Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: LooseChange on December 08, 2011, 03:57:32 pm

Title: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: LooseChange on December 08, 2011, 03:57:32 pm
I have a 1484 on the bench and when you turn the tremolo up, it chirps with the speed setting.
Any ideas how this can be stopped?
Tube is good.


Schematic:
http://www.el34world.com/charts/Schematics/files/silvertone/silvertone1484.pdf (http://www.el34world.com/charts/Schematics/files/silvertone/silvertone1484.pdf)
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Chirping !
Post by: Tiny_Daddy on December 08, 2011, 05:43:53 pm
Chrrping as in bursts of self-oscillation? Are the filter caps good?
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Chirping !
Post by: LooseChange on December 08, 2011, 05:51:56 pm
Yes, replaced all.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Chirping !
Post by: Tiny_Daddy on December 08, 2011, 06:54:58 pm
Still doing it if you pull the reverb driver tubes?
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Chirping !
Post by: tubeswell on December 09, 2011, 02:39:03 am
did you try another trem tube?
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Chirping / Ticking.
Post by: LooseChange on December 09, 2011, 12:06:55 pm
Tried a few tubes... All the same.
Quote
Still doing it if you pull the reverb driver tubes?
Still does it with that tube pulled.

I'd have to say it is really more like a ticking.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: Tiny_Daddy on December 09, 2011, 07:56:51 pm
Does it tick the same regardless of the trem strength setting> You may need to  change the routing of a wire.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: HotBluePlates on December 09, 2011, 11:48:38 pm
Do you have a scope? If so, could you look to see if the trem oscillator is clipping?
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: LooseChange on December 10, 2011, 07:02:23 am
Does it tick the same regardless of the trem strength setting> You may need to  change the routing of a wire.
It changes in the first half of revolution. The ticking starts at a higher tone and settles after the half turn to a lower tone.
Do you have a scope? If so, could you look to see if the trem oscillator is clipping?
No scope available.

There is a fix for trem ticking on a Fender. I need to look that up.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: sluckey on December 10, 2011, 07:22:07 am
...
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: LooseChange on December 10, 2011, 09:43:12 am
I'll try that.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: LooseChange on December 11, 2011, 11:29:47 am
Fender mod did not work BUT....  I figured it out.
Lead dress. The wire that goes from the tube to the LDR runs halfway across the amp. Directly by the grids of the power tubes too.  I rerouted and all is good.

I've worked on MANY 1484's and I have never run into this before.

Thanks for the help!

Amp back to the owner.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: Willabe on December 11, 2011, 12:21:27 pm
You Sir, are good!   :wink:  Always enjoy following one of your combat missions.


         Brad        :laugh:
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: Platefire on December 11, 2011, 09:48:39 pm
Aw! I love a good trouble shooting story with a happy ending. I was wondering what it would turn out to be? Good Job!
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: Willabe on December 11, 2011, 09:58:01 pm
BUT....  I figured it out.

Lead dress. The wire that goes from the tube to the LDR runs halfway across the amp. Directly by the grids of the power tubes too.  I rerouted and all is good.


                Brad      :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: LooseChange on December 12, 2011, 05:06:26 am

Tiny was the one who suggested a re-route... The big question was which wire!  I guess well.  :laugh:

I really like solving these type of puzzles. But I do have my limits. This one came in under that limit.

Thanks for all your help.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: TerryP on October 14, 2013, 07:00:29 am
A very late post, hopefully useful to others with this problem.
I had the same issue, chirping & ticking affected by tremelo setting.

Fortunately I had a 'scope and high voltage probe, so could look to see what was happening.
There was parasitic oscillation on the tremelo neon, bursts or continuous depending on tremelo setting. Frequency on mine was around 20kHz, but any extra capacitance (such as meter probe) on the node would give an audible squeak/squeg. My theory is that the neon was forming a relaxation oscillator with the capacitance of the connecting wire and circuitry. I isolated this capacitance with a 220k resistor in series with the neon's leg, wired between the leg and adjacent tagboard. All traces of the oscillation disappeared, along with all the audible side-effects.
Title: Re: Silvertone 1484 - Tremolo Chirping / ticking
Post by: HotBluePlates on October 14, 2013, 08:53:53 am
Now that's a handy trick!! Thanks for sharing!