Crate Vintage Club 30 Squeal

[martin manning]

Did this problem get solved? I have a VC30 with similar symptoms that a friend asked me to look at. Googling around, it seems that this is a recurring problem. I haven't moved beyond the visual inspection stage yet, but the amp I have here can be kicked into a high frequency oscillation (maybe 12-14kHz, judging by ear) with a sharp strike on the guitar's treble strings, and there is also a distortion riding on lower notes. One odd thing I noticed is that both grid stoppers on one side of the power stage are discolored from overheating. They still test within spec, though.