Boss GT5 Follow-up for Future Reference ...

A

Arfa Daily

Guest
OK. Just managed to pry my way into the transformer covers to the point
where I could see the leads of the thermal fuse we all thought was going to
be open (it was). Hung a 1 ohm fusible across there just in case the primary
had got shorted turns (although it read ~ 350 ohms) and fired the unit up.
It all worked ok. For future reference in case anyone else needs to sort out
a replacement tranny for one of these, the secondaries are as follows :-

Yellow - Yellow 10v
Red - Black - Red 24v -0 -24v

Average draw on yellow winding was around 15mA and on the red winding was
around 20mA. Now to see if I can find something suitable to replace them
with ...

Arfa
 
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:09:51 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

OK. Just managed to pry my way into the transformer covers to the point
where I could see the leads of the thermal fuse we all thought was going to
be open (it was). Hung a 1 ohm fusible across there just in case the primary
had got shorted turns (although it read ~ 350 ohms) and fired the unit up.
It all worked ok. For future reference in case anyone else needs to sort out
a replacement tranny for one of these, the secondaries are as follows :-

Yellow - Yellow 10v
Red - Black - Red 24v -0 -24v

Average draw on yellow winding was around 15mA and on the red winding was
around 20mA. Now to see if I can find something suitable to replace them
with ...

Arfa
Click to expand...
Must be completely different from the GT6 which is just a barrel
connecter with 18VAC on it.
 
"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2upl6l.5li.17.2@news.alt.net...
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:09:51 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

OK. Just managed to pry my way into the transformer covers to the point
where I could see the leads of the thermal fuse we all thought was going
to
be open (it was). Hung a 1 ohm fusible across there just in case the
primary
had got shorted turns (although it read ~ 350 ohms) and fired the unit up.
It all worked ok. For future reference in case anyone else needs to sort
out
a replacement tranny for one of these, the secondaries are as follows :-

Yellow - Yellow 10v
Red - Black - Red 24v -0 -24v

Average draw on yellow winding was around 15mA and on the red winding was
around 20mA. Now to see if I can find something suitable to replace them
with ...

Arfa


Must be completely different from the GT6 which is just a barrel
connecter with 18VAC on it.
Click to expand...
Ah, OK. This unit has a permanently attached mains cable (line power cord),
and internal PSU ... Looks to be quite a sophisticated multi-effect unit,
which I believe still commands a good second hand price.

Arfa
 
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 19:20:37 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2upl6l.5li.17.2@news.alt.net...
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:09:51 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

OK. Just managed to pry my way into the transformer covers to the point
where I could see the leads of the thermal fuse we all thought was going
to
be open (it was). Hung a 1 ohm fusible across there just in case the
primary
had got shorted turns (although it read ~ 350 ohms) and fired the unit up.
It all worked ok. For future reference in case anyone else needs to sort
out
a replacement tranny for one of these, the secondaries are as follows :-

Yellow - Yellow 10v
Red - Black - Red 24v -0 -24v

Average draw on yellow winding was around 15mA and on the red winding was
around 20mA. Now to see if I can find something suitable to replace them
with ...

Arfa


Must be completely different from the GT6 which is just a barrel
connecter with 18VAC on it.

Ah, OK. This unit has a permanently attached mains cable (line power cord),
and internal PSU ... Looks to be quite a sophisticated multi-effect unit,
which I believe still commands a good second hand price.

Arfa
Click to expand...
The GT series were very popular for those who had the money. The ME
series were less money and less well built but offered 24 bit sound
processing and amp COSM. I recently sold my GT6 for $250 after owning
it for a few years. I lost a little money but that's expected with
depreciation and newer models like the GT8. I found a Peavey Tube Fex
at a garage sale for $100. Needed a 3.3 volt nicad which was toast and
made the unit reboot continually. Having 24 bit sound processing plus
two active 12AX7 preamp tubes and a host of other features the GT6
didn't gave me reason the sell the GT6. The Tube Fex was a $900.00
retail unit back when it hit the market in the mid 80's. The
difference in sound between the Tube Fex and the GT6 is remarkable.
Real tube distortion always wins over its digital approximation.
 
