Peavey 5150 issue, need help!!

PremierProductions

PremierProductions

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So i just bought a 5150 that came in today. I bought it from guitar center -used section on their website, so if nothing else i can take it back to my local store and get a full refund, but i would like to avoid that if possible. Basically the first time i fired it up i left the volume all the way down, planning to slowly adjust it to a good testing level. however, before i even got the volume past 1 (not 1 o clock, but literally '1') it starting roaring at the level of a normal 3 or 4 (9 or 10 oclock) and the tone was really thin, and sounded very highpassed and had no low end. bass was set to 7, mids 4, highs 6, resonance 7 or 8 and presence was at 7. gain was a little past halfway. The other strange thing was, as i turned the volume knob up higher and higher,the volume didnt really increase, but once it got to about 4, it cut in and out similar to tuning a radio until i found a spot where it almost sounded fairly normal.. Im really thinking (hoping) this is a tube issue, as i planned on replacing them anyways as this is going to be a studio head, but ive never had a problem quite like this one with tubes and ive had a tube go bad on me before with other amps. Another thing keeping me hopeful about the amp just needed the tubes replaced is the fact that it still has the factory 'ruby' tubes in it..im ready to order a full retube kit from euro tubes, but was just wondering if anyone knew if this is an issue that doesnt involve the tubes. Ive also tested it on two guitars and im running it through a 412 mesa cab, which i frequently use so it cant be bad. I was also using a brand new, never used speaker cable to connect it. Thanks for any help you guys may come up with! :D
 
Robert Landrum said:
Definitely the tubes. I'm amazed that it still has the Ruby's in it.
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I was as well. I was actually almost pleased to see the original ruby's in it, because in my mind i was thinking that if the tubes have lasted that long then it must not have been played on that much. Since i was going to replace the tubes anyways it kind of seemed like a plus. Just once i played it for the first time and heard how fucked it sounded i was a little weary haha. Just pretty pissed at guitar center. I payed for a 'working amp' according to their policy and i expect a working amp. same thing happened to me a year ago. I bought a NEW mesa dual rec from GC. What do they do? ship me a DEMO HEAD from Little Rock AR that had been sitting on the shelf for 5 years. Every single tube in that amp must have been shot, based on the sound of it. Returned that shit and bought an Engl lol
 
Take it back and demand for it to be fixed or for new tubes.

You should be able to take it into any GC location for them to rectify the situation. The amp is obviously not in good working order and they can and should make it right.
 
BLUElightCory said:
Take it back and demand for it to be fixed or for new tubes.

You should be able to take it into any GC location for them to rectify the situation. The amp is obviously not in good working order and they can and should make it right.
Click to expand...

Oh believe me i have tried haha. All they told me when this exact same problem happened with my mesa was they wouldnt replace the tubes, but they would give me a full refund because everything you buy from them (at least used) has a 30 day money back guarantee. If it is just the tubes then i would rather just buy some new ones (since i was planning on it regardless) and fix the problem and be on my way rather than having to deal with those idiots anymore. Still, i hate guitar center and i try to avoid them at all costs! at least the one in my city is full of morons. But seeing as it is guitar center's 'used policy' that they wont buy it unless it works, im starting to believe that most guitar center employees are just ignorant, lying bastards. :hahamiddlefinger:
 
It sounds more like dirty pots to me. Have a video phone? Any way to put up a video of it happening?

If you tap on the top of the amp does it make loud clicks and pops?
 
PremierProductions said:
Still, i hate guitar center and i try to avoid them at all costs! at least the one in my city is full of morons.
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No it's pretty much like that everywhere. The one near where I live has mostly teenagers working in it, all with facerings and sideways two-tone haircuts and droopy lower lips. All the real music shops with good old fashioned service are dying off and being replaced with fucking hot topic mall kids that don't know shit about gear. I only go there when I need strings or there's a sale and I know exactly what I want and what it costs before stepping in that place. [shudders]
 
SethTheGreat said:
It sounds more like dirty pots to me. Have a video phone? Any way to put up a video of it happening?

If you tap on the top of the amp does it make loud clicks and pops?
Click to expand...

+1

My bandmate had same problem with his 5150 and the reason was dirty pots. You should try twisting the knobs back and forth, mainly the "post" knob.
 
SethTheGreat said:
It sounds more like dirty pots to me. Have a video phone? Any way to put up a video of it happening?

If you tap on the top of the amp does it make loud clicks and pops?
Click to expand...

That is what i was afraid of. When adjusting the post knob once i get it up to around 4, it starts to almost sound normal, but not really haha. I went ahead and ordered a full retube kit from euro tubes, so i guess if that doesnt fix it then i will check on that for sure. is it a relatively easy fix? never really ran into that problem before. Im still just shocked at the fact that they would sell me an amp and tell me that it works fine. Cosmetically, their story backs it up. it looks almost brand new. but i called them before ordering and they straight up told me it worked fine.
 
as i turned the volume knob up higher and higher,the volume didnt really increase, but once it got to about 4, it cut in and out similar to tuning a radio until i found a spot where it almost sounded fairly normal.
Click to expand...

SethTheGreat said:
It sounds more like dirty pots to me. Have a video phone? Any way to put up a video of it happening?

If you tap on the top of the amp does it make loud clicks and pops?
Click to expand...


yes that sounds like typical dirty pots. totally normal. having dirty pots can cause intermittent volume/signal loss.

you can buy a can of no-residue electrical cleaner at radioshack for about $14 (DeOxit rules, but it's expensive). open the amp, find a spot on each pot to spray the contact cleaner IN the pot, just a little bit, and then work the pot back and forth. Do that a few times.



[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOt5GR0sDQ4&feature=related[/ame]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I couldn't tell you how many times I've gotten screwed by GC. Luckily though when I bought my 5150 from them it arrived in the condition they said it was. I'll order online first and only if the world is ending will I step foot into a GC. Good luck with your 5150. I'm sure the tubes will fix the problem. Sounds like it will be a power tube to me. Post back results when the tubes come in.
 
well i just put in the full power amp and preamp retube kit and it didnt fix the problem, however the tone definitely sounds better lol. Im pretty sure now that it is a dirty pot issue, because the clean channel is fine now..the only issue comes out of the post gain knob with the lead channel. so im about to spray some cleaner in the pot and cross my fingers on this one haha.
 
Sloan said:
yes that sounds like typical dirty pots. totally normal. having dirty pots can cause intermittent volume/signal loss.

you can buy a can of no-residue electrical cleaner at radioshack for about $14 (DeOxit rules, but it's expensive). open the amp, find a spot on each pot to spray the contact cleaner IN the pot, just a little bit, and then work the pot back and forth. Do that a few times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukA8Qy-M4fY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOt5GR0sDQ4&feature=related
Click to expand...

thanks for the links! about to try this out!
 
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