Can anyone fix?

CactusBass · #1 07-15-2010, 07:11 PM

I have a black label octabass. Broken. Took it to a friend who can do a little soldering but cant fix anything "major", and needless to say its still sitting here broken. It powers up but basically has a clean signal with or without the pedal being engaged. Dont really trust the dudes at the music store up the street and their $100 bench fee. Any help would be awesome, I can ship it, pay for parts, and even pay for time if need be.
thanks
Ben

1kinal · #2 07-15-2010, 07:12 PM

Have you contacted EBS?

CactusBass · #3 07-15-2010, 07:23 PM

yes. but since its been opened, im S.O.L. and will have to basically shell out for a new one.

CactusBass · #4 07-15-2010, 07:29 PM

Also its 10 years old. (not that it should be broken) its gonna cost me a pretty penny,
like I said Im just trying to see if this is salvageable otherwise, ill just get a new one.

**TheMutt** · #5 07-15-2010, 07:36 PM

You might talk to one of the pedal builders on here, or those who are more handy with a soldering iron than I am.

I'm sure that they will eventually let themselves be known.

In the meantime, could you get us some shots of the internals so we can all see what might be going on in there?

CactusBass · #6 07-15-2010, 07:47 PM

Sure thing...ill put a few up after dinner.

Silent Fly · #7 07-16-2010, 02:40 AM

Where are you located CactusBass?

CactusBass · #8 07-16-2010, 04:47 PM

Los angeles, CA.
Sorry for the lack of pictures. I have been working almost nonstop.

CactusBass · #9 08-24-2010, 01:55 AM

BUMP!!! HELP ME!! EBS is sooo unresponsive (US distributor) to service requests.

**TheMutt** · #10 08-24-2010, 01:58 AM

When I dealt with EBS, I emailed direct to their Sweeden address. I was sent new potentiometers, and a new backplate free of charge. Even though I wasn't the original owner of an old grey-label OctaBass.

Hookus · #11 08-24-2010, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMutt

In the meantime, could you get us some shots of the internals so we can all see what might be going on in there?

I worked as an electronics tech for many years, and I almost never saw an instance where there was visible electronics damage. What you need instead of pictures is a schematic, O-scope, multimeter, and signal generator; pics don't really help you troubleshoot electronics that were once working and failed. Thats why those guys have a 100 dollar bench fee.

You may get lucky and see something burnt, but I doubt it, and cascading component failure is very common regardless.

JimmyM · #12 08-24-2010, 06:32 AM

www.pedaldoctor.com .

Darkglass · #13 08-24-2010, 06:34 AM

I live in Finland... so I am affraid there's no big difference from Sweden... I think you don't loose anything by reaching them... they are the ones with the best chances of fixing it anyways.
But well, that's just my opinion

.

Erik Schieffer · #14 08-24-2010, 08:45 AM

A quick google search indicates that these are built with SMD components - which makes a DIY fix difficult. If it's something offboard (jacks, switch, etc) it's probably not a hard fix.

Based on its age, I'm guessing it's the non-true bypass version. I haven't messed with buffered bypasses much. I suppose the stomp switch may have failed. Otherwise, I suspect the fix may be more trouble/expense than it's worth.

bongomania · #15 08-24-2010, 11:11 AM

Agreed with the above. Any problem in it is unlikely to be visible in any photo; any diagnosis is going to require specialized equipment; any repair will have to be done by somebody who knows how to work on SMD (miniature) components; EBS in Sweden is the only reasonable place to inquire for service; it will cost the same to replace or to repair.

CactusBass · #16 08-24-2010, 12:03 PM

****!! So its basically a wash. I can buy a used one for 80$...

**TheMutt** · #17 08-24-2010, 08:59 PM

Easy easy... I'm no master electronics tech. I merely figured that if there were something that was disconnected like one of the wires to a jack, or a pot, or a switch or something, that it would be diagnosable by seeing it in a picture.

CactusBass · #18 08-24-2010, 11:07 PM

No. THe only visible thing is that the battery cables need to be soldered back on. I tried (per a suggestion) taking a paper clip to the pedal that would bypass the switch but didnt seem to make any diff. FML

Hookus · #19 08-25-2010, 06:15 AM

Ahhh, the old "monkey with it and see if it works" trick. Just so you know, almost every time I have seen someone without training try a fix like this, their electronics came out worse than they were before. Just for next time. As an electronics tech, I dreaded when an operator said, "Well, I tried to fix it myself."

CactusBass · #20 08-25-2010, 11:59 AM

Hookus, dont suppose youd wanna take a crack at fixing this ??