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Topic: Fox amp |
FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 27 Aug 2013 7:19 pm |
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| I understand that Ken is out of the business of repair and manufacturing, but i spent a big buck on one of his custom amps that has only been gigged out once and has some issues. Im sure he will contact me to get this resolved asap, we will see |
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Craig Baker
From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Aug 2013 7:30 pm Ken Fox. . . All American "Good Guy"
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Frank,
If I know Ken Fox, you don't have a thing to worry about. Ken is a gentleman and he's responsible. I don't know if he wears a white hat or not, but I promise you he's one of the "good guys". It was prodding by Ken Fox that got me to plug in my soldering iron and start producing Li'l Izzy again.
Best personal regards,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792
cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com
C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024 |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 27 Aug 2013 7:58 pm AMP issue
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| I'm sure he will get this repair squared away, its just very frustrating with gigs on the line. He is a master in his craft folks and hope is is not totally out of our game. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 4:29 am
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Frank, you have my contact info. Why not just call me? I have been very busy caring for my wife, Ruth. She had a complete knee replacement last week. If someone had not sent a message to me about this post I would likely not have seen it.
Sure I will fix the amp, I told you that over a year ago and have waited to hear from you. I am sure it is some small issue and will be easily resolved. We offer a 3 year warranty on the amp, excluding tubes (3 months on those). Warranty does not cover shipping of the chassis.
I am retired but do stand behind my warranty. I still have a shop at home, but I do not work 7 days a week anymore. I work on what I want, when I want. I will stand behind what I built without a question. |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 4:44 am
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WOW !! Very impolite way of contacting someone! 
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 5:47 am Deepest Appology
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| Ken I am very sorry for what may seem like a poor way of contacting you and admit I was wrong . I know you will stand behind the issue. |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 5:53 am Deepest Appology
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| Ken I am very sorry for what may seem like a poor way of contacting you and admit I was wrong . I know you will stand behind the issue. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 6:31 am
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Just to review, your amp was purchased July, 9 2010. Just over three years ago. It was brought to me by you at some point after that for a noise issue we could not locate on the bench, as it never occurred on my bench. You contacted me again at some point right after my home burned up (in Oct of 2011). I was living in a travel trailer while rebuilding the home at that time. You were in fact very upset at the time you called. I offered to fix it then and there, as my shop was still standing after that fire, I never heard from you again. Well, we rebuilt the home a lot of water has passed under the bridge. I forget about that all together.
I will fix the amp, even if it is out of warranty at this point and time. Terms of the warranty stand, you pay shipping or bring it to me. |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 10:22 am
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| Thanks for your help will ship it out asap.Hope you are getting everything back in order. |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 11:39 am
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| Ken,Ship it to 12 Wilburn St ? |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 11:44 am
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Hey Frank, have you ever heard of personal messaging?
You should try it sometime.
Last edited by Cartwright Thompson on 28 Aug 2013 12:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 11:53 am
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| If I'm not mistaken Ken states on his web sight to communicate on the forum |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2013 12:21 pm
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Anyone can still PM me thru the Forum. I took my email off the Forum to avoid the daily emails on amp repair questions as wells rude emails from folks that did come on occasion! These technical questions are best asked on the Steel Forum in this "Electronics" section. I found before I closed my shop that I was spending more time on emails than repair work. I had to draw a line somewhere.
My email link on the website is for items sold on the website only, not there for free amp repair advice. I had to post that as folks decided that was another avenue to get at me for free repair advice! I am a forum member and will participate here, when possible. I do have a family life, am retired and spend less and less time here lately. Still I look in when I can get an opportunity. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 30 Aug 2013 1:48 pm
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Last edited by chris ivey on 3 Sep 2013 3:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2013 11:51 am
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Some dirt on a couple on the input jacks contacts that close to ground. Very normal for Switchcraft jacks to do that (same problems occurs with all brands of amps using jacks with closure contacts). The jacks are the some of the best in the industry but still not as good as they made them 40 years ago. All Switchcraft jacks are made in Mexico now. I re-aligned them for a tighter closure to ground when not in use, burnished them slightly and applied a thin layer of dielectric grease to avoid future oxidation (common auto bulb grease). An open input jacks causes all kinds of noise issues. You can see the typical contact closed in the photo below.
While we checked every jack for proper closure before building the amps, there is no guarantee they will not do this at some time in the future.
These same jacks are the problem with effects loops causing amps to be intermittent (such as the Nashville 400). Seen it with Fender, Crate, Peavey, Ampeg and other amps brands. They also are on the inputs of Peavey amps thru the Nashville 400 and cause the same kins of issues.
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Tim Marcus
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 3 Sep 2013 12:17 pm
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Ken - I know you have retired, but you should not use those jacks anymore. I had to recall a few amps early on to replace those.
What happened is that they changed the coating to meet the ROHS standard in the EU, and the little nipple that makes a shorting contact corrodes and raises the input impedance of the amp (even with nothing plugged in) which lets in noise and RF.
There are a few other amp companies who have had issues with these. It stinks because its kind of a no fault warranty issue that we builders are on the hook for. Better to replace them with Cliff or Neutrik and never worry about it again.
_________________
Milkmansound.com |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2013 12:24 pm
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Same jack problem for years now, not a new issue at all. I see it all the time, Tim.
A little dielectric grease and a slight burnishing seems to take care of it every time. Every amp that I service gets the jacks checked. I have seen it on older Fender amps as well. My first experience with low level audio and contact issues was with Rauland Borg school intercom systems. I started on those while a Local 48, IBEW low voltage electrician. That was back in the early 80's. The Potter Brumfield push to relay contacts often had to be cleaned in order to hear classroom audio from the classroom speaker. In the listen mode the classroom speaker becomes a low impedance microphone and depends on very clean contacts to get that low level audio to the listen amplifier that drives the intercom console speaker. Often just a piece of lean white paper was used to burnish contacts and hey were up and running. |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 3 Sep 2013 5:33 pm
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| Ken Fox has always had a sterling reputation for customer service as seen here. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 5 Sep 2013 5:25 am
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Frank,
I have sent three emails to you since the amps was repaired and I am still waiting for a reply. As I stated to you in my emails I will not ship UPS using your account number, or even my UPS account number. I will never knowingly ship an amp UPS. You box was beat good on both ends by UPS when it arrived. If you want to ship UPS, then send a return receipt to my email and you can assume responsibily for any damage claims. |
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FRANK MARIANO
From:
PENSACOLA FL
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Posted 10 Sep 2013 11:08 am Excellent service
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| Ken has stood behind his word and has fixed the amp. My deepest thanks for his support. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 10 Sep 2013 4:06 pm
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Glad to get it done. I am thinking about doing a video for Youtube on servicing jacks for this amp and the Nashville 400 amps. As soon as I get some time I will look into that.
I would also like to do one on reverb connections for the N400 and some other minor service things we can all do at home. |
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Craig Baker
From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 10 Sep 2013 6:07 pm CSI Rating
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Everything in the world seems to revolve around three letters. I think that was developed years ago by someone at R. C. A.
I could be wrong, it may have been someone at G. F. I. or M. S. A.
In the automotive industry, every dealer will brag about his C. S. I. = Customer Satisfaction Index. We live in an amazing country when singlehandedly, one man, in Ray City, Georgia has earned a higher C. S. I. rating than the General Motors Corporation.
(Better known as G. M. C.)
Respectfully,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792
cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com
C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024 |
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