My 1981 Vox AC30 just died. :-( Advice

PeachyDragon · 2012-10-30T22:19:05+00:00

I replaced some of the valves a while back. I'm rather sure it isn't a valve. It might not even be a major issue. No sparks or hum. It made some slight crackling intermittently like a light switch that is halfway between on and off. Then it went off and when I turned it back on the on light would flicker and go off or stay on. Then it just went completely dead... Any advice on what it could be? Hopefully something small. I really don't want to spend R2000 if it's a small fix.

singemonkey

Keith Relf, the singer of The Yardbirds, died from electrocution by his faulty tube amp in his house.

PeachyDragon

I think my AC30 has a solid state rectifier. Checked it out before.
Interesting turn of events. I think I will need a tech...

I don't generally forget super important things at home... but I went to rehearsal with my
Mesa Boogie subway blues valve amp instead yesterday... and forgot my effects pedal... First time ever.
Luckily the mesa is quite a distorted bluesy amp so I just turned up and switched pickup volume to
get distorted and clean sounds.

At the end of the rehearsal the Mesa was making an odd knocking noise. So off to a tech i go with my amps. ?

Attila

singemonkey wrote Keith Relf, the singer of The Yardbirds, died from electrocution by his faulty tube amp in his house.

@ Singe

I think drugs my china ..... its as clear as mud

Rumours that Keith was electrocuted while playing his guitar in the bath were strongly denied by his family. The most likely scenario seems to be that he was rehearsing in the cellar of his house which had been converted into a studio, standing on an old gaspipe by the fireplace, when his guitar, which had not been earthed properly, developed an electrical fault and killed him. One source I have read says his body was discovered by his son, but I have found no trace of a marriage or any children. His death, which occurred on 14 May 1976, was registered in the Hounslow area - but I have been unable to discover exactly where his death occurred. Since his death was not registered until the September quarter, it may be that he died in the USA - or his registration may have been delayed by the Inquest.\

Source: http://www.relfsociety.org/rock.html

Gearhead

Vic wrote The '81 AC30's have a solidstate rectifier if I'm not mistaken ??

To be honest, I never looked this up. I just stated that my amp had the same symptoms and turned out to just lack conductivity on the fuse (it looked fine btw) because I needed to change the recto. No one commented that this is a solid state so I assumed it was still GZ34 back then. Anyhow, the statement I made about checking the fuse still stands.

singemonkey

Attila wrote
singemonkey wrote Keith Relf, the singer of The Yardbirds, died from electrocution by his faulty tube amp in his house.
@ Singe

I think drugs my china ..... its as clear as mud

Rumours that Keith was electrocuted while playing his guitar in the bath were strongly denied by his family. The most likely scenario seems to be that he was rehearsing in the cellar of his house which had been converted into a studio, standing on an old gaspipe by the fireplace, when his guitar, which had not been earthed properly, developed an electrical fault and killed him. One source I have read says his body was discovered by his son, but I have found no trace of a marriage or any children. His death, which occurred on 14 May 1976, was registered in the Hounslow area - but I have been unable to discover exactly where his death occurred. Since his death was not registered until the September quarter, it may be that he died in the USA - or his registration may have been delayed by the Inquest.\

Source: http://www.relfsociety.org/rock.html

Thanks. I had thought this was a pretty sure thing. I wonder now where I read it.

tiller

Open that amp and check the chain between fuse and main gears (tubes, transformer and other electronics). Maybe the issue isn't so bad at all ?

PeachyDragon

I got this sorted. It was something super super minor.
I mucked up my Mesa Boogie in the interim and the tech says he is shocked
by much of the quality of parts and circuit layout and circuit board materials.
He expected much better from a Mesa.

RobbieZ

PeachyDragon wrote I got this sorted. It was something super super minor.

Don't keep us in antisipation, do tell, what was wrong? ???

PeachyDragon

Sorry to say I didn't ask, I had it repaired for free. ? Will ask in future and update.

Sean

PeachyDragon wrote Sorry to say I didn't ask, I had it repaired for free. ? Will ask in future and update.

Speaking of updates man, isn't there a certain custom built guitar thread that needs updating? Don't deprive us man!! (or did I somehow miss the finale)

Norman86

Sean wrote
PeachyDragon wrote Sorry to say I didn't ask, I had it repaired for free. ? Will ask in future and update.
Speaking of updates man, isn't there a certain custom built guitar thread that needs updating? Don't deprive us man!! (or did I somehow miss the finale)

no, we all waiting in anticipation!!

PeachyDragon

Good memory. It's basically done. Just sorting out the wiring schematic and buffing. Will post when it is done.
It isn't the top priority since it's an exchange of services job so it gets delayed quite a bit.

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