NAD: 80s Session Duette 110 & question

scarry67

A sentimental eBay purchase to remind me of mate’s amp back in student days. Near mint although reverb and volume pots are a bit noisy. Here’s the question - guitar straight into amp is a bit hissy. But Boss GT001 into fx return and it’s silent as tomb in terms of any background noise. Is it possible to get rid of background noise on an old solid state amp?! 

ICBM

If it’s quiet going into the FX return, the hiss is coming from the preamp, which is all-IC. You could replace the ICs with lower-noise versions.

impmann

Contact Stewart Ward (http://www.award-session.com/) - he quietened down one of my Sessionettes. I can't remember what it was in the preamp he changed, but something had 'drifted'.

scarry67

Thanks, gents. Is this kind of service/replacement cheap? (E.g. nicely under £50...) I don't have skills to approach innards of amp confidently or even safely.

impmann

Well... it rather depends on the hourly rate you are paying the skilled technican to repair it... I have no idea what Stewart charges these days but it may be worth an email.

57Deluxe

Welcome to the Session Connoisseurs Club! Currently into my 32nd year of continuous usage/ownership of my Rockette 30 with only one blown fuse and one leaky capacitor (fixed by simply  jumpering the FX loop) to fault.

scarry67

I think they look great and a bit of switch cleaner worked well on most pots. Has Machinehead Music sticker on back (where I once bought a Gordon Smith 12 string for £195 cash...) and a price sticker from another shop of £93! This one was from eBay pawn shop in Essex. A good journey.