vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

[danglybanger]

...ok. So I just managed to solder dummy RCA plugs that I could supposedly plug into the footpedal jacks of my Libra to get vibrato and reverb working without bankrupting myself for a footswitch.

Well... for some reason, the reverb works fine WITHOUT the dummy plug (and sounds ungodly, mushy, squishy, springy... the most beautiful reverb ever) while the vibrato doesn't work at all... whether the plug is in or out. (And I don't get tremolo either :smokin

Might this latter problem have something to with me using only 2 speakers in a cab? though when I think about it, that doesn't make sense... though what does? Any ideas?

And SHOULDN'T the reverb not work unless the dummy plug's in?

thanks

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

Just stick the Dangly Banger in the Dummy Plug, and I think it'll work! :fingersx:

 

[danglybanger]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

that creates a pleasurable buzzing sensation... though I had to enlarge the whole to the width of a coke can before I could do that

thanks for the tip. (and the shaft)

But what about the err... vibrato?

 

[greco]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

Is it possible that the connections on the jack for the vibrato RCA plug are not good? just a thought.

You soldered the RCA plug to have a direct short, correct?

Hope the vibrato circuit isn't pooched.

Maybe the planets are not aligned correctly for the Libra's vibrato to work...you might want to phone an astrologist on this one.

Dave

 

[danglybanger]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

yep. direct short.

I just found the reverb WON'T work with the jack installed... so that's that problem.

But still... the vib.

Hmm... and I was looking forward to making acid hallucinations.

 

[flank]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

maybe need a new optical coupler for the vibrato?

 

[Rich_S]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

It's been many years since I owned a Fender, but I seem to remember that they were opposite - one needed the plug in to work, and the other needed it out. So try them each both ways.

Vibrato circuits in general tend to be finicky - it component tolerances drift over time, the vibrato might just stop uh... vibrating (don't go there). On the other hand, the amplifier circuits of similar age and out-of-tolerance-ness would still work, but simply sound different. In short, the vibrato might simply be pooched, but try it with the shorting jack in and out.

 

[Smilemon]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

Vibrato circuits in general tend to be finicky - it componenet tolerances drift over time, the vibrato might just stop uh... vibrating (don't go there).

This is definatly going to be my new sig.

Smilemon

 

[danglybanger]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

...yeah, seems to be the case that the reverb will work with the plug out but not in... which tells me my plug is effective.

But the vibrato doesn't do anything, plug in or out.

dammit. uhh... how easy are these to fix? Can anyone point me towards a resource showing how to do it?

I have this annoying tendency that everything I own has to work PERFECTLY or else I shun it.

 

[flank]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

my vibrato in my twin didnt work either before i got it restored. I don't know exactly what the problem was, but i know that the optical coupler needed to be replaced, the old one simply no longer worked.

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

the coke-can hole might now be a whole new problem! I used an RCA to female 14" jack-plug adapter, and then used an ordinary generic footswitch to trigger my vibrato channel effect in my showman.

Latching, temporary and such are all switching things that are beyond me, but might be worth looking into.

 

[ES350]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

Same as it ever was---All Fender amps with reverb will have reverb with an open connection across the jack; n RCA plug necessary. The vibrato is the opposite requires a closed connection. If a shorted RCA plug doesn't engage the vibrato, check the jack, the roach, and maybe replace the 01/.01./02 caps in the circuit. Since this is SS, the driver (I assume a transistor) is also suspect. I expect tha Fender used a lot of their regular stock parts in these amps, so everything beside the SS devices should be easy to find...

 

[Rich_S]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

This is definatly going to be my new sig.

Smilemon

Well, if it is, could you delete the extra "e" from "component" for me? Hate to have bad spelling in my first-ever sig'ed post.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

hehe... nice JM there, MGTS beautiful amp too.

...so componentry for the vibrato circuit should be no different than on a tube amp? damn... kinda scared of opening this thing up.

What are the chances I'll **** something up more, would you say? The rarity (though not value) of this amp scares me. If I **** it up, I'll probably never see another...

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

I'm sure the circuit will be vastly different for the vibrato effect. I think the switching/engaging should be the same, but no more. Mr ES350 seems to have a handle on the SS method.

I think it will be a simple fix. The channel itself works right? Open her up, be careful and sniff about.

Offset-waist fenders are soo nice. And gas inducing. (i saw a 61 real deal JM in a guitar show, for less than 1000US$. The catch: Bad refinish! Boo-hiss Great neck tho)

 

[ES350]

Re: vibrato acting odd (reverb acting weird too)

Ya know---I can't say I've ever seen the guts of one of these amps or a schematic. But given Leo's (and CBS) penchant for economy and standardization, I'd bet that a lot of the components are pretty similar to the tube circuits (except for the SS driver and recovery stages). Since there is a pretty good probability that an internal component is the problem, a tech might be the best bet.