"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2usreg.48g.17.2@news.alt.net...
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 19:20:37 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:


"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2upl6l.5li.17.2@news.alt.net...
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:09:51 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

OK. Just managed to pry my way into the transformer covers to the point
where I could see the leads of the thermal fuse we all thought was going
to
be open (it was). Hung a 1 ohm fusible across there just in case the
primary
had got shorted turns (although it read ~ 350 ohms) and fired the unit
up.
It all worked ok. For future reference in case anyone else needs to sort
out
a replacement tranny for one of these, the secondaries are as follows :-

Yellow - Yellow 10v
Red - Black - Red 24v -0 -24v

Average draw on yellow winding was around 15mA and on the red winding
was
around 20mA. Now to see if I can find something suitable to replace them
with ...

Arfa


Must be completely different from the GT6 which is just a barrel
connecter with 18VAC on it.

Ah, OK. This unit has a permanently attached mains cable (line power
cord),
and internal PSU ... Looks to be quite a sophisticated multi-effect unit,
which I believe still commands a good second hand price.

Arfa


The GT series were very popular for those who had the money. The ME
series were less money and less well built but offered 24 bit sound
processing and amp COSM. I recently sold my GT6 for $250 after owning
it for a few years. I lost a little money but that's expected with
depreciation and newer models like the GT8. I found a Peavey Tube Fex
at a garage sale for $100. Needed a 3.3 volt nicad which was toast and
made the unit reboot continually. Having 24 bit sound processing plus
two active 12AX7 preamp tubes and a host of other features the GT6
didn't gave me reason the sell the GT6. The Tube Fex was a $900.00
retail unit back when it hit the market in the mid 80's. The
difference in sound between the Tube Fex and the GT6 is remarkable.
Real tube distortion always wins over its digital approximation.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed. I'm not a great lover of digital effects - period. However, I
guess that they have their place, and one amp that I saw a while back,
although I can't remember what it was now, had like a 20 way switch in the
built-in digital effects unit, and it purported to simulate the sound of
many famous amps via that switch. I was told that it did a pretty fair job,
but without being a muso, able to properly play a guitar, I've really no
idea whether it was actually good, bad, or indifferent ...

Arfa
 
On Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:57:23 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2usreg.48g.17.2@news.alt.net...
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 19:20:37 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:


"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2upl6l.5li.17.2@news.alt.net...
On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:09:51 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

OK. Just managed to pry my way into the transformer covers to the point
where I could see the leads of the thermal fuse we all thought was going
to
be open (it was). Hung a 1 ohm fusible across there just in case the
primary
had got shorted turns (although it read ~ 350 ohms) and fired the unit
up.
It all worked ok. For future reference in case anyone else needs to sort
out
a replacement tranny for one of these, the secondaries are as follows :-

Yellow - Yellow 10v
Red - Black - Red 24v -0 -24v

Average draw on yellow winding was around 15mA and on the red winding
was
around 20mA. Now to see if I can find something suitable to replace them
with ...

Arfa


Must be completely different from the GT6 which is just a barrel
connecter with 18VAC on it.

Ah, OK. This unit has a permanently attached mains cable (line power
cord),
and internal PSU ... Looks to be quite a sophisticated multi-effect unit,
which I believe still commands a good second hand price.

Arfa


The GT series were very popular for those who had the money. The ME
series were less money and less well built but offered 24 bit sound
processing and amp COSM. I recently sold my GT6 for $250 after owning
it for a few years. I lost a little money but that's expected with
depreciation and newer models like the GT8. I found a Peavey Tube Fex
at a garage sale for $100. Needed a 3.3 volt nicad which was toast and
made the unit reboot continually. Having 24 bit sound processing plus
two active 12AX7 preamp tubes and a host of other features the GT6
didn't gave me reason the sell the GT6. The Tube Fex was a $900.00
retail unit back when it hit the market in the mid 80's. The
difference in sound between the Tube Fex and the GT6 is remarkable.
Real tube distortion always wins over its digital approximation.

