Roadster Volume drop Issue

The Boogie Board

Help Support The Boogie Board:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
well, the last couple of days i noticed that my roadster has been dropping in volume randomly after playing it for a while. I know it sounds like a bad tube but i just replaced all of them with new JJs mainly because before it was dropping the volume whenever i switched channels. Does anyone else have a similar issue? is there a fix from mesa? i'll be calling them but i thought i'd check here first. thanks
 
Mine has some drop-out/fizzle issues when i'm playing with the loop engaged with nothing in the loop (just so i can use the master and solo functions), but never on the clean channel. If i have a pedal in the loop or switch the loop to bypass it doesn't happen. I've never had a problem when gigging since i use the loop for fx then.
 
well, i'll be damned, it didnt do it now that i hooked up my rack to it and had a processor in the loop.. i'll keep an ear out for it and see. thanks
 
TheBlackman said:
Mine has some drop-out/fizzle issues when i'm playing with the loop engaged with nothing in the loop (just so i can use the master and solo functions), but never on the clean channel. If i have a pedal in the loop or switch the loop to bypass it doesn't happen. I've never had a problem when gigging since i use the loop for fx then.


ok, yesterday i played it without anything in the loop and it happened again, so i pulled out the rack and hooked it up and it stopped doing it. I unplugged the fx from the loop just to see if it did it and yep, volume drops like a mofo. gonna call mesa again today and see what they say. this is a pretty crappy problem on such an expensive amp.
 
VforVendetta00 said:
this is a pretty crappy problem on such an expensive amp.

I think $2000 is actually an absolute steal for a Roadster... even if the thing doesn't work. Ha.

In the realm of 4 channel amps, it doesn't get any cheaper. Hell, even the 4 channel Marshall is more expensive than the Roadster. Companies like Soldano and Deizel and Orange charge more than $2000 for 2 channel amps!


Mesa makes a strong amp... they may have issues over time(and may not) but they are usually easily fixed. Mesas are kind of like Hondas... with proper care and maintenance, they will last forever.
 
echoes420 said:
VforVendetta00 said:
this is a pretty crappy problem on such an expensive amp.

I think $2000 is actually an absolute steal for a Roadster... even if the thing doesn't work. Ha.

In the realm of 4 channel amps, it doesn't get any cheaper. Hell, even the 4 channel Marshall is more expensive than the Roadster. Companies like Soldano and Deizel and Orange charge more than $2000 for 2 channel amps!


Mesa makes a strong amp... they may have issues over time(and may not) but they are usually easily fixed. Mesas are kind of like Hondas... with proper care and maintenance, they will last forever.


oh please, wtf is wrong with you?! $2000 aint chump change! and yes i expect an amp that is barely a year old to work perfectly! obviously i think the roadster sounds great or i wouldn't have bought one but defending the company on making a good amp with a pretty serious defect is delusional. I hope i can get it fixed without any more problems.
 
echoes420 said:
Vendettaboy said:
oh please, wtf is wrong with you?! $2000 aint chump change!

Actually... in the world of pro gear, it kind of is.


so in the mythical world of pro gear having equipment with defects is also acceptable? hahaha, get real.
 
TheBlackman said:
I haven't tried just a patch cord in the loop yet...maybe that would be enough to eliminate the problem?

i think that would make it a quick fix, but i personally dont like my gear and devices to require a makeshift solution because if it requires it then there is definitely something wrong in the design and makes it liable to have more problems down the line. Like i said, a professional and expensive amplifier shouldn't make u feel like its gonna fail at any moment.
 
well if you're not using the loop and don't need the master/solo functions, on the bright side the amp sounds incredible with the loop by-passed! Where I live (nova scotia) there's no mesa repair without shipping it to the states so i'll have to settle for a quick fix if i need it.
 
TheBlackman said:
well if you're not using the loop and don't need the master/solo functions, on the bright side the amp sounds incredible with the loop by-passed! Where I live (nova scotia) there's no mesa repair without shipping it to the states so i'll have to settle for a quick fix if i need it.

i agree, the amp sounds freaking amazing with the loop bypassed. unfortunately i do need it for some effects. I guess i'm lucky cause there is a repair center here so i'll be taking it in as soon as i can. good luck
 
I might be out to lunch, in fact soon hope to be, but efx loops have gain stages attached to thme and if the loop is engaged without something in the loop, it might be normal to have the experience you are having. This would be a signal routing issue, not a "bad" design or infirmity on the part of your amp.
I have definitely seen this on other series efx loops amps with cables plugged into the loop, but no effects b/w the two sides of the loop, ie., send and returns plugged into the efx loop but no pedals/efx on the other ends of the cables.

In your situtation, leave the efx in the loop and toggle them off for the times you don't need them?!?
 
I have a Roadster head, and just to let you know, it's not a common thing, as mine doesn't do that. Solution wise, I wouldn't know. Best to ask Mesa themselves, could be an easy and cheap "fix"...
 
You have a weak tube somewhere... just start replacing them one by one, until you find it. No matter what work-around you use, it's still a problem until you find the culprit.
 
VforVendetta00 said:
well, the last couple of days i noticed that my roadster has been dropping in volume randomly after playing it for a while. I know it sounds like a bad tube but i just replaced all of them with new JJs mainly because before it was dropping the volume whenever i switched channels. Does anyone else have a similar issue? is there a fix from mesa? i'll be calling them but i thought i'd check here first. thanks

Is the lag just when changing channels?

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=38969
 
Nitrobattery said:
VforVendetta00 said:
well, the last couple of days i noticed that my roadster has been dropping in volume randomly after playing it for a while. I know it sounds like a bad tube but i just replaced all of them with new JJs mainly because before it was dropping the volume whenever i switched channels. Does anyone else have a similar issue? is there a fix from mesa? i'll be calling them but i thought i'd check here first. thanks

Is the lag just when changing channels?

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=38969


nope, i did have that issue before but i changed all the tubes and that went away, this is a new problem.......... not something that fills me with confidence about the reliability of the roadster really.
 
VforVendetta00 said:
Nitrobattery said:
VforVendetta00 said:
well, the last couple of days i noticed that my roadster has been dropping in volume randomly after playing it for a while. I know it sounds like a bad tube but i just replaced all of them with new JJs mainly because before it was dropping the volume whenever i switched channels. Does anyone else have a similar issue? is there a fix from mesa? i'll be calling them but i thought i'd check here first. thanks

Is the lag just when changing channels?

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=38969


nope, i did have that issue before but i changed all the tubes and that went away, this is a new problem.......... not something that fills me with confidence about the reliability of the roadster really.

Does the volume drop stop when you start playing but stutter back in if you hold a note? Is it also hard for you to reproduce and does it occur when you switch between channels 3 and 4? I have that problem with a Road King.
 
b0nkersx said:
Does the volume drop stop when you start playing but stutter back in if you hold a note? Is it also hard for you to reproduce and does it occur when you switch between channels 3 and 4? I have that problem with a Road King.


nope, none of those issues except for changing the channels which was cleared up when i changed the tubes, but now its this problem.
 
well, to update i replaced all the preamp tubes, and it fixed the problem, apparently it was a bad V4. pheww! i have a kickass amp again without any issues!

w000000000000000T! :D
 

Latest posts

Back
Top