Rig problem...

hotpickups

Did a gig last night and thought I wouldn't get through it. I kept losing signal/volume randomly. The only thing I could think of was patch cables but I checked them all last night after the gig with a volt metre etc.

Very weird and very disconcerting What else could it have been that I could check do you think?

Today I'll be trying to recreate the problem i.e. Run the rig at home in the hope I'll find something. All that is left is guitar cable failing?

Beexter

I'd check the guitar Jack socket too..

hotpickups

Beexter said:

I'd check the guitar Jack socket too..

I wouldn't know how to test that though. Other than plugging in a cable and listening 

Wazmeister

Valve failing somehwere

JMP220478

Wazmeister said:

Valve failing somehwere

start at amp - preamp tubes swap out sequentially with a spare - ICBM n other amp guys have threads on this stuff .. 

hotpickups

It's a weird one. Just been playing through it and all is fine. Admittedly not a gig volume as it;'s a sunday morning Maybe it was bad power? I think I've experienced that before. Pretty sure it isn't a valve though.

I'm thinking is was the board though because the last two songs we did I plugged straight into the amp with no fx and it seems fine. Something wasn't working well with the board but as mentioned I've checked everything now I'll have to see if it happens at rehearsal this week

hotpickups

JMP220478 said:

Wazmeister said:

Valve failing somehwere

start at amp - preamp tubes swap out sequentially with a spare - ICBM n other amp guys have threads on this stuff .. 

I don't hold spares - never have as valves I find usually show themselves if going wrong quite early?

Johnnyseven

I have the same issue recently. At first I thought a pedal was broken but turned out to be a dry solder joint in a patch cable. It was intermittant though, sometimes it would be fine. I would test all your cables by wiggling them around when plugged in as that's how I found what was up.

hotpickups

Johnnyseven said:

I have the same issue recently. At first I thought a pedal was broken but turned out to be a dry solder joint in a patch cable. It was intermittant though, sometimes it would be fine. I would test all your cables by wiggling them around when plugged in as that's how I found what was up.

I've tested them all with a metre and all is saying good. They're SIS Evidence Audio by the way 

Moe_Zambeek

Are they solderless?

hotpickups

Moe_Zambeek said:

Are they solderless?

Yep but never had a problem before and I've been using them for years 

Moe_Zambeek

I’ve had one or two over the years suddenly go bad after years of solid service, I wondered if age could be a factor. I also once had a similar issue with a pedal that had been on the board for years untouched - a few plug / unplug actions restored the connection. 

hotpickups

Moe_Zambeek said:

I’ve had one or two over the years suddenly go bad after years of solid service, I wondered if age could be a factor. I also once had a similar issue with a pedal that had been on the board for years untouched - a few plug / unplug actions restored the connection. 

Well hopefully I've cured it now. Pulled everything out and checked etc. Fingers crossed 

JMP220478

hotpickups said:

JMP220478 said:

Wazmeister said:

Valve failing somehwere

start at amp - preamp tubes swap out sequentially with a spare - ICBM n other amp guys have threads on this stuff .. 

I don't hold spares - never have as valves I find usually show themselves if going wrong quite early?

Suggest you try @ICBM ;; or others - depending on amp you can rotate certain preamp  positions to determine if a valve is under performing .. 

NB - I had issue with a dying power amp valve that did exhibit intermittent volume drops then finally arced ..

Q-  did you consider power feed at venue ? - are you using a power regulator to amp / board ( Furman or similar ) ?

hotpickups

JMP220478 said:

hotpickups said:

JMP220478 said:

Wazmeister said:

Valve failing somehwere

start at amp - preamp tubes swap out sequentially with a spare - ICBM n other amp guys have threads on this stuff .. 

I don't hold spares - never have as valves I find usually show themselves if going wrong quite early?

Suggest you try @ICBM ; or others - depending on amp you can rotate certain preamp  positions to determine if a valve is under performing .. 

NB - I had issue with a dying power amp valve that did exhibit intermittent volume drops then finally arced ..

I'll take my other amp with me next time then whilst I arrange to have the valves checked etc 

JMP220478

if your other amp valve - maybe opportunity to use some of valves to check original ? 

If you cant repeat fault at home - suggest using different sockets at venue - I'm sure I'm not only one to experience power issues at bars / clubs / rehearsal rooms - inline surge / circuit breakers are worth considering 

otherwise - is your fx power supply ok - got enough headroom for all fx etc ? 

good luck with fault finding 

Cirrus

Sounds like a classic dodgy cable/ connection to me. Often moving them, even slightly, re-establishes the connection and then it might be months before it happens again.

For something like this, I think you have to adopt the HAL9000 method: just keep using it all until the problem manifests itself again and you can track it down. Then, having done so, kill the crew and merge with a monolith orbiting Jupiter.

hotpickups

JMP220478 said:

if your other amp valve - maybe opportunity to use some of valves to check original ? 

If you cant repeat fault at home - suggest using different sockets at venue - I'm sure I'm not only one to experience power issues at bars / clubs / rehearsal rooms - inline surge / circuit breakers are worth considering 

otherwise - is your fx power supply ok - got enough headroom for all fx etc ? 

good luck with fault finding 

Using Strymon Zuma so no problem there. Thanks for the help guys

hotpickups

One more question. Is the volume drop a typical possible sign of valve wear like what Waz mentioned?

BBBlues

hotpickups said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

I’ve had one or two over the years suddenly go bad after years of solid service, I wondered if age could be a factor. I also once had a similar issue with a pedal that had been on the board for years untouched - a few plug / unplug actions restored the connection. 

Well hopefully I've cured it now. Pulled everything out and checked etc. Fingers crossed 

Why would checking it cure it?

Its likely to be a dodgy patch cable still.

hotpickups

BBBlues said:

hotpickups said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

I’ve had one or two over the years suddenly go bad after years of solid service, I wondered if age could be a factor. I also once had a similar issue with a pedal that had been on the board for years untouched - a few plug / unplug actions restored the connection. 

Well hopefully I've cured it now. Pulled everything out and checked etc. Fingers crossed 

Why would checking it cure it?

Its likely to be a dodgy patch cable still.

Checked them. All fine so not sure what else I can go now to be sure