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Post by charlienc on Oct 15, 2005 15:54:02 GMT -7
My Maz keeps blowing the 2 amp fuse in it. It burns one right after the other. I went through a whole box trying to get it to work. Any idea what's causing it?
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Post by Lefty on Oct 15, 2005 16:37:01 GMT -7
I would suspect the Rectifier tube, get a known good one and try again.
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Post by cheycaster on Oct 15, 2005 17:30:49 GMT -7
Hey there, I have a buddy who was always blowing fuses on his Gia amp when turning it on. I looked and did some checking on it for him and as I suspected he was getting the wrong style of fuse for it. It was the right rating etc. but was a standard type. Like my rack mount mackie power amps have , they use these fuses that look like there ceramic or porcelin . I'm told they are for special apps like computers etc. So when we put that kind in the Gia the problem went away 100%. Check with the Doc as you know he can set ya straight tho. Cheycaster
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Post by Lefty on Oct 15, 2005 17:39:12 GMT -7
Slow Blow vs. Fast Blow, I'm thinking the Z amps use Slow blow.
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Post by charlienc on Oct 15, 2005 18:08:27 GMT -7
yeah, i have a box of slow blows that keep blowing. the whole situation really BLOWS...
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jec
New Member
Posts: 11
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Post by jec on Oct 16, 2005 21:26:24 GMT -7
I had the same problem with my Maz Jr. It was the rectifier tube. Get a new one and make sure to line up the pins in the right orientation (maybe it was just me, but I did find that it wasn't very hard to get the rectifier in the socket in the wrong orientation). Once you get it in there, put in some new fuses and go...
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rgb
Full Member
Posts: 158
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Post by rgb on Oct 17, 2005 6:06:18 GMT -7
Just re-tubed my (approx) year old Maz this weekend because of the same issue, a bad rectifier tube (thanks Z, for the troubleshooting procedures. Worked like a charm). Can I ask how old were and how much use did your amps get before this happened to you? After following Z's suggestions and checking all of the tubes, one at a time, when I put the rectifier in and fired it up, it ran for about 10 seconds and there was a flash and a click from the tube and the fuse burned. Standby was never switched up.
Mine has had a very busy summer season, but I noticed the tone changing earlier this year and attributed it to the speaker breaking in. I've been thinking about swapping the G12H30 because of it. I usually run a two amp rig so it was subtle, but when running the maz alone it definitely sounded different than when I first got it. After re-tubing, (all new JJ's) the amp is back to it's old self and sounds great again, actually better than new....and I'll be leaving the speaker as is.
I wonder if the rectifier tube has been going downhill for a few months and finally just died? Also I'd be interested to hear if others are having the same issue. Seems kinda ironic to find this forum and the first thread I see pertains to something I just went through.
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Post by charlienc on Oct 17, 2005 9:24:16 GMT -7
thanks for all the replies guys. just wanted to let everybody know that it was in fact a bad rectifier tube. now that it's at least in playable condition i'm going to stock up on a couple of sets of tubes from KCA, so i never have to go through the hassle of not being able to find a tube on SATURDAY NIGHT!!!! you know, i've always got some preamp tubes and power tubes laying around, but the damn rectifier? it's not something i tend to keep in the parts bin. anyway, i guess it has been played a lot this summer, but i'm not leaving anything to chance from now on.
ah.... at least my amp works now.
charlie
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Oct 18, 2005 5:34:21 GMT -7
This is good info. Now I too will keep extra tubes and fuses close at hand. Tubes have a strange habbit of blowing just after the store closes on a Sat night.
pg
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Post by charlienc on Oct 18, 2005 12:35:13 GMT -7
no SH*T. now here's the truly funny part (in a sick twisted sort of way). so i hooked up with this bass player from out of town. he drives 45 minutes to get to Asheville to our rehearsal space. so Sat night we were auditioning a new drummer for a little side project we're trying to get going. so like i said, he drove 45 minutes to get there, the drummer shows up, sets up her kit, and then my f**kin rectifier tube when bad. since everybody had made a sacrifice to be there i couldn't very well send them all away even though that would have been the smart thing to do. i had to go DIRECT into the mixer from my pedalboard to get through the audition.
i've never sounded so bad in my life. hell, even as a 15 yr old playing a squier through a fender bullet amp, i had better tone. it was a shameful day in my musical career.
LESSON LEARNED!!! Don't let that crap happen to you, my fellow musicians. keep two spares of every tube and fuse in your amp because you never know.
in my case, i retubed with new power tubes and changed the rectifier last year at the same time, yet the rectifier failed before my power tubes did. that just sucks. but that's the way it goes sometimes.
and by the way, don't ever get caught with your pants down and having to go straight into the mixer, it will scar you for life. i'm currently undergoing intensive group therapy
charlie
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Oct 18, 2005 14:43:19 GMT -7
So the the solution is to buy two of your favorite Z amps and cary them with you at all times? :-)
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Post by Lefty on Oct 18, 2005 15:59:18 GMT -7
2 maybe 3? This topic gives me another idea for a thread...
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rgb
Full Member
Posts: 158
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Post by rgb on Oct 21, 2005 12:24:37 GMT -7
I would also like to know if these bad rectifier tubes were all the Sovtek 5AR4 or different tubes?
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Post by charlienc on Oct 22, 2005 7:04:16 GMT -7
well, it was a GT tube, but was bought at Guitar Center. not sure if it was a Sovtek or not. i looke on their website, but from what i can gather, it is one of their own tubes. but i'm not sweating it. that's what i get for shopping at GC.
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