Yes indeed. I'm not a great lover of digital effects - period. However, I
guess that they have their place, and one amp that I saw a while back,
although I can't remember what it was now, had like a 20 way switch in the
built-in digital effects unit, and it purported to simulate the sound of
many famous amps via that switch. I was told that it did a pretty fair job,
but without being a muso, able to properly play a guitar, I've really no
idea whether it was actually good, bad, or indifferent ...

Arfa
Click to expand...
I worked on a Vox Valvetronix AD30 that had some presets. Silicone
out, tube front end if memory serves. Maybe that was what you saw?
It wasn't a 'horrible' sounding amp but I wouldn't play through one.
Roland also makes one call the Cube. I'm sure there are others like
Line 6 and maybe Behringer.

I use a Waller 2x12 100 DSP combo. MOSFET chip output, 90 volt rails.
Plug the Tube Fex into the effects return bypassing the amps tone
circuits which by the way are all active, not passive. It's the best
SS amp I've ever played even with no externals, it has built in DSP
(chorus,delay) and a master V with foot switch for all.
Sure beats lugging the 45 Kilo, 70's Twin around. The Waller weighs in
at half that.

I need to mod my Twin to tap between the tone stack and phase inverter
so I can insert the Tube Fex. I don't care to stack it into the front
end of the Twin 4 tubes behind the outputs. I keep the Twin at home
these days to keep my chops up until the next gig comes around.
People are just too busy to go out and play these days. And it's
almost too much work for what little it does pay if you're looking at
it like that. Myself, I just like to play and if you carried my stuff
in and out I might do it for free.
 
I worked on a Vox Valvetronix AD30 that had some presets. Silicone
out, tube front end if memory serves. Maybe that was what you saw?
It wasn't a 'horrible' sounding amp but I wouldn't play through one.
Roland also makes one call the Cube. I'm sure there are others like
Line 6 and maybe Behringer.

I use a Waller 2x12 100 DSP combo. MOSFET chip output, 90 volt rails.
Plug the Tube Fex into the effects return bypassing the amps tone
circuits which by the way are all active, not passive. It's the best
SS amp I've ever played even with no externals, it has built in DSP
(chorus,delay) and a master V with foot switch for all.
Sure beats lugging the 45 Kilo, 70's Twin around. The Waller weighs in
at half that.

I need to mod my Twin to tap between the tone stack and phase inverter
so I can insert the Tube Fex. I don't care to stack it into the front
end of the Twin 4 tubes behind the outputs. I keep the Twin at home
these days to keep my chops up until the next gig comes around.
People are just too busy to go out and play these days. And it's
almost too much work for what little it does pay if you're looking at
it like that. Myself, I just like to play and if you carried my stuff
in and out I might do it for free.
Click to expand...
On a completely different subject, I don't suppose you happen to have the
schematic and wiring diagram for a 3 pickup 5 way switched Strat, with a
built in preamp do you ? Shop that I do a lot of work for sent it up to me
today to have a look at for them. When you turn the volume control on the
instrument up, the internal preamp starts to oscillate violently. It is
unaffected by the pickup switch position. The guy in the shop has fitted a
new volume control to it, but at this point, until I can talk to him when
they re-open tomorrow, I'm unclear as to whether he was trying to cure this
problem by changing the pot, or whether the problem has occured as a result
of changing the pot for some other reason. The case of the pot has a
soldered ground lead, which connects to the cases of the two tone pots. The
'groundy' tag of the volume pot has a single wire going back to the internal
preamp board. If you ground this tag (and hence the wire) to the pot case,
the instability goes away, and the guitar seems to work ok. Power to the
preamp is still switched correctly by jacking into the output connector. The
only thing I would say is that the output seems a bit 'thin' when the
selector switch is set to middle pickup only. Is this normal on a Strat ?

