Every amp I own is broken. I want to kill.

Uncletoad · #1 08-10-2007, 03:30 PM

My Focus took a dump on last nights gig. No problem I think, I'll just use my Walter Woods until the folks at AI send it back repaired.

BUT NO....My Woods is dead too. It's been sitting for months, I plug it in today to check it out and poof it's a mess too. Totally unusable.

...And before you ask, I plugged my bass into the PA last night and into an SWR Redhead at the shop and it works fine everywhere else. Every other bass and guitar I plugged into the other amps sounded terrible. Switched speaker cabs too. Uggh.

All I have left are SVT's. Not going there.

I'm ok with the AI amp being messed up. I punish stuff so I'm not surprised it's taking a dump and I'm always willing to pay for that. It's the woods that's killing me.

I swear when I get that Woods back from Walter I'm selling it and buying a second Focus for a backup. I've played 2 gigs with it since he last fixed it last year and it cost me $300. Damn thing was $2500 new from him in 2005, broke in less than a year and he still charged $300 to fix it AND ITS STILL BROKEN!

I could buy a Focus and two wizzy M line 12's for what I could sell the Woods for...

Uggh.

Sorry for the rant.

I'll end up deleting this thread I'm sure so don't say anything important.

musicman5string · #2 08-10-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I'll end up deleting this thread I'm sure so don't say anything important.

I'm sure you have nothing to worry about there.

Ric Vice · #3 08-10-2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

My Focus took a dump on last nights gig.
I swear when I get that Woods back from Walter I'm selling it and buying a second Focus for a backup. I've played 2 gigs with it since he last fixed it last year and it cost me $300. Damn thing was $2500 new from him in 2005, broke in less than a year and he still charged $300 to fix it AND ITS STILL BROKEN!

.

Uncletoad,
I've only had one problem with a Walter Woods and he repaired it
for shipping. I'd call him and sent it out to him. Must be a problem with
components. I do know that the early Ultras had to have some kind of upgrade.

Ric

drurb · #4 08-10-2007, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

My Focus took a dump on last nights gig. No problem I think, I'll just use my Walter Woods until the folks at AI send it back repaired.

BUT NO....My Woods is dead too.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. You don't think it's just coincidence, now do you? Amps and cabs talk to each other and they plan these things!

Uncletoad · #5 08-10-2007, 06:55 PM

Its a conspiracy for sure.

Also a huge PITA. Gigs tonight, tomorrow, 4 a week for the next 3 weeks.

I'm playing through PA and monitors tonight. Not sure about the rest.

Damn annoying.

drurb · #6 08-10-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Its a conspiracy for sure.

Also a huge PITA. Gigs tonight, tomorrow, 4 a week for the next 3 weeks.

I'm playing through PA and monitors tonight. Not sure about the rest.

Damn annoying.

I'm not kidding-- got a big old hi-fi amp around? Yeah, I know-- that's a PITA too but, hey, in a pinch...

ao'connor17 · #7 08-10-2007, 09:19 PM

whats wrong with the svt's? if you not using one want to get rid of it? just curious

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #8 08-10-2007, 11:12 PM

I kept my Focus series II when I bought the series III so I'd have a backup. Glad I did based on your story. Wish I lived closer so you could pop by and borrow it.

bribass · #9 08-10-2007, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

My Focus took a dump on last nights gig. No problem I think, I'll just use my Walter Woods until the folks at AI send it back repaired.

BUT NO....My Woods is dead too. It's been sitting for months, I plug it in today to check it out and poof it's a mess too. Totally unusable.

...And before you ask, I plugged my bass into the PA last night and into an SWR Redhead at the shop and it works fine everywhere else. Every other bass and guitar I plugged into the other amps sounded terrible. Switched speaker cabs too. Uggh.

All I have left are SVT's. Not going there.

I'm ok with the AI amp being messed up. I punish stuff so I'm not surprised it's taking a dump and I'm always willing to pay for that. It's the woods that's killing me.

I swear when I get that Woods back from Walter I'm selling it and buying a second Focus for a backup. I've played 2 gigs with it since he last fixed it last year and it cost me $300. Damn thing was $2500 new from him in 2005, broke in less than a year and he still charged $300 to fix it AND ITS STILL BROKEN!

I could buy a Focus and two wizzy M line 12's for what I could sell the Woods for...

Uggh.

Sorry for the rant.

I'll end up deleting this thread I'm sure so don't say anything important.

Phil, did you try spraying out the pots on the WW? For awhile I didn't use my WW MI-225 because of bad crackling sounds and sound cutting out altogether.
Before sending it to Walter I tried spraying out the pots on a suggestion from a luthier buddy and low and behold the thing worked perfectly after that.
What happened w/ the Focus? Did it take a fall or something or just died on its own?

Good luck, Bri

Uncletoad · #10 08-11-2007, 01:58 AM

Nobody should freak out about the Focus. They are tough as nails and I'm a pig. AI folks think that in the very first run of those they had some bad diodes or something and on occasion they've got them back for replacement. Mine is pretty early so that's probably what happened.

It started to sound weak through the first set then started to clip into the second set to the point where it had little volume and would clip whatever I did.

The Woods is messed up. The sound is all distorted all the time and it's whining like a jet taking off.

The power section is toast, I've had the same thing 3 times now with the Woods. I'll try spray though. That's easy and painless.

I love my SVT's and won't sell them ever they just are too much with a DB and they are buried in a storage locker that would take a month to get to. I never use them for DB only slab and I'm not playing much slab at all these days.

I may borrow something for next week.

