JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Guitars and Guitarist Forum My amp blew up.

Hey everyone. I'm new to this message board and need some help.

A few years ago I was given an old amp by one of my friends. It's a Fender "Bassman Ten." Here is some info on it: http://www.bgra.net/2004/review.php?id=62&type=combo

It was a pretty cool amp but eventually I think I overpowered it with a pedal and the thing started smoking. Haha. Unfortunately I don't know anything about gear, so I had no idea that this would happen. It stopped working and has been sitting in my room ever since. I was wondering how difficult it would be for me to fix whatever went wrong with it. I don't know anything about amps, really, so I don't know if I'll have to replace a tube, or if it's something more serious. How can I go about telling what fizzled out in flames? Will it be expensive?

I'd really appreciate any help or words of wisdom.

Hi wry and watchful,

I'll take a stab at this; I'm a technician.

Even after unplugging an amp, there can be high voltages present that can shock the crap out of you. Power supply capacitors, if you know what that means. Though I know how to eliminate these dangers, it would be irresponsible of me to try to describe this for you.

These are the tubes: 12AX7, 12AT7 and two 6L6. The 12AX7 and 12AT7 are smaller pre-amp tubes, the 6L6s are physically bigger final output tubes. You could probably remove the tubes(AMP UNPLUGGED, AND YES, I AM SCREAMING HERE) and have them checked if you know someone with a tube tester or a similar amp which uses the same tubes. You want to avoid getting the oil from your hand on the glass of the vacuum tubes; use a clean rag when removing the tubes. After an amp has been on, they can be quite hot also.

Having said that, I think it is more likely something else burned up other than a tube, but one never knows, do one? If you were in northwest GA, I'd take a look at it for you. Then I'd probably point my finger at it, and laugh out loud. Good luck,

Back in the 70's I worked at a TV shop. We would repair Amps for a local music store. One time they brought in two amplifiers that would set off the protection circuts and wouldn't work. I ended up replacing the power transformers. That fixed them. That would be my first guess as what your amp needs. If you have a music store you can take the amp to, they probably have a service for repair. You may find someone on the Net you can ship it to if not. The amps I repaired sound like your amp.

What Ray said. There are a lot of certified Fender tech's out there. If'n yer not the kind of person who would change their own oil in your car or replace a hard drive in your computer, you would be better off letting a pro do it for ya...

Hi,
By the time you pay labor/parts to have this amp fixed, you'll be real close to the price of a new amp, which is part of the reason I got out of the repair business. Especially this amp, which sounds like a low-watt amp.(Ten watts, right?)

I just bought a Fender Frontman 25 watt amp.
$150.
The tube version is around $200.
I just wanted a small practice amp(I use a Twin live)for around the house.
It works well and sounds good for the money.
Vox,Marshall & Pig Nose also make similar priced amps.

The Fender Bassman 10 is a piggy-back with 4-10" speakers. Might be 60 watts. Its one of those big old things we used in the 60's and 70's. I had an Ampeg V-2. I still think an authorized Fender repairman would be the best bet. They are everywhere and not at all expensive.

If you don't know how to determine what is wrong with it, then you do not have enough knowledge to fix it properly anyway. Definitely take it to a repairman. It might not be as expensive as you might think and it would definitely be worth keeping it in working order.

I just got a Hot Rod Deviile I own worked on, couple of tubes, a resistor, jack plugs replaced...dropped it off, 2 weeks later, ready to go, $75...the smoking does make me think it's a transformer...good luck with it...oh and welcome to JPF...Moker

Dude that amp is toast...you should pack it up immediately and send it to me so I can dispose of it properly for you...j/k of course, is there a decent repair shop near you? I'm lucky to have two near me, and good long term working relationships with both, as I tend to stay with older tube amps, and they can be awfully finicky from time to time. Good luck, I've used one of those and it's a VERY cool amp.
Peace, Doc