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K250-4 amp [message #22579]

Tue, 03 March 2015 18:03

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Ok guys this will be my first K250 when I pick it up tomorrow (hopefully). I see on the back of it there is some sort of T knob in the center between where the chord wraps around. I think is says reverb on it but can't tell. What is it and what does it do???? Also does anyone have manual for this amp.

Thanks much
Steve

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22580 is a reply to message #22579]

Tue, 03 March 2015 20:45

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

The T shaped knob in the middle of the of the back is the reverb spring lock. When you moved the amp, you would twist it inward and it would lock down the reverb springs so that they would not be damaged when moving the amp.

Over time, the foam pad that was pushed into the springs would start to disintegrate and would melt itself into the springs causing them to not reverb anymore.

You may need to open up the amp and inspect the springs, lock mechanism and the foam pad.

Congrats on your new amp.

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22581 is a reply to message #22580]

Tue, 03 March 2015 20:59

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Ok is all of that repairable if it is like you said it could be. I won't know until tomorrow if the reverb is working. So they did not have that feature on the K-150 just the K-250????

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22586 is a reply to message #22579]

Wed, 04 March 2015 08:29

stevem
Messages: 4744
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Yes it's all repairable, the old dry rotting foam can be tooth brushed out of the springs and a new round foam section can be cut out of new foam and silicone glued back on to round lock plate.
The hardest thing sometimes is just getting the reverb tank off of the back inside of the amp!
If the reverb works now you should be in good shape for fixing things, but if it currently does not work be carfull removing the tank as at times I have found the that the round lock plate got pushed thru to the rear side of the reverb springs.
In light of this when you back the tank off the wall do it slow and take a peek in, just do not yank it off the rear wall!

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22588 is a reply to message #22579]

Wed, 04 March 2015 17:07

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Well guys I went and looked at it today. Cosmetically it was in great shape, but then there were some issues. The 2-15" speakers did not have that shiny center (replaced speakers or not, he did not know)?? The horn I could not hear any sound coming from it at all?? The reverb you could barely hear it was working. If you pulled that spring knob on the back you could hear it trying to do the echo thing? The tremblo seamed weak to me? The fuzz tone was very scratchy The harmonic boost, well I did not know enough about it and don't know if it would work without that special pedal. There are lots of controls on that amp that are not on my K-150 (several push pull knobs)and special knobs for channel 2. This amp has been sitting on a back porch, not out in the weather but in the coldest, of cold climates with dampness at times for sure.

Long story short I elected to pass on it and look for one with no known issues ( I hope I made the right choice, as they don't seam to show up too often)

Steve

[Updated on: Wed, 04 March 2015 17:10]

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22590 is a reply to message #22588]

Wed, 04 March 2015 20:19

pleat
Messages: 1452
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

You may have made the right decision on passing. A few things come to mind.
With all the slant metal face amps, Kustom uses a molex connector plugs inside the amp, and they do get corroded and might not be making a good connection between the circuit boards which may be the problem with weak effects.

If the cabinet has the rectangular finned horn, the speakers would have had either the aluminum dust cap with a black vented center or a aluminum 3" or 4" dust cap.
Vented dust cap = KEI speaker, 3" = Altec and the 4" = JBL.
The horn driver may be toast or something as simple as the horn was disconnected because the amp was too shrill.
All effects work without a footswitch and the selective boost operates much like a wah pedal with the boost volume pedal. Finding replacement pedals for that amp can be priced very high, sometimes as much as the amp head itself. Not that you would really need the pedals to make the amp work.

You didn't mention where the amp is located or how much it cost. From what you've described, I'd place the amp and cab at about 300.00 tops if black. More if a sparkle color.
pleat

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22591 is a reply to message #22579]

Wed, 04 March 2015 20:38

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

So was there anything on this amp that even worked? I think you probably made the right choice considering all the problems you noted. I'm willing to bet that the insides of the amp head had serious corrosion issues.

Just hang in there, amp heads that actually work are out there......you just have to wait for the right one your looking for.

Too bad about that amp though, all those cool effects and kept on a porch! What a waste.

I agree with Pleat on its value; would be interesting to know what speakers were in the cabinet, and I'll bet he's right about the horn being unhooked also.

