4x10 bass cab!!!! Funny, huh?

 

[musicbox]

What a change that would be! The stiletto's sound really changes with the cabinet. It sounded massive with a marshall cab, so it's probably deadly with the v30's in the Mesa cab. Enjoy, and make sure you check that speaker lead!

offtopic p.s:mesaENGR, that blackface recto looks so awsome with the white jewel light...me likey :wink:

 

[Bloodstone]

One of my friends did the same thing except he turned it on from standby and started trying to play. A few seconds later one of his tubes went up in smoke. We replaced his tube, looked in the socket for any carbon traces and didnt see any though there was still a slight smell of burn there but we couldn't tell if it was from the tube or not. Replaced the fuse, turned the amp back on and checked it out on all Channels.

Works fine and that was weeks ago so I guess he got lucky and didnt fry anything other than a fuse and a tube. We figured if he screwed up his transformer or something else inside the amp it wouldn't play worth a crap or even play at all. Is this good logic or does he still need to have it taken in to be looked at? I'll have a hard time convincing him to take it in if it's working so give me some info to scare him if he does lol.

 

[MesaENGR412]

Thanks Musicbox! Much appreciated!

Congrats on the new cab Ryan! I bet that thing's a whole different animal now?!? haha Rock on! \m/

-AJH

 

[ryanj]

Yep, I'm sure I infuriated a few neighbors last night!! I was up till about 1:00am tinkering with the amp and the new cab. This is my first "head and cabinet" type amp and I am absolutely floored by the sound. I am soooo glad I went with Mesa! Simply put.. Nothing else even comes close....IMHO.

Hey musicbox, clue me in on what you mean about checking the speaker lead. Sorry, hope I don't sound too "newbieish"!

 

[musicbox]

The speaker lead is the cable that goes between the head and the cab. Theres been a few times when I've thought I had it plugged in, only to find it was sticking a 1/2" out of the cab jack. Take mesaENGR's advice and do a little diagnostic check every time, especially when you move the amp i.e. at a show/jam/practice. It's a good habit and it'll save you in the long run.

Enjoy the new setup!

 

[ryanj]

Roger that, Musicbox!!! Thanks to all of you for the posts!!!

 

[dual rec]

I have actually not had my cab hooked up and turned my amp off of stby for about a minute and it hurt nothing. I knew about the probs it can cause but it was an accident and i was like wtf why wont any sound come out, checked my guitar then I was like o **** and i knew exactly what it was.

 

[fredster]

I have actually not had my cab hooked up and turned my amp off of stby for about a minute and it hurt nothing. I knew about the probs it can cause but it was an accident and i was like wtf why wont any sound come out, checked my guitar then I was like o sh!t and i knew exactly what it was.

I've done the same and now have trained myself to immediately flip the amp to standby and double check everything rather than just hittin' strings and lookinmg at the cables thinking "Gee, how come no sound?" That and I usually start at low volumes.

 

[Familia><Publica]

I slaved my dual recto to a power amp and used the power amp outs to the cab and didnt think to hook up a load direct from the dual recto to the cab. So i was using the recto without a load for quite some time, hours on end infact until i realised. No smoke, no blown tubes or fuses, kinda strange how it survived. Either the slave out provides sufficient load or me not turning the amp above 8 o clock saved it, really is a mystery.