Crackling sound in new maz junior what could it be??

Debbie · November 24th, 2003, 09:59 PM

I received my new Maz junior 2 weeks ago today and it has a noticeable crackling sound in it especially when playing the low e string. It sounds a bit static like but it's not coming from the guitar, I've had experience with that from guitars and have used the old bounce on the pickguard to solve that problem. This problem is definitely in the amp, doesn't matter which guitar or which cord I use with the guitar there'a crackling sound which is also inconsistent. It comes and goes as I play. Anyone have any ideas?

thanks,

Debbie

Caper · November 24th, 2003, 10:06 PM

Debbie since it's only a couple of weeks old it is probably best to just take it back since it is still under warranty. It could be a multitude of things like a loose connection, bad or loose tubes, or a speaker problem.

rcrecelius · November 24th, 2003, 11:28 PM

mine did the exact same thing you are describing. Try tightening the 4 chassis screws on top. Mine hasnt made an unpleasant noise since :D

Debbie · November 25th, 2003, 06:24 AM

Are you talking about on the outside of the amp or the inside? And why would that work? I'm not doubting that it worked for you just wondering why that would make a crackling sound.

thanks,

Debbie

Wally · November 25th, 2003, 01:42 PM

Debbie, there are several things that could be oging on...bad solder connection, bad tube, speaker damage in shipment... I traded for a LTD ED Chris Duarte Rivera from a customer a few years ago. The customer had never been happy with it. I noticed a 'static' like noise following the notes. Some investigation revealed that the ground had never been properly made in the metal right angle speaker lead plug. The factory worker forgot to scrape the 'rust preventative' from the spot where the solder connection was to be made. Can you plug in another speaker? If so and the noise goes away, you may have a speaker problem or you may have a connection problem that causes problems when the cabinet is vibrated by the internal speaker. Can you plug the speaker into another amp? This would tell you whether or not the speaker is the problem. Do you have spare tubes with which to do substitution analysis? As RC found, chassis vibration can sometimes result in some annoying and surprisingly sharp sounding noises. Are the speaker nuts firmly tightened?
If you can do some of these simple elimination trouble-shooting things, it might save shipping the amp back. Have you talked to the folks at Dr. Z?

fullerplast · November 25th, 2003, 03:22 PM

I had a Maz Jr. that did exactly the same thing you are describing. I took the chassis out and it seemed to be sensitive to vibrations in the power transformer area. I tightened everything up that was mounted to the chassis and the problem seemed to go away. I suspect it was either a mechanical vibration or a marginal ground, but can't be sure. If you do probe around in the chassis, make sure you use something like a wooden stick and be careful not to touch anything. Since it's a new amp, I'd call Mike Zaidt first, but it sure is a hassle shipping back an amp for problems like this.

Debbie · November 25th, 2003, 04:41 PM

Can I hook the speakers into my '64 princeton (non-reverb) by just putting the speaker plug from the maz into the external speaker jack of the princeton?

Also if I were to plug the amp into another set of speakers (my neighbor has a marshall stack) would that help rule out amp problems?

And lastly if I were to put in some other el84's would the amp have to be rebiased?

I'm a total tube dunce, thanks for the help,

Debbie

Wally · November 25th, 2003, 04:53 PM

You want to be sure that your impedances match. The Princeton is an 8 ohm amp. Fenders generally tolerate a 100% mismatch, so your Z speakers should be alright into that Princeton, whether they are 4,8, or 16 ohms.
As for plugging the Z into that stack, you want to match impedance there also. If you can hook that rig up and there are no problems, that doesn't rule out the possibility that you have a connection problem that is affected by the cabinet vibrations when running the Z in stock configuration.

rcrecelius · November 25th, 2003, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debbie

Are you talking about on the outside of the amp or the inside? And why would that work? I'm not doubting that it worked for you just wondering why that would make a crackling sound.

thanks,

Debbie

The screws on the outside, on top. I dont have any explanation as to why that would make a difference but it did on mine.
About the tubes, get another set of power tubes(EL84) and put in there, you dont have to rebias.

