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Post subject: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:46 pm
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I've read all the postings about pedal behavior with interest and appear to be having the same issues reported by others: All action occurs in about the first 50% of travel from heel position. This is noticeable in both volume and wah-pedal modes, but is particularly annoying in the latter, since the "sweet spot" comes very early in the pedal travel (no amount of heel/toe control adjustment helps).

I have updated the firmware on my Mustang III to v1.10 and followed the calibration technique outlined in the firmware release notice. The software routine that translates light sensor behavior to a logarithmic function just isn't behaving correctly - assuming it isn't a production issue with the optical sensor.

Today, I tried the approach of putting small bits of black tape on the "vane" in the pedal. It helped enormously in both modes, but really shouldn't be necessary!

If Fender development would like me to try any Beta firmware, please contact me privately. I'll be delighted to help in any way I can, since I really like the amp in all other respects.

Beyond the taper issue, I would strongly suggest (a) extending the high-frequency limit a bit beyond what's currently possible, (b) make the Q continuously adjustable (I find "off" too broad and hi-Q too narrow) and (c) make the peak amplitude adjustable.

Steve


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:41 pm
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I've notice this behavior too. I thought it was a problem with the calibration procedure, because it's not really user friendly... there's no indication that the pedal is calibrated, the instructions just say to move the pedal, but there's no indication on the screen what is happening, or when it's completed so I thought it was just me and how I attempted to calibrated the pedal.

So where is it exactly you put the tape? I might give that a try.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 4:11 am
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Interesting... others who had the same problem seem to find (at least from my understanding of postings in this forum) that it all now works properly with the latest firmware and the modified calibration procedure; eg see docs in topic below:

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=72868


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:02 am
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Tony65 wrote:
So where is it exactly you put the tape? I might give that a try.


Take a look through this earlier thread:

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=69882


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:04 am
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scott-uk wrote:
Interesting... others who had the same problem seem to find (at least from my understanding of postings in this forum) that it all now works properly with the latest firmware and the modified calibration procedure; eg see docs in topic below:

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=72868


Unfortunately, that did not do the trick for me. I must have tried it a half-dozen times to be sure I had the sequence correct.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:49 am
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shirsch wrote:
Tony65 wrote:
So where is it exactly you put the tape? I might give that a try.


Take a look through this earlier thread:

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=69882


I'm the OP of this link. Fender has a hardware fix for this problem and will replace your pedal if you contact them.

TSL@Fender.com


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:56 am
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lnowlin wrote:
I'm the OP of this link. Fender has a hardware fix for this problem and will replace your pedal if you contact them.


Ah, ok. It wasn't clear that Fender had identified an issue with the pedal itself. In reading the thread I developed the impression it was purely a firmware fix. At any rate, I'm in touch with "the proper authorities" and trust something will be worked out.

I still wish there were more parameters exposed on the wah virtual stomp-box, so hopefully development will take my comments to heart. I'd be very happy to be able to leave the Vox pedal home when gigging.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:59 pm
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Yeah, I just sent an email off to them too... I have to tell you though, I'm not real happy with the idea of buying a brand new unit to have it immediately replaced with a reconditioned one, but we'll see what they say.

Judging from how long this has been going on (since April?), they should recall all the EXP-1 stock from the stores instead of letting them be sold only to put the customer through this hassle.

Although, if all that's needed is to change the shape of the 'arrow' it looks like a razor blade will scrape the paint off. Could someone that has swapped their EXP-1 post a picture of what the 'new' control surface look like?

TIA


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 1:14 pm
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They didn't change the shape of the arrow, they modified the mounting of the pcb. It did the trick though. It looks as if the pcb was too close to the arrow so they put some washers between the pcb and the mount. If I'd known that was the fix I would have done it myself and saved the shipping charge.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 1:55 pm
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lnowlin wrote:
...they put some washers between the pcb and the mount.


I hope I'm not imposing too much, but would you be so kind as to measure the height of the washers they put in there? If that's the fix, I'll rather do it myself than mess around shipping it back and all.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:49 pm
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Tony65 wrote:
lnowlin wrote:
...they put some washers between the pcb and the mount.


I hope I'm not imposing too much, but would you be so kind as to measure the height of the washers they put in there? If that's the fix, I'll rather do it myself than mess around shipping it back and all.


Seconded! I have a good stock of nylon washers and spacers to play with. Much simpler than shipping it in.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:54 am
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The washers look to be about 1 mm thick plastic washers, hard to measure exactly. I had not removed the pcb before but now that I have it looks like they may have changed R1, I can't be certain though. I have a feeling each pedal may have a different degree of misalignment so you may have to try a few times with varying thickness to find the sweet spot. Recalibrate each time you make a change.

You should use the latest firmware and recalibrate with the new procedure.

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=72279

I came up with the fix using the black tape to change the shape of the arrow which worked well but the tape eventually peeled off so I spent more time troubleshooting the problem. I found that the sensor on the pcb wasn't centered over the arrow so I put some pieces of cardboard under the heel edge of the pcb to point the sensor toward the arrow and that worked very well. I think the washers/spacers that Fender came up with accomplish basically the same thing.

Good luck. Let me know how it works out for you.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:00 am
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lnowlin wrote:
The washers look to be about 1 mm thick plastic washers, hard to measure exactly. I had not removed the pcb before but now that I have it looks like they may have changed R1, I can't be certain though. I have a feeling each pedal may have a different degree of misalignment so you may have to try a few times with varying thickness to find the sweet spot. Recalibrate each time you make a change.

You should use the latest firmware and recalibrate with the new procedure.

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=72279

I came up with the fix using the black tape to change the shape of the arrow which worked well but the tape eventually peeled off so I spent more time troubleshooting the problem. I found that the sensor on the pcb wasn't centered over the arrow so I put some pieces of cardboard under the heel edge of the pcb to point the sensor toward the arrow and that worked very well. I think the washers/spacers that Fender came up with accomplish basically the same thing.

Good luck. Let me know how it works out for you.


Thanks very much! For curiousity, what is the value of R1 on your pedal?


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:32 am
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There are two surface mount resistors on the board. R1 has definitely been resoldered because there is flux all around it. There is a number on it that I think is 510, but the right edge is covered with solder and looks like 51C. R2 is 561. I don't know if those are the values or just part numbers, they're quite small and I have to use a strong lens to magnify them to be readable.

I'm curious also, let me know the numbers on yours if you decide to open it.


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Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control taper not right
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:47 am
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lnowlin wrote:
There are two surface mount resistors on the board. R1 has definitely been resoldered because there is flux all around it. There is a number on it that I think is 510, but the right edge is covered with solder and looks like 51C. R2 is 561. I don't know if those are the values or just part numbers, they're quite small and I have to use a strong lens to magnify them to be readable.

I'm curious also, let me know the numbers on yours if you decide to open it.


Do you have access to an ohmmeter? I'll measure mine and tell you what they are. I'm from the era of color-codes and not completely up to the labeling standards on SMD parts.


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