[Updated on: Wed, 04 March 2015 20:46]

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22592 is a reply to message #22579]

Wed, 04 March 2015 20:52

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Well guys you live and learn. The amp was actually 3 hours from my house. Was a nice drive. It was black and the guy was asking $1,000 and before I went to see it he said he would take $550

The horn had a piece of foam rubber stuffed in it in the round hole at the back. There was no silver screen at all so I think the guts were gone in it.

Ok when I go look at another one please get me straight on something. Do the effects just work on channel 2. Or does reverb and tremblo work on both. I am assuming the fuzz and selective boost only work on channel 2..........

Dummy in training guys, but it is better to ask questions than not

Steve

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22593 is a reply to message #22579]

Wed, 04 March 2015 20:57

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

There's another amp and speaker just what you were looking at listed on Ebay right now for $1000. Is this the same one?

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22595 is a reply to message #22579]

Wed, 04 March 2015 22:29

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Hey that is exact the same one. He had it on craigslist MN. That is where I saw it. Now since I did not buy it he has it on EBAY. Wow. Well it is in Cable,WI....

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/msg/4912409299.html

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22596 is a reply to message #22595]

Wed, 04 March 2015 23:39

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

Yeah I saw that listing on Craigslist about a week or so ago and thought that he was way over priced on what he was selling his stuff for. He tries burning someone on Ebay, he'll be in for a rude awaking......dispute the sale and it costs him in return shipping charges or even the whole sale price and no equipment.

I picked up the exact speaker cabinet with horn in perfect working order and only missing the casters for $75.00. Even at $550, he's over priced considering the effects don't work and the driver is obviously damaged. Again, Pleat is right.....at best the pair is only worth $300 at best. Hope someone doesn't get suckered into this bum deal.

Thanks for telling us about your experience......maybe someone who visits this site will see this thread and will know what they are getting into before buying this piece of equipment.

Let us know if you find any other Kustoms out there that your interested in. I'll let you know if I see anything that looks worth looking into.

[Updated on: Wed, 04 March 2015 23:46]

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22601 is a reply to message #22579]

Thu, 05 March 2015 08:55

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Ok guys upon arriving at my destination to look at the amp it was 2* in northern WI. It was sitting on a back porch of sorts that was totally un heated. Finger tips frozen, and head felt like a block of ice. Trying to get some sort of good sound coming from this beast. I had winter wear in my truck,but who expects to have to don that to look at an amp.

I had asked the right questions before going to look at it. I was told everything worked great, and that he had just plugged a guitar in and it sounded fabulous. In fact he said it sounded so good he hated to sell it for the price he quoted me...

Now I have a wonderful K-150 that is awesome. I had always thought Fender amps were king till I got my Kustom. Boy was I disillusioned. The Kustom is my to go to amp just about all the time now. So that being said I do know the sound they are suppose to produce.

Getting back to the test of the K-250. The volume knob I had put on #2 just because that is way plenty loud for my 150. Well I had to get it to #3 just be able to get any good sound to come out. That is when I leaned over to put my ear to the speakers to see what was going on and I did not hear a thing coming from the horn. If you look at the pictures on ebay you can see that the 15" ones are not original either. I fiddled with the controls enough to see that something was just not right with this amp and for what he was wanting for it I did not want to take the chance.

Ok now you guys know what I am looking for. I really want one. I am a musician, and nostalgia freek and just enjoy playing through a good amp. Probably the wrong place on this site but if anyone comes acorss one or has one for sale please let me know.

Steve

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22602 is a reply to message #22579]

Thu, 05 March 2015 13:10

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

From a technical point, freezing cold is bad for an amp, but it is survivable if the amp is brought back up to normal temperatures before trying to use it.

The worst thing is to have an amp get ice cold and then bring it into a warm humid house. Every surface will immediately be covered in moisture and if the conditions are extreme enough, drops of water will actually start to form. And of course water and electronics don't mix.

Older electrolytic capacitors actually have a wet paste inside of them that can freeze. If voltage is applied to it when frozen, it can cause permanent damage to the cap.

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22603 is a reply to message #22579]

Thu, 05 March 2015 19:35

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Ok info please. Do any of the effects work on channel 1 on the K-250