Brand New Crate V18 Tube - Loud Hum When Plugged In, No Guitar Sound!

[pumblechook114]

I just got my brand new Crate V18-112 amp in today, took it out of the box, plugged it in and let it warm up in anticipation... and I get nothing but a loud hum.

Does anyone have any thoughts on why this could be on a brand spanking new amp? I've tried plugging in two different guitars with two different cables, as well as plugging the amp into multiple outlets... still the same result. When the amp is turned on and in standby mode, everything seems as it should... but when I flip the standby on, the loud hum increases when I have the guitar plugged in and I turn up the gain/level. It only produces this loud hum when a cable is plugged into the input.

Help! I'm a complete newbie when it comes to amps, but am pretty technology savvy. I really don't want to send it back to where I bought it (bought it online), but if I have no choice then thats that. I'm hoping its something simple that will allow me to avoid that outcome. Any help is much appreciated!

[Chuck H]

"It only produces this loud hum when a cable is plugged into the input."

The problem is likely in the early preamp stages. The first thing to try is another preamp tube. After that you'd need to crack it open. And I wouldn't do that with an "out of the box amp". I'd send it back.

Chuck

[Enzo]

I don't know where you are, but there are Crate service centers scattered all over the country.

The amp has a warranty, this is what the warranty is for. CONTACT the seller. It would be HIS responsibility to get the amp back. usually they send you a "call tag." That is a prepaid UPS shipping label. Seal the amp back into its box, and slap this label on it and take it to a UPS store or other UPS shipper or even call UPS for pickup.

They all have a certain amount of product that does not arrive in working condition at the customer's place. They have ways of dealing with it. They cannot help you unless you call them. The Crate people don't want you to have a non-working amp, the online seller does not want you to have a non-working amp.

Most online places have a exchange policy anyway, so why screw around. WHo knows what got knocked loose in shipping?

CALL THEM and say, "My new amp arrived and doesn't work, please make it right."

[ricach]

Ditto - send it back on their dime. I know its a bummer since you probably anxiously awaited for it to arrive, but you paid for a new, working, amp. You don't want to void the warranty and wind up dishing out more bucks because of possibly a bad tranny.

FWIW - I myself would want to use that as an excuse to crack it open - I'll use any excuse to crack an amp open - just to get familiar with it. I've got one of those (and the Palamino V16) and was wanting the schematics in hand before it even arrived.

[pumblechook114]

Thanks for your feedback guys!

It is a bummer, this is my first real amp (relatively new guitar player, I've played on friends' amp and on a small Fender Frontman), and I was really looking forward to experiencing the legendary tube sound. But alas, it shall have to wait.

Luckily there is an authorized Crate service center nearby, I'm just going to take it by there first. Hopefully they will be able to fix it without any problem. I would've loved to crack that bad boy open, but while the warranty is there I'm going to get good use of it. Thanks for your input!

[ricach]

I was really looking forward to experiencing the legendary tube sound

Don't want to burst your bubble, but don't get your expectations too high right off the bat. They've come a long way with solid state, so the lengendary 'tube' sound is not going to slap you in the face right away. It's in the nuances of how you pick your string, what notes you add or leave out of chords, pickup and pot settings on your guitar, stuff like that that can, and will, change the character of the sound. That's when you realize what tubes are all about.

While you're at the service center, see about picking up or ordering a schematic for your V18. You won't find one on the internet - or at least I haven't yet. I do have one for the V16 and I suspect there isn't much difference - but the V16 has a boost switch that is excellent. For some reason they left it off the V18 - I want to add it eventually.

[bluzjamer]

Crate Hell

Hi Guys,
Just have to toss in a few cents on these crates. Have had 3-4 in the past. The only one I didn't have problems with was a SS 2-12 GX something.
Hey I wanted a tuber.......got a club 50 -2-12 and threw my back out everytime I had to move it, ended up in the amp hospital and I finally sold it. Bought a Palimino V-32 1-12 sounded nice in the store and was cheap, got it home nothing but static.....back it went. Saw the deals at MF on V-33 2-12 and the other so I ordered the V-33 2-12. Big son of a gun and heavey too. Clean sounded real nice after a week or so the reverb started makin noise and I checked the tubes and connections. Couldn't find the trouble so back it went...it was their dime so it worked for me. Others I knew bought them and had the same results. My first two were USA amps the last came from Nam had I known that I never would have ordered it. Like I said just my $.02, take it as you like.
Bluz

[olddawg]

I do have one schematic for the V16.

Could you post it please?

[Steve Conner]

Just one small thing I'd check before sending it back... Is it possible that both your guitar cables might be broken? In my old band's practice space, you had to try 10 cables before you found one that worked.

I'd try them with another amp, or buy a new cable.

[bluzjamer]

Crate

After my bad luck with Crate I still am having some Gas for one of those V-50's....short money and 6L6's....It's so hard to resist.
Do I really need intervention?