akbach
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Post by akbach on Apr 16, 2012 21:44:31 GMT -7
Hi Experts, I've been experiencing some issues with my Maz 18. On low volumes, it's fine, but when I turn up, it's not getting loud past a certain point and there's a weird buzzing sound when I play. My el 84s are less than a year old and have been played through a bit, but not enough to warrant a switch out. It's like there are weird overtones coming through the speaker. So I took my amp apart last night and I found this... Would this be an easy solder of the wire, or is this something more serious? It's the only thing that I can determine is the issue. Would love the input. Thanks! Alex
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2012 22:21:00 GMT -7
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Post by Eddie on Apr 17, 2012 0:19:24 GMT -7
Wow! That isn't something you see a lot. Almost makes me think the amp was dropped from a great height - like they do at UPS with packages marked "fragile". ;-P
Anyway, yeah, that's a quick fix. Here's how I would do it:
AFTER MAKING SURE THE CAPS ARE DRAINED
Remove the broken piece of lead that is hanging off the turret. Cut a piece of wire (600v thick stuff like 18 gauge) about 1.5 inches long. Strip both ends about 1/4". Tin both ends. Make "hooks out of both ends. Hook one end of the wire around the junction of the two cap leads and make a good connection there with a pair of needle nose pliers. Solder that. Then, connect the loose end to the turret and solder.
Put it all back together and rock on.
Of course, be careful in there, and let us know how it goes. Eddie
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Post by Eddie on Apr 17, 2012 0:25:36 GMT -7
Just an aside:
The more I look at your picture, the more it seems like that isn't factory wiring. Of course, it could be, but I'm thinking your amp might have been recapped at some point? No big deal if so - those big caps don't last forever - but the way those caps are connected to the posts on either side just doesn't look like most of the guts I've seen from Doc's shop.
Eddie
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Post by Maddog on Apr 17, 2012 4:16:38 GMT -7
^^^^ +1000
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Apr 17, 2012 4:35:32 GMT -7
I'm pretty sure that the MAZ 18 has only one electrolytic cap in that position, not two- with one hanging off the turret board!!!!
It looks like someone paralleled another cap off of there for some reason.
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Post by BritInvasion on Apr 17, 2012 6:52:44 GMT -7
I agree with Eddie's and Phil's assessment. That looks like it was done after it left the factory. The cap lead looks like it was bent too far while being installed and put a crack in the lead causing the separation . Actually , it almost looks like it was cut , given the distance between the ends.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2012 7:34:53 GMT -7
It looks like the cap on the board was left to hold the other in place, kinda strange. Let's get a shot of the whole board if you can???
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Post by mfirst on Apr 17, 2012 8:54:00 GMT -7
I'd send those pics to repairs@drzamps.com. See what Don says about it.
Did you buy the amp new? If so how long ago? I'm sure Doc and his team will take great care of you.
If you didn't buy it new, I'm sure they would be happy to give it a once over and get it road worthy again. They are great about service on all of their amps.
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Post by Lefty on Apr 17, 2012 9:15:19 GMT -7
For ref:
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akbach
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Post by akbach on Apr 17, 2012 9:16:23 GMT -7
I'd send those pics to repairs@drzamps.com. See what Don says about it. Did you buy the amp new? If so how long ago? I'm sure Doc and his team will take great care of you. If you didn't buy it new, I'm sure they would be happy to give it a once over and get it road worthy again. They are great about service on all of their amps. Mfirst - Yeah, I bought it new in 2005. I've taken it to my local amp guy, but I am almost positive he never touched the caps, or did anything to them. Most of the work done was with the reverb tank and an issue with it blowing fuses, which was a bad 5AR4. I sent the pics to Don. So hopefully he can tell me what I need to do. I've never done any work like this before, so I would much rather Don and the guys at Z take care of it, than me completely destroying my amp and possibly my life... I appreciate the input, everyone. I'm learning a lot!
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akbach
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Post by akbach on Apr 17, 2012 9:17:47 GMT -7
So Weird!!! I gotta talk to my guy and see if he put that extra cap on it. Craziness...
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akbach
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Post by akbach on Apr 17, 2012 10:25:28 GMT -7
Here's my board
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Post by Maddog on Apr 17, 2012 10:30:57 GMT -7
Looks like (2) 20 uf's (or 16 uf's) were placed in parallel in an attempt to replace the single 40 uf....
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Post by Eddie on Apr 17, 2012 10:34:36 GMT -7
I suspect the filter caps have been messed with. Everything else looks ok, but it's hard to tell for sure.
