The problems you are having seem to be fairly common with these amps (I have a Performer 1000).  I don't have much that I can offer in way of a soloution, but it has been suggested that the tube in the drive channel may be at least part of the problem.  The heat that it generates may cause solder connections to melt and result in cold solder joints.  I actually need to open mine up and see what I can figure out.

Hello all.  I'm new here and am looking forward to learning as much as I can about amps.  I have a Fender Performer 1000 which had been giving me problems for a while; it's practicaly unusable and one step away from going into the trash.  Some of the amp's strange behaviors include:

* Intermittent sound.
* Loud crackling an popping noises.
* Momentary channel switching.
* Variable volume levels.
* Reduced output.
* Sudden, unexpected volume spikes.
* Touching any knobs (volume, EQ) will result in crackling.

I've read a few reviews of the Performer and its RocPro successor (well after I had gotten mine) and it seems that part of the problem may be the vaccum tube in the drive channel; it heats up and wrecks havoc on the solder connections.  I have not attempted to do anything to it yet, but I 'd be more than willing to get rid of tube.  I really like the amp's clean sound and prefer to use pedals for distoriton.  Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thanks.