?? Brand new Roadster up in SMOKE !!

[dennq45]

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Well my brand new Roadster just went up in smoke, literally. Yesterday it was making a crackle sound through the speaker and today I got the footswitch and plugged it in to try the controller, a couple of large sonic booms from it and then smoke, not alot, but smoke. I have had this thing 24 hours. I never sent in the warranty card. It was on the floor at my local dealer and who nows for how long. I usually never buy anything off the floor. Serial 000616 so the mod was never done. Obviously this thing was damaged when I bought it. The tubes glow but nothing through the speaker. The fuse is ok.

Heres my question... what would you all do... 1 Take it back and wait for it to be repaired... 2 Order a nice fresh one and wait and wait for who knows how long. What would you decide. This thing was very expensive and has to last a lifetime. Ok everyone, chime on in. Anyone else having Roadster problems?

 

[Storm]

If you want it back sooner rather than later just get it repaired under warranty from the shop you bought it from. BUT, considering the price of the amp, I'd be wanting a new one that wasn't a demo unit even though the waiting time would be most likely very long. At least that way you could more or less guarantee you won't have problems after the warranty expires with a new amp. It's a hard decision as you just want it fast so you can play!

Ciao ...

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Since they can't be discounted.....for me it would me a no brainer....

.....Get a new one ordered.

 

[picnic]

I bought an LSS from GC off the floor. It lasted 2 weeks and crapped out at my house. I took it back and they ordered a new one for me.

 

[dennq45]

Well since I am an amp tec I thought I would look around the inside. One of the screen resistors on a 6L6 power tube had a cold solder joint, one side let go and shorted against the chassis. Very bad. Very very bad. I put it back together. I am not getting involved in this one. A warranty issue for sure. Maybe I will just order a RK II. I will wait and see.

 

[dennq45]

I bought an LSS from GC off the floor. It lasted 2 weeks and crapped out at my house. I took it back and they ordered a new one for me.

How long did it take to get a replacement?

 

[MesaENGR412]

Very bad. Very very bad. I put it back together. I am not getting involved in this one.

I'm sorry to hear that bud, I hope everything works out in the end for you. Yeah, i can see where something shorting out on the chassis would be a very bad thing. Good luck my friend.

-AJH

 

[matty]

had the same problem with mine

plugged it in one day and pop
no sound/black smoke
took it in for repair and it had a pair of bad I/O tubes
and a burned sceen resistor
got it back and it worked but some mechanical noise
sent it back again
bad pre-amp tube and replaced the fan due to the noise issue
now after almost 3 months of not having it it came back and works perfect
I've had it back for about a month now and no problems so far

 

[shnapper]

I don't have the combo, I have the head and have had no problems. I use it 2-3 times a day for practice cycling it on & off. I'm surprized you even used the amp knowing the mod wasn't done even if the mod had nothing to do with it failing, I would have maybe not bought that particular amp knowing these two things.

1. It was a floor model

2. It was never modified/upgraded per mesa's request

Take it back and ask for a new one and please post what happens so we know the end results............My guess would be you'd have to wait it out for the usual 6-8 weeks

 

[dennq45]

I don't have the combo, I have the head and have had no problems. I use it 2-3 times a day for practice cycling it on & off. I'm surprized you even used the amp knowing the mod wasn't done even if the mod had nothing to do with it failing, I would have maybe not bought that particular amp knowing these two things.

1. It was a floor model

2. It was never modified/upgraded per mesa's request


Well they never told me about the mod when I bought it. I called them the next day since they had given me the wrong footswitch so I cranked it up that night not knowing about the mod. I am sure the screen resistor letting go had nothing to do with the mod. One thing I did knowtice though was the amp only worked on 50 watts. No change when I flipped it to 100. Only one set of power tubes working. Its going back tomorrow. I am getting the head though. That 2 X 12 is a backbreaker. I'm much too old to be carrying the combo. I'm not expecting any problems from my dealer.




Take it back and ask for a new one and please post what happens so we know the end results............My guess would be you'd have to wait it out for the usual 6-8 weeks

 

[dennq45]

Well my followup... Took the Roadster combo back to the dealer and they said thet would get it repaired. I just smiled and let them know that they could just order me the Road King II head since the Roadster combo was just too heavy. They said no problem. So now they have a really huge deposit on my new RK II. I hope it doest't take too long. This wait is gonna KILL me. :wink:

 

[dennq45]

Well they never told me about the mod when I bought it. I called them the next day since they had given me the wrong footswitch so I cranked it up that night not knowing about the mod. I am sure the screen resistor letting go had nothing to do with the mod. One thing I did knowtice though was the amp only worked on 50 watts. No change when I flipped it to 100. Only one set of power tubes working. Its going back tomorrow. I am getting the head though. That 2 X 12 is a backbreaker. I'm much too old to be carrying the combo. I'm not expecting any problems from my dealer.

