.50 Calber + fizzling out (fizzle)

I recently (last week) purchased a .50 Caliber + combo. This is my first Boogie. This weekend, about an hour into playing, the amp cut out. I can turn it off and back on and it will play for a few minutes and it goes out again. If it is completely cool, it lasts for about 20-40 minutes before it goes out. I really like this amp and was hoping someone had some insight as to what may be the problem. I have read this forum and have some clues, but I would like one of the experts to comment and hopefully point me in the right direction.

Does the sound cut out completely or is there still some hiss?
Does it make a crackling sound?
Do both channels cut out?

Sounds like tubes to me, but without seeing it in person, it's pretty hard to tell.
Try changing all of the tubes. I know it's a little expensive, but your amp will thank you graciously with even better tone than you had before.


Also, is this a combo or a head?
TRY THIS AT LOW TO MEDIUM VOLUME!
Check your speaker cable and the connection on the speaker if it's a combo.
If you wiggle the cable when the amp cuts out, does the sound come back?

No hiss. Kind of scratchy noise when I play while its out.

I had two different speakers. The one in the combo (answered another question) and an EV cabinet. When I turn the power off and back on, it usually comes back on immediately but cuts back out within a minute or so. I have watched the tubes while this was occurring and noticed nothing abnormal. I may have blinked though. The outage will occur whether I am playing or not and both channels do go out. I have also read about LDRs being an issue with this model. I may try to test that theory tonight. I am probably going to get some tubes anyway, but this thing is so scary loud with what is in it I almost hate to mess with the tubes.

Well,

I spoke with a tech from Mesa-Boogie and he also told me to check the effects loop on this amp. Apparently there is a switch type jack that gives some problems on this model. My only problem is...it won't cut out now. I have been playing for hours trying to make it cut out but it wont. Oh well... :roll:

bigolsparky said:

Well,

I spoke with a tech from Mesa-Boogie and he also told me to check the effects loop on this amp. Apparently there is a switch type jack that gives some problems on this model. My only problem is...it won't cut out now. I have been playing for hours trying to make it cut out but it wont. Oh well... :roll:

Click to expand...

Yes FX loops can do this.Not just this amp. Almost all loops have contacts that must close in thier jacks when nothing is plugged into it. If it does do it again put a cord from the return to the send and see if it 'fixes" it.You can pull the chassis and spray them with contact cleaner(loop jacks) while working a plug in and out a few times. Bob

BobR said:

bigolsparky said:

Well,

I spoke with a tech from Mesa-Boogie and he also told me to check the effects loop on this amp. Apparently there is a switch type jack that gives some problems on this model. My only problem is...it won't cut out now. I have been playing for hours trying to make it cut out but it wont. Oh well... :roll:

Click to expand...

Yes FX loops can do this.Not just this amp. Almost all loops have contacts that must close in thier jacks when nothing is plugged into it. If it does do it again put a cord from the return to the send and see if it 'fixes" it.You can pull the chassis and spray them with contact cleaner(loop jacks) while working a plug in and out a few times. Bob

Click to expand...

I removed my amp chassis and did a good cleaning this weekend. I had a can of contact cleaner, so I doused all of my pots as well as my jacks while working them and all of the stars have realigned. My amp no longer cuts out. My pots are no longer scratchy (I only had one scratchy one). I have been doing some serious studying on the controls and I am really loving the tone coming out of this amp now. I am running an EV 2X15 4 ohm cab as an extension (kinda like a refrigerator).
Sounds awesome.

BobR said:

bigolsparky said:

Well,

I spoke with a tech from Mesa-Boogie and he also told me to check the effects loop on this amp. Apparently there is a switch type jack that gives some problems on this model. My only problem is...it won't cut out now. I have been playing for hours trying to make it cut out but it wont. Oh well... :roll:

Click to expand...

Yes FX loops can do this.Not just this amp. Almost all loops have contacts that must close in thier jacks when nothing is plugged into it. If it does do it again put a cord from the return to the send and see if it 'fixes" it.You can pull the chassis and spray them with contact cleaner(loop jacks) while working a plug in and out a few times. Bob

Click to expand...

I had a Peavey Rockmaster preamp once, it had like 3 or 4 fx loops and you had to spray contact cleaner in each jack and take the tip of a 1/4 cable and work it in and out or the preamp wouldn't work properly, man what a pain in the *** that was!
Glad your .50Cal is working now.

scottcrud said:

BobR said:

bigolsparky said:

Well,

I spoke with a tech from Mesa-Boogie and he also told me to check the effects loop on this amp. Apparently there is a switch type jack that gives some problems on this model. My only problem is...it won't cut out now. I have been playing for hours trying to make it cut out but it wont. Oh well... :roll:

Click to expand...

Yes FX loops can do this.Not just this amp. Almost all loops have contacts that must close in thier jacks when nothing is plugged into it. If it does do it again put a cord from the return to the send and see if it 'fixes" it.You can pull the chassis and spray them with contact cleaner(loop jacks) while working a plug in and out a few times. Bob

Click to expand...

I had a Peavey Rockmaster preamp once, it had like 3 or 4 fx loops and you had to spray contact cleaner in each jack and take the tip of a 1/4 cable and work it in and out or the preamp wouldn't work properly, man what a pain in the *** that was!
Glad you .50Cal is working now.

Click to expand...

Still have a Rockmaster. I leave patch cables in the unused loops1 bob