TC Electronic Blacksmith Bass Amp...Gain Pot 'popping' with rotation

[nevetslab]

One of my clients sent over their TC Electronic Blacksmith Bass Amp for service. I remember getting a chance to play thru one of these when I was going thru all the bass amps from CenterStating's New York Inventory, after they shut that operation down at the beginning of Covid 19, and brought it all back here to Burbank. I think of all the amps in the array from the NY inventory, THIS amp sounded superb.

I also recall looking at the top cover, held in place by Bristol T10 fasteners, which wrapped around to become the rear panel, and had nearly everything on the rear panel mounted to it. I stopped back then in Mid-August 2020 and didn't attempt to figure out just how to get inside, but now there's one here on the bench. I again removed the top cover screws (8 of them), then followed that pattern down the rear panel perimeter, removing all those fasteners. But, everything about that rear panel, mounted to this wrap-around top cover says STAY OUT!

Has anyone ever been inside one of these?



I can't say I'm not tempted to keep removing screws, but, with SO MUCH mounted to this panel, I just can't wait to keep removing fasteners, and then hear an assembly drop off the rear panel into the insides, while still having not figured out just what to remove and what to DEFINTELY NOT remove to get inside.

And, as TC Electronic does NOT SUPPORT ANY non-TC Electronic support staff, and will only allow what needs servicing to be sent to one of their few Service Centers here in the US, I thought I'd ask if anyone has been inside. I know I didn't ever hear that stepped Gain Control 'POP' when I played thru the one in CenterStaging's inventory. This one....that's a new added feature, to tell you 'YUP, that's the GAIN Control".

Any clues, suggestions?

[Jon Snell]

Good luck, they can't even fix their own stuff, they swap out the panels because that is cheaper than repairing them. Class D power amp and A-d front end.
It might need a pot but I wouldn't hold your breath.

Who needs 1.6kW on stage? ... answer ... nobody. That is what the sound engineer is for with his PA rig.

[Enzo]

Jon, here is the case for 1600 watt amp. Bass is very peaky, especially if one does a lot of popping and slapping. A synth makes steady sounds, a guitarist can whang a big power chord and let it ring for extended time. But rarely does a bassist bang out a note and hold it at max volume for a period of time. The bass guitar generally makes a series of pulses. Now a 100 watt bass amp can make plenty of volume, if volume is all you want. Like a little Volkswagen can tow a travel trailer down a highway at 60 miles per hour. It takes all its little heart can give, but it does it. A small bass combo like a Peavey TNT115 sounds fine and is loud enough, but the sound is all compressed. All your peaks are lopped off.

Now enter a nice 1400 watt rig. It isn't there to make 1400 watts of continuous sound, nor is it there to be heard a block away with the windows closed. It is there to make that effortless sound, it lets the notes just flow out the speaker. The percussive attack of the string in its full glory. I am not towing my travel trailer down the highway with a one-ton pickup fifth wheel, with a 400 cubic inch engine. It doesn't go faster, it just doesn't struggle.

[Jon Snell]

Jon, here is the case for 1600 watt amp. Bass is very peaky, especially if one does a lot of popping and slapping. A synth makes steady sounds, a guitarist can whang a big power chord and let it ring for extended time. But rarely does a bassist bang out a note and hold it at max volume for a period of time. The bass guitar generally makes a series of pulses. Now a 100 watt bass amp can make plenty of volume, if volume is all you want. Like a little Volkswagen can tow a travel trailer down a highway at 60 miles per hour. It takes all its little heart can give, but it does it. A small bass combo like a Peavey TNT115 sounds fine and is loud enough, but the sound is all compressed. All your peaks are lopped off.

Now enter a nice 1400 watt rig. It isn't there to make 1400 watts of continuous sound, nor is it there to be heard a block away with the windows closed. It is there to make that effortless sound, it lets the notes just flow out the speaker. The percussive attack of the string in its full glory. I am not towing my travel trailer down the highway with a one-ton pickup fifth wheel, with a 400 cubic inch engine. It doesn't go faster, it just doesn't struggle.

I know what you are saying. I just meant the thought of the competition for the loudest performer is scary. Drummers and lead guitarists will struggle to over power a really big bass sound. There will be no room left for the poor vocalist without feedback.

Seriously though, A-D then processing then D-A into an FM amplifier leaves no room for errors and is almost impossible to repair without exchange panels.

Have a good Christmas and a happy New Year.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Jon, here is the case for 1600 watt amp. Bass is very peaky, especially if one does a lot of popping and slapping. A synth makes steady sounds, a guitarist can whang a big power chord and let it ring for extended time. But rarely does a bassist bang out a note and hold it at max volume for a period of time. The bass guitar generally makes a series of pulses. Now a 100 watt bass amp can make plenty of volume, if volume is all you want. Like a little Volkswagen can tow a travel trailer down a highway at 60 miles per hour. It takes all its little heart can give, but it does it. A small bass combo like a Peavey TNT115 sounds fine and is loud enough, but the sound is all compressed. All your peaks are lopped off.

Now enter a nice 1400 watt rig. It isn't there to make 1400 watts of continuous sound, nor is it there to be heard a block away with the windows closed. It is there to make that effortless sound, it lets the notes just flow out the speaker. The percussive attack of the string in its full glory. I am not towing my travel trailer down the highway with a one-ton pickup fifth wheel, with a 400 cubic inch engine. It doesn't go faster, it just doesn't struggle.

I've made the point to countless guitarists & bassists. Keyboard as well. If you need LOUD AND CLEAN, there is no substitute for power plus efficient speakers. You can try to cheat with compression, and that's all very well and good, but you wind up with a mushy mish-mash if you pursue that angle. So - you have to evaluate your audience's expectations, as well as your own. If it's middle-of-the-road pop music, then compress all you want. Iron it flat. Because that's how pop music is presented, all the more in recent years. If, on the other hand, you're trying to entertain your audience with shock and awe, then lay off the compressor/limiters & go for the gusto. People will either love it or hate it - we have gotten so used to squashed-flat dynamics that some folks freak out when confronted with "the real thing." Don't forget to work the quiet end of the dynamic spectrum. All loud, all the time, wears out the listeners. Including the band.

[nevetslab]

Good luck, they can't even fix their own stuff, they swap out the panels because that is cheaper than repairing them. Class D power amp and A-d front end.
It might need a pot but I wouldn't hold your breath.

While I agree with all the cases presented here, the reason I posted this thread was to gain entrance into this amp's chassis without undoing the wrong fasteners and have assemblies laying on the floor, while still unable to open the bloody thing up. With so much attached to the 'top cover/rear panel', I'd kind of like NOT to be the first one in and discover that was a very bad move.

Has ANYONE been inside one of these amps and can advise what to and NOT to remove to gain entry?