 

[ursinus]

I had mine a few months with no problems. 5 gigs, 2 recording sessions, no problem. I am also a tech and did the mod myself. Very easy to add the bleed resistor. I have cranked mine quite a bit too. I think it is just a fluke, I am sorry it happened to you. Moving my 2x12 combo is a pain though, even with casters.... When I was twenty, I could manhandle my 2 boogie stacks and a full rack, now at fourty, my Mark IV widebody combo is nice....my Roadster, barely tolerable...

 

[lockbody]

:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Well my brand new Roadster just went up in smoke, literally. Yesterday it was making a crackle sound through the speaker and today I got the footswitch and plugged it in to try the controller, a couple of large sonic booms from it and then smoke, not alot, but smoke. I have had this thing 24 hours. I never sent in the warranty card. It was on the floor at my local dealer and who nows for how long. I usually never buy anything off the floor. Serial 000616 so the mod was never done. Obviously this thing was damaged when I bought it. The tubes glow but nothing through the speaker. The fuse is ok.

Heres my question... what would you all do... 1 Take it back and wait for it to be repaired... 2 Order a nice fresh one and wait and wait for who knows how long. What would you decide. This thing was very expensive and has to last a lifetime. Ok everyone, chime on in. Anyone else having Roadster problems?

Mine smoked after about two hours. Turned it off after playing it, then moved it after it cooled down. Next day I turned it on and saw a puff of smoke from the back and before I could turn it off the fuse popped. There was a electrical smell from around the power tubes.

I replaced the fuse and now all but one of the power amp tubes light. So I tried a different set of GTs and discovered one of the power tubes with a break in the plastic base around the "keyed" part. I replaced the set with a known working set of GTs and while the 100w settings worked, the 50w don't (inside pair?).

Was this a power tube failure that took out part of the amp?

I'm on my way to my dealer (authorized repair center) now. This really sucks as I've got my Triaxis boxed up in the car to send to its' new owner.

I haven't even had time to send in my warranty card.

sigh.

 

[adamdesoto]

i swear i heard a crackling/some sound cut out during play even after the mod was done to my combo. altho it hasn't happened recently. also, i plugged it in on the road and had no power one time. i popped out the fuse and it was fine, when i put it back in it powered up...weird... anyway, i'm gettin the head version because the combo is unbearable to move around since i do lots of gigging. i also need the thunder of a 4x12 and the combo and 2x12 i'm running now aren't giving it to me. mine is SN 00284 so i think its pretty old and probably sat on a sales floor for a while.

 

[mrd]

You will enjoy the RKII :up:

A very versatile amp I must say :lol:

 

[jamme61]

I had the same thing happen to my MKIV. It was from me putting so many different tubes in and out of the tube socket. It broke the solder joint from pin 5 resistor to ground and it redplated one of the power tubes. When i found out what happened I was amazed how much stress was put on some of the pins conections of the power tubes when taking the power tubes in and out , be careful.

 

[lockbody]

Mine turned out to be the failure of two parallel resisitors between power tubes two and three. I'm not sure what they do and didn't ask as the tech was kind of busy.

The store replaced the amp because of this and also since the tech mentioned it was one of the slopier solder jobs he had ever seen on a Mesa.

 

[shroomfinger]

I just purchased the Roadster 2x12 last week and have not had any problems yet but am concerned as some of the other issues are popping up. The initial popping sound when changing channels with the footswitch is a nuisance and can't be good for the speakers. I've read a few posts on this board about the problem and the general consensus is that it is not bad for the amp and is due to the design (also shared by Roadking). I'm just curious if anyone who owns the Roadster combo is not expierencing any popping. I think the fan is too loud for recording, again only a few complaints on the board about this problem but I'm taking it in to get looked at. The mod has not been performed yet but I was assured it will not be a problem and will be taking it in on Monday. Other than that the amp is perfect for my needs and I'm happy to join the Mesa family.

 

[lockbody]

I cycle though the footswitch buttons while the amp is on standby and have never had any popping issues with either Roadster.