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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:49 pm
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Same problem here. Sound keeps dropping out. Sometimes after few minutes. Got the amp 2nd hand and now i know why. I played the amp (and footboard) but no problem. At home after 10 min the problem started. Factory reset and firmware up :date are not working. No proof of buying the amp...its an annoying situation :cry:


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2019 11:58 am
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Had the same issue on a 100. Issue was caused by an AT&T wireless router. Do your updates and then turn off the WiFi. No issues after this.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:43 pm
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Mine did this occasionally almost since i got it new soon after the model debuted. No update or anything stopped it. What finally did was taking the chassis out and unplugging all the multi pin connectors in the amp and shooting them with deoxit and shooting the input jack with it. I don't think it was the input jack but i will say that they are really cheap jacks that oxidize very quickly. Mine looks like it's been sitting out in the weather for 10 years. But i think it was likely one of the multi pin connectors, and in any case it hasn't done it since.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 6:19 pm
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GT 100 , Exactly same problem for months now. Sound would cutout and had to strum loud or turn on and off again then it would act up again within 5 to 10 minutes. I think it is when circuitry warms up this happens. I did what previous post said to do of opening up the amp. Its pretty easy. You can use an allen wrench for the top few and a phillips screw driver for back panel. Unplug first of course. I gently wiggled the connections loose on just the push pin connector types on the circuitry boards. (Don't mess with the ribbon type connectors.) Added some electronics fluid, to pin posts with a small brush and then pushed the 3 different pin connectors back on to board again. (Much like inside a computer). Left open while i tested for along time. No problems. Put back together.

I must say this amp is very good when it works properly and all updates are done. People complained of them being muddy sounding and I absolutely agree....when they first came out. Once the Global eq added some settings it brightened right up and sounded great compared to anything else i compared it too. "Guitar Focus 2" is brightest so i use that one and can always dial it back if i need to with mids and treble settings on any preset. Lots of great and bad presets on amp preloaded. Delete the ones that sound trashy to you or just adjust the settings as you go through. The ones that are overly distorted dont sound great or ones with the weird tone shifts that make everything out of pitch. IMO anyway....Haha. Once you find some nice presets or set up a few of your own(best way and pretty easy) then this sing is great. Clean , loud or soft and very versatile and light.
That is if you are not one of the folks that bought is early when it sounded muddy or if one of the many that are having the cutting out sound due to connections that need some electronics fluid. Its a 30 minute fix maybe 45 mins and pretty straight forward. BUT......it would have been nice if FENDER fixed this problem earlier. Amp could have been great for everyone then instead of getting a bunch of bad reviews.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 2:58 pm
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Purchased from Guitar Center (GC) in July 2018, audio started to drop out about one month later. Checked cables and guitar on another amp; all fine. Power cycling would cure the problem, for about 5-10 minutes. Checked for FW updates again. Same issue. I use the Gilmour and Johnny Marr presets, plus a few of my own. My normal practice sessions are 15-30 mins a few times a week, and with a busy work life the amp issue was a niggle rather than a P1 for resolution. Anyway, took another FW update from late last year a couple of weeks ago thinking that it might be the solution of all solutions, but alas no. At this point I found this site, and send a couple of support messages to Fender via the portal. Response == zip to date (one week later). Popped into GC last Monday who said to bring it in and they would recommend to Asurion (Insurance Company) to provide refund via GC Gift Card; sounded suspiciously like they had other customers with same issue. But I had to call Asurion first they said. Called Asurion Tuesday; pleasant lady on the phone, but was reading from standard question list and asked if I had dropped or poured liquid on my guitar. I explained again that this was regarding an amp problem. She put me on hold for 5-7- minutes, came back with a suggestion to turn Bluetooth off. So how do I control the amp from my phone with no Bluetooth?, I asked. Then turn off Wi-Fi, she said. Asking if there was a definitive solution in place, or on the horizon, was met by silence, and then suggestion that I should take it back to Guitar Center Repair Facility. I asked why and what they would do for an obvious FW issue for which no solution is available. So, I call Fender, explain situation, asking if there was a definitive solution in place, or on the horizon, but again, nothing. Olfactory stimulation of the rat kind! Fender guy suggests that I take it to one of their Service Agents in Seattle who will take unit and notify Fender of receipt which would stimulate sending of a new unit to me. At this point I am thinking this is a generic issue for which there is no current solution and do I want to go through the cycle again - no I dont. Anyway, I called the Service Agent, they were very courteous and said that the would do exactly as Fender suggested. They added that there are no field-serviceable parts inside and as such that they don't actually return the units to Fender, they just destroy them! I said I would swing by early next week. In the interim, I went back to GC. Dude I spoke to the previous day was not working Tuesday, so another helpful guy jumped in. I explained situation, he went off to call Asurion to confirm the gift card, but they requested that amp go to Service Center for analysis and attempted repair. Oh, and also as its still under Fender warranty that the Asurion Three Year Care Package is trumped by the former. So what is the benefit of the Asurion warranty? Anyway, GC have the unit and have sent to their Repair Center for analysis. GC sales guy said it sounds like with the problem as is that Asurion will grant refund. We shall see. Moral of the story; there is no current solution for this issue, and support lines and insurance policies are not that good - actually I am very disappointed. I am pretty sure that its a FW issue, possibly dependent on input signal level and some anomaly related to DSP code, i.e. immature and buggy DSP code, and only lightly tested. I don't think its a thermal or continuity issue as power-cycling the amp temporarily resolves the issue. So, I have to wait for GC. What really annoyed me was that I took delivery of a Fender Modern Player Tele Plus and was so looking forwards plugging it in and a having a thrash, only for it to be nipped in the bud by a duff amp. More when I know more....


