Cowbell Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 I just got my amp from UPS about 30 min. ago. I was so excited to see it, and the thing looks extremely cool. I was a little upset when I notcied one of the back wheels broken completely off. FYI, I bought this on eBay. Well, I plug my Jazz Bass into it, and turn it on. I set all EQ to how I like it without playing. I also note the gain knob is first and master at last.I never really worked with a gain knob before,actually. So anyways, I have that on 0 and master on 5. Nothing came out. So move the gain knob to 5, and I get some gross,distorted amp sound. I CANNOT get a sound I want. And another FYI, I'm really new to bass amps too. So I check the speaker cable in the back, and it is plugged in correctly. So I push it in more to see if It's a bad connection, and then I can finally get a good sound out of it, but there's hum and really bad sounding noises squealing out of it. But the sound is ok, just so much racket. I really need help on what to do, because there aren't too many people I know that are great with amps.Please hepl, I am seriously freaking out. I'm wondering if I should get a refund from the seller (if it's really bad). No money left over from the purchase for new parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWBass Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 Just wondering how much you paid for it? And why the heck would you buy something from Ebay?? www.myspace.com/thefunkfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 Just a post reveals a lot about a person..... I paid $455.11 for it and its 3 months old. I think the problem is the speaker cable,it's not hooked up right or something. I got it because it's affordable,what I need, and because I can. I can return it if I want. I have bought many great things on eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWBass Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 Did the seller disclose any problems with it? www.myspace.com/thefunkfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 Yes, he did. He said the plastic around the wheels was cracked. I saw pics,too. But both wheels totally broke off during shipping,I suppose.... But otherwise he said it was in excellent working condition...which it is not. Yep, the problem is the cable connecting to the speaker, I think. When I really press it in to the back of the...pre-amp I guess you could call it...,it sounds just fine,if held still and constantly pressed in really hard.Otherwise it crackles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 I would turn it off immediately, and rewire the speaker connection with new haevy guage wiring. Try turning the master all the way maxed out, with all tone controls flat, and gradually bring up the gain until you get a loud and clean sound. Then start tweaking the tone controls. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 Alright, I'll pass this information around here and see what they say. Thanks for the help Edendude. How much would the rewiring cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJR Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 And why the heck would you buy something from Ebay?? Ebay can be a great source for buying and selling to a vast market of like minded people. I've had nothing but great success in both buying and selling over the last 3 yrs. PJR 5CentMary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWBass Posted January 25, 2003 Share Posted January 25, 2003 Originally posted by Peter J Romano: And why the heck would you buy something from Ebay?? Ebay can be a great source for buying and selling to a vast market of like minded people. I've had nothing but great success in both buying and selling over the last 3 yrs. PJRHey, I'm not knocking it. It's just the trust factor for me! www.myspace.com/thefunkfather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 Alright, I have an update. I went to see a techie nextdoor for about half an hour. We tested it all out. We thought at first it was the speaker, but we tried another bass cab and still got the same distorted sound. So, we finally deduced that the problem was internal. I would have to pay a couple hundred $ (which I don't have) to get it fixed. I guess it seems like a have to ask the seller for a refund. This is the auction item site says: Unit looks a bit used and both of the plastic covers around the wheels are cracked. However, the amplifier works perfectly and still is in very good condition. Comes in original box with manual and power cord. Good Luck! That disappoints me. Both wheels have fallen off and it definetly isn't working. The packaging wasn't too good; it was placed in a bag with several pieces of cardboard. If it was working in NJ, something happened in shipping, which is his fault. I will try now to ask the seller for a refund. Wish me luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 Are you certain that it's not just a bad speaker output jack on the amp's back panel? I thought you said that holding the speaker jack in seemed to temporarily cure the problem. You can remove the head section and re-solder the jack connections, and maybe replace the jack while your at it, for next to nothing. If you don't feel confident enough to tackle this yourself, it shouldn't cost much to have done at an electronics repair shop. If it were mine I'd remove the head from the combo and wire the speaker output directly with 14 gauge wire as a test. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 26, 2003 Author Share Posted January 26, 2003 Yes, it did cure the problem temporarily. But, we got another speaker cable and connected it into the extension cabinet input. It went into a Melhart and still got the same sound. Would that not have anything to do with the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 27, 2003 Author Share Posted January 27, 2003 Just a quick bump if anybody else here has any ideas or suggestions. I expect a reply from the seller around when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDL Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 Well, so far I haven;t had too good of an experience on Ebay as well. The pickguard I was supposed to get about 2 weeks ago, the seller just sent like now. For the amp, I think Edendude told some good advice. Maybe take it into a shop, or did you? I would suggest also telling the seller what exactly happened(which you probably did, right?) be get some new wires and re-wire it, but make sure not to screw up the connection. Because one time I tried to rewire the electronics in my bass, and it got screwed up, so I took it too a shop. Well, just make sure you don't mess up the sauldering, cause thats the hard part(I think) Hope you get it sorted out. Good advice Edendude!! JDL on Purevolume Bird\'s Eye View on Purevolume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prague Posted January 27, 2003 Share Posted January 27, 2003 I don't want to salt your wound, but FYI: Let's ask ourselves why a 3 month old amplifier with physical damage is being sold. I'd return it due to the omen of more things to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 Originally posted by paostby: I don't want to salt your wound, but FYI: Let's ask ourselves why a 3 month old amplifier with physical damage is being sold. It was messed up during shipping. I recieved an e-mail from the seller an hour ago. He was very sorry for the problem, and will gave me a full refund w/ and additional $50. Not too shabby huh? Some people are just so geneous Thanks for all replys. I see a Nemesis 2x10 on eBay right now at $250 and it ends in 2 days. Hmmm.