Had a Spinal Tap Amp Moment

[ingeneri]

So I'm sitting in for the first time since moving to Malaysia and am eager/anxious to make a good first impression on what is a pretty tight scene here. Unfortunately, when I turned my amp on I started getting this scratchy interference, like when someone stands too close with a cell phone. Or more infamously, like Nigel Tufnel geting SAC base radio commands through his Marshall in Spina Tap.

 

I had a decent thick guitar cable, a three prong plug and ground swich on the amp, and was plugged into a power bar at a new and presumably well wired club (amazing acoustics btw). The pianist who invited me was about to pull the plug literally when, fortunately, the interference and static magically went away. After that, the amp was fine even if my playing was a bit anxious and rough.

 

So who know why this happens and what are the ways to prevent it in the future?

[yoslate]

Matt, had you told us of the move, and I just missed it. Hope this is a good move for you. How long have you been there, and how long is the stay, if I may ask. Good friend of mine used to spend a lot of time in Malaysia in the late 70's, early 80's. He was quite fond of it! Good luck! No idea what your electrical gremlins might have been...amp get jostled a lot in transit? Assuming it was the Deluxe?

[koula901]

Matt,

 

Perhaps you accidentally turned your amp up to '11' and that made it happy ; )

[tulk1]

Gutsy move, Matt. Electrical Gremlins --- gotta be.

[barrymclark]

I didn't know you moved to Malaysia! I had a buddy move back there. I haven't spoken with him in a bit. I have to reach out and contact Ridzi.

 

Anyways, that is quite a Spinal Tap moment! haha.

 

We actually had one one of those in a band I once played for and it occured at a recording session. Somehow... it worked with the song we played so we left it. haha. You can hear it at the end of the recording.

 

After that, we opened up for a puppet show. (not really. That was just one of my favorite parts of the movie. That and 'dusting for vomit')

[ingeneri]

"If I told them once I told them a thousand times: Spinal Tap then puppett show!"

 

The amp was my Jazzkat Twinkat solid state (http://www.jazzkatamps.com/twk.htm). I'm suspecting it was the transformer. I took the Twinkat because it's dual voltage, but forgot the screw driver to get access to the switch. So ended up using a small tranformer to bring things down to 110. Ironically, I get less P-90 hum here with either the Jazzkat or the Deluxe than I did in any of the clubs I played in back in DC.

 

Been in KL for two months, plan to be here for 3 years. Checked the Super on the plane using a clam case, and am pleased to report absolutely no problems. Highly recommend these for travelling: http://www.casextreme.com/

 

The 525 and D'angelico copy went sea freight, which was a bit nerve wracking given the three months across the pacific and tropical heat hear. I used Planet waves humidipaks with both, and they arrived without even needing a new set up.