screeny81 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Hey guys, I'm having an issue with my amp, which is the 350w GKMB210-ii combo. I bought it at the end of June, gigged it maybe 9 times now. It's producing a weird smell, almost like an odd TCP-ish (to my nose anyway!) kinda thing... On Sunday night we were in a multi band line-up and the sound guy told our guitarist he could smell an overheating kinda smell that was only there when we played. This made me think back to our previous gigs and I realised I had in fact thought there was an odd smell about but it just didn't click until then! I'll be the first to say I don't know what overheating really smells like, hence the vague description...but it's definitely my amp! I don't think I'm driving the amp exeptionally hard, nothing's past the 12 o'clock position, but here's a pic of my settings I've been using live: I've got the -10dB in the 'out' position, and both Limiter and Horn 'in' with the Contour 'out' as well. I play a passive Corvette $$ if that makes any difference... It's never lost volume or sound quality either which I would've thought would happen with overheating issues... So, should I be worried? I've looked up the issue online but the info and advice varies. Some say return it, others say that GK's sometime smell funny for a while when new! Any advice would be massively appreciated! Thanks in advance!! Screeny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Is the fan working on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screeny81 Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 Doesn't spin upon powering on, not sure if it should tho...are some temperature controlled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 [quote name='screeny81' timestamp='1377642580' post='2189920'] Doesn't spin upon powering on, not sure if it should tho...are some temperature controlled? [/quote] I don't think any are. The fan on my Ampeg PF500 runs from the second you switch it on. I'd get someone to check it over before you loose it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Has a cat pissed in it? Don't ask how I know what that smell like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Both my Eden and my Reidmar have fans that are temp controlled, so 'some' definitely are Hmmm warm cat piss........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 My RedSub was a bit niffy when I first got it, but it has calmed down with repeated use. Perhaps there was a blob of glue somewhere there shouldn't have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoker Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'd get it looked at just to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShergoldSnickers Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I think a lot of circuit boards - not all though - are manufactured containing phenolic compounds, and are known as phenolic cured boards. They are usually made up of a paper/phenol laminate. If they get hot, they can release phenols into the air. TCP contains phenol (carbolic acid) and halogenated phenols and is typical of the smell you'd get - there's usually an additional slightly burned aroma that comes with hot electronics though. This doesn't answer the question of whether this is supposed to happen, or if it's indicative of a problem. I have an old Naim hi-fi power amp that smells like this when driven hard, but it's fine. I think each amp has to be taken separately, so if in doubt - get it checked. An email to the manufacturer might sort this. Some amps do have temperature controlled fans - I have an Eden WT550 that is very quiet until the fan kicks in. I've never noticed any smell though, despite it being driven hard a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Try Lynx ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 This quote from TB would suggest that it has a temp controlled fan "I have a new GK MB210 II and just recently played it long enough and loud enough for the fan in the amp to go on. I was surprised how noisy it was" http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/fan-noise-gk-mb210-ii-965447/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screeny81 Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Cheers for the info guys, you always come up with the goods! Will blast off an email to GK, just to make doubly sure about the fan, and the smell! Will post what they say when I get a reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screeny81 Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Ok, so, no reply as of yet from GK...it's been just over a month, not the greatest service in the world... But...I can confirm that the fan does spin up during use, not just straight away. And best of all, the smell has nearly gone! It's very, very subtle now, and still no loss of power/volume... So, happy days! Thanks again for all of your input fellas, cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screeny81 Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 Okey dokey! Didn't realise that it had been this long... So, I left it where the smell was dying down a little, with no word back from GK. Maybe the email didnt send properly or something cos there's no sign of it in my outbox...I blame Windows 8... All was well and good, getting better at least, then the HF horn decided to go on me. I was well happy... So back to the shop it went (Sounds Live in Newcastle), they're a friendly bunch, and they said it would take at least a couple weeks to be sent out and come back. That was the second week in January. I waited a while and checked on any progress. 'They're waiting for a replacement part' was the answer, and I was also informed that GK don't do shipping parts by air, no, it was literally being shipped. On a boat. From China. I was well happy... Then I get a phone call saying the part was in the country, not at the service centre, in the country. So close! But no cigar exactly. Turns out they were still waiting for the part that never came so they've decided to cut their losses and supply me with a shiny brand spanking new amp instead. Here's hoping the other one was just a bit of a dud and the new fella is a touch more realiable/less smelly/not broken in a few months! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 (edited) I've been looking at some reviews of these combos. I noticed one where the same thing happened with one of the reviewers amps. He noticed a funny smell and then his horn stopped working. When he opened it up he noticed that a resistor leg attached to the circuit board had got so hot it had melted some other components. He tried to get a replacement part but found it so difficult he just cut the legs off the resistor, and continued playing without the horn. Edited April 15, 2014 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 You can catch Bob Gallien himself on Talkbass under the handle 'rag' if you need a hand. He's awesome with this kind of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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