Mesa Titan V12 burning

syisrad · #1 01-06-2011, 09:46 PM

Hello,

Sy here from Australia.

I'm hoping someone else has encountered this problem and found a fix.

I've owned my V12 for about 3 years now, over the past couple of weeks a slight burning smell has come out of it and today while playing the sound has started to distort.

I tried different cabs and basses and it's definitely the amp.

My uneducated guess is an issue with the tubes but I don't have allot of experience with the technical side of amps.

Does anyone have any suggestions where I should start?

Cheers

Sy

Selta · #2 01-06-2011, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syisrad

Does anyone have any suggestions where I should start?

Probably with a Mesa authorized repair center if it's still under warranty...
Which part of the head is the heat most concentrated on?

syisrad · #3 01-06-2011, 10:13 PM

Thanks Ray,

It's not under warranty unfortunately. I'm hoping to find a fix for it myself before taking it back to the dealer, or at least get an understanding of what problem might be. They are good guys, but they'll still charge an arm and a leg.

I'll check where the heat is concentrated. Do you suggest opening it up to do so? If a tube is gone will it be visually obvious?

Thanks again

Sy

johnk_10 · #4 01-06-2011, 10:16 PM

tubes don't have a burning smell when they go, but burning resistors can.

Nightlyraider · #5 01-06-2011, 10:22 PM

STOP USING IT.

Electronics work as planned, or something needs to be replaced. All you are doing by using it after the initial failure is asking for more damage.

Open it up and you should be able to see where a capacitor blew up. If you are truly competent at electronics you should be able to fix it, but soldering on PCB is tricky business for a n00b.

syisrad · #6 01-06-2011, 10:34 PM

Thanks John and Nightly,

I should clarify, I thought the smell over the past couple of weeks was dust on the tubes. (I make basses and theres been a bit of saw dust kicking around) It was only today that the sound went to poo and I've stopped using it (i'm a bit but not a full tard).

I'll open it up tonight and have a look.

Thanks again for everyones responses. This is the 1st time I've asked for help here and wasn't expecting this many responses so quick.

Cheers

BassmanPaul · #7 01-06-2011, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syisrad

I'll open it up tonight and have a look.

Cheers

PLEASE don't. If you do not know what you are looking for you'll miss it. Your life is in danger here! Please take your amp to a tech - you life is worth so much more than his bill will ever cost!!!!!!!!!!!!

babebambi · #8 01-06-2011, 11:15 PM

I thought all Mesa gear have 5-yr transferable warranty, no?
Didn't the Titan came out around 2006?
I supposed if yours is from the first run it could just ran out of warranty.

Back on topic, I agree it's amp tech time.

syisrad · #9 01-07-2011, 01:15 AM

Wheres the fun in taking it to the amp tech? Jokes. Good advice.

In reply to babebambi, I got the amp in 2008. I called the dealer today (who are the Australian distributor) and they said it only had a 12 month warranty. It seems it may vary from country to country.

My issue aside, is replacing tubes something you wouldn't do yourself unless you are an amp tech either?

Cheers
Sy

johnk_10 · #10 01-07-2011, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syisrad

My issue aside, is replacing tubes something you wouldn't do yourself unless you are an amp tech either?

Cheers
Sy

well, i am an amp tech, so i can't answer that one.

but on an amp like your's, if you've never worked on a pretty complex amp, i wouldn't recommend learning how to on that one.

syisrad · #11 01-07-2011, 08:35 AM

Cheers John,

You have made some nice looking basses btw.

syisrad · #12 01-08-2011, 06:25 PM

I dropped it off at the dealer to get the repairs quoted yesterday. I'll post the cause when I find out for those who are interested.

Cheers Sy

Mr. BassmanPT · #13 01-08-2011, 06:41 PM

tell us what happened as i also have this amplifier. not a single problem until now thankfully.

hope you get yours soon, it is an amazing amp.

geggy spoiger · #14 01-08-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syisrad

In reply to babebambi, I got the amp in 2008. I called the dealer today (who are the Australian distributor) and they said it only had a 12 month warranty. It seems it may vary from country to country.
Sy

Yep, that was an unwelcome surprise when my old Titan took a dump in 2008, having owned the amp new since 2007. Had a mate that worked in the warehouse of the dealer that fanagled the repair 'under warranty', and the amp was flawless until I sold it late last year. It wasn't the same problem you're describing though...

dincz · #15 01-09-2011, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syisrad

I'm hoping to find a fix for it myself before taking it back to the dealer, or at least get an understanding of what problem might be. They are good guys, but they'll still charge an arm and a leg.

If you don't know your way round electronics, leave it alone. Even if you can see a burned component, you won't know why it burned. The chances are you'll mess it up and the good guys will then charge an arm and two legs.

EDIT: Sorry. I now see I'm a bit late. Treat it as advice for next time

Kwin Smith · #16 01-09-2011, 02:45 AM

I would be curious to hear the final diagnosis. Mine went down with three burned mosfets not long after I bought lt. I sent it back, got all the upgrades, and have had 0 issues now for a long time. Apparently, many have issues like this. Now that mine is all fixed up, I believe it was absolutely worth the time and trouble involved. It is the best sounding head I have ever heard. IMO, of course.

babebambi · #17 01-09-2011, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syisrad

In reply to babebambi, I got the amp in 2008. I called the dealer today (who are the Australian distributor) and they said it only had a 12 month warranty. It seems it may vary from country to country.

sorry for the trouble you are having

syisrad · #18 01-17-2011, 01:42 AM

Hey, for those who were interested in the outcome.

I picked up my amp today and had a chat to the tech who repaired it.

Turned out one of the legs on the rectifier had burnt out. (That means nothing to me but hope it does to you)

He showed me the rectifier in the amp. It's black and theres no way I would have visually seen that was the problem.

He said this was not a common fault and in his opinion, there probably wasn't a cause other than the original rectifier was faulty.

In my opinion it was probably the amp trying to kill itself after years of listening to me play.

1 hours labor and the new part, $129. I thought that was reasonable.

Cheers

Sy

**mikeddd** · #19 01-17-2011, 01:52 AM

Glad to hear the repair was simple and cheap. You have an honest tech in that guy. He could've given you the standard "the flux capacitor was bad and I also had to change the tube coolant thermostat" speech, but he didn't. He repaired what was bad and didn't rip you off. Congrats and happy playing!

Mr. BassmanPT · #20 01-18-2011, 01:42 PM

nice to see everything turned out ok. i have one of these amps, awesome gear.