Dacious · November 25th, 2003, 07:07 PM

This can be caused by dirt on the shorting jack inputs. Often a careful sprtiz can fix it.

November 24th, 2003, 09:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
Debbie TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 19	Crackling sound in new maz junior what could it be?? I received my new Maz junior 2 weeks ago today and it has a noticeable crackling sound in it especially when playing the low e string. It sounds a bit static like but it's not coming from the guitar, I've had experience with that from guitars and have used the old bounce on the pickguard to solve that problem. This problem is definitely in the amp, doesn't matter which guitar or which cord I use with the guitar there'a crackling sound which is also inconsistent. It comes and goes as I play. Anyone have any ideas? thanks, Debbie

November 24th, 2003, 11:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
rcrecelius Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Rio Vista,Texas Age: 41 Posts: 646	Believe it or not mine did the exact same thing you are describing. Try tightening the 4 chassis screws on top. Mine hasnt made an unpleasant noise since :D

November 25th, 2003, 06:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Debbie TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 19	what 4 chasis screws?? Are you talking about on the outside of the amp or the inside? And why would that work? I'm not doubting that it worked for you just wondering why that would make a crackling sound. thanks, Debbie

November 25th, 2003, 04:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
Debbie TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 19	a couple of questions... Can I hook the speakers into my '64 princeton (non-reverb) by just putting the speaker plug from the maz into the external speaker jack of the princeton? Also if I were to plug the amp into another set of speakers (my neighbor has a marshall stack) would that help rule out amp problems? And lastly if I were to put in some other el84's would the amp have to be rebiased? I'm a total tube dunce, thanks for the help, Debbie

November 25th, 2003, 07:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,623 35 Photos	This can be caused by dirt on the shorting jack inputs. Often a careful sprtiz can fix it. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

November 24th, 2003, 10:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Caper Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,169 7 Photos	Debbie since it's only a couple of weeks old it is probably best to just take it back since it is still under warranty. It could be a multitude of things like a loose connection, bad or loose tubes, or a speaker problem.

November 25th, 2003, 01:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,212	Debbie, there are several things that could be oging on...bad solder connection, bad tube, speaker damage in shipment... I traded for a LTD ED Chris Duarte Rivera from a customer a few years ago. The customer had never been happy with it. I noticed a 'static' like noise following the notes. Some investigation revealed that the ground had never been properly made in the metal right angle speaker lead plug. The factory worker forgot to scrape the 'rust preventative' from the spot where the solder connection was to be made. Can you plug in another speaker? If so and the noise goes away, you may have a speaker problem or you may have a connection problem that causes problems when the cabinet is vibrated by the internal speaker. Can you plug the speaker into another amp? This would tell you whether or not the speaker is the problem. Do you have spare tubes with which to do substitution analysis? As RC found, chassis vibration can sometimes result in some annoying and surprisingly sharp sounding noises. Are the speaker nuts firmly tightened? If you can do some of these simple elimination trouble-shooting things, it might save shipping the amp back. Have you talked to the folks at Dr. Z?

November 25th, 2003, 03:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
fullerplast Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,066	I had a Maz Jr. that did exactly the same thing you are describing. I took the chassis out and it seemed to be sensitive to vibrations in the power transformer area. I tightened everything up that was mounted to the chassis and the problem seemed to go away. I suspect it was either a mechanical vibration or a marginal ground, but can't be sure. If you do probe around in the chassis, make sure you use something like a wooden stick and be careful not to touch anything. Since it's a new amp, I'd call Mike Zaidt first, but it sure is a hassle shipping back an amp for problems like this.

November 25th, 2003, 04:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,212	You want to be sure that your impedances match. The Princeton is an 8 ohm amp. Fenders generally tolerate a 100% mismatch, so your Z speakers should be alright into that Princeton, whether they are 4,8, or 16 ohms. As for plugging the Z into that stack, you want to match impedance there also. If you can hook that rig up and there are no problems, that doesn't rule out the possibility that you have a connection problem that is affected by the cabinet vibrations when running the Z in stock configuration.