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 6:48 pm
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Sorry. Problem is back. Thought i fixed it but electronics fluid helped for awhile but its cutting out again at about the 10 minute mark or less. Power cycling only temporarily fixes. Usually have to strum real hard to get sound to kick back in after it cuts out. Not sure what piece of hardware causes it. What a frustrating problem.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 7:58 pm
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Hate to say this but i took another shot at this amp. I had a long run of luck with no problems and then it started happening again. I reapplied Deoxit and still problem remained this time. So i sat and thought what else i had done last time. It may be as simple as the wires going to the speaker. I did not disconnect or mess with this last time. The connectors dont seem that great and wiggle easily so not well connected. I thought why not trying deoxit on those and tighten the clasps better onto the posts as well. Crossing fingers but have not had any issues tonight since. Makes sense as vibration from speaker can cause issues if wire is not getting great connection at post with clasp. Would also make sense that when music cut out and i strummed hard it would start again for a bit then go out again a later. We shall see but hopefully this fixes it......


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 8:38 pm
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Don't want you wasting time trying. I got an hour of straight playing but it did it again. Sigh. If anyone else figures out what it is, let us know.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 7:24 am
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Damn, sorry year that. Still could be a connection issue. Even deoxit wont fix a connector if the female side of the connector is not tight. I don't know what else to tell you, but mine did it once for about every maybe 2 hours of play. Hasn't done it since i reseated the connectors now for several months and i've been laying probably 10 hours a week. Also, i have another issue where the footswitch goes wonky and stops working and was doing so about every 30 minutes of play. Took it apart again and the FS circuit is on it's own small board thats connected to a main board via a gold pin connector with no cable. You push the board onto the main boards pins and it then screws into place. I dont know if that worked but so far after a couple days it hasn't done it again. These damn internal connectors are the bane of any modern amp's existence. And the sad part is it's all for the sake of cost effective manufacture. Competition in the market, consumers being very tight with thier $ all contribute to manufacturers doing everything they can to build products as cheaply as they can get away with. The only way to make these things reliable would be to solder every connection in every connector in the amp. Major job but otherwise there's just no way these connectors will hold up in the long run as ever pin eventually oxidizes to one degree or another.

One more thought....i know it doesn't seem like a possible cause but be sure to check and clean the input jack. Mine gave me similar cutting out issues before. And the jacks they use n these are horrendous quality. If you check yours chance are almost certain that like mine u will find the contacts are almost black with tarnish ! I have seen these cr@p jacks used in a lot of modern electronics and they just shock me as to how quickly they go bad due to this tarnish. I don't know if it's planned obsolescence or just bad sourcing of parts but they are not reliable after just a years or so from new. I plan to replace mine when i get the chance, tho since i don't gig and only play out on rare occasion reliability issues aren't the major headache they otherwise would be.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:45 pm
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Thanks for replying Oczad.