Arfa
 
On Thu, 9 Jul 2009 01:04:25 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

On a completely different subject, I don't suppose you happen to have the
schematic and wiring diagram for a 3 pickup 5 way switched Strat, with a
built in preamp do you ? Shop that I do a lot of work for sent it up to me
today to have a look at for them. When you turn the volume control on the
instrument up, the internal preamp starts to oscillate violently. It is
unaffected by the pickup switch position. The guy in the shop has fitted a
new volume control to it, but at this point, until I can talk to him when
they re-open tomorrow, I'm unclear as to whether he was trying to cure this
problem by changing the pot, or whether the problem has occured as a result
of changing the pot for some other reason. The case of the pot has a
soldered ground lead, which connects to the cases of the two tone pots. The
'groundy' tag of the volume pot has a single wire going back to the internal
preamp board. If you ground this tag (and hence the wire) to the pot case,
the instability goes away, and the guitar seems to work ok. Power to the
preamp is still switched correctly by jacking into the output connector. The
only thing I would say is that the output seems a bit 'thin' when the
selector switch is set to middle pickup only. Is this normal on a Strat ?

Arfa
Click to expand...
It depends on what aftermarket active pickup system it has. Seymour,
EMG being the two I'm familiar with.

The middle pickup alone should be strong not thin. The thinness
quality is a result of the combo of the middle and bridge pickup. Some
even wire the two out of phase to get an even thinner tone.

Regardless you'll have to find out who made that system. Fender
doesn't do it by default although you might be able to order one from
the Fender Custom Shop like that.
 
"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2v477g.a9o.19.6@news.alt.net...
On Thu, 9 Jul 2009 01:04:25 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

On a completely different subject, I don't suppose you happen to have the
schematic and wiring diagram for a 3 pickup 5 way switched Strat, with a
built in preamp do you ? Shop that I do a lot of work for sent it up to me
today to have a look at for them. When you turn the volume control on the
instrument up, the internal preamp starts to oscillate violently. It is
unaffected by the pickup switch position. The guy in the shop has fitted a
new volume control to it, but at this point, until I can talk to him when
they re-open tomorrow, I'm unclear as to whether he was trying to cure
this
problem by changing the pot, or whether the problem has occured as a
result
of changing the pot for some other reason. The case of the pot has a
soldered ground lead, which connects to the cases of the two tone pots.
The
'groundy' tag of the volume pot has a single wire going back to the
internal
preamp board. If you ground this tag (and hence the wire) to the pot case,
the instability goes away, and the guitar seems to work ok. Power to the
preamp is still switched correctly by jacking into the output connector.
The
only thing I would say is that the output seems a bit 'thin' when the
selector switch is set to middle pickup only. Is this normal on a Strat ?

Arfa

It depends on what aftermarket active pickup system it has. Seymour,
EMG being the two I'm familiar with.

The middle pickup alone should be strong not thin. The thinness
quality is a result of the combo of the middle and bridge pickup. Some
even wire the two out of phase to get an even thinner tone.

Regardless you'll have to find out who made that system. Fender
doesn't do it by default although you might be able to order one from
the Fender Custom Shop like that.
Click to expand...
Done a bit closer looking at this thing, and the model is an "Eric Clapton".
I found the wiring diagram for it on Fender's site, and it is wired per
production, so I guess that it's not been messed with. It also uses a
strange tone control system which utilizes a dual gang pot which according
to the lad in the shop, who understands these things, behaves like a normal
tone control up to about half way, where there's a detent, and then after
that, the preamp suddenly becomes significant, producing a 'boost' of around
25dB. That sounds like a potentially 'dangerous' amount of gain to shove in
line on a lead guitar !! It is around about this middle setting where the
preamp starts to hoot at around 500Hz, at a guess. The volume control has an
effect on exactly where it starts. Unfortunately, although the preamp board
isn't exactly 'complicated', it still has probably 40 or 50 components on
it, a number of which are transistors. The instrument wiring diagram shows
it only as a module. All of the pots (the regular tone, the 'odd' tone and
the vol) connect back to the board. I've combed their site, and can't find a
schematic for this board. I've experimented with additional decoupling caps
etc, but nothing will make it unconditionally stable. We're gonna try Fender
support on Monday to see if they have come across this problem, and know the
fix for it, but if you have any thoughts, or have any buddies who know this
instrument and may have come across this problem, I'm listening ... d;~}

