# Hughes and kettner one week old and its got problems.



## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I am pretty disappointed in this amp, i thought i was buying a quality tube amp. today while playing i hear a crackling sound coming through the speaker.. after testing cables and eleminating foot pedals and playing straight into the amp, the problem is still there.

here what its doing.. with my guitar in standard tuning, on the gain channel with volume at just half way, if you hit A chord, it starts out sounding good after 5 sec.. it starts to crackle like the speaker is blowin.. it only does this in A chord, if i tune the guitar up a step, it dont do it.. seems to not like the frequency of A chord. 

I bought this on line.. so my choices are to ship it back to Long and Mcquade, at my expense and they ship a new one.. or drive two hrs and make sure the one i bring back isnt doing the same thing... what a bummer, i really like this amp, now i am not sure i trust the hughes .. kettner name..


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## MCKBC (Aug 22, 2011)

Which model? I read the new 18W lunch box amp is having lots of early death issues. Sorry to hear of your troubles.


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## Shark (Jun 10, 2010)

THIS one, I assume. Bummer, man. But all gear will occasionally blow up on you, no matter how high end. I hope you get it resolved easily.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

Thats the one Mark... I was hoping too get more then a week out of this amp, The Lunch box head was also on my list...but may have to strike that off..Hughes & Kettner have a 3 year warrenty on this amp.. I will probably take the drive to Toronto, and try a new one...

Its the 20 watt 25th anniversary model http://www.long-mcquade.com/products/8179/Guitars/Guitar_Amps/Hughes_Kettner/25th_Anniversary_Edition_Tube.htm


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Rick31797 said:


> I will probably take the drive to Toronto, and try a new one...


Can you not return it to the closest L&M near you. The big chain stores allow you to do this so why not L&M?


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

Yes i can return it too the closest L& M store which is Oshawa, 1 1/2 drive


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## brimc76 (Feb 14, 2008)

You can also return it under their 30 money back guarantee if you don't want another one. A friend of mine returned an instrument he wasn't happy with and they honoured the money back guarantee on the 29th day with no third degree as to why so late. They just joked about how he got in under the wire on it.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

MCKBC said:


> Which model? I read the new 18W lunch box amp is having lots of early death issues. Sorry to hear of your troubles.


Where are you reading reports? I am interested in this amp and would like to hear more about issues with it. I checked the forums I am a member of, and reviews generally seem favourable...


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I still would like to have this amp, i will get another new one, thinking maybe this is just a bad one...I wish Long & Mcquade would cover the shipping back, because the time i had it was very short..so if i ship it i will be out 40.00.. if i drive i will be out 60.00 but will check the new one before i buy...


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## Destropiate (Jan 17, 2007)

I actually have played through several cabs where there is a buzz when playing an A especially palm muted. Have you tried to isolate the noise? On a couple of cabs it was a speaker that wasn't broken in and it worked itself out after playing at high volumes at practice for a week or so. on the other one it was the cab itself rattling and after tightening every screw I could find it stopped. It seems like that A on the low E just resonates allot more than any other note especially when using a bass heavy clean tone.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Sorry about your trouble. 8(

I have an one extension cab that buzzes only when I play a B with any dirt.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I am going too do a sound sample so you can hear what its doing . i got 5 other amps and not one of them has picked on any chord i played.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

tell me what you think, only acts up on A chord


[video=youtube;dA2tDDXpJYg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA2tDDXpJYg[/video]


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Rick31797 said:


> tell me what you think, only acts up on A chord


I think it sounds great . . . . as long as you don't play an A chord. Sounds like your heading to Oshawa. It's not all bad though. L&M in Oshawa is a great store if you can get over the cost and the inconvenience. I'd call first to make sure they've got one to try. You don't need any more surprises. Heck, maybe some GC forumites are going that way and you can split on gas.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Take it back and make sure you play a loud A chord on the one you're getting in exchange. Maybe its a design flaw?


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## Destropiate (Jan 17, 2007)

Oh wow.....that's way worse than any of the buzz I encountered in the past. Is that a the sound of a ripped speaker maybe? It almost sounds like the cone is ripped and flapping around or something. Thats too bad because it sounds great until that happens. If you got it used I would suggest pulling the thing open and checking out the speaker but since you just bought it you might as well just take it back and see what they can do for you at L&M.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I bought it brand new, i would like too take the back off it and take a look but if they see i had the back off that might cause a problem... you would think if it was a speaker issue it would do it all the time ... I wonder if its a tube problem.. i read somewhere, that they use brand new 1970 Russian tubes in these... i would like to change the tubes but again, i dont think i should mess with it, its under warrenty..so i will take a trip to Oshawa, but not likely tell after Christmas...They tell me they have 17 of these amps in stock,at the warehouse.. i would just need too call them ahead of time to get one in the Oshawa store.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

*amp*

I just hooked up an external speaker too it, and no different, the noise comes through both speakers....so its not a speaker issue


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

When you say you bought it on-line, did you buy it direct from Long & McQaude and have it shipped directly to you? Or did you it used? If I bought it new I'd be all over L&M to get a replacement, or get my money back if it happens with all of them


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## Tim Plains (Apr 14, 2009)

I once had a Blues Deluxe Reissue that make a similar sound - but not as bad as that - only on the A chord. It was just a pre-amp tube. Play around and maybe try replacing your tubes to see if that's the problem. You might get lucky.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I bought it brand new on line through L&M,ordered it off there web site, they delivered it free to my home.L&M do not have a problem replacing this amp with a new one or refunding my money its up to me what i want too do, i just a bit ticked that after only a week, i have to put out more money to make this right, i think they should send me a new one Via Purolator and pick the defective one up at there cost.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

*25th*

I really like the sound of this amp, it has matched tubes, maybe Hughes & Kettner should send me another set of tubes...ya right..but i bet if one of there Tech guys heard this noise they may be able too narrow the problem down..


