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Old 02-02-2023, 06:50 PM
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Default Speaking of guitars

I did not want to high jack previous thread about guitars. I bought a used Stratocaster and amp and I do not get any sound out of the amp. When I turn volume up on amp I can hear it hum higher but strumming strings no sound. This is my first guitar just something I thought I would try to keep my rusty mind a little sharper. I also started playing chess again but that is another journey into frustration at times. Anyway is amp the problem or could it be the guitar? I have a new cable I bought for guitar. Amp is a used sp10 and guitar looks like this. I paid 125 for amp and guitar

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Old 02-02-2023, 07:05 PM
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Put finger on cable center pin to verify hum gets much louder. And report back.

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Old 02-02-2023, 09:15 PM
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There are few things to check. Rather than list them all here, check this out, it overs most common things:

https://www.guitarinsideout.com/guit...-but-no-sound/

Some common ones are make sure your cables are fully plugged into the correct jack and the Amp is not on standby.

If you get stumped you could take them both to a music shop and try the guitar with a known amp and vice versa.

If it's a tube amp check the tubes. Also, if it's a tube amp don't touch anything inside because you can get electrocuted, even if the amp is unplugged and off. The tubes themselves are safe to touch as long as the amp is off and they are cooled down.

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Last edited by jhein; 02-02-2023 at 09:23 PM.
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Old 02-02-2023, 09:19 PM
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Working or not, $125 for a Stratocaster and amp is a smoking deal!

James Q

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Old 02-02-2023, 10:18 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud View Post
Put finger on cable center pin to verify hum gets much louder. And report back.
Okay I did that and did not get any louder. Does that mean amp is bad?

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Old 02-03-2023, 02:45 AM
JLBIII JLBIII is offline
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Put everything on 10. Try both clean and gain channel. See if you get any sounds or hum out if the amp.

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Old 02-03-2023, 09:23 AM
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2017-08-09_09-04-14 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

Best of both worlds!

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Old 02-03-2023, 09:28 AM
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Agree with taking both to a store - or a guitar bud - to determine which piece is at fault.
Strats are pretty easy to work on with just a screwdriver and soldering iron but I leave most amp repairs to a pro. I’m thinking amp but in any event good luck and enjoy but warning - electric guitars are like cars - once you get going you’ll want bigger louder dirtier … whatever��.

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Old 02-03-2023, 11:24 AM
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Or, if you have a multimeter, plug a cable into the guitar, turn the volume up all the way and put your leads on other end of the cable/plug. Set for Ohms. You should get a reading somewhere around 5-7. If you get nothing, try moving the pickup selector to all positions.

And don't forget a lot of amps have the standby switch on the back somewhere that may not be obvious.

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https://youtube.com/shorts/gG15nb4FWeo?feature=share

Last edited by jhein; 02-03-2023 at 12:09 PM.
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Old 02-03-2023, 12:51 PM
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Well following what you guys were saying found this youtube video. I am pretty sure it is the amp. No sound when tapping on the cord. I also used a flashlight and it looks like the plug jack is bad. The top tang is discolored dark blue like it got to hot. I am going to take to a guitar store to verify though and see how much to would cost to fix. Thanks for the advice and party on dudes
Hey TA Kerry is that a T-shirt, if so where did you get it>
https://youtube.com/watch?v=8zICc_JLz2A&feature=shares

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  #11  
Old 02-03-2023, 12:56 PM
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Call Randy in Atlanta, he’s a Firebird guy and restores guitars. Pm me if your int.

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  #12  
Old 02-03-2023, 12:59 PM
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If the amp in question is a Squier SP10, it would in all likelihood cost more to fix than used value. There are lots of great options for inexpensive low watt practice amps on the market today (with or without built-in effects). Do a quick search on your local Craigslist.

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Old 02-03-2023, 04:15 PM
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Try a new cord. I am going to assume it came with the original plastic molded plugs and super thin wire. Fold it back on itself and it's over.

If it's a Squier "starter-pak" kind of amp and proves to be the problem, as others have said, it's not worth fixing. If you have to go amp shopping for something cheap to replace it, a used Vox AVDT30 is a really nice, reliable modelling amp with lots of voices and built in effects.

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  #14  
Old 02-03-2023, 09:57 PM
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It could be a loose jack in the guitar/loose wire attached to it. Sounds like the input jack got fried with that blue color thing going on. It depends if it's a "surface mount" jack, meaning it's directly soldered to the main circuit board, or if it's attached with wires.

Surface mount, screwing with their solder bath wiring...No Effing Way.

That's why I play all point to point hand wired amps, such as this gratuitous Marshall stack display currently in my pool room.

The 67 stack on the far right used to be owned by Brian May of Queen, then George Lynch of Dokken (he's a client).

The nearest one is a 68 Marshall stack. The one in the middle (purple) is the prototype cabs for Steve Stevens of Billy Idol in 2010. The others are more unobtanium pieces...



The placement of these cabs & amps were my wife's idea. You want to know the definition of a keeper? There you go.

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Old 02-03-2023, 10:41 PM
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figured you would show up sooner or later!Tom

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Old 02-03-2023, 10:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom s View Post
figured you would show up sooner or later!Tom
LOL, I've got enough gear here to fill the stage at Woodstock (the real one in 69). I really need to work on my playing, you can't take 14 months off and sound like you're usual self...sadly.

  #17  
Old 02-04-2023, 12:39 AM
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George Lynch....wow

  #18  
Old 02-04-2023, 01:34 PM
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Guys, you can't "fry" an input jack on an amplifier. The only parts that aren;t metal are the insulators (phenolic). Have you never soldered? The blue color on the soldering tabs is the plating's reaction to the heat applied by the soldering gun to attach the leads.
'
OP, if you are using a known, good connecting cable plugged into the amp, you will get a loud hum when you hold the other plug end in your hand and touch the tip. You're grounding the circuit and causing the hum. If that isn't happening, then the problem is in the cord or the amp. Just make sure the replacement connecting cable isn't also defective by plugging into a working amp at the music store.

If the cable is good, then the jack (receptacle for the plug) in the amp is suspect #1. It should make firm (snap-in) contact with the cable's plug tip and have 2 wires soldered in place. If that is the case, then the issue is deeper in the amp. If the amp-on light is lit, you have power. If not, the switch or transformer is damaged. If you have power and no sound, in all likelihood, the output transformer is burnt out. The small solid state amps use a switching transformer rather than a permanent magnet type because the former is cheaper and that's just how they roll and they are typically the weakest link.

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  #19  
Old 02-04-2023, 01:54 PM
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Duh, forget the obvious ... take the back of the amp off if needed to access the speaker. If the cabinet is open-backed, no need. Make the speaker wires are connected.

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  #20  
Old 02-05-2023, 12:34 AM
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A fuse in the amp?

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