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Post subject: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:32 am
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I just bought an older DRRI (Emi speaker and ground switch), and when I tried it out there was a pulsating noise coming through the speaker when the tremolo was turned on. The noise speeds up when I turn up the Speed control. I had heard about the "ticking" and that there were fixes, so since the amp was cheap enough I decided that it shouldn't be a problem to have someone fix it.

After doing some more research on it, I think that it's not a normal ticking; it's louder. Everything else about the amp is fine, although the tubes could possibly be the stock tubes. I tried replacing V5, but this didn't help. Has anyone experienced this before? Maybe something else is bad, and is amplifying the ticking? As it is now, using the tremolo is out of the question.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:55 am
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You might take a look at the cathode caps on both halves of V5 -- they're designated C23 and C24. Also the nearby resistors within the oscillator circuit. Here's the schematic......

http://web.archive.org/web/200708221115 ... manual.pdf

HTH

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:15 am
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Thanks, but I'm not attempting this... I did such a poor job of changing pups in my guitar that it should be illegal for me to own or operate a soldering iron!

I just hope that someone can fix it, or I'll be VERY upset with myself for buying it.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:34 am
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Have you tried another 12AX7 (in the V5 position, it seems). Notice any changes in tone/ticking?


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:20 am
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The tick is there on mine as well. How loud? Well, enough that I hear it with no playing and a quiet room and my head about 6' away from the speaker. Soon as I start playing it's gone.

I've heard there are ways to fix it but I haven't looked into it. Not annoying enough to me.

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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:28 am
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Actually, it's a "no-extra-cost" built-in metronome. But, only a selected few amps were given this option. Lucky you!


:lol:


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:42 am
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it's a very common problem in fender amps with vibrato.You can do two things in R45 there is a 10 meg resistor.You can change that with a new 10 meg resistor or you can add a .022 capacitor in parallel with the 10 meg resistor. It usually fixes the problem.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:52 pm
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
Actually, it's a "no-extra-cost" built-in metronome. But, only a selected few amps were given this option. Lucky you!



I wish that it was just a metronome tick, but it's more like a tick being amplified and run through a distortion pedal. Maybe it's a metronome for Heavy Metal players? :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 5:29 pm
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Try routing the wiring around V5 away from the socket, as much as possible. That actually worked on one of my Bandmaster reverbs I was working on. No added caps or resistors needed. Arjay recommended this to me.

Not sure how much extra wire one have to work with in that DRRI. But, it's worth a try.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:19 pm
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Okay, if I feel adventurous I'll pull the chassis and look.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:00 pm
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Think Floyd wrote:
Okay, if I feel adventurous I'll pull the chassis and look.

Be adventurous but be aware of the high voltages inside that chassis,even if it's unplugged...it's best to know what to stay away from....get a chopstick to poke around with.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:04 pm
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First, before peeking under the hood.... did you try another know good 12AX7 in that vibrato/tremolo section? Hate to rip the thing apart and then find out you had a weak tube.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:58 am
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I tried a 12AX7 that was fine when I took it out of my old amp. It helped a tiny bit, but probably only because the tube in the amp has been in there for years and years. The ticking noise is still there. It needs a tech.


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:47 pm
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Well I just plugged in to see how the tremolo sounds with the ticking, and the tremolo only worked for a few seconds. It seems as if the ticking has replaced the tremolo effect. Also, I discovered that while the Speed control changes the speed of the ticking, the Intensity control works as a backwards volume... at 1 the amp is at full volume, and at 10 the amp is at a very low volume.

Seems like the whole tremolo circuit is kaput!


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Post subject: Re: DRRI: very loud tremolo "tick"
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:24 pm
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For the third time.... Jeez this site hates me...

It seems that the opti-coupler roach is bad or has poor connection to the Intensity pot. But, the connection from the pre-amp section to that pot and the pot to ground is fine.

Thus, the pseudo-volume control effect. Guess it's off to the shop...

http://www.ampwares.com/schematics/65_D ... erb_RI.pdf


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