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

Rick31797 said:


> I bought it brand new on line through L&M,ordered it off there web site, they delivered it free to my home.L&M do not have a problem replacing this amp with a new one or refunding my money its up to me what i want too do, i just a bit ticked that after only a week, i have to put out more money to make this right, i think they should send me a new one Via Purolator and pick the defective one up at there cost.


Yes they should. My son bought a James Tyler Variax from Amazon in the states a few months ago that he had a problem with. They sent him a new one and then paid to ship the defective guitar back to the states. That's how you should treat your customers IMO. Any chance that L&M has a warranty repair depot in Kingston. It could save you a trip if it's not a big problem.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

MCKBC said:


> Which model? I read the new 18W lunch box amp is having lots of early death issues. Sorry to hear of your troubles.


Not trying to hijack the thread, but has anyone else heard any of these reports? I can't find any mention of this online. I am interested in this amp, but if there are 'lots' of issues going on I'd like to read about them.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

There is no L&M repair depot in Kingston , i either have to go to Oshawa or Ottawa... I have not heard anything about the lunch box head having trouble, i try it out also when i was in Toronto, and liked the features it had, the 1 watt to 5 watt to 18 watt was a nice option.. the only thing i found different with the 25th in tone, was it has more bottom end, i like that...


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## MCKBC (Aug 22, 2011)

torndownunit said:


> Not trying to hijack the thread, but has anyone else heard any of these reports? I can't find any mention of this online. I am interested in this amp, but if there are 'lots' of issues going on I'd like to read about them.


Sorry I forgot to reply. I saw a number of early failure reports on TGP. Might want to search there. I'll also look. Neat little amp otherwise.

EDIT : Here's a thread with early failure reports from owners. http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=979435&highlight=tubemeister&page=2


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Man - that amp sounds much better than I would have expected. Hope you get the issues resolved because it sounds like a keeper!

As for your problem, that sounds like the A is resonating with something - either a bad tube or a bad connection - that's causing it to fail. Too bad it's got the full closed-back thing (never liked that in any tube amp). If it was me I'd pull the back off & give the tubes a wiggle to make sure they're seated properly. One might have shaken loose in shipping. I can understand if you're not comfortable doing that with a new amp under warranty. You could run it by L&M first & see what they say if you want to try that before lugging the thing back to the shop.

If it's coming through both speakers when you connect the extension cab, it would be interesting to see if it happens with the internal speaker disconnected & only the extension cab running. Vibration/resonance can be an issue in some combos.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

the amp sounds great, the back is not completely closed, there is 2 inch gap at the bottom, probably adding to the bottom end...i feel like taking the back, off, this was working good, it just started the 4th day i had it..


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## mister.zed (Jun 8, 2011)

*A possibility*

Could it be that your open A string is slowly resonating due to feedback and because of the large amplitude of vibration, this is causing it to buzz on one of the frets and this in turn is what is being amplified? Don't know, but it kind of fits the 5 second behaviour you describe. Try another guitar if you (or a friend) have one. Or try standing much further from the amp and see if the problem persists.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I have tried a different guitar, and also, it doing it on the clean channel now and it does it some playing E chord, so looks like its getting worse...
i may have a chance to take it back this Saturday and exchange it.. so if the second one has problems no more Hughes And Kettner no matter how good it sounds...


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I took the Hughes Kettner amp back to L& M and got another brand new one, no problems at all, so i will see how this one works out, darn i like the sound of this amp, hoping i got a good one...


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i hope it works out. those clips sounded really sweet except for that weird buzz. 
i swear i never thought i'd hear it. i thought "meh - some folks are just alot pickier and hear stuff i never would"
but i could hear it! and i woulda felt the same as you, if it was me


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

The noise was getting worse, probably never know exactly what the problem was ...this amp really sounds nice, hope it holds up...i am going to use it everyday...


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## Wileyone (Jul 23, 2011)

I bought one at L&M about a month ago. I brought it back after 2 weeks. Way to "bright" for my tastes even with the treble turned down. I actually like the sound of the Traynor Dark Horse better.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

Did you take it back to the Markham Road .store,close to 401 they said somebody brought one back..I dont find it bright at all, strange how we hear, things differently.


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## Wileyone (Jul 23, 2011)

No it was the Stratford store. Can't wait for next year L&M in London Ontario. It's about time.....

Tried it with 2 different Cabs didn't make any difference.


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