Carvin BX500: Pt. 3

[Jeb]

Thanks liam, will give that a go and report back next week. Appreciate the advice!

 

[Lia_G]

Cool. The ribbon connectors seem to be the weak link on this amp. I've committed to spraying them with deoxit once a year as preventative maintenance.

Good luck!
Liam

 

[lustersilk]

I've gigged my BX500 exclusively since Jan. 2012. Maybe 50 or so times with great results. Last nights gig (and again today) it sounded terrible. Tone is all fuzzed out and distorted. I changed cables, cabs, basses, bypassed the tube - everything and it still sounds terrible. I liked the little bast*rd but not at the moment. I ordered a GB Shuttle 6.2 in the mean time and will look into getting the Carvin unit back to serviceable on Monday but I don't know whats wrong with it.

Almost certainly the ribbon cables. Go to Radio Shack and buy some DeOxit. Open the BX500 and unplug all the ribbon cables, clean connections with DeOxit. Reconnect. Fifteen minutes and you're done!

This is a common Carvin amp problem.

 

[Jeb]

Ok thanks. So you guys have experienced this problem too then?

 

[Lia_G]

Yes. And it's well documented in the threads. Many have experienced this in the past.

Liam

 

[Jeb]

Thanks so much guys. I haven't seen it in the threads. There is so much to go through to find something specific.

 

[Lia_G]

Agreed. There's a lot to sort through. Hope it helps with your problem.

Cheers,
Liam

 

[FunkHead]

I've gigged my BX500 exclusively since Jan. 2012. Maybe 50 or so times with great results. Last nights gig (and again today) it sounded terrible. Tone is all fuzzed out and distorted. I changed cables, cabs, basses, bypassed the tube - everything and it still sounds terrible. I liked the little bast*rd but not at the moment. I ordered a GB Shuttle 6.2 in the mean time and will look into getting the Carvin unit back to serviceable on Monday but I don't know whats wrong with it.

Just curious: what revision # is stamped on your motherboard? My Backup head(BX500) is revision G. This is the latest revision as far as I know. +1 to reseating/cleaning all Ribbon cables to mother board & Preamp board.

 

[Jeb]

Mine is rev G. Dated 2010. I got it in Jan. 2012. Went to Radio Shack and got the DeoxIT and did the ribbon cable thing and it works like new now. The connectors didn't look dirty. Underneath the hood everything was dust free and shiny like new. But I just pulled the connectors and gave them a shot of the stuff and worked them on and off a time or two and that was it. Waited a few minutes, powered up, plugged in and plucked the bass. Very familiar and pleasing sound! Weird.

Thanks guys. Still have the GB shuttle 6.2 on the way, but I'll have some choices and a back-up now. I really appreciate all of you chiming in and helping out a practical (but not very tech/search function savvy) fellow bassman!

 

[Lia_G]

Glad it worked! I was pretty sure it would.

Cheers,
Liam

 

[thetaxmiser]

Out of curiousity, has Carvin ever addressed this cable issue? They seem like such a smart, savvy company it is odd that this would be left in the marketplace...seems like a design flaw.

 

[FunkHead]

Congrats on the fix.

 

[mrjim123]

Out of curiousity, has Carvin ever addressed this cable issue? They seem like such a smart, savvy company it is odd that this would be left in the marketplace...seems like a design flaw.

My guess is that they used ribbon cables to keep the cost and weight down.

 

[MarTONEbass]

Nice

Thank you!

 

[dug dog]

Whoops, here you go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_o33cn_rKs

Yeah. Great bass tone AND, amongst other good things, a drummer who looks like he knows how to control his volume.

 

[Jeb]

That Deoxit stuff is great. My laptop had been getting very hot and the battery would have short life but charge back up very quickly. So?... I sprayed some of the stuff on the battery connector (for no reason other than it fixed my amp yesterday) and that problem is gone now too. Cool running laptop? Yes. Weird. I'm going to spray some on my Cheerios tomorrow.

And MarTONEbass, that was very cool! Sounded great and I agree with dug dog that I would consider myself fortunate to be playing with such a disciplined drummer.

 

[MarTONEbass]

Yeah. Great bass tone AND, amongst other good things, a drummer who looks like he knows how to control his volume.

And MarTONEbass, that was very cool! Sounded great and I agree with dug dog that I would consider myself fortunate to be playing with such a disciplined drummer.

Thank you guys! I am fortunate to have met that drummer in 1994 and have been playing with him ever since. He is one of my best friends and an amazing musician! Glad you dig the tone. I am continually impressed with this amp!

 

[chucko58]

My guess is that they used ribbon cables to keep the cost and weight down.

My guess is they used ribbon cables with push-on connectors because soldering that many wires takes enough labor to blow the price out of the budget category.

Many other manufacturers use ribbon cables. You occasionally, but only rarely, hear complaints about them. IMHO Carvin shaved a couple pennies more than they should have on the particular ribbon connectors used in the BX amps. It's really the only blemish on an otherwise great amp.

 

[Jeb]

I am continually impressed with this amp!

You and your playing would sound great through any amp. Your drummer isn't hurting anything either, must suck to be you Nice job!

 

[Jeb]

IMHO Carvin shaved a couple pennies more than they should have on the particular ribbon connectors used in the BX amps. It's really the only blemish on an otherwise great amp.

So only a matter of time until some "premium quality after market" ribbon connectors show up? I agree that when the thing is working, its as good as anything and better than many - if not most.

The DeoxIT adds 15 bucks to the budget price. But you can use the DeoxIT for other things too. It it weren't for the Carvin BX500 and TalkBass? I would even be aware of the stuff, but its in the same category as WD40 and duct tape!