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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

2174.0. "Old distortion pedal needs fixing..." by WELCLU::GREENB (It's gon' rain) Wed Apr 24 1991 05:43

    More problems.....
    
    I have an old (hey, everything I use is old!) MXR Distortion+ pedal
    which is not working properly. It's OK in distort mode, but in
    clean mode I'm not getting anything. As it's working when switched on
    (rather than off), this would suggest that the battery is OK, right? So, 
    what's wrong with it?
    
    Thanks again for any help.
    
    Bob (just getting into playing with these toys after playing clean for
    ages)
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
2174.1BAHTAT::CARRDave Carr 845-2317Wed Apr 24 1991 08:431
Any loose wires -- in the pedal, I mean?  8^) 8^)
2174.2ohmmeter time!PIPPER::KELLYJTone droidWed Apr 24 1991 09:1016
    Right, what -.1 said: Check the signal path.  Basically, you've got
    
    
    	       switch
    	---in-----+-----clean path-----+---out----
                  |                    |
                  +--distorted path----+
    
    Sounds like you've got a continuous signal path through the effects
    side of things, but something in the clean (bypass) side is out-of-
    whack.  Put the unit in clean mode, set your VOM...you DO have a VOM,
    right? ;^) to resistance and probe the signal path: put one probe
    on the inut side of the switch and start sequentially placing the other
    probe along the path.  At some point, assuming -.1 and are correct,
    you'll find anopen circuit: the VOM will show a huge (infinite) 
    resistance.
2174.3RUNTUF::PELKEYYOIKES and AWAY!!!Wed Apr 24 1991 11:268
Sounds like nothin that a good toss up against a brick wall won't
fix....   Either shatters the thing in to a million pieces,,,
er worse yet FIXES the succa...


:)

MXR -         Made in USA!
2174.4WELCLU::GREENBIt's gon' rainWed Apr 24 1991 11:456
    re .2
    
    Yup, I've got a VOM, I'll try it out, but I like the suggestion in .3
    better.....!!
    
    Bob
2174.5Maybe something simpleCSC32::MOLLERFix it before it breaksWed Apr 24 1991 18:159
	Look for bad solder connections. These are related to probably
	80% of the failures that I've seen in older stomp boxes and 
	audio gear (Years ago I had a Mike Mathews Freedom Amplifier
	that I swear was soldered together by monkeys using a propane
	torch - terrible solder conections). If you don't know how to
	solder, find some one who has worked with fragile PC boards and
	have them help you.

							Jens
2174.6It was a dodgy footswitch connection....WELCLU::GREENBIt's gon' rainFri Apr 26 1991 05:493
    Thanks again, folks. That's another one fixed!
    
    Bob