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 If you got insurance when you shipped it, you can have UPS/Fed Ex/whomever replace it. If they broke it during shipping, AND you paid for insurance, they are obligated to repair or replace it. This is why I ALWAYS pay the extra few dollars for that insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 28, 2003 Author Share Posted January 28, 2003 Sadly, for some reason the seller did not offer shipping insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick_dont_fret Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Definitely sounds like a bad cable. If you hold the cable in, and the sound is good, then it's not the head or the speaker, but the connection. Sucks about the body damage, though. Casters aren't that expensive, or at least shouldn't be. I would definitely have tried it myself (seeing as how the warranty is null and void since he sold it, you are obviously not the original owner), and if that fails, take it to the man downtown that knows all. I personally wouldn't have bought it off of eBay, as you never know...at least you didn't buy a half-eaten pickle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
music-man Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Originally posted by CowbellAllen: I recieved an e-mail from the seller an hour ago. He was very sorry for the problem, and will gave me a full refund w/ and additional $50. Not too shabby huh? Some people are just so geneous I'm contemplating Ebay for some stuff - I'll be interested to see whether/when you get the refund. Perhaps I'm too cautious, but if possible, before you send the thing back to the seller I'd take some photos of the broken wheels, and even a tape-recording of the noise it's making (or even just a dated, written report from the tech person you took it to). Just in case there's any dispute about whether damage was done on the return trip to the seller ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Cowbell... I gotta ask... Before you go through the trouble of sending back what might be a good amp, and hassling with the seller over compensation, did you actually take two pieces of 14 gauge copper wire and connect the amp's internal output leads directly to the speaker's (+) and (-) posts inside the cabinet? It really would be worth the effort to do this first. Even if you have to remove the speaker itself to access the connections inside the combo cab, and slide the head out of the combo, too. Should take you fifteen minutes, tops. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 Cowbell... If you got the money back on the SWR, and you are shipping it back, you oughta seriously think of the Nemesis... this one is a 1x12, which I had and it sounded great. In my opinion, much better than the Workingman series. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted January 28, 2003 Share Posted January 28, 2003 I agree with Dave that the Nem 112 Combo is a very nice sounding amp, but you should know that the WM115 is capable of considerably more volume, in my experience. So I guess it would depend on your needs, and how loud the band you play in is. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD_dup2 Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 I have a WM 15 that made the same sound one day. There is a very tiny wire running between the two input jacks. If it is broken all you get is a roar. You have to look very carefully to see it and where the hole is in the cold solder. I was able to heat up the solder and re-attach the wire and no more roar. I am much more gentle with it being moved now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted January 31, 2003 Author Share Posted January 31, 2003 JD, Do you mean the speaker input or instrument? I'll try to contact the techie and see if he can stop by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD_dup2 Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 Mine did it when a tiny wire between the two instrument inputs came loose. It sounds like yours is more a problem with the output connector. I'd pull the amp section out of the case (carefully and slowly) and check all the solder connections I could get at with a good glass. If it looks like a wire or filament is missing look in the bottom of the amp section for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 Cowbell... Just as a side note to help avoid confusion in the future... The connectors on the instrument side are 'inputs', and the connectors on the speaker side are 'ouputs'. If your 'techie' friend comes around, remove the amp from the combo box/body, access the speaker/driver, and wire up a direct connection between the amp and the speaker with 14 gauge wire. After testing the amp with the new wiring, then carefully check for broken 'input' connections, as suggested above, if the amp is still not working. This can all be done pretty much for free, so it would be very much worth your while. We're anxious to hear you tell us it was nothing more than a bad connection, and that you now have a fully functioning, decent little amp at your service. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted February 2, 2003 Author Share Posted February 2, 2003 Alright, last update. Amp was still not working after we did all the experiments Edendude. We had 5 people looking into the amp checking what was wrong for about an hour. Each one of them said something was going on internally and would take a lot of $$ to fix. Send it back on Monday and let the guy figure it out for himself, they said. So, I plan to do just that. Thtnks for all the help guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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