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Post subject: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 11:57 am
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Hi

I have a 1995 Fender Tone Master that recently starting having an issue after it warms up for a few minutes where you can hear faint crackles in the background when you're not playing.

Here is what has been done so far to the amp by the 2 most trusted amp techs around where I live:

- New power tubes and preamp tubes
- New power tube sockets
- New preamp tube sockets
- New plate load resistors
- Touch up all solder joints

Both techs feel they would have to rebuild the amp from scratch to figure it out and the cost would be ridiculous. It's clean on the inside even though the hand wiring in these amps was not neatly done from the Custom Shop. I bought the amp used maybe 4 month ago and it worked fine for a few weeks before this issue started. Does anyone have any ideas on what to check next? Anyone know of an amp guru who knows the ToneMaster inside and out?

Thanks


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:25 pm
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Mc999 wrote:
Hi

I have a 1995 Fender Tone Master ....

Both techs feel they would have to rebuild the amp from scratch to figure it out and the cost would be ridiculous.


Two answers;

1- Your amp is a real piece of junk and need a rebuilt . Send us some photos from inside the amp to see how it look .

Or

2- Your tech are not qualified and they are not tech just some kind of repairman .

This amp have schematic available to figure out .

See a qualfied electronic tech to have your amp fix


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:25 pm
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I would look for DC leakage in a coupling or bypass cap.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:31 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
I would look for DC leakage in a coupling or bypass cap.

Arjay



Who would look ? No qualified tech :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 12:52 pm
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Does anyone know what email address Bruce ZInky can be reached at these days? I tried his smokey amps email address but I'm not sure if he's involved with those anymore or not since starting up Supro again. I could send a general email to the Supro site I guess.

Here's a pic of the guts on one of the tech's desks:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/40011732@N04/14671545515/


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 1:54 pm
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Mc999 wrote:
I have a 1995 Fender Tone Master

(((Drool)))
You mean Tone Monster.
I have no idea why that amp wasn't more popular than it was. Prolly size and weight, I guess. That's a lovely sounding piece of gear and rare too. If it were mine I think I could easily justify quite a large repair bill to keep it going.

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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:05 pm
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[quote="Mc999"
Here's a pic of the guts on one of the tech's desks:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/40011732@N04/14671545515/[/quote]

Picture link do not work for me .


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:20 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I have no idea why that amp wasn't more popular than it was.


Cost......plain and simple.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:26 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
I would look for DC leakage in a coupling or bypass cap.

Arjay



Who would look ? No qualified tech :lol:


I'm forced to agree. That both of those "most trusted amp techs" are disciples of "shotgun" troubleshooting protocols tells me they should be selling VCR's at the local Circuit City store or flipping McBurgers at some drive-in.

:roll:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:35 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
[

I'm forced to agree. That both of those "most trusted amp techs" are disciples of "shotgun" troubleshooting protocols tells me they should be selling VCR's at the local Circuit City store or flipping McBurgers at some drive-in.

:roll:

Arjay



:lol:


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 2:49 pm
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I spoke to Fender and they gave me the name of an authorized amp service tech about 20 minutes from where I live. Does anyone know what "authorized" means? Did the person go through some sort of evaluation or training? Does the fact that he's authorized cover any work that he does in any way?


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:39 pm
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"Authorized" simply means that the shop or tech awarded such a descriptive performs repairs to acceptable standard of competence as determined by FMIC. AFAIK there are no set-piece criteria for bestowing this title beyond demonstrating that the facility or the technician can in fact repair Fender equipment.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 4:35 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
"Authorized" simply means that the shop or tech awarded such a descriptive performs repairs to acceptable standard of competence as determined by FMIC. AFAIK there are no set-piece criteria for bestowing this title beyond demonstrating that the facility or the technician can in fact repair Fender equipment.

Arjay


So it may be the only shop that is authorized "fender".
No but the technician ?

I make an assumption but I could be wrong ;

The owner of the shop has to do with the technician he can find . In many distant locations find a competent technician should be impossible so the shop take the most trusted amp tech on the area


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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 5:00 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Cost......plain and simple.

Arjay

Well, yes. Of course that .... but what I meant was .... in the classification of pricey C/S amps the VK is the only one still made and I don't see where it was any better or worse that the Tone Master. Both were pricey and heavy and loud. I actually thought the TM was slightly better than the VK.

It's easy to see why the Dual Professional got cut because it was such a one trick pony. You only had two choices: clean and loud or clean and mind blowingly loud.

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Post subject: Re: Fender ToneMaster Random Crackles
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2014 6:00 pm
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The Dual Professional bit the dust for the same reason as the Tone Master and the original Rumble Bass......cost. Limited demand for such a high-zoot amp meant that FMIC likely lost money on every one that was sold (once the R&D and marketing expenses were amortized). The only thing that likely keeps the Vibro King alive is that the amp has a professional patron or two to endorse it. And its production life-cycle has probably passed the break-even point and Fender is now showing a slight profit from the sale of each unit.

Arjay

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