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Topic: Fender Tonemaster Twin/Deluxe/etc circuit photos |
ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 23 Feb 2022 10:42 pm |
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The subject of servicing these amps has come up a few times.
I did a Google search, and not much came up with regards to "gut shots".
The only one that I saw is of a TM Deluxe Reverb. (See link below.)
The sound and tone of these amps is not the point of discussion here.
It doesn't look like there are a lot of "user serviceable" parts inside. No surprise there. I'm sure the same applies to lots of more modern solid state amps like the Katana and all of the Line 6 amps, to name a few.
In fact, I did a search for Katana photos, and it's the same type of situation.
The SMD components and the use of gate arrays and PLDs are not easily serviced.
Therefore, if you have one and it goes down, you may have a problem getting it fixed.
In fact, it may not even be practical to get it fixed.
It may be like a lot of other electronic items these days: Disposable.
Once again, this is NOT a criticism of the tones.
In addition, this is another case for getting a cheap amp to take along as a back up on gigs.
Not only for yourself, but for the bass/keyboard/guitar/etc players, who most likely do not bring a back up amp.
You don't need a boutique state of the art solid gold amp. You need something that makes noise to limp through the rest of the gig.
Before the Covid thing, Peavey Bandits/Studio Pros/Special 130/etc were often going dirt insanely stoopid cheap. I remember seeing Bandits for $50 and less.
At those prices, there is NO REASON to not carry a back up.
Linky dink for TM DR gut shot:
https://i.redd.it/bazztiixspm41.jpg |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 2:56 am
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Might end up they'll just swap out the whole chassis if an electronic component goes South. Be a shame to have to trash all that nice cabinetry and the speakers.
Forumite Scott Akers has been having just such issues with his TMTR. |
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Scott Denniston
From:
Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 5:45 am
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| I have zero knowledge of electronics but just as a side note: the little board on the right (with the coils) looks very similar component-wise to Jay Ganz's Straight Ahead Power Amp. I've got two of those and am playing around with running stereo out of the Kemper. Sorry to be a little off topic but thought it interesting that the power looks so similar to Jay's. |
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Michael Brebes
From:
Northridge CA
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 7:28 am
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Four circuit boards for the amp. It probably costs them less to replace a bad board than to actually troubleshoot it down to component and repair. They might repair the boards at their leisure after the fact.
_________________
Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100 |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 8:31 am
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| ajm wrote: |
Before the Covid thing, Peavey Bandits/Studio Pros/Special 130/etc were often going dirt insanely stoopid cheap. I remember seeing Bandits for $50 and less.
At those prices, there is NO REASON to not carry a back up. |
Shh!! 
This has become my backup, fits in the pack seat. I wouldn't want to play through a whole show with it necessarily, but it's better than a DI box and hearing your steel through a monitor IMO.
_________________
Lost Pines Studio
"I'm nuts about bolts" |
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Danny Naccarato
From:
Burleson, Texas
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 1:55 pm
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| I have the Twin Tonemaster and love it.... Now, if I could get the one channel, with the power, into a deluxe, and squeeze in a 15" speaker, that would be the bomb. Granted, the Twin is plenty light w/plenty power, but a lot of wasted real estate. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 1:29 am
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| Michael Brebes wrote: |
| Four circuit boards for the amp. It probably costs them less to replace a bad board than to actually troubleshoot it down to component and repair. They might repair the boards at their leisure after the fact. |
Correct, this has been the case for many years now regarding electronics, not just Fender amps. Everything is now a "PLUG IN MODULE" The "time of repair" outweighs the total cost of the replacement module or PC bd, which by the way is most likely made in CHINA so the initial cost of the part is is pretty low.
These new amps, "POST" the HOT ROD DELUXE and HOT ROD DEVILLE era , create even more of a challenge for repair. The initial price point of these amps is paying for any replacement parts which may be required down the road. I dare say, nobody is dissecting these crammed PC Bds for component repair.
Today, many of us a carry a small lightweight amp in case of amp failure on the gig.
Previous to this, we owned and carried a Fender tube amp for 30 or 40 years that never died on a gig. It never crossed our minds that it may die on a gig . LOL 
And it didn't ! 
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 8:21 am
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Swapping out a circuit board is easy IF:
- You can figure out which one it is, and more importantly
- You actually have one.
If you ever go to a dealer, and they actually have a spare board (even if it's NOT the one you need), you need to walk out the door and immediately go to the nearest liquor store and buy a lottery ticket.
Bill Terry: That Quilter is an excellent suggestion if you have the $230 or so.
Crate are probably the ones that started this "block" thing several years ago. They made a PowerBlock that I don't know if it's still in production, but can be picked up used for quite a bit less.
Regardless, you can still pick up a spare back up amp for cheap if you keep your eyes open, but they don't come up as often as they did pre-Covid. |
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Danny Naccarato
From:
Burleson, Texas
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 8:28 am
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| It would be interesting to find out if the Power Board is swappable between the Twin and Deluxe.... |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 8:33 am
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| ajm wrote: |
| That Quilter is an excellent suggestion if you have the $230 or so. |
Yeah, it's not the most economical solution to a backup, but because it's 'compact' and easy to carry it made it worth it to me. I think there's a newer version now that's a bit more expensive, but has some other features. I've actually got a first year Bandit that was my go to amp for a lot of years, 50 bucks on Craigslist, and if I had to use it starting today, I could make it work. But for me it's just too bulky to carry around as a backup.
_________________
Lost Pines Studio
"I'm nuts about bolts" |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 12:41 pm
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I carry this amp as a spare. The 50W DV Micro 50 . I've only needed it one time in many years, the Bass player was having some sort of an issue so he used it for the first set. Turns out it was the PUP cable ( PUP on an Upright) was not connected or something.
4lbs, dual speaker outs, reverb and an OD channel if necessary. Excellent EQ profile. A surprising amount of clean volume for a 50 watt rated amp.
For about 2 years non stop I used the DV Little Jazz 12 on moderate size room gig, which is basically the same amp without OD. Its a 20 lb combo amp, small footprint.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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