Tell you what - if you can do without the MAZ for a couple of weeks while the shop gives it a once over, you'll be _thrilled_ with it when you get it back. Might cost you a little bit, but you'll have some peace of mind.
Perhaps your tech was trying to solve a hum or noise issue by swapping out the first cap on the right. He may not have had the right value and paralleled two together to get it.
On a board done so well, it just doesn't look right, imo.
Eddie
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2012 10:47:53 GMT -7
FWIW... I always take a pic before I have any work done to guitars or amps. I took one of my Teles in to clean up a crap solder job and a setup. Got it home opened it up and realized they did nothing. Simple miscommunication but always good to be aware.
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akbach
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Post by akbach on Apr 17, 2012 11:16:48 GMT -7
I suspect the filter caps have been messed with. Everything else looks ok, but it's hard to tell for sure. Tell you what - if you can do without the MAZ for a couple of weeks while the shop gives it a once over, you'll be _thrilled_ with it when you get it back. Might cost you a little bit, but you'll have some peace of mind. Perhaps your tech was trying to solve a hum or noise issue by swapping out the first cap on the right. He may not have had the right value and paralleled two together to get it. On a board done so well, it just doesn't look right, imo. Eddie Yeah, Don says it looks sloppy, and I agree. I'm willing to spend what little money I have to make this thing better. It's my child, so whatever it needs I'm down to make it happen. I've got my JAZ that I can use in the meantime, even though I'm trying to sell her. It's definitely worth it. Gonna ship her off tomorrow!
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Post by bluzman on Apr 17, 2012 11:22:44 GMT -7
If you notice the connections on the examples given, all multiple connections are soldered to the turrets. In my line of field service work, we call that a "snot" because somebody just left it hanging.
I doubt this was factory work as all of the soldering in your picture is solid and neat.
Obvious faults I see are: *the parallel soldering and the solder blob at the turret are not as neat *the excess lead is not trimmed. *It doesn't match the nice work on the rest of the board which to me was done by other than factory.
Also note that there was double-sided tape to secure the original cap to keep it from moving. The Lefty example shows the caps secured with adhesive. Also note how neat the leads are in Lefty's example.
I'm comfortable with some work in amp chassis and if it were mine, I'd start by getting a new high quality cap 40uf 450 volt and replacing it myself or have a tech do it while you wait at a shop. That will probably be all the fix that is needed, if you are comfortable doing that kind of work. Then, if that doesn't work send it back to Cleveland.
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Beddez
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Post by Beddez on Apr 17, 2012 11:28:36 GMT -7
And that's a good tip. Thnx!
Beddez
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Post by Dan F"i"fe on Apr 17, 2012 13:28:50 GMT -7
Looks like somebody tried to bust a cap in that Biotch! ;D
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Apr 18, 2012 4:35:21 GMT -7
If you notice the connections on the examples given, all multiple connections are soldered to the turrets. In my line of field service work, we call that a "snot" because somebody just left it hanging. I doubt this was factory work as all of the soldering in your picture is solid and neat. Obvious faults I see are: *the parallel soldering and the solder blob at the turret are not as neat *the excess lead is not trimmed. *It doesn't match the nice work on the rest of the board which to me was done by other than factory. Also note that there was double-sided tape to secure the original cap to keep it from moving. The Lefty example shows the caps secured with adhesive. Also note how neat the leads are in Lefty's example. I'm comfortable with some work in amp chassis and if it were mine, I'd start by getting a new high quality cap 40uf 450 volt and replacing it myself or have a tech do it while you wait at a shop. That will probably be all the fix that is needed, if you are comfortable doing that kind of work. Then, if that doesn't work send it back to Cleveland. That's why we love "point to point" (as it's often incorrectly called) turret and eyelet board construction. It'll take longer to heat up the soldering iron than it will to solder in a new cap of the correct value. +1000 on sending it back to Cleveland though. The turnaround is fast, and if anything else was done to that chassis that's not immediately apparent, the Z Shop will ferret it out and it will come back good as new.
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Post by Lefty on Apr 18, 2012 6:06:04 GMT -7
Cleveland Rocks!
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Post by pintail78 on May 10, 2012 15:06:55 GMT -7
its a simple job, just drain the caps (read about it on the net) and put it back to stock.
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akbach
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Post by akbach on May 16, 2012 22:09:42 GMT -7
Just got it back today from Cleveland. Sounds brand new!!! They did some great work.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2012 9:52:43 GMT -7
^^^ Like
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Post by prspastor on May 17, 2012 10:30:07 GMT -7
;D
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