Wanted - A Broken Li'L Izzy

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

There are no schematics available that I am aware of. One of my hobbies is reverse engineering. Reverse engineering is a tool for learning technology and if you can figure out the circuit it allows you to build, enhance , repair or modify the circuit , as required. I'm not looking to pay too much(even free is good Smile

) but if you have a broken one you may be interested in making a deal. LOL I need one that I can experiment with and it doesn't need to work at this point. I understand that the electronics inside is epoxied but I have a plan for that. Just for the record, reverse engineering is legal. I haven't decided if I will make my findings public , at this time. Also, I have so many projects on the go that it may be many months or years before I can even work on it.

If your interested in making a deal please send me a private message.
Smile

_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

John Booth · From: Columbus Ohio, USA

Good luck Buddy, I've never personally seen one fail Smile

JB
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Jb in Ohio
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GFI S10 Ultra, Telecaster, a Hound Dog, and an Annoyed Wife
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Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

@John Booth

re:Good luck Buddy, I've never personally seen one fail Smile

LOL . They are very reliable however, they do break once in a while. Here's an example:

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum11/HTML/004332.html

The problem is for me is that if you contact Craig Baker he may fix it(maybe even for free) and send it back to you. However, if I can't get a broken one cheap , I will buy a used one Smile

_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

Dave Ristrim · From: Whites Creek, TN

Most likely a cold solder joint. One of mine stopped working due to the solder joint connecting the plug to the board. That joint gets a lot of stress due to plugging and unplugging and movement up and down.

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

Bob,
As previously mentioned, all of the units we have ever produced have always been potted in epoxy. One of the benefits is to keep moisture out of the circuit. The input impedance is quite high. Moisture and even dirt on the plug tip insulator can degrade the sound.

Only a handful have failed and been returned for repair in the past five years. We have never been able to repair one without completely destroying the epoxy and circuit inside it. A repair always means a total rebuild. Today's unit have a guard wire soldered from the plug to the circuit ground and on to the output jack ground in order to eliminate any problem with the rivets as Dave mentioned above.

Because of the free repair promise, not many people discard them. It would be like finding a Rolls Royce in a salvage yard. LOL

Respectfully,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

I have an empty Izzy Plus. Its finish is worn.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

@Dave Ristrim

Thanks for the tip but I don't thing you read what I posted at the start. I just changed the title to make what I'm looking for more clear.
_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

@:Craig Baker

re: It would be like finding a Rolls Royce in a salvage yard

When I think about a Rolls Royce the first 3 things that pop into my head are luxury, exclusivity & expensive. While the Li'L Izzy may be exclusive & expensive there is nothing luxurious about a pile of goop in a aluminum case. Laughing

I will give you a few points for the pretty blue though .
_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

@Chris Lucker

re:I have an empty Izzy Plus. Its finish is worn.

What does that mean? Do you mean that you have just the case and no parts inside?
_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

@Mike Neer

re: And you don't want to pay full price for one.

I don't want to pay full price for one at this time because I will most likely destroy it with my experiments. Smile

Also , I did not say or indicate that I was not in the market to purchase one at full price(minus my nice guy discount) in the future. My quest at this time is just to satisfy my curiosity on how it works in theory. That way I get to sleep at night LOL

re: Is it ethical though, Bob?

Each person will have to judge it for themselves however, most every gadget I purchase comes with a schematic. Just because I make a schematic doesn't mean I'm going into production or in any way harm a business. Maybe I'll just do it another way and reverse engineer it with pure theory , then build one . Smile

_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

Thank you for the compliments. They are always greatly appreciated.
Bob, you wrote: "there is nothing luxurious about a pile of goop in a aluminum case."

Have you spoken with any of the legions of loyal Li'l Izzy users around the globe? They're not hard to find. Since 1977, more than 7800 units have been shipped. Some of those customers believe getting a great sound from their steel guitar is quite a luxury.

Why buy somebody's broken Li'l Izzy and reverse engineer it? Buy a few books on the theory of electronics. . . much better investment.
The aluminum case and the "pile of goop" were fairly easy. . . but there something going on inside that goop.

Respectfully,
Craig Baker

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

Yes, I have an empty case for an Izzy Plus with a worn finish.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

Re:Craig Baker

re:Why buy somebody's broken Li'l Izzy and reverse engineer it? Buy a few books on the theory of electronics. . . much better investment.

Like I mentioned in my last post "Maybe I'll just do it another way and reverse engineer it with pure theory , then build one "

I'll start on that as soon as I dig through my bookshelf. The Amateur Radio Hand Book is a good place to start.

https://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2016-Hardcover-Edition/

I have an older copy Smile

De VE1RLL
_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Doesn't seem ethical to me. If Craig wanted his design to be available to the public, he woudn't of potted it. His desire to protect the fruit of his labor should be respected.

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

Tony,
Thank you, but I have no doubt that Bob is completely ethical and merely enjoys the hobby of electronics as he indicated.

Bob,
The first 6L6 Morse code transmitter I built was shown in the 1955 edition of The Radio Amateur's Handbook.
You are correct, It's always been a helpful book and even back then $3.00 for 540 pages was a pretty good deal.

Respectfully,
Craig Baker

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Bob Lawrence · From: Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada

Ok I started a new post for the general theory part:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=2533795#2533795

@ Tony Glassman

re:he wouldn't of potted it. His desire to protect the fruit of his labor should be respected.

While that may be true , I don't see anywhere where he states that the reason he potted it was protect the fruit of his labor. He only stated that it was to keep moisture out and I'm not worried about the moisture. Smile

re: Doesn't seem ethical to me. If Craig wanted his design to be available to the public,

I didn't say that I was going do make anything about the Li'l Izzy public , did I? If so where?

re: ethical

I guess ethics is all relative, you wouldn't happen to have any copies of CD's , Video's , Tab etc that you should have purchased, do you ? If you do that may have affected someones livelihood. However, I don't feel that understanding the theory of how something works is unethical.

@ Craig Baker

re: Thank you, but I have no doubt that Bob is completely ethical and merely enjoys the hobby of electronics as he indicated.

Correct Craig, having a curious mind doesn't make you unethical. After all we wouldn't be going to Mar's if we weren't curious.

re: 1955 edition of The Radio Amateur's Handbook.

Cool! that's really going back to the past.My Dad, my Grandfather and I were Ham's. The oldest Radio Amateur's Handbook that I have is 1964. I still enjoy learning from it once in a while. Smile

_________________
Franklin D10, Telonics (E9)True Tone(C6) pickups, Fender Steel King , Evans (FET 500LV), Nashville 400, Quilter MicroBlock 45 amp's, Telonics FP100 volume pedal, PodXT(effects only), Boss RV3(delay & reverb),Steel Guitar Black Box,Bill Lawrence cables, Walker Seat,Peterson Flip Tuner, IVL Steel Rider, IK Multimedia IRig Pro DUO for recording.

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