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Clicking guitar amp


lemmywinks
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Hi all

I wonder if anyone could shed some light on a problem my lodger is having with his amp, a 70s Yamaha B212 combo.
It's developed a "clicking" sound, more noticeable when treble is turned up, the rear pickup is selected or when hands aren't in contact with the strings/hardware.


We've swapped leads and it still does it. Also plugged my bass in and it does it when the treble knob is anywhere but rolled off.
The amp also has 2 seperate channels, each with seperate high and low inputs (making 4 total inputs) and it does it with all of them.

Sound clip attached. What do we think?

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[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1170976' date='Mar 21 2011, 05:52 PM']Hi all

I wonder if anyone could shed some light on a problem my lodger is having with his amp, a 70s Yamaha B212 combo.
It's developed a "clicking" sound, more noticeable when treble is turned up, the rear pickup is selected or when hands aren't in contact with the strings/hardware.


We've swapped leads and it still does it. Also plugged my bass in and it does it when the treble knob is anywhere but rolled off.
The amp also has 2 seperate channels, each with seperate high and low inputs (making 4 total inputs) and it does it with all of them.

Sound clip attached. What do we think?[/quote]

Is it a fairly regular clicking?

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[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1171108' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:06 PM']Yeah like a metronome.

Should probably leave it really, he could do with it![/quote]

You mean git. :)

It sounds to me like an electrolytic breaking down (hence the rhythmic click as it discharges, recovers and then discharges again).
Problem is going to be locating which one it is - they are a s*d to test and I can't find a circuit diagram for a B212.

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[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1171152' date='Mar 21 2011, 07:33 PM']Is that likely to be an expensive repair? Also will it damage the amp in any way?
It used to be fine, he's only noticed it in the last day or so and has had the amp for a while.[/quote]

It has the potential to be expensive in labour.
If it is an electrolytic breaking down then the parts aren't hugely expensive, the hard part is going to be working out which part it actually is - you can't just stick a meter across it ot see if it's working or not.

Edited by icastle
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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1171208' date='Mar 21 2011, 08:10 PM']I presume so but ever since I started wearing the tinfoil hat I've not noticed it much.[/quote]

Tinfoil hat? :)

Man, what a let down... :lol:

I was expecting copper tape and a trailing lead to a ray bridge... :)

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[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1171290' date='Mar 21 2011, 08:50 PM']I've emailed Yamaha for a circuit diagram and their opinion on it, their customer service has a really good reputation so hopefully they'll come up with the goods.


Is it harmful to use the amp as it is?[/quote]

Probably not, kinda depends what is causing the click.
It doesn't sound particularly devastating so I'd probably risk using it - it's certainly not going to damage you or your lodger.

Something else has occured to me actually - have you tried taking it to the opposite floor you are using it on (i.e. if upstairs, take it downstairs and vice versa)?
Sometimes things like fridges and central heating controls can put a juicy enough spike on the ring main to create a click...

EDIT: If you scan/photograph the circuit diagram and post it then I might be able to narrow it down a bit further for you.

Edited by icastle
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[quote name='icastle' post='1171317' date='Mar 21 2011, 09:07 PM']Probably not, kinda depends what is causing the click.
It doesn't sound particularly devastating so I'd probably risk using it - it's certainly not going to damage you or your lodger.

Something else has occured to me actually - have you tried taking it to the opposite floor you are using it on (i.e. if upstairs, take it downstairs and vice versa)?
Sometimes things like fridges and central heating controls can put a juicy enough spike on the ring main to create a click...

EDIT: If you scan/photograph the circuit diagram and post it then I might be able to narrow it down a bit further for you.[/quote]


Ok cheers bud, thanks for the offer.
It's been used in exactly the same spot for ages without any problems, we did change our fridge but it's been fine for as long as he's had it.

I'll get him to try it upstairs, he hates moving it though as it's pretty heavy so it might be a while! Absolutely brilliant amp though, they go for about a ton and sound great. Stupidly loud too!

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[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1171348' date='Mar 21 2011, 09:22 PM']Ok cheers bud, thanks for the offer.
It's been used in exactly the same spot for ages without any problems, we did change our fridge but it's been fine for as long as he's had it.

I'll get him to try it upstairs, he hates moving it though as it's pretty heavy so it might be a while! Absolutely brilliant amp though, they go for about a ton and sound great. Stupidly loud too![/quote]

If you were a nice guy you'd tell him to run an extension lead from upstairs... :)

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[quote name='icastle' post='1171356' date='Mar 21 2011, 09:26 PM']If you were a nice guy you'd tell him to run an extension lead from upstairs... :)[/quote]


Well seeing as he's currently using my good extension lead as a "temporary" solution to power his computer (and has been doing since he moved in)i think i'll let him cart the amp upstairs!

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[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1171394' date='Mar 21 2011, 09:48 PM']Well seeing as he's currently using my good extension lead as a "temporary" solution to power his computer (and has been doing since he moved in)i think i'll let him cart the amp upstairs![/quote]

In that case - tell him afterwards... :)

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