# My noisy Fender Custom Deluxe....



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

I recently bought this amp at L&M, used and at a great price. It sounds fantastic at both low and of course higher volumes. After playing it for an hour I started to get crackling sounds. I made sure the tubes were seated properly and still the crackling. I took it back, they sent it to their main repair facility and I got it back yesterday with power tubes replaced. After an hour playing, the crackling again. I saw that the crackling occurred only in the Instrument/Bright channel, so I replaced the V1 and the crackling has mostly disappeared. Now, as I sit 20 feet away, I can hear the amp humming away much louder than a DR I have. A fair bit of hiss but not that unusual. This with no guitar connected, but amp fully on. When I turn up either volume the noise increases, the Mic/Normal channel a bit more than the other. When I turn both up, the noise is about the same, though with more of the Mic channel hum. Every now and then some crackling. So I'm thinking, there are problems here beyond tubes...I should just return it. With regret, because I love the sound, but to have issues from Day One is not a good sign and I'm not one to open it up and look for problems. Would you return it or go through the motions of sending it back in, etc.


----------



## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I experienced crackling/ticking on an amp and it turned out to be my cell phone/wifi interference.


----------



## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

coyoteblue said:


> I recently bought this amp at L&M, used and at a great price. It sounds fantastic at both low and of course higher volumes. After playing it for an hour I started to get crackling sounds. I made sure the tubes were seated properly and still the crackling. I took it back, they sent it to their main repair facility and I got it back yesterday with power tubes replaced. After an hour playing, the crackling again. I saw that the crackling occurred only in the Instrument/Bright channel, so I replaced the V1 and the crackling has mostly disappeared. Now, as I sit 20 feet away, I can hear the amp humming away much louder than a DR I have. A fair bit of hiss but not that unusual. This with no guitar connected, but amp fully on. When I turn up either volume the noise increases, the Mic/Normal channel a bit more than the other. When I turn both up, the noise is about the same, though with more of the Mic channel hum. Every now and then some crackling. So I'm thinking, there are problems here beyond tubes...I should just return it. With regret, because I love the sound, but to have issues from Day One is not a good sign and I'm not one to open it up and look for problems. Would you return it or go through the motions of sending it back in, etc.


I would find out what was causing the crackling. I would not let a fault like that cause distress...nip it in the bud man...don't let something like that get the best of you...if you return it, you are passing on this demon to somebody else...stop the cycle here.


----------



## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

fretzel said:


> I experienced crackling/ticking on an amp and it turned out to be my cell phone/wifi interference.








WIFI Interference in tube amp


Hi, I got a vintage tube amp that is really prone tone wifi interference. It has a constant ticking noise when the wifi is on in the house. It doesnt matter if I turn the volume down, so I guess its not the input jack or the cables going to the first gain stages. Is there an obvious thing to...



www.thegearpage.net


----------



## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

coyoteblue said:


> I'm not one to open it up and look for problems.


How confident are you with your electrical knowledge? If you are familiar with electron theory...don't fear electricity, respect it and you will have very little difficulty.
BTW, what's the make model and series of this amp?
Is the issue duplicated in another wall socket?...make sure your mains is clean and regulated..._Déjà vu_


----------



## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Fortunately L & M has a "lemon law" policy. It's good for 1 year. If you have sent it back for repair and it's still not working I would claim lemon law. It might be worthwhile to call the head office and clear it first before going to the store, as the store may not be as helpful as head office. That was my experience.


----------



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

fretzel said:


> I experienced crackling/ticking on an amp and it turned out to be my cell phone/wifi interference.


IFeeling sort of dumb...I moved it to another room...and the hum was much less. It wasn't the crackling so much as the hum that disturbed me. I'll get something to filter out the hum a bit. Thx.


----------



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

Paul Running said:


> WIFI Interference in tube amp
> 
> 
> Hi, I got a vintage tube amp that is really prone tone wifi interference. It has a constant ticking noise when the wifi is on in the house. It doesnt matter if I turn the volume down, so I guess its not the input jack or the cables going to the first gain stages. Is there an obvious thing to...
> ...


Thx...I moved the amp to another room, and lots less hum. The odd thing is this hum wasn't there with my Blues Junior.


----------



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

Paul Running said:


> How confident are you with your electrical knowledge? If you are familiar with electron theory...don't fear electricity, respect it and you will have very little difficulty.
> BTW, what's the make model and series of this amp?
> Is the issue duplicated in another wall socket?...make sure your mains is clean and regulated..._Déjà vu_


It's a Fender 57 Custom Deluxe. Turns out it was the socket. What's odd is that I never noticed a comparable hum in any other amp. 5e3'sre perhaps more sensitive to variations in current? Thx.


----------



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

player99 said:


> Fortunately L & M has a "lemon law" policy. It's good for 1 year. If you have sent it back for repair and it's still not working I would claim lemon law. It might be worthwhile to call the head office and clear it first before going to the store, as the store may not be as helpful as head office. That was my experience.


The local one in Peterborough is great. It's a used amp and they still gave me a year warranty. Thx.


----------



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

Paul Running said:


> How confident are you with your electrical knowledge? If you are familiar with electron theory...don't fear electricity, respect it and you will have very little difficulty.
> BTW, what's the make model and series of this amp?
> Is the issue duplicated in another wall socket?...make sure your mains is clean and regulated..._Déjà vu_


I used to open my SFDR until I got a big shock! I know I could learn how to empty the charge, but not my thing for awhile. I know a great amp tech in town!


