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Post subject: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 10:06 pm
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I recently purchased a new, still sealed in the box unopened Fender VM....

The problem is I live in the US (Ohio) and the amp is an Australian model.So its power supply is 240 volts. I called Fender and they recommended that I use a power converter.It works great I think.

But this evening during a show the amp kept cutting out when the volume was about 5 or 6. I thought the guitar cable was bad because that's what it sounded like. I tried 3 new cables and it still did the same thing. I was wondering if anyone knew what might be the cause? Could it be the power converter that's converting it from 240 to 110? IT worked ok for about an hour and a half them it started cutting out. It did the same thing last night as well.

I contacted the store I bought it from and turns out they are not an authorized dealer and they has mistakenly gotten the Australian model by mistake and that there was nothing they could do for me.

thanks for any help
ken


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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:27 pm
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Amazing situation !

However the amp is under warranty, then contact a 7ender dealer, he will manage your problem.
:wink:

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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 11:48 pm
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"and turns out they are not an authorized dealer"

Tis-san wrote:
Amazing situation !

However the amp is under warranty, then contact a 7ender dealer, he will manage your problem.
:wink:


I wouldn't be betting the ranch on that.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 3:44 am
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I doubt they will honor a warranty unless their is a recall/global problem that needs fixed. I think I will call anyway to find out since I am the original owner, never hurts to ask...

I'm thinking it may be the power converter though, I could be wrong..


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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 4:56 am
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There is another way but the risk is to loose totally the warranty:
As you have a export model, on most of them the transformer can be addapted to many voltages. Check on you schematic and contact a real amp tech to make the modification.
8)

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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:27 am
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muzicmaken wrote:
I recently purchased a new, still sealed in the box unopened Fender VM....

The problem is I live in the US (Ohio) and the amp is an Australian model.So its power supply is 240 volts. I called Fender and they recommended that I use a power converter.It works great I think.

But this evening during a show the amp kept cutting out when the volume was about 5 or 6. I thought the guitar cable was bad because that's what it sounded like. I tried 3 new cables and it still did the same thing. I was wondering if anyone knew what might be the cause? Could it be the power converter that's converting it from 240 to 110? IT worked ok for about an hour and a half them it started cutting out. It did the same thing last night as well.

I contacted the store I bought it from and turns out they are not an authorized dealer and they has mistakenly gotten the Australian model by mistake and that there was nothing they could do for me.

thanks for any help
ken

I don't understand. Just because they're not an authorized dealer doesn't mean the shop can't give you a refund does it? It seems to me there's nothing stopping them. Did they tell you it was the wrong voltage when you bought it? Something stinks here.


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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 5:31 am
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muzicmaken wrote:
...I contacted the store I bought it from and turns out they are not an authorized dealer and they has mistakenly gotten the Australian model by mistake and that there was nothing they could do for me...


Hi muzicmaken,

They admitted "mistake" and yet are unwilling to take it back? Frankly, this is unacceptable. You should talk to the manager/owner of this shop and, if you have to, threaten to picket the place and tell everyone that you meet to avoid this store.

You had a reasonable expectation that you were buying a product that was meant to work in the USA.

Heck, tell us where this place is so we can avoid them. I'm not that far away, and this pisses me off enough that I wouldn't mind going there to give them a piece of my mind for pawning this problem off on a customer. :evil:

As to your original thought, I'm not a fan of powering a trans with another trans, that can cause problems, but from your description, not sure that your "cutting out" problem is related to the converter, it really depends on the converter. It could be something else, like a loose connection, poor solder joint, or even a tube problem.

Probably best to eliminate the converter first, maybe a new power trans in place of the export one in the amp. The trans can be changed to the proper one for USA, without any modification. I would try pressing the manager/owner before changing the trans. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 4:42 pm
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Thanks for the advice, I contacted the seller/owner yesterday and they said no go about a refund. I guess the first thing I may do is take it to get the transformer changed out to the correct version by a Authorized tech.

I'm almost positive it may be the converter. As it was hot when I felt it last night. And it had been on for 5 hours straight. So far today I've got it on and it's playing ok. I'm gonna leave it on to see if the power converter (from radio shack) gets hot and see if it begins to give me the same problems. IF it does I think it may be the converter.

I gotta say out of all the Fender amps I have I really like this one...

Ken


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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:49 am
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Just a couple of points, not quite sure what a power convertor is if its not just a simple transformer with maybe a bit of smoothing included though this shouldnt be needed.

Any transformer of the correct voltage/current rating should suffice just make sure its 110/0 volts as this is a bit more suitable rather than centre tapped (to earth) 55v per leg as used in industry for 110v power tool supplies .
The whole world is based on transformation of voltages thats one of the major reasons for using ac supplies though not the only one. It will already have been changed many times before it reaches your location.

I had to use a dropper transformer to feed my kit 5E3 from tube depot as the supply here in the UK was a bit fierce and the B+ voltage was a tad high, it was a simple job and dropped the supply by approx 9 volts, it sits in the bottom of my amp, sorry to go off topic just illustrating a point.
Tube depot themselves recommend such a solution. Works fine.

Like others have said, just get the mains transformer inside the amp changed for the exact correct part by a competant electrician as a better long term solution if the shop wont play ball.

.... Al


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Post subject: Re: Problem with my new Fender VM
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:54 pm
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Thanks for the replies everyone, I did take it to a Fender repair center to have the transformer swapped out for the US transformer. He did say if it's a universal transformer he could just replace the caps I believe that's what he said). Even with the transformer swap it was well worth what I paid for it it (brand new still sealed in the box amp) out of all the Fender amps I own (72 twin, 71 Super, Blues Deville 4x10, Hot rod deluxe 4x10, 65 Deluxe Reverb RI) I like the VM the best..


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