Time to buy an amp. What?

GilmourD said:
Hmmm... Bad output transformer? Bad power tube? Bad filter cap? What do you think, @wagdog, @realtree71, @Wyatt, and @Modern Saint?

Have you looked at the Vox AC4TV?
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Good chance a resistor went out hence the smoke. As for what caused it to blow, could be bad cap or tube. Chances of the tranny going out...maybe but highly unlikely. Best to crack the chassis open and use your nose as well as eyes to locate the open component. Sadly you may have more that one component go bad - yet maybe not.
 
If you already have a 2x10 cab, I think you're smart to go with a head.

I think the VHT will do well for you. Another I was going to suggest might be the little Vox Night Train 15 if you can find one used.

I agree the idea behind an EHX Magnum 44 and an amp on the pedalboard is really tempting. I've messed around with the sim + power amp concept a little using a SansAmp GT2 and most recently an old Hughes and Kettner Tubeman. I seem to recall you having a couple of Godin 5th Avenues -- for what it's worth, mine loves the clean full-range solid state setup. The bass becomes incredibly deep and clear with no mud. On the downside, though, the solidbodies tend to sound harsh through it.
 
HNAD

I got a Joyo American Sound last week. Really liked it into the computer. Computer stopped working, guy is coming today to see what's wrong with it.

The Joyo AS is a Tech 21 Blonde rip off. Has speaker emulation that you can't turn off, like the first version of the Blonde. Wanted to play with the new pedal, and couldn't cuz, the computer took a dump. Decided to see how bad it sounded through an amp.

First. into the return of FX loop of a Peavey VTM60. Surprised how good it sounded. It was fun getting Fender clean from that amp.

Tried it into the low gain input of a Peavey Renown. Still good.

Tried it into the Ampeg. The pedal just hated this amp. Clean sounded like the satellite when it's losing it's signal. Turned on a dirt pedal before the Joyo. The raunchiest, nastiest, most wonderful distortion.

If you don't get the sound you are looking for from your VHT, I would give one of these a shot. Less than $40 shipped.
 
I have the VHT Special 6. It is a great amp if you want to run pedals. It is pretty clean all the way up. I also like the Ampeg GVT series. I have the 50 watt combo and just ordered the 15 watt head. The Ampeg (50 watt, I don't have the 15 yet) can go from clean to way too much distortion for me. It is 2 channels but I only use the clean channel.
 
Take the Champ into a tech.

There are multiple possibilities, many can be determined on sight. Carbon traces on tube sockets; burned out screen resistors; fried plate resistors; old electrolytic caps; etc. are all possible suspects. But it may be best to have the whole circuit blueprinted to check fro out of tolerance components. Single-ended amps require very beefy output transformers (compared to push-pull circuits). But unless you've been running a higher impedance speaker, or forgotten to plug in a speaker, I would suspect the old resistors (especially in the power amp, where Leo's boys used the bare minimum) or caps (electrolytic caps are design to only last so long, that's the compromise there smaller size) long before the OT.
 
Wyatt said:
Take the Champ into a tech.

There are multiple possibilities, many can be determined on sight. Carbon traces on tube sockets; burned out screen resistors; fried plate resistors; old electrolytic caps; etc. are all possible suspects. But it may be best to have the whole circuit blueprinted to check fro out of tolerance components. Single-ended amps require very beefy output transformers (compared to push-pull circuits). But unless you've been running a higher impedance speaker, or forgotten to plug in a speaker, I would suspect the old resistors (especially in the power amp, where Leo's boys used the bare minimum) or caps (electrolytic caps are design to only last so long, that's the compromise there smaller size) long before the OT.
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At $75/hour it's probably not worth it. It's not a 5f1 that is easy to fix. It may require a board swap. I'd keep the cabinet to see if I could build a 5f1 kit with it. It can also be used as a speaker cabinet. I'm using an old Sidekick 15R with a Jensen as a cabinet for a 5 watt tube head.
 
Wyatt said:
Take the Champ into a tech.

There are multiple possibilities, many can be determined on sight. Carbon traces on tube sockets; burned out screen resistors; fried plate resistors; old electrolytic caps; etc. are all possible suspects. But it may be best to have the whole circuit blueprinted to check fro out of tolerance components. Single-ended amps require very beefy output transformers (compared to push-pull circuits). But unless you've been running a higher impedance speaker, or forgotten to plug in a speaker, I would suspect the old resistors (especially in the power amp, where Leo's boys used the bare minimum) or caps (electrolytic caps are design to only last so long, that's the compromise there smaller size) long before the OT.
Click to expand...

Following up on what PK said, what EG has is the newer Champ 600 from a few years back - the one that was like $149 new, so yeah, the cost effectiveness of a tech repair not so good :(.
 
Also, about the Excelsior, I took PK's MF blowout link from the other thread, and changed the "1113" to "1213", and it shows a bunch of different items on closeout, including the Excelsior. The prices are at the current levels, but they may change when they make that list active. If the base model drops under $200, or the pro under $300, well...
 
Ah! Didn't realize we were talking Champion 600. Yep, not worth the effort (hell, I never thought they were worth buying).
 
They aren't.

Hopefully this one is. I'll know later today.


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