Solid State Guitar Amp Forum | DIY Guitar Amplifiers

Hi everybody, what a great cite for us broke musicians to get good advise. Thanks! I have a CRATE gx40C

solid state amp. I think around a 1994 with a digital sound processor. When I play it, both clean and

distortion channels cut out. Sometimes I can keep playing and the sound will

come back. Some times if I cycle the power It will start working

again. If I turn up the gain and volume all the way and play a

chord, I can faintly hear the guitar sound coming through.

Sometimes if I strike a chord with the gain all the way up and

turn the vol. up to max while I strike the chord, the sound will

return. This trick use to work, but now it will cut out again

after a minute of play. The power light never goes out when this

happens. any ideas?  Thanks again. Aaron

Yes, start by squirting a little contact cleaner (worst case a *little* WD40) into the Power Amp In or Loop Return jack and work a plug in/out a few times, you probably have a dirty/rusty contact there.
Do not use too much WD40 if that's your only option, you'll mess everything with the remaining oil.
Post results, whichever they are. :tu:

Yes It worked! I bought electrical contact cleaner and removed the head. Cleaned all the pots and 1/4" jacks, push buttons, and pin connectors. Even sprayed some on the foot switch (the chorus switch hasn't worked for a long time) Everything works like new! I even armor-alled the cabinet and it almost looks brand new. I have owned/played this amp for 17 years and am happy to have it all working again. Thanks for the advise. Aaron

Yay!   :dbtu:

It's amazing what a bit of a techno-clean can achieve.  A large proportion of problems with electronics generally are due to dirt in the wrong place.  ;)