It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:05 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Cyber-Twin Problems
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:42 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:14 am
Posts: 1
Hey guitar gurus,

Recently my first edition Cybertwin has been having some problems, and I was hoping someone might know what it is. When hitting almost any note on my low E string, the DSP peak light illuminates and I get unwanted distortion..I know "turn it down"...but I have never seen it light up before in the 4 years I have owned it, and I've played countless hours with it turned up LOUD. The only solution I have found is to turn the bass wayyy down to a point where it's not even fun to listen to! It's not the speakers(the same distortion can be heard through the headphones). I replaced the pre-amp tubes thinking that would do the trick, but no luck. If anyone has run into the same problem let me know........oh yeah and one more thing, also while playing the low notes on the bottom E(7th fret down), The amp makes this "crackling" sound...like there is a bad connection somewhere. I thought it was my cables going bad so I bought new ones. Still noisy. So I bypassed all of my effects and played straight from guitar to amp...Still get that same crackle. At this point I am not sure what to do at all...The amp IS under warranty so at least I don't have to worry about that. I was just wondering if anyone would know, based on the symptoms, what was going wrong with my amp. If there is any way that I can fix it, that would be great, seeing that shipping from Tennessee to California isn't cheap. Thanks in advance

Joey


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:34 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:02 am
Posts: 33
Have you tried lowering the pups?

Also, many of these mysterious crackling noises are dust in the pots and switches on the axe and/or the amp.

If you pull the knobs and spray out the pots once a year with CRC electronic cleaner (don't use electrical contact cleaner that melts plastic-no trichloroethane!) and work the pots all the way in both directions a few times the rig will stay bright and clean.

One tiny electrically charged dust particle can cause unbelievable problems with noise.

When spraying the guitar pots take great care not to let any cleaners get on the finish. Cover the guitar and tape it down so no accidental overspray hits the body or neck. (Don't use paper because the cleaner will soak through.) You can put the axe in a plastic garbage bag with only the pots and selector switch exposed, you know? And a little bit goes a long way so you don't want a puddle anywhere.

Those pressurized cans will blow cleaner back on you, too so wear eye protection.

And, even though there appears to be no clearance between the shaft and the pot body, the cleaner will penetrate. So, once you spray it don't let any grass grow before you start working the pot back and forth. The cleaner evaporates fairly quickly and you want to work the pot all the way in both directions while it's still "wet inside".

The cleaner is conductive so make sure the amp is unplugged and give it plenty of time to dry before energizing.

Let me know if it helps, okay?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:42 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:25 pm
Posts: 3
I've been trying to figure out how to remove the knobs from my amp - just pulling on them gently, I'm unable to get them to budge, and I'm afraid to take pliers and yank - is there a trick to removing them?

Thanks,

rex

HOUNDDAWG wrote:
Have you tried lowering the pups?

Also, many of these mysterious crackling noises are dust in the pots and switches on the axe and/or the amp.

If you pull the knobs and spray out the pots once a year with CRC electronic cleaner (don't use electrical contact cleaner that melts plastic-no trichloroethane!) and work the pots all the way in both directions a few times the rig will stay bright and clean.

One tiny electrically charged dust particle can cause unbelievable problems with noise.

When spraying the guitar pots take great care not to let any cleaners get on the finish. Cover the guitar and tape it down so no accidental overspray hits the body or neck. (Don't use paper because the cleaner will soak through.) You can put the axe in a plastic garbage bag with only the pots and selector switch exposed, you know? And a little bit goes a long way so you don't want a puddle anywhere.

Those pressurized cans will blow cleaner back on you, too so wear eye protection.

And, even though there appears to be no clearance between the shaft and the pot body, the cleaner will penetrate. So, once you spray it don't let any grass grow before you start working the pot back and forth. The cleaner evaporates fairly quickly and you want to work the pot all the way in both directions while it's still "wet inside".

The cleaner is conductive so make sure the amp is unplugged and give it plenty of time to dry before energizing.

Let me know if it helps, okay?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:56 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:47 am
Posts: 350
Location: S Florida
[quote="kingrex"]I've been trying to figure out how to remove the knobs from my amp - just pulling on them gently, I'm unable to get them to budge, and I'm afraid to take pliers and yank - is there a trick to removing them?

