warwickhunt

No manual or schematic sadly (despite me being the original owner), not sure about a different valve being required in 1 position? Power amp - Ah OK never had that problem but worth knowing.

@BassmanPaul I'm not sure if I need to whoop or groan! I whipped the valves (x3) out, as I knew they should be 12ax7 valves but I wanted to see if they were matching as the first one was blank and no brand. As I took them out I gave them a good examination and lo/behold as I drew out #3 it was discoloured reddish brown! I have no idea if this means it is dead but when my multimeter arrives, I'll run a test; Google seems to indicate pins 9 / 4&5 (correct me if wrong but I'll be testing all 3 the same way so should tell).

@agedhorseI can't really comment on a lot of the 'tech' stuff you've kindly given insight on but to recap and give a bit of user insight. @BigRedX Power amp certainly never given me issue or gone into protect mode but I'll be getting the next tech to take that into account. @BassmanPaul Off to check the Valves/tubes type. Fuse - T250Ma I've ordered a multi-meter to do a test on the fuse as it looks intact but don't always trust that. Heat/Temp - Neither of the replacement transformers seemed to run hot or burn out. The recent replacement I tested the plate/casing directly above the transformer and it was barely warm, certainly as cool/cooler than any other amp that I own (Thunderfunk/EBS350HD/Bugera Veyron). The original transformer 'burned out' last year, it was genuinely toasted and burnt. The replacement should have been a direct drop in but it was a custom wind and not available, the tech who did the work took note of the amp requirements and the spec he could decode from the photos I supplied and ordered a higher spec transformer as the exact spec couldn't be matched. This ran in the house for about 3-5 hours (not continuous) then literally as I played it, it started to distort slightly, lose volume and then no output. The tech took this on the chin and ordered a new transformer, fitted the thermal and fuse. When he fitted this replacement, he did a quick test on the transformer he took out and it was simply dead but no visible damage or smell. The new transformer ran in the house on test, I then gigged it twice (3 hours each time) and then I set it up at home to do some recording and as I messed with my PC it literally went from working fine to having no output (power still operating cooling fan etc, no burning smell). As a footnote I have run signals both from the pre into a separate power (line out and effects send) and reverse I've gone from a differing pre into this power (effects return and line in); none of the in/out to this amp worked but I've no idea if that indicates a broader issue or if it would do that when the pre is dead Oh and just to be absolutely belt/braces I did a parallel test with another amp and they performed as expected (eliminating some vagary in the way I was testing).

Basic https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TM0W8ZY?psc=1&smid=A3ROO57IJZEV22&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

On my 'to do' list for tomorrow. Be here tomorrow from Amazon

I'll check on fuse size. Just plain odd that the previous trans lasted 3 hours at bedroom volume (not continuous) and had no visible damage (unlike the first) but tested 'dead' and this one has no visible damage... as yet untested. One daft thought is that I have no means of testing that this fuse is OK other than OK visually; one should never assume!

Yes, I need to know what burnt out the first transformer (it was 18 years old), that subsequently killed the next 2 brand new transformers. The repair guy fitted a thermal trip and a fuse, however the trans didn't overheat or trip the fuse.

Yes I contacted the manufacturer but they've changed ownership/name 3 times and the amp is 18 years old. I managed to contact the company who made the transformer and it was a custom make. I have a gut feeling that as the last replacement transformer lasted hours and had no visible damage (but was dead) and this replacement is EXACTLY the same that there is an inherent issue somewhere else.

No visible burning or smell, powers on, no fuses popped, just zero output. I'm trying one last time with a different repair guy.

It died yesterday!

Therein is the conundrum; there are several MIM Fender basses that are way in excess of German made Sandbergs (used... or new) and the Sandberg Electra range are easily as good as MIM Fenders and just as cheap used.

Fixed it for you!

Oi... not me!

Believe it or not, that font won't allow certain characters, as a result I started putting all of the poster dates like that.

It isn't even reissuing the original it is a 'Vintage II'... that's TWO!

https://www.fender.com/en-GB/american-vintage-ii.html/?dc&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=consideration_amvintii_ouat&src=pm_OUAT_amvintii

His fret lines are all wonky!

If you are taken as a given that we have spare leads, batteries, strings etc. I would say that I take spare fuses. Of the larger items; I have spare amps and cabs at home (to get me through the next gigs till things are fixed) but I take a Sansamp pedal which I have in-line and I've been running an XLR line-out to our PA (vocals, guitar [guitarist has no backline] and kick drum), which I can switch in 'IF' my rig went down. It only takes 2 minutes and 1 XLR cable to set up my back up.

Pressing in 3 of the 4 pup selector buttons gets you a different tonal setting to all 4 buttons in. Nordstrand seem to think you can't do this but you can on my bass.

The 'science' says that you will get a more predictable outcome if both cabs are exactly matching but sometimes mixed drivers can work; tbh stacking any pair of cabs means that you will get more output, dispersion and a driver will be closer to head height. I have to confess that I stack a pair of 2x10 cabs vertically (vertical 4x10) and the tweeter being closer to head height is achieved but wasted on me as I am wearing attenuated ear protection.

There is the 3 buttons in AND 4 buttons in.

There will be a little bit of difference if you move away from the cab but the greater difference would be if you stacked 2 2x10 cabs on top of each other vertically! The higher any cab is, the closer to your ears so you should benefit from any vertical alignment.

I was tempted to buy one of those about 6-7 years back and it was £500. Played nice but the noise threshold just irritated me, it'd have been unnoticeable at gig volume I'd expect. I can't see how they will have tripled in value especially when one of the big UK stores had a sell out of newer/better Mesa gear a couple of years back!