Peavey Classic 50 2x12 acting wierd

[darkstashcrashes]

Heres the scoop...

I have an original Peavey classic 50 2x12. The pilot light dims and it hums.

It also has a power problem which i will go into.

This is my setup


Peavey Classic 50 2x12
EH memoryman (with hazarai)
Line 6 echo park
Boss CH-1 Chorus
Proco Rat
Ibanez TS-9
Dunlop Crybaby
EH mini-Q (not always in rig)
MXR Phase 90
EH Preacher(comp)
Fender Jaguar

I get a hum all the time, and im using a daisy chain (1 spot) im thinking mabey theres no enough microamps im looking into building a pedal board with a DC brick that might help. To reduce the hum, i usually always have my compressor on, but it still hums. There is also another problem with the power. The pilot light dims and eventually has no life to it at all, but i dont lookse power. I used to loose volume to, but i dont think i do anymore since i replaced the Pre amp tubes and the power tubes. Does anyone have any good ideas as to what it might be, or better yet what it is.


Thank you

P.S. I have also replaces all of my cables. So i dont think it is them.

[Amp Kat]

Several things , The pilot light dimming IMO is either a bad connection or a shorted tube or other short causing excessive current draw because the pilot light is tied to the 6.3 volt heater circuit. Take the power tubes out and see if it goes away. Power tubes in a class 50 (EL-84's ) ware out very fast and could be causing all of your problems but it could be other things too. First isolate the amp by taking all of the pedals off and going straight into the amp guitar and cable only. Does the hum go down ? Next turn the reverb all the way down and disconnect the cables if you can. Still hum ? Take a signal from the send jack and route it to the input of another amp. Still hum ? Change the preamp tubes and try again. Could be filter caps or other components and at that point I'd send it to a tech and have it checked out.

[darkstashcrashes]

I replaced all the Power and pre amps a week ago. When i go straight guitar to amp there is no hum. I will go down the list of the possible problems and end with filter caps. I really don't have a very good knowledge of amps and there is no tech's around where i live. Thank you very much for the help.

[MWJB]

First thing first, change the pilot bulb, old bulbs can flicker & dim and it can have nothing to do with any excessive current draw. It would be a good idea to invest in some bias probes and see what kind of current your new EL84s draw (or simply play through the amp and watch the tubes for signs of red plating in the EL84s for a non-scientific test).

If you have no hum with guitar straight into amp, the problem is not with the guitar or the amp.

[Amp Kat]

I agree with Mark that if it's not humming straight in it's not the amp. Check each cable in between those pedals and each box seperately.

[cbarrow7625]

Are you running those pedals off of a power supply or batteries? The power supply can inject a lot of hum into the system, especially if you are drawing more current than it is designed to handle. The peadls will work, you'll just have lots of power supply ripple causing hum.

The flickering bulb may not be related at all. I agree with the other guys, try replacing it. It doesn't sound like the amp is causing the hum.

Try removing one pedal at a time from your rig to see if it is being caused by one single pedal. If that doesn't do it try removing them one at a time (and leave them out) until the hum subsides - that should show you if it is from a noisy, over-taxed power supply. Alternatively, run all of the pedals on batteries and see if the hum is still there, it should not be - batteries don't hum.

If none of that works, you probably have a bad cable in the chain somewhere.

Good Luck

Chris

[Enzo]

Me too, if the amp does not hum with ONLY the guitar plugged in then it is NOT the amp.

Instead of removing one pedal at a time, I'd do it the other way, ADD one at a time starting with none and see who adds noise. Trying to run a slew of pedals from one common power source is a good way to get noise.

I'd bet the flickering pilot light is a loose bulb.

[captntasty]

Just some anecdotal evidence to consider... I used a 1-spot for some time and had a problem with hum - perhaps buzz is a better word. I did some research and they are notorious for noise. I switched to a "brick" type power supply and the noise is gone. You might try to make a distinction between hum and buzz - it might be significant in diagnosing the problem.