Help, not truly urgent, requested
Help, not truly urgent, requested |
Music Man Amps Discussion Forum » Urgent Requests for Help! » Help, not truly urgent, requested
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Harvey Scodel (ledocs) Username: ledocs Registered: 02-2014 |
This is my first post here. I'm in rural France with a 212 HD-130 that I bought in the 70's and never used that much and then sent to France when I retired here. I had smaller amps for practicing around the house, put the Musicman in the basement, where there was room for it, and never played out that much in the States. I have to run the Musicman through a power transformer, since it only runs on 110V as currently configured. And I know literally nothing about electronics, I'm just a guitar player, until recently primarily an acoustic guitar player. |
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Mike Kaus (mm210) Username: mm210 Registered: 05-2006 |
Well, I'll give you the first opinion! There are more than two but that amp should have 4 caps in the PS section. Could be the problem. 1992 is still 22 yrs ago so even THEY could be bad, depending on the quality of the replacements. Does this amp have the 12ax7 PI tube or SS driver? Just trying to date it. As for converting it, my opinion is to get a STEP DOWN transformer, since you are wanting to run it on 220 and it's set up for 110. US amps did NOT have provisions for 220. It's not necessary to replace ALL caps, just electrolytics from back in the day. OOOPPPS. Just read better. SS driver. OK. Still, electrolytics on the PS, bias board, and any on the driver board. There are like 5 electrolytics on the driver board. Mike. Any other opinions? I don't want to be the only mouth here! Lars-you're the export guy! Mike. |
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Harvey Scodel (ledocs) Username: ledocs Registered: 02-2014 |
This amp has four 6CA7 power tubes, the phase-inverter tube (it's a small tube, probably 12ax7), and a solid-state preamp, at least that is my understanding. And this phase-inverter tube is probably original. (I bought the amp second-hand in the 70's and never changed this tube, to my knowledge.) I don't really know what the "driver" means, so I was just trying to sound like I did know. Same goes for "step-up" transformer. I thought if one were going from 110 to 220 that that would be a step up, not a step down. Hey, it's all arbitrary, at least the nomenclature part, right? |
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Mike Kaus (mm210) Username: mm210 Registered: 05-2006 |
Yeah. Not meaning to be a smart ass here. Just want to make sure you get the right info. The driver is actually the Phase inverter or driver. That tube is IMPORTANT in MM's so if you replace it, get a good one. The SS DRIVER versions have another board in the back with SS devices taking the place of the 12ax7 and the amp is Totally different as far as the way it functions. No bias setting but a CURRENT setting that controls how much the tubes are driven. Also, the amp is kind of backwards in that it it cathode driven and the so called "bias" voltage is ppositive instead of negative. Confusing? Yeah, they are. I would look into a step down transformer rather than looking for a MM export tranny since they are few and far between and REAL expensive, from what I remember. Also, the 220 v transformers had extra fuses, if I remember correctly on the mains. Lars would know for sure. Mike. |
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Lars Verholt (lmv) Username: lmv Registered: 11-2009 |
Hi Harvey, |
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Mike Kaus (mm210) Username: mm210 Registered: 05-2006 |
Thanks Lars. Knew you'd have the skinny! Mike. |
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Christophe (vignau) Username: vignau Registered: 06-2011 |
Ledocs, |