RE: Need Effects Repair/Tech (midwest...USA 50)

[fuzzritestarteditall]

Need Effects Worked Over Under Sideways Down....Experience would be great considering my last go round.

I have three possibly four or more effects repaired....two overdrives (Maxon OD-820...Ibanez TS-10), a looper (simple...to anyone but me for whatever reason), and possible repair on a Boss FET-FA1. There might be a couple of others to modify, depending on further discussion.

My last home area base repair experience was not good.

I was considering talking to a KC Mo based FX CO, but they seem to be pretty busy with the line they're building/selling.

Hope to hear from someone......thx Josh

[soundguruman]

Most of the time, in fact, almost every time...
The effects pedal owner is attempting to power the effects pedal with the wrong power supply, or a dead battery.

A.The power supply has been blown up by plugging it into the wrong effects pedal.
B. The effects pedal has been blown up by plugging it into the wrong power supply.
C. OR both of the above...power supply AND effects pedal are now blown up.
D. The battery is dead. But, the effects pedal owner refuses to buy a good battery. Refuses to accept that the battery is in fact, dead.

If you review the above list, you will find the category that suits the situation.

1. You cannot plug ANY power supply into ANY effects pedal. But 99% of the time, this has already been done...

2. AND you should LABEL each power supply, to MATCH the effects pedal. 99% of effects pedal owners will not do this.

The labor to repair blown up effects units, and replace missing power supplies, etc...usually exceeds the cost of new effects pedals.
Most of the time, it's hardly worth it.

AND if you do "repair" an effects unit, a lot of times, it's not worth it.
Example Ibanez TS 10. It's really noisy, even when it works "correctly." Why spend money repairing it?
You could buy a better one for less money or the same amount of money.

AND, to make it even more FUN:
*The power plug and power jack are all the SAME size, on most pedals.
* BUT the power could be AC, DC, reverse polarity, wrong voltage...

They do it on purpose.
They KNOW that because of the power plugs - all being the SAME size:
the inevitably, effects pedals and power supplies WILL be mixed up, causing the effects pedals and power supplies to be BLOWN up.

Creating a "never ending" demand for NEW effects pedals, and NEW power supplies. (suckers)

[jbltwin1]

All above is correct and also, MOST of the time, small effects are NOT cost effective to repair unless it's something electro-mechanical like a bad jack, power jack, etc. Actual diagnostic time is expensive and usually results in a lost cause, UNLESS you are able to do it yourself. Mike.

[Mick Bailey]

Repairs on those pedals should be pretty quick and effective, though you don't say what the specific faults with each unit are. The three models you mention are simple circuits, but the looper could be more involved as most are relatively complex. I've seen some 'boutique' loopers though that just use a voice recorder chip and through-lead components.

Very often with pedals the mechanical side fails - a defective bypass switch, poor switching contact in the input jack, a battery connector problem or failing pot. All of the Digitech Jam Man pedals I've repaired (for instance) have just been broken DC connectors.

[fuzzritestarteditall]

Thx for the help guys!! The Boss FET-A1 is highly collectable if working Im told....one of the rarest Boss pedals, goes for $4-500 to Boss "completist" type collectors (I'm not one) I guess its the piece many such collectors are looking for, tho I'm no "Stompbox Collectors Bible" reader.

The noisy Ibanez TS10 is indeed noisy as you describe, it belonged to my deceased brother...Id love to pass it on to his son in working condition (so some "heart" at the heart of this repair job). The Maxon 820 is a pedal I used in the studio, also noisy, an extemely versatile pedal that the folks that cant afford a Klon settle for, paid quite a bit for the one I had. The repair would have been well worth it to me, but its down to probably being a dead opamp and I dont solder opamps well, Ive learned. Actually like it better than the Klon a friend uses, less noise and MR hump.

I only use a Voodoo Lab Power Supply and two 9volt 1000ma center negative power supply a guy named Keen made me, this was a few years before he went to work for Visual Sound (where he now makes the same power supply for the public at large) and is finally seeing some return for the work he put into this New Page 1. Any other fx I have work splendidly plugged into any of the possibly dead power supplies.

I have'nt purchased a battery for a pedal in 10-12 years, except for a flashlight I use to read the parts numbers on opamps and tiny 10-15 volt capacitors and the like I get from Small Bear Electronic supply because Im going blind in my old age! Literally! http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforu...pic%3D100750.0 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOSS-FA-1-FE...-/140951912188 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Boss-FA-1-FE...-/400307223843

Thanks soundguruman, I know where youre coming from, good sound stuff to consider!

Thanks Mick and Mike, also Mick "though you don't say what the specific faults with each unit are," I think I said "depending on further discussion" which I was ready to discuss the specifics and costs on the phone if somebody stepped up with a repair offer or a recommendation. Also ready to do a self-fix per good advice from someone with more expertise that may have had ideas to try beyond the continuity and voltage tests Ive done. I thought I had a solder trace narrowed down on the FET, no luck.