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Post subject: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:24 pm
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Hello all. First time poster. I've looked around the forums, and the net, for any information on my issue, could not find anything too similar. Please bear with me as I am new here and also am far from being an amplifier expert.

A few months ago I picked up a SuperSonic 22 combo, used. The gentleman selling it had replaced tubes with what he called airline RCA tubes, and replaced the stock speaker with a WGS British Invasion Series speaker. It sounded intriguing so I went to check it out. Other than it stinking of cigarettes (which I only realized once it was home), it seemed brand new other than his modifications, i.e. not traveled or gigged with, still even had the cardboard placard thing that lays on top of the amp for in-store display, with Fender's suggested gain settings etc. I played through the amp before buying it and thought it sounded beautiful.

Unfortunately I did not use it much, even at home, for many weeks, due to being busy with a million other things. I brought it to one gig and it was fine. Then maybe a month later, I went to test it out before bringing it to a recording session, and found that if the reverb was over 2 or so, I got some microphonic-style feedback, even with the volumes completely down. A drag, but the reverb setting of 2 was actually enough verb for my purposes that day, so I kept it there and pressed on that day.

Then...a few weeks later, I decided to whip it out at a performance. Unfortunately, it was in worse shape. The amp turns on, power light comes on, standby works, and I can play through the amp. But the normal/fat and vintage/burn lights are out now, and remain so, as pressing those buttons does not have any effect. Plugging in the footswitch also had no effect, no lights or action there either. None of those functions work - including the reverb. So basically I am now stuck on what is the normal/vintage setting. I don't see anything questionable or damaged about the amp visually, otherwise.

Any thoughts are much appreciated. I expect I need to take it to someone (I'm in the NY/Long Island area) but am hoping to get some insight from you guys first, and of course I am hoping I am just "not using it right" and this is my own easily corrected problem, by some wild chance.

Thanks for your time and attention, be well everyone.
NC


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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 5:06 am
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I think you are right- It has to go in for service. This doesn't sound like a simple "put in new tubes" thing. It sounds more like wiring/electrical.

Did you ask the guy why he is getting rid of it? I am always skeptical when people have modified items and then sell them.

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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:32 am
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Why he was getting rid of it is a good question, my somewhat weak guess at that at the time was that he was somehow getting new amps for super cheap/wholesale (again, except for the cigarette smell - which I still can't get out - the amp was in pristine like-new condition, with his upgrades.) And then he was modding them a bit and selling for a more-than-healthy used price (but still not new price) and making a little profit. Or something.

He has emailed me back (he's not super close by) even though he's under no obligation now, and gave me some things to check and suggestions. But only a great repair guy after looking at it may be able to tell me if the problem I'm experiencing now is ultimately due to the seller's unwise upgrades or if it was just something that was bound to happen, some other component failure.


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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:34 am
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Maybe you can get him to tell you exactly what he did and how he did it? I try to stay away from user modified stuff.

I'd call Fender and ask about sending it back to them. That way you would be sure.

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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:46 am
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Thanks, I might. And yeah, I took a gamble going that route, not sure it paid off.


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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:55 am
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I am sure they would fix it for you. There warranties might be transferable, although user modification probably voids it, particularly if the modification is the problem. I would still ask about it. You might be covered for any future problems if not this one. I would save yourself some time, call them, and arrange to send it back to them, not the "local authorzied guy" who can range WILDLY in quality.

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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:58 pm
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I doubt if changing the tubes did anything to the amp that would cause a problem. But it sounds like two simple, but separate issues to me. The feedback with the reverb turned up might simply be a bad reverb tube, V3 or V4, or maybe the reverb cables (or tank connections) were yanked and damaged when changing the speaker. The channel switching problem might be a poor solder joint or broken trace in the +/- 15 volt power supply. In any case, I wouldn't expect anything very serious. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:48 pm
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Ah! The same thing just happened to me. The footswitch light was on when I turned the amp on, but when I went to move the footswitch, it shut off and now won't come back on and even if I unplug it, the normal/fat and vintage/burn buttons do not work.

Did you have any luck figuring out what happened?


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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:11 am
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There's nothing worse than trying to get the stink of cigarettes off of a second hand amp. :(

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Post subject: Re: Fender SuperSonic 22 problem
Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:34 pm
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lenrabinowitz wrote:
Did you ask the guy why he is getting rid of it? I am always skeptical when people have modified items and then sell them.


+1

C/L ads are replete with listings for hapless gear that's been butchered by wannabee BSEE's who aren't qualified to plug a toaster oven into a kitchen wall socket.

:mrgreen:

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