English Muff'n reduced output

Thunderscreech · #1 11-19-2008, 10:02 AM

I've owned this thing less than 24 hours, and it decided to give me problems this soon.

All LEDs light up, but when I engage it, the signal coming out is very weak. I've checked my chain, made sure there were new batteries in my active bass, tried it with a passive bass, and still nothing changes. I have to turn the volume and gain knobs all the way up.

Any ideas on what this might be? I'm hesitant to start poking around, as there is around ~240 volts inside the thing, and several large capacitors which could hold a charge for quite some time. If I do any checking, it'll be after I've let it sit and discharge itself.

If it is a blown diode (of which I have had happen in THREE (3) other pedals), I will most likely bite both of my own arms off.

Thunderscreech · #2 11-19-2008, 05:19 PM

Okay, so i figured it out. bad tube.

Carry on.

asherthemachine · #3 11-19-2008, 05:53 PM

i was gonna suggest that. what tubes you have in it? 12ax7's?

Thunderscreech · #4 11-19-2008, 06:19 PM

12AY7's currently. as i get money, I'll accrue some 12AX7's for comparative purposes.

Akeris · #5 11-19-2008, 06:47 PM

Hmmm, this intrigues me. How is it?

Thunderscreech · #6 11-19-2008, 07:35 PM

Sounds fine now. The right side tube was bad. And, funny thing is, the AY7's that come in it are shorter than the AY7's the store had in stock. Same tube, different size.

asherthemachine · #7 11-19-2008, 08:38 PM

interesting.. ive had ay's, au's, and now ax's. 12ax7's by far sound the best, or at least the dirtiest.

Thunderscreech · #8 11-19-2008, 08:42 PM

AX7's are the highest gain (with a gain of 100). All the others are lower gain tubes. Seeing as how it's emulating the "british" sound, it uses those, because supposedly some britich amps that were popular used them. I can swap for lower and higher gain, and will when i accrue fundage.

this chart explains it