Arfa
 
On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:44:42 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

"Meat Plow" <meat@petitmorte.net> wrote in message
news:2v477g.a9o.19.6@news.alt.net...
On Thu, 9 Jul 2009 01:04:25 +0100, "Arfa Daily"
arfa.daily@ntlworld.com>wrote:

On a completely different subject, I don't suppose you happen to have the
schematic and wiring diagram for a 3 pickup 5 way switched Strat, with a
built in preamp do you ? Shop that I do a lot of work for sent it up to me
today to have a look at for them. When you turn the volume control on the
instrument up, the internal preamp starts to oscillate violently. It is
unaffected by the pickup switch position. The guy in the shop has fitted a
new volume control to it, but at this point, until I can talk to him when
they re-open tomorrow, I'm unclear as to whether he was trying to cure
this
problem by changing the pot, or whether the problem has occured as a
result
of changing the pot for some other reason. The case of the pot has a
soldered ground lead, which connects to the cases of the two tone pots.
The
'groundy' tag of the volume pot has a single wire going back to the
internal
preamp board. If you ground this tag (and hence the wire) to the pot case,
the instability goes away, and the guitar seems to work ok. Power to the
preamp is still switched correctly by jacking into the output connector.
The
only thing I would say is that the output seems a bit 'thin' when the
selector switch is set to middle pickup only. Is this normal on a Strat ?

Arfa

It depends on what aftermarket active pickup system it has. Seymour,
EMG being the two I'm familiar with.

The middle pickup alone should be strong not thin. The thinness
quality is a result of the combo of the middle and bridge pickup. Some
even wire the two out of phase to get an even thinner tone.

Regardless you'll have to find out who made that system. Fender
doesn't do it by default although you might be able to order one from
the Fender Custom Shop like that.

Done a bit closer looking at this thing, and the model is an "Eric Clapton".
I found the wiring diagram for it on Fender's site, and it is wired per
production, so I guess that it's not been messed with. It also uses a
strange tone control system which utilizes a dual gang pot which according
to the lad in the shop, who understands these things, behaves like a normal
tone control up to about half way, where there's a detent, and then after
that, the preamp suddenly becomes significant, producing a 'boost' of around
25dB. That sounds like a potentially 'dangerous' amount of gain to shove in
line on a lead guitar !! It is around about this middle setting where the
preamp starts to hoot at around 500Hz, at a guess. The volume control has an
effect on exactly where it starts. Unfortunately, although the preamp board
isn't exactly 'complicated', it still has probably 40 or 50 components on
it, a number of which are transistors. The instrument wiring diagram shows
it only as a module. All of the pots (the regular tone, the 'odd' tone and
the vol) connect back to the board. I've combed their site, and can't find a
schematic for this board. I've experimented with additional decoupling caps
etc, but nothing will make it unconditionally stable. We're gonna try Fender
support on Monday to see if they have come across this problem, and know the
fix for it, but if you have any thoughts, or have any buddies who know this
instrument and may have come across this problem, I'm listening ... d;~}

Arfa
Click to expand...
Ah so this is a Blackie? Lace Gold Sensor pickups, TBX tone controls?

What year? That 25db boost was indicative of 1985 > but there were
different configurations.

Look around http://www.agi-lace.com/ maybe they have the preamp. I
don't know who made the one in your guitar.

That 25DB boost was to make up for the loss of the gain of a neck
humbucker on a Gibson SG and that 'Sunshine of Your Love' or signature
'woman tone' Eric was famous for. The Lace Sensor Strat pickups being
a single pole structure didn't have the gain a bucker did.

Call the Fender Custom Shop if you can. If it was made there it will
have a stamp or foil label on the inside indicating so.
 
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