I will keep trying. I really like what this amp can do and how it sounds but this problem is very frustrating. I want to be able to use it and the foot pedal in live situations but will not until i know its trust worthy. The having to hammer on the strings to get sound to pop back on is incredibly frustrating. I will get in there and try a few more things to get better connections. Thanks again. If you come up with any other ideas then keep posting. Hopefully Fender is paying some attention too.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2019 6:04 pm
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Naaa, fender won't fix it becauase this is the standard way of making connections in all electronics today, so it's just the way of the world now. I can't fault fender or anyone else because the nature of the market today is that it's so competitive and consumers drive the quality down by buying the cheapest product they can find. So manufacturers have to use things like these connectors to make the product competitive. Sad. The only way i can see to bulletproof an amp like this is to hand solder every pin connection. Not realistic but no way connectors like this are ever going to remain reliable for long periods of time. I wish someone would come up with a much better design and maybe there is one. But i have yet to see one. I DID solder my speaker cable to the circuit board connection. I just didn't feel it was sturdy so i got some heavy gauge speaker wire and made my own cable and soldered the circuit board end to the pins. tied it down a few inches from the pins with a tie wrap so it wouldn't move over time and crack one of the solder joints or break a in off.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:35 am
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I think you are definitely onto the solution. Have played a couple of hours each night last couple of nights with the headphones plugged in and no problems whatsoever. Which means, its the speaker vibration slightly loosening something. Maybe once things heat up there is ever so small of a gap with vibration that can form on a connection somewhere causing the cutout until heavy vibration from a strum seems to reconnect for awhile then same issue. I did a pretty thorough light buffering of all connection pins and deoxit today and firmly reconnected everything. Hoping for better results but it may end up being some soldering or like you said. I wonder if the ones released after 2017 have had better luck. Maybe they updated some connections with better parts.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:02 am
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I don't think so. These types of connectors have been the standard for gear in this range for many years and having repaired uncountable fender and other solid state amps i have yet to come across any better quality connectors. It's just not a concern for them for whatever reason. Also another reason for those unreliable connections is not only oxidation but the female side is often just not tight enough and the metal is soft and not springy enough. Some will not have a tight fit and as you said as it heats up the expansion can cause the connection to be sketchy. You're right on with the mention of that and vibration. None of that would matter of course if the connectors were good quality.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:40 am
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As Ozcad described, there just aren't many good connectors out there. The best connector is no connector at all. So in many cases, I routinely cut off the female connector and the solder wires to the male pins. You can only do that in places that don't affect disassembly.
In other cases, cleaning is the only option.
While solvents can take care of tarnish and corrosion, oxidation is not removed. Its a hard powdery substance that doesn't dissolve. It must be removed with mechanical burnishing. A Qtip is not sufficient either. Examine the connector pin with a magnifier and find the mark left from female pin. That little contact point is the critical place to clean that pin. You can run a qtip up and down the pin all day, but if you miss that little spot, you're wasting your time.
So I use a fine pointed fiberglass brush/probe for connector work. Its hard enough to remove corrosion, but soft enough to be safe for plated metal surfaces.
I haven't seen many for sale. I make them from a 1/8" fiberglass/resin rod I scavenged from an old organ keybed. I burn the resin out of one end to expose the fine glass fibers 1/8 long. Use this end for polishing flat faces.
The other end I grind down to a pencil lead diameter. This needs to be small enough to fit between the pins of the connector. I use this to burnish the contact point of the male pins until the pin is shiny. If copper shows through, retin the pin and wipe the excess solder with a q-tip.
As Ozcad described, some of the female pins don't have enough tension for a stable contact. The style that uses one contact on each side of the pin are particularly troublesome. Its tough to clean the Male contact points as they are between the pins.
You can remove the female pins by using a small screwdriver to push down on the metal tang exposed in the body of the connector. Push on the wire, then push down the tang, then pull the wire out. Retension the tang before reinstalling it.
Clean the female contact with the glass brush, then solvent. Push a male pin over it to check for good tension. Retensioning these pins can be tricky. You have to leave enough gap between them to accomodate the male pin. Too close and the pin will curl back the contact when you push it in.
After reassembly, silicone the wires to the body of the connector and silicone the connector to the board. This will keep the female pins from moving around and going intermittent.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang GT 40 Sound Cuts Out
Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 10:54 am
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Ozcad, In earlier posts, you were complaining about black tarnish on jacks that make them fail. As much as it looks bad, I have been reassured by experienced field technicians that tarnish from silver plated jacks is not a problem. The tarnish is conductive. I still clean it off myself, but don't look at it as an issue.
What I have seen that is a problem is when the plating gets worn through to a copper or brass color. These metals do tarnish with a non-conductive oxidation.
Look for little chips in the plating where the contact point from the plug leaves its mark. if its red or yellow, replace the jack. You can clean it, but it doesn't stay clean.


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