Thanks for the tip Doug, but alas, going over the pots and switch with a bottle of contact cleaner was one of the first things I tried with no luck. Also, when I checked out the selector switch, I had it plugged in, then tapped either side with the end of a screwdriver. Noise was produced when I touched each side, so I assumed the switch wasn't the problem. Is it possible that something else could be wrong with it? It seems pretty linear, as long as the soldering points are all right and contact is being made in either position.... Is there something else I'm missing?
2 2008-09-18 02:51:42
Topic: Epiphone SG Wiring Problem (4 replies, posted in Electric)
Hey everyone, I got an Epiphone SG from a buddy of mine and it came with some wiring problems... I heard the pickups were changed out when he got it and when I plugged it in, the neck pickup sounded fine, but the bridge was VERY quiet. I thought the problem might have been a weak pickup, so I changed it out and still, it was quiet (by the way, I switched out a Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II for a Bill Lawrence L-500XL). Long story short, I installed a push/pull for the volume and I still have this problem. I noticed that if I turn my amp up all the way, I can get just enough sound to investigate, and found out that the both knobs control the volume. I pulled a schematic off a couple of websites and it looks like everything's in order.... It is more than possible, I'm overlooking something, but I can't figure out what. Has anyone ever ran into a problem like this before??
3 2008-04-15 18:11:32
Re: Gibson GA-5T Skylark hum problem (8 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
Hey everyone, thought I'd let you know that I picked up a few caps from torres engineering, threw them in the amp, and it's working perfectly now. I did, however, wonder why the amp doesn't seem to break up very well. It definitely gets loud, but it only breaks up a little even when I have the amp cranked to 10. Does this have anything to do with the fact that the filter caps I put in were of a higher voltage than the originals? I've read reviews that this amp is supposed to start breaking up around 5 or 6, but mine just sounds clean...... I can use a pedal, no problem, but I was just wondering if this is indicative of a more serious problem
4 2008-04-15 18:03:46
Re: Danelectro Fab Pedals (7 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
I picked up the Fab overdrive and Fab flange about 8 or so months ago, and I was very satisfied with them.
I used the overdrive on my solid state Fender (no worries, I upgraded to a valve amp) and it sounded great with it, gives you a good british sound.
The tone got pretty muddy when I plugged it into my vintage Gibson Skylark, so I went with the od setting on my Blues Bawls wah.
I still use the flange, and it sounds great to me. If it's just sound that you're concerned with, I'd go for it; for the money you really can't go wrong.
As far as durability goes, it takes any amount of abuse I can give it just jamming at home. I don't do any gigging so I couldn't tell you
how much punishment it could take on the road, but I wouldn't be afraid to try it, Danelectro makes some pretty quality pedals
5 2008-04-15 17:12:51
Re: Easy songs (8 replies, posted in Electric)
deaken:
try the song "Little Green Bag," by the George Baker Special; you may remember it from the opening credits of the film Reservoir Dogs. It's got a pretty simple solo that's repeated throughout the song and the rhythm is mostly G, F, and D
Good luck,
J
6 2008-03-25 17:07:26
Re: Gibson GA-5T Skylark hum problem (8 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
topdown,
Great idea, I hadn't yet considered that. I will get out my soldering iron and let you know how it goes.
7 2008-03-21 22:07:04
Re: Gibson GA-5T Skylark hum problem (8 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
just an update everyone, I found out that the amp just needs a few capacitors replaced. does anyone happen to know where I can find some caps (and it looks like a couple of resistors) for this particular amp?
8 2008-03-10 03:57:41
Topic: Gibson GA-5T Skylark hum problem (8 replies, posted in Guitars and accessories)
I recently bought a Gibson GA-5T amp off ebay. The guy who sold it to me said it had a hum, but he never said it was as bad as it is. When I received it, I turned the volume and tremolo knobs to 0, plugged it in and turned the power on. After about 10 or 20 seconds, a loud hum comes from the speaker. Being a novice (this is my first tube amp), I didn't really know where to even begin looking for the problem, and read somewhere that it may be just a bad tube. I purchased a new set of tubes, installed them and the amp did the same thing. I finally resorted to letting it sit for a few days to drain any remaining electricity stored inside, and proceeded to open the back armed with a can of compressed air and a can of contact cleaner. I tackled all of the dirty stuff and proceeded to power the amp back up and still, to my dismay, it hummed. Like I said, I'm a novice and I know it would be best to take it to a repair person, but I don't know anyone who does amp repair in my city. This amp is from the 1960's and looks entirely original, so I don't think anyone else has messed with the insides. It even has the original speaker and two-prong cord (I know I should install a 3-prong for safety purposes, and any info on that would be appreciated). The tubes are as follows: (1)6X4, (2)6AQ5A, (2)6EU7. Any info you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated!
- J -
9 2007-09-05 05:59:39
Re: F#@%K!! (4 replies, posted in Electric)
Thanks so much for the tips, I rechecked the wiring and found out I needed more solder on the neck and the bridge was wired into the volume pot wrong. I'm planning on doing some work on my '02 G-400 deluxe soon, so I'll have to look into those cts pots... by the way, is it normal to hear a little hum from my neck pickup when I touch the pickup cover?
10 2007-08-31 20:10:16
Topic: F#@%K!! (4 replies, posted in Electric)
Hey everyone, I've been doing a lot of work on my '94 epi Les Paul standard, and I recently underwent the task of replacing the pickups and potentiometers by myself. I put in Gibson pots and a '57 Classic in the neck, and a 500T in the bridge. I'm getting sound out of it, but (a) the neck sounds really quiet and muddy, and (b) the bridge pickup's tone control works but the volume does not. I know it's really hard to get an idea of what's wrong without having more details and/or the guitar right in front of you, but I was hoping to get a few ideas of what I may have done wrong before I take it in to my local Music Depot.