My F-50 died in its sleep? Help! (SOLVED)

[NuSkoolTone]

Ok this is weird. I recorded some tracks with my F-50 5 days ago. I haven't used it since. I powered it up today and it won't make a peep!

I checked the record out and that's normal I get signal with the mute switch on or off. If I turn the dirt channel all the way up, I'll get a low fizzy sound as if the master was turned all the way off. Anyone know if the record out is after or before the PI? EDIT:It's PRE PI! Anyone have a block diagram for the F series?

I switched Power tubes. No difference. A word about the power tubes: I didn't have a mesa pair in there. They were a matched set of Ruby's I had because one of the originals were red plating after a plastic tab broke off. When I did the recording I did run it pretty loud. However it did not give ONE hint there was a problem! It's also not the first recording I've done with it, and had been playing it regularly for the last two months with nothing funny going on. Also checked the speaker, that's not the issue either.

Also checked the main fuse (Fine. I suppose it wouldn't even power up!) Looked for any additional fuses inside and there are none.

Once in awhile trying to see what the issue was the amp would crackle.

Any ideas? More to the point, anyone KNOW what this is? I'd rather not send it in, I'd rather just "guess" correctly the first time and replace the part myself. Right now I'm guessing its the OT.

 

[Platypus]

Have you checked the preamp tubes? If you have almost no volume it sounds like V1 might be crapping out on you. If you heard a crackling as well as having almost no gain at all I'd get the preamp tubes a test.

 

[NuSkoolTone]

Have you checked the preamp tubes? If you have almost no volume it sounds like V1 might be crapping out on you. If you heard a crackling as well as having almost no gain at all I'd get the preamp tubes a test.

Per your suggestion, I tried replacing V1. No change. Being that the amp's silent record out is working perfectly wouldn't it be good preamp wise at least up to the PI?

HA HA! I just answered my own question! As I was typing this I thought "Well why DON'T you swap the PI Stupid?"

Sure enough, that was it! She works now! Yahoo! Thanks.

 

[Platypus]

cool 8)

 

[Charlie]

Cool! I had some problems with my F-50 too when I first got it... pretty sure everything is ok with it now.

Newskool - how are you liking your F-50 so far? I'm pretty sure I remember you returning an Express in exchange for it.

 

[NuSkoolTone]

Cool! I had some problems with my F-50 too when I first got it... pretty sure everything is ok with it now.

Newskool - how are you liking your F-50 so far? I'm pretty sure I remember you returning an Express in exchange for it.

Hey, yeah I was surprised the tube just crapped out like that! Everything seems fine now though.

So far I'm still digging it over the Express. Can I hear room for improvement? Sure. How many amps don't? However I don't feel the Express was that "Improvement" I was looking for. I'd love to have the clean sound, reverb and adjustable contour from it, but that's really it. I'd like to do some tweaks to the contour, but I need High Res pic before I can get some help cause I can't do it myself really. I don't think I have a high-res camera though capable of the shot! Oh well, for now I'll just play with different tubes I suppose.

The only thing worth noting is I haven't been able to get the F-50 (Or the Express) in the room with a live band. The "Project" I'm working with is having endless trouble getting off the ground. Otherwise I would have tried the Express out the week I had it, and would have used the F-50 too by now.

My Drama: For the moment I'm playing BASS, because we had to look for a drummer AND a Bass player. Got the Drummer sit resolved, now it's time to find a Perm Bass player. We need a Bass player in the NY area secure enough in his manhood to play some dance tunes. (We want to see chicks shakin that azz! Not just a metal militia sausage party...) The last dude basically bailed because if it's lighter than say Nickelback he can't hang. He's also a pick player and the funky stuff is more a fingerstyle gig. Though we never expressed a problem with the pick, perhaps he was apprehensive about the dance stuff because to do it right you need to use the fingers which I don't think he's done before. The singer's still trying to iron it out with the guy cause he's truly talented and also a great singer, but after awhile ya just gotta grow a sack and say "Sorry, it's not for you. Next!". Just sucks it's never easy. Things aren't solid enough to book, and without gigs it's ALWAYS harder to get a replacement. Circular problem...
Anyways I could go on, but I'm probably already oversharing. It's just frustrating even thinking about it. If we started to book TOMORROW we're probably picking up scraps for the Fall. :?

 

[Charlie]

Well good luck with the band. It's always tough to get people who are on the same playing level, like the same type of music, can get along with each other, have a similar schedule and expect/ want the same things out of being in a band.

It's tough but worth it so keep looking.

Btw I swapped out my V1 and V2 preamp tubes for Tung Sols. Really happy with what it did for the amp. If the Express has better cleans than the F-50... well it must have some fu@*& amazing cleans! I think I have had my F-50 for about 3 weeks now and I'm really happy with it. The reverb isn't great but is definitely usable. Probably my only gripe with the amp. I still haven't tried out the fx loop I can't wait to get some pedals to mess around with.

Also, I do want to get an MXR 10 band EQ to mess around with and see what that is like. I'm assuming it would help to pull even more variations of tone out of it.

 

[freddycaster]

*DOPEMAN*
what did the Tung Sols do for your amp?
I love the clean channel on mine but the drive/crunch channel just doesn't fit what I need - little too nasty for my tastes.

 

[Charlie]

*DOPEMAN*
what did the Tung Sols do for your amp?
I love the clean channel on mine but the drive/crunch channel just doesn't fit what I need - little too nasty for my tastes.

They helped to tame the high-end, took some of the 'flubby' qualities out of the bass and it made the gain smoother. IMHO they are definitely worth a try. You really only need to swap out the V1 and V2 positions and the worst thing you will end up with are a pair of spare preamp tubes.

 

[cellardweller]

Another happy ending written by the folks here at the Boogie Board! :lol: