If you hear the radio infrequently, you may have to wait until it happens again to fix it.
Try swapping your cable with a different one to see if that gets rid of the sound. Borrow one from a friend if you need to. The problem may be coming from loose interior wiring in the cable or from a worn-down end plug. Whatever the cause, though, unplugging it from the amp should tell you if that’s the source of the interference.
A quality guitar cable will last about 3 years or more, especially if you take good care of it. Avoid bending or rolling the cable, and be gentle when you unplug it from the amp.
Use a new power cord and see if that eliminates the interference. Take your amp to a new location, like a friend’s house or a workspace, and plug it in there to see if you can still hear the radio interference. If this is the issue, you’ve probably noticed other electronics in your home having similar problems. Your headphones might pick up on noise coming through your computer jack, or a stereo system might not play as clearly as it should.
Buy power cords online, from your local electronics store, or most big box stores. AWG stands for American Wire Gauge.
Of course, make sure you hear the radio coming through the amp before you start testing the controls. Otherwise, you’ll have no way to know if you find the exact cause! As you test the controls, reset each knob to its original position before moving on to the next one. This will help you eliminate switches as you go.
Remember to return each knob to its original setting before testing the next one.
Don’t try to access or adjust the wiring while the amp is turned on; you could get electrocuted.
If you’re uncertain of what you’re doing, take your amp to a technician so they can safely examine it for you. You can tell them where you suspect the problem is coming from, which will make it easier for them to repair. Test the repair by turning the amp back on and checking to hear if the radio is still coming through the speaker.
Call your local music store to see if they have a technician who works on amps. They should be able to give you an estimate for the price of the repair over the phone. Wiring problems are sometimes caused by joints that are broken, worn down, or loose. The joints have to be resoldered, which is something an amp technician can do.
For example, if you need to drive your amp from your home to a venue in the middle of winter, let your vehicle warm up before transferring the amp. Going from a warm location to a really cold location puts a lot of strain on your amp and can cause issues.
Electrical problems could mess with the wiring or joints and make interference more likely. If the amp is on and it gets wet, you could get electrocuted. Use caution if you find yourself in that situation.
While your amp is pretty hardy on the outside, the inside is made up of a lot of different pieces, some of which are very sensitive. Older amps especially are likely to get damaged if they’re knocked around too much.
Not warming up and sending lots of electricity and sound through your amp can cause a lot of wear and tear, plus the sound quality might not be as good.
Similarly, use a clean lint-free towel to wipe down the front, back, and top of your amp every few days if you’re using it regularly. This will keep dust from accumulating.
Have backup tubes available so that you have them when you need them Tube amps use actual vacuum tubes to amplify the sounds coming from your guitar. They’re popular with musicians who like more distortion in their style.
