Crate GX-15R Overdrive Dead

[lylet]

I'm new to this site.

Has anyone ran into an issue with the overdrive channel not working on a Crate GX-15R? The clean, EQ and reverb work fine. When switching to the overdrive, all sound is gone. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Lyle

[Enzo]

Could be a million things. The channel switch, cracked solder on the switch or one of the controls of the dead channel. One section of the quad op amp IC in that channel could be bad. And least likely but possible, one of the various small parts like resistors could be bad or have a failed connection.

[lylet]

I should have been more specific in my post. Has there been a common issue with the overdrive malfunctioning in this amplifier. I can do the troubleshooting if needs be. I'm being lazy here hoping to see if this is a common problem.

Thanks

[Enzo]

Common problem? No. That seems to be the new mantra.

There is little difference between the channels, they all use the same stuff, more gain and distortion in the lead channel, but still nothing but op amps, can, and resistors. If it very unlikely that if my GX15 has a cap with failed solder that yours would have the same cap with the same failed solder.

However what I did offer was "common issues" with amps in general. Small practice amps like this are all very much alike, Crate, Peavey, Fender, etc etc. The same stuff goes wrong in all of them. same things that fail in large amps for that matter. Smaller amps are usually used by less experienced people and so are more often subject to broken controls and jacks. Not saying that's you, but in general.

Switches take abuse by their nature, they can break or their solder crack just from being pushed all the time.

Broken solder is one of THE most common things that go wrong across the panel under the controls and jacks.

Something hits a knob on the panel, it can push the back out of the control. And these controls are small and not all that robust, so the rear wafer can be cracked in half.

All these amps use a 5-leg power amp IC and op amps for the preamp. If your power amp works, the entire preamp is pretty much an op amp IC or two. In your case one quad op amp, the TL074 is the whole thing, one more dual op amp is the reverb. So if any electronics have failed, chances are it is this TL074 because that IC is the whole thing.

it won't affect you, but the other thing on my list would be the headphones and/or external speaker jacks - the cutout contacts get dirty and then nothing comes out the speaker.

[lylet]

Thanks for the help Enzo. I appreciate your replies. I'll check out the solder joints before changing out the Op-Amp. This amp is from a high school kid that lives in my neighborhood. He hasn't had much of a father growing up and my wife and I try to help him out as much as we can. With any luck I can get this thing going for him. He's a good kid. Thanks again for your help.

Lyle