Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

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wesmiller94@live.com
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Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

I'm new to the forum so I apologize in advance if I am not on the right board for this.

I recently built a Dumble Steel String Singer #002 and, after playing for many hours yesterday, the reverb started to cut out for about one minute here and there before coming back. Everything else seems to be working fine when this happens. Therefore, this is likely somewhat isolated. The tank was fairly new, and I don't think it was handled too roughly before the final build.

Troubleshooting tools at my disposal:
  • Quality True RMS Multimeter
  • Oscilloscope
As this continues, I will post updates. I plan to create a reverb crash when it cuts out next time for starters. I have checked the RCA style tank wires they seem to be connected fine. Any other tips would be great. I am trying to avoid removing the chassis if I can.
Last edited by wesmiller94@live.com on Mon Nov 16, 2020 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stevem
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by Stevem »

What might a SSS#002 be?
When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!

Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
wesmiller94@live.com
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

It's a Dumble amplifier, or a clone of one at least. I think general tips for troubleshooting the reverb section of an amp for a symptom like that is all I'd need. They are kind of fender-ish.
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pompeiisneaks
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by pompeiisneaks »

intermittent faults can be a pain sometimes. It can be a component like a resistor or capacitor, in the signal chain, that is faulty but only goes south as it heats up from use. It could be a solder connection that as it heats up, also starts cutting out.

The most common tool for tracing this kind of problem is to get a wooden chopstick, wait for it to start failing and probe around that part of the circuit seeing if a specific area causes the noise to go away or get worse etc.

I think Stevem's comment might be more that the amp is a dumble and a lot of the dumble specific knowledge tends to live in the 'Dumble Discussion' thread, I'm pretty sure he knows what one is...

But I could be mistaken.

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wesmiller94@live.com
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

Ill try that and I can move this to the Dumble area. I didn't see that board before.
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by sluckey »

Check the easy stuff first. When it cuts out wiggle cables, footswitch, and tubes.
wesmiller94@live.com
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

It also seems to come back if I turn the reverb on an off with the switch on the tone stack.
wesmiller94@live.com
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Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

I am reposting this here after I posted this on the wrong forum. I was wondering if anyone could help me out.

I recently built a Dumble Steel String Singer #002 and, after playing for many hours yesterday, the reverb started to cut out for about one minute here and there before coming back. Everything else seems to be working fine when this happens. Therefore, this is likely somewhat isolated. The tank was fairly new, and I don't think it was handled too roughly before the final build.

Troubleshooting tools at my disposal:
  • Quality True RMS Multimeter
  • Oscilloscope
As this continues, I will post updates. I plan to create a reverb crash when it cuts out next time for starters. I have checked the RCA style tank wires they seem to be connected fine. Any other tips would be great. I am trying to avoid removing the chassis if I can.
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erwin_ve
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by erwin_ve »

Hi Wesley,

Some obvous things when troubleshooting my own 002:
Ground points at the cinch jacks.
Check tube on reverb and recover and mix(on the signal board).

Can you trace with signal gen and scope: from the volume pot to the reverb in and see where signal has issue?

Erwin
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by pompeiisneaks »

There's no need to create a duplicate thread, I've moved the original to the right place and merged the two.

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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

Thanks for merging that.
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Re: Help Troubleshooting Reverb Cutting Out for Short Periods

Post by wesmiller94@live.com »

Well I think I got it. It was a poorly soldered footswitch jack. The ground was making a connection with the switch wire.

I poked the wire with a straw and it started to crackle. Once I poked it a little bit harder, the reverb cut out and came back when the pressure was released. Since I rewired/soldered it, it hasn't cut out since. I checked everything else while I was in there and it all seems pretty solid. If it happens again I'll be surprised.

Thanks for all the tips guys. I was primarily concerned it would be something way harder to find (like my last issue).
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