----------



## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Yeah, it could be something going on in your house causing interference. 

I've had this happen with studio monitors.


----------



## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

coyoteblue said:


> The local one in Peterborough is great. It's a used amp and they still gave me a year warranty. Thx.


Yep some of them guys there are pretty good. The one guy who came from Buds Music not so much. lol Well theyre okay but way to dismissive. Bought my 2525c and asked if the power cord was packed with it and without even finishing my question he says thats what that little box is with it. I knew it was just the pedal but i went home and called Gary and told him the cord wasnt packed, he drove it over right away. I used to go into Buds as a broke 20 something, even as a successful 40 y.o that 1 guy still wont give me the time of day. 🤣


----------



## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

coyoteblue said:


> It's a Fender 57 Custom Deluxe. Turns out it was the socket. What's odd is that I never noticed a comparable hum in any other amp. 5e3'sre perhaps more sensitive to variations in current? Thx.


Here's the schematic for your 57 Deluxe:


----------



## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

It sounds dangerous. Please ship the amp to me and I will dispose of it for you at no charge!


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Replace Power tubes....

IMO, L& M amp tech ( ??) don't know how to fix amp.


----------



## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

FWIW, crackling is often associated with dirty/oxidized tube sockets/tube pins... 
Given this is a used amp, good DIY practice w/o opening things up is to periodically clean the sockets with contact cleaner. Don't use stuff with lubricants (like DeOxit) especially for power tube sockets! Get a can of CRC QD Electronic Cleaner from NAPA (https://www.napacanada.com/en/p/CRL79540), spray some (a little goes a long way) on the tube pins and insert/remove a few times into the sockets. 
One can should last the rest of your lifetime (unless you become an amp tech!)
You're welcome.


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Many things can do crackling.
A almost new amp with dirty / oxidized tubes contacts...... I don't believe it, but easy to clean.


----------



## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> Yep some of them guys there are pretty good. The one guy who came from Buds Music not so much. lol Well theyre okay but way to dismissive. Bought my 2525c and asked if the power cord was packed with it and without even finishing my question he says thats what that little box is with it. I knew it was just the pedal but i went home and called Gary and told him the cord wasnt packed, he drove it over right away. I used to go into Buds as a broke 20 something, even as a successful 40 y.o that 1 guy still wont give me the time of day. 🤣


There’s always one asshole at every music store who is such a prick that it makes you actually want to earn their respect lol.

There’s about 12 of them at Cosmo lol.
Beautiful bastards.


----------



## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

coyoteblue said:


> The local one in Peterborough is great. It's a used amp and they still gave me a year warranty. Thx.


The year warranty is different from the lemon law.


----------



## Shaqrad (May 6, 2020)

I’ll add; 65 DRRI
Hum- Interference was what caused the hum for me. The amp/guitar was to close to a plasma TV, and other electronics, especially if I was using humbuckers. I actually convinced the wife I needed a new LED TV and the hum is now gone lol

Crackles- Cleaned the tubes contacts/sockets and it helped with that (deoxit)


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

It is always possible that even a competent technician genuinely believes they have fixed the problem.
It is up to the customer to return the amplifier and normally this time the competent technician will repair it definitively.


----------



## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Latole said:


> Replace Power tubes....
> 
> IMO, L& M amp tech ( ??) don't know how to fix amp.





Latole said:


> It is always possible that even a competent technician genuinely believes they have fixed the problem.
> It is up to the customer to return the amplifier and normally this time the competent technician will repair it definitively.


The problem was interference at one particular AC outlet in his house. How is any competent tech going to fix that? 
I would guess that the tech could not duplicate the exact problem but fixed some other problems anyway. That is a good thing I think.


----------



## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> It sounds dangerous. Please ship the amp to me and I will dispose of it for you at no charge!


Thanks. Your sacrifice will be noted.


jb welder said:


> The problem was interference at one particular AC outlet in his house. How is any competent tech going to fix that?
> I would guess that the tech could not duplicate the exact problem but fixed some other problems anyway. That is a good thing I think.


Actually the problem the amp was returned for was just the crackling. Crackling continued after the amp was returned and then the hum. The hum came after about an hour so I assumed it had to do maybe with the amp overheating. And then I moved it to the room where I have another amp and it sounded fine there, and so the conclusion that the first room's outlet was the problem, though I'd never heard that much hum in that room before with any other amp. Perhaps the 5e3 circuit is more sensitive to interference than others.


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

jb welder said:


> The problem was interference at one particular AC outlet in his house. How is any competent tech going to fix that?


I don't agree.
Why the guy at L&M replace power tubes if issue was in the house ?
Issue may come from Power Supply rail.


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

coyoteblue said:


> Thanks. Your sacrifice will be noted.
> 
> Perhaps the 5e3 circuit is more sensitive to interference than others.



Wrong. Amp must see a qualified tech.


----------



## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Latole, you are very quick to jump to the 'incompetent' judgement from what we have heard here.
I hope people don't do the same to you.


----------



## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

With what I read this is my conclusion.
I note by following the forums that many people confuse "electronic technician" with guys who pass themselves off as such when they are only handymen who are just able to replace parts at random but unable to repair a real problem.

I don't blame the guitarists who deal with these people, because how can they recognize them ?


----------