It was interesting playing straight through the PA tonight. I played as hard as I could and sounded ok out front they say. I couldn't hear a thing and probably played even more out of tune than I already do.

fwiw the Guts cut like crazy over top an electric guitar and drum kit even without an amp. They kick the spirocore E/A butt tonight.

Eric S · #11 08-11-2007, 07:34 AM

Both my Clarus I and my Focus II series 3 are back at AI getting fixed/upgraded right now. (free of charge I might add)

Thank goodness my WW-Ultra takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.

Go figure!

Randy Ward · #12 08-11-2007, 08:48 AM

Sorry to hear about this Uncle Toad;
The turn around is fast but make sure
you send it to the right place!
since the thread will be deleted let me relate
one of my typical boring stories.

I had to send my focus 2r lll back to the factory last month.
(BTW mine is an early one (#00005 ) like Phils)

The amp fell off the balcony of a three-story condo while
the guitarist was 'helping me' move my stuff as I negotiated
with the client for the overtime.
Without asking me if I even wanted it moved of course.
What is it with guitarists anyway!?!
The amp worked fine but I figured AI should give
the innards a once over in case there was a potential for disaster.

It was in the case when it fell and the 'non-rack' ears were bent.
like Eric S I needed the upgrades too.
Anyway I sent it off right away to the address on the original box.
Not realizing that THEY HAD MOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I called Rick and he calmly told me what to do and
I got it back in less than a week even with the mix up.

I borrowed a little GK combo in the mean time....
sort of because of the ultimate solution thread in strings.
But mostly because it belongs to the guitarist who dropped it.
told him that I hoped that I can keep from dropping it off a pier.

BTW the upgrades were:
Replaced output transistors
Bleed through mod
Modified grounding circuit
They replaced the side panels
and did a burn in and tests.
All Free of course.

AFAIK the amp suffered no intrenal damage in the fall.

Let us know what you do toad.

gnergaard · #13 08-13-2007, 03:27 PM

I'm really suprised to hear about your woods failing- mine has been great and I'm pretty hard on it as well.
What went wrong? Do you know? did you check the 110/220volt switch for the power supply?
I know you probably aren't interested in hearing advice right now, but seeing as the Woods amps have been so reliable for so many players for so long, I'd check on things like this.
I hope this never happens to mine! I don't know what I'd do without it.
Good luck,
Greg

Uncletoad · #14 08-13-2007, 03:49 PM

I spoke to Walter and sent it off. The Focus went out Friday.

Played through the PA with my old Raven Labs PMBII Friday and Saturday. Sounded fine. A little distortion on the sound that comes from the pickup which leads me to believe the Pickup is failing as well.

I'm just going to replace it too.

Catastrophic equipment failure. Only has happened a couple times for me but man I get sore when it does.

WovenGraphite · #15 08-13-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Its a conspiracy for sure.

Also a huge PITA. Gigs tonight, tomorrow, 4 a week for the next 3 weeks.

I'm playing through PA and monitors tonight. Not sure about the rest.

Damn annoying.

Would have loaned you mine if I were in the area... but somehow I think it's a good thing that I am on the west coast

Uncletoad · #16 08-13-2007, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WovenGraphite

Would have loaned you mine if I were in the area... but somehow I think it's a good thing that I am on the west coast

TB has released a collective sigh of relief that they don't live near the Land of Cows and would somehow have their prize possessions subject to the Passion of the Toad.

M Ramsey · #17 08-14-2007, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

TB has released a collective sigh of relief that they don't live near the Land of Cows and would somehow have their prize possessions subject to the Passion of the Toad.

You mentioned that the guts sounded really good. Do you reckon your frustrations with equipment propelled you to be a bit more physical in your playing?

I hope you get your troubles worked out soon. I know it's extremely aggravating when you have settled on a way to amplify your bass (hard job) and then your plan starts falling apart.

Reefer · #18 08-14-2007, 07:19 AM

In over 30 years of playing(most of them with a WW), I've only had one amp fail and that was my Focus III 2R in the middle of the first tune of a gig about 3 months ago. It was not one the first run ones either. I love the sound, tone, power, and portability of the Focus, but I will never trust it as much as my WW.

Uncletoad · #19 08-14-2007, 08:23 AM

I've been playing quite a bit this summer and my strength is up. When you pull that Heavy Gamut G string hard it's acoustic sound is louder than the amp and the drummer.

Pretty cool.

If I didn't play with such morons all the time I could play without an amp.

Back in the house PA tonight. Finally going to give FDeck's preamp a trial by fire. Sounds really good at home.

M Ramsey · #20 08-14-2007, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I've been playing quite a bit this summer and my strength is up. When you pull that Heavy Gamut G string hard it's acoustic sound is louder than the amp and the drummer.

Pretty cool.

If I didn't play with such morons all the time I could play without an amp.

Back in the house PA tonight. Finally going to give FDeck's preamp a trial by fire. Sounds really good at home.

I hate it when I get out of shape. You see, me and UncleToad are physical players when it comes to the upright bass. No wimpy, fingertip stuff for us. Mashing hard is our style.

I play bluegrass and many times it's in a completely acoustic setting with loud banjos. Such was the case last Saturday night at Shindig on the Green. What started out as a jam by a few people has turned into a musical institition in downtown Asheville, NC, on the summer Saturday nights, for the past 40 years or so.

There we played for about 3 hours non stop. When I'm out of shape, it really tells in my forearms and wrists. I had no problems Saturday night keeping up with the kids (age range 14-22 and really good players, with built-in speed).

Breaks from the music are nice, but getting out of shape ain't.