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old crate valvestate ?

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  • old crate valvestate ?

    I have an older early 90's era crate g130 watt valvestate head the problem is that when you turn it on it will have sound and then it will cut out and hum a little but not signal. Any ideas of what the problem might be? Thanks

  • #2
    I'm thinking it's the input jack. Crate's have the jack soldered right to the circuit board and almost every one I've opened up has had a failed solder joint(s) from the tension between the jack in it's chassis hole and the board. You will need to open it up and take it apart to get at it though.
    Does it cut out using the oither input?
    Sometimes I'm good, then I'm bad..
    http://www.evacuatedelectronics.com

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    • #3
      I believe so i'll have to check it out though.

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      • #4
        Take a spare cord and plug it into the effects send jack, and then the other end right back into the effects return. If that restores the sound, the return jack cutout contact need service. Won't hurt to resolder it as well.

        ANother Crate problem is large cement power resistors breaking free. Check the solder under all the large rectangular cement power resistors, especially the longer 10 watt ones.

        On any Crate solid state amp I open, I always resolder the power resistors, taking up any slack in the leads while doing so. I resolder the jacks, and check the solder under the controls. ANd I MEASURE the resistance of the cutout contact on every jack. It should read less that half an ohm, essentially whatever your leads measure. If it reads like 1 or 2 ohms, it will work, but a reading that high shows the contacts as oxidized and they WILL cause intermittent problems. For example, the FS jack contacts go bad and the amp will switch channel on you all by itself.

        A burnishing tool drawn through those contacts will restore them. Lacking that, a little strip of cardboard will work.
        Education is what you're left with after you have forgotten what you have learned.

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        • #5
          +1 on the effects loop. Totally forgot about that. Sage advice from Enzo.
          Sometimes I'm good, then I'm bad..
          http://www.evacuatedelectronics.com

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          • #6
            Thanks guys i'll check it out and let ya know what i find.

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