Thanks,

rex


I've used a couple of wraps of dental floss on one guitar, the other I used a t-shirt. Slide under the knobs and pull up, some come off easier than others.

X

_________________
Custom Shop Pro Closet Classic
American Deluxe Strat "V" Neck
American Deluxe Tele
American Deluxe "FMT"
G&L Comanche - Honey Burst
Jackson Randy Rhodes
Cybertwin SE
Vox AD60VTH
Mesa Boogie 2X12 Rectifier Cabinet
Line 6 Pod XT
Swart AST


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:03 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:25 pm
Posts: 3
This is on my amp, not my guitar, and they're really solidly attached...that's why I was wondering if there's a technique to doing this.

Thanks for your response,

rex

X-Road28 wrote:
kingrex wrote:
I've been trying to figure out how to remove the knobs from my amp - just pulling on them gently, I'm unable to get them to budge, and I'm afraid to take pliers and yank - is there a trick to removing them?

Thanks,

rex


I've used a couple of wraps of dental floss on one guitar, the other I used a t-shirt. Slide under the knobs and pull up, some come off easier than others.

X


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:06 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:02 am
Posts: 33
I apologize for the delayed reply.

You may already know that the pot shafts are externally splined and the shafts have a cut in the middle which allows them to be slightly spread with a screwdriver to tighten them if needed.

The knobs are internally splined and mate with the shaft and this keeps them from spinning freely once installed.

You may want to try using two spoons to pry under opposite sides of the knobs.. (If you put a piece of tape down you can avoid marring the faceplate.)

Now, it's a really creepy feeling to start applying pressure to a plastic knob when trying to get it to shift to one side, but you have to have a little faith.

The knobs will rock side to side and once you get them moving they'll come up easily, tilting a little more with each shift back and forth with your little pry spoons.

And, once you reinstall them they'll come off easier next time, even if you spread the end of the pot shaft to tighten the knobs before reinstalling the knobs. (seldom necessary but it's there as an option)

AFTER the first time the knobs may pop off with the dental floss.

And, don't worry that the knobs will never again be as tight as before the first time you pulled them. As long as they don't pop off with gentle finger pressure and there's no chance of losing them in the normal course of gigging, then that's as good as it gets.

Also, if your nerve fails you when it's time to make the first pry under one side of a knob, just tell yourself that if you break it you can replace it.

Once I resolved that it wasn't the end of the world and went ahead and put some pressure on it (and it really is creepy putting pressure on plastic because everything we learn as kids from our toys tells us that it's a mistake) then the knobs came off, and I have yet to break one in 43 years!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:26 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:25 pm
Posts: 3
Thanks...I finally did get up the nerve to grab a pair of pliers and yank off the pretty red knobs on my Fender 85 amp. Turns out, they came off pretty easily with a firm tug. I sprayed the pots and it seems to be working!


Thanks again for taking the time to address my problem.

rex

HOUNDDAWG wrote:
I apologize for the delayed reply.

You may already know that the pot shafts are externally splined and the shafts have a cut in the middle which allows them to be slightly spread with a screwdriver to tighten them if needed.

The knobs are internally splined and mate with the shaft and this keeps them from spinning freely once installed.

You may want to try using two spoons to pry under opposite sides of the knobs.. (If you put a piece of tape down you can avoid marring the faceplate.)

Now, it's a really creepy feeling to start applying pressure to a plastic knob when trying to get it to shift to one side, but you have to have a little faith.

The knobs will rock side to side and once you get them moving they'll come up easily, tilting a little more with each shift back and forth with your little pry spoons.

And, once you reinstall them they'll come off easier next time, even if you spread the end of the pot shaft to tighten the knobs before reinstalling the knobs. (seldom necessary but it's there as an option)

AFTER the first time the knobs may pop off with the dental floss.

And, don't worry that the knobs will never again be as tight as before the first time you pulled them. As long as they don't pop off with gentle finger pressure and there's no chance of losing them in the normal course of gigging, then that's as good as it gets.

Also, if your nerve fails you when it's time to make the first pry under one side of a knob, just tell yourself that if you break it you can replace it.

Once I resolved that it wasn't the end of the world and went ahead and put some pressure on it (and it really is creepy putting pressure on plastic because everything we learn as kids from our toys tells us that it's a mistake) then the knobs came off, and I have yet to break one in 43 years!


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: