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  1. Really hoping for some help here....

    I have an old secondhand Fender 90W amp with one 12inch speaker, and whenever I play it loudly, which is sort of essential for gigging (even though it IS pumped through a speaker- the power going through the amp tends to do this-), it suddenly cuts the sound to something of the volume of a whisper and "motorboats". At least thats the term I've read it described as on some help websites I've searched...Basically the amp just sputters a dead sound, similar to that of a motorboat puttering across the water. It's always fairly perfectly even- almost like an unwanted tremolo effect pumping dead sputters through my amp. Sometimes I can pat the top of the amp a little bit (sometimes harder than others, admittedly), and it will kick back in, loud and clear. But rocking out, I'll be in the middle of a chord progression etc. and the damn thing will just cut right out.

    It's a combo amp, and I'm pretty sure the only thing I can see from the back is the speaker (I'm virtually stupid in the realm of amps)...are there still tubes inside the upper casing of the amp somewhere that might need replaced? Is there something inside that needs resoldered? Is there a much bigger problem, am I better off replacing the amp? How would I even begin to diagnose the problem?!

    Haha as you can see I have virtually no clue what I'm doing here...I may play a mean U2 cover, but if my amp is broken I'm a bit of a know-nothing in terms of how to fix the situation without just replacing the amp itself. Can anyone help me/at least tell me what might be wrong?!

    Thanks!
  2. If it's anything like a crackling/windy storm/skipping sound than it's something to do ith the tubes or the rectifier. That's my guess anyway. I'm no amp tech, but that's the sound that was coming out of my AC30 a while back, and it needed its tubes replaced.
  4. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:If it's anything like a crackling/windy storm/skipping sound than it's something to do ith the tubes or the rectifier. That's my guess anyway. I'm no amp tech, but that's the sound that was coming out of my AC30 a while back, and it needed its tubes replaced.


    Is that something I can do myself?


  7. Nice! Bono is playing quite alright! It´s a sweet guitar... grescht?

    (Who am I to say Bono is playing quite alright, right?)

  8. Nah 'tis a Fender Custom model, no expert but it looks like a semi-hollow Telecaster. Since it's a Custom model, I'd imagine unlikely to be released like the Gretsch Irish Falcon is. However, like I say, no expert on the aesthetics and production of the things, I just play them lol. Would love to see Bono play it live, go a bit Bruce Springsteen on us all, but it could just be a present from Fender. Would love it if it was released as a Custom model, even though it'd be extortionately priced lol!
  9. Fender Custom Shop. Probably a John Cruz build. He's build guitars for Bono before.


    Fender Style body. Pickups are Gretsch Filtertrons, Gretsch style knobs, binding, fret markers...

    As Fender has production control over Gretsch... no surprise on a joint venture.

    Wonder if it will be a production model or merely custom build for Bono only? Time will tell...
  10. Originally posted by anstratdubh1979:Fender Style body. Pickups are Gretsch Filtertrons, Gretsch style knobs, binding, fret markers...

    [..]

    Wonder if it will be a production model or merely custom build for Bono only? Time will tell...

    Incorporating a Gretsch-esque sound into a Fender aesthetic sounds cool to me. And on the latter point, I'd certainly like to see it go into production couldn't afford the damn thing though...


  11. Probably. It's just a matter of buying the tubes needed for your amp, and taking apart the amp and getting at the tubes. The tubes plug in like plugs into an outlet, there are little spikes that fit into holes. However, apparently the spikes are easily bent, (there's a little tool that straightens them out in a quick second though) and there's the risk of shocking yourself by touching the chassis or whatever (all of the wires). On my blues jr. I can get at the tubes right from the back, so I don't really encounter the chassis. In fact I have to push them back in once in a while just because they come loose. You can also bleed out the electric charge too, or "ground" the amp, so there's no danger.

    Because I knew nothing about tube changing and all that jazz, I just had it done by a professional. ANd even though I know more now, I'd still get it done by a pro. Yeah it probably runs you more, but at least you know it's being done right.

    But it's entirely up to you. You can find steps all over the net, as well as instructional videos on youtube.
  12. Didn't we say Bono was interested in a Tele while back?
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