Stub Mandrel

*blob, not bolb.

This ashdown amp uses TR5 on the heatsink (near bottom right - it even says 'on heatsink' on the circuit diagram!) to prevent crossover distortion. If that's your problem see if you can spot a small transistor that (should be) bonded to the heatsink between the big power transistors. If it looks like its come away a small bolb of heat-transfer compound and gently pushing it back in place could cure the problem. (Of course, I could be completely wrong and it's something else altogether).

Crossover distortion is if the amplifier isn't set for enough bias current, so when the signal 'crosses over' from negative to positive there's a brief moment where the signal is cut off. It tends to be more noticeable with softer signals as it doesn't increase with volume. Basically the half of the amp that does the top of the signal is switching off before the half that does the bottom switches on. If yours in is a linear class B amplifier (rather than a class D) there's a biasing arrangement in there to prevent it happening. This can go wrong. Sometimes its as simple as adjusting a preset to get the right 'quiescent current' or it could be a diode or transistor needs replacing. The most common cause is when a transistor is used to set the bias current and kept at the same temperature as the power transistors by being held against the same heatsink. If it comes lose you get crossover distortion that gets worse as the amp warms up. Easy to spot if you have a scope (see picture above) but needs a bit of amp repair experience to fix.

Ah... I had assumed that you number them sequentially. No wonder I thought you were respraying them!

Seems to get more noticeable as the volume reduces. Crossover distortion? You could invest in a cheap oscilloscope module. Mind you, it's an ashdown you haven't got the sub-octave turned up a bit without noticing have you? (BTDTGTTS)

Is this the one that was green a page back? Or is here more than one FX-5?

Making progress... I can now play all of the first two pages in sequence, and am even getting most of the muted notes (actually I dont think many of the muted notes are muted at all, just hammered on). Downside is that is it sounds like a sequence of separate chunks and the timing suffers, so present task is working on sections in pairs or small groups trying to develop smooth transitions. Thus is definitely the hardest thing I've evr tried to learn. Big plus is it will set me up for Teen Town and Rhythm Stick!

I think my 'SG' is 25mmm ply.

I love how messy it sounds isolated, yet in the song it's spot on.

I bought a remaindered copy of '25 Years of Rock' in around 1981/2. One of the phrases I recall was 'faceless mid-westeners "Kansas"'. I guess they get the last laugh 🙂

I think the key improvement for any Kay is a decent bridge so you can sort intonation and action. I fitted a tune-o-matic to mine. The big downside is how light it is, only having a piece of relatively thin ply for a body! Yours really benefits visually from having a decent chunk of body!

How does it sound? My ancient Kay 'SG guitar ' looks ghastly but sounds great.

I love Peggy's tone on this one. It's the long standing '62 precision he used for many years - I know because I asked him!

II have no idea what this album sounds like, I just had a photo of my 3D printed robot...

Video playlist. If you like jazz-funk, she's unbeleivably ggood (to my ears anyway!):

That's why I chose it. I wanted something I can't play but is hopefully within my potential! Well I now have plenty of time.... Definitely fingerstyle, I've seen a live performance on YT.

To be fair, the link I followed to it made out it was a bit like a mini-moog so I expected a synth.

Me, it was fun for a few minutes until I realised all you can do is noodle with it.

OK, my lockdown project has become Kinga Glyk's phenomenal 'Joy Joy'. I'm working on eveything up to the end of the first chorus (I may be skipping the odd muted note 🙂 ). I can play the funky riff on the intro and the chorus which is all doubled sixteenth notes. In between is an extended noodle and although I can play most of it up to speed now, to me I sound sound like I'me just trying to pile the notes in as fast as I can and it lacks the 'bubbling' fluency of the original. I don't expect to sound half as good but I was wondering if anyone can give me some tips on how to approach a challenge like this? In particular is it likely that a lot fo it is played using hammer ons rather than picked, as these seem to sound closer to the original to me?

Bass players from Barry are the best 😎

No!!!! You've triggered me! Pleez let me come a=round you house and peel that off as soon as this isolation is over!

Excellent. Ha! I've finally worked out where your screen name comes from...

Talking crap about alpha's looking at wrong number it's 3.2...

Saw SRV at Reading on his first tour of the UK, saw Noel at De Barra's Folk Club (on guitar). I went for a pee and the great man came in and wazzed in the same trough!

My Trace Elliot 1110 has four Alpha 10s in it. Not sure if they were put in by someone with the slightest clue as one was wired out of phase. Swapped that speaker over, sounds great, very loud and clear and doesn't fart even when pushed hard. Theoretically I think it would be better with beta 10s, but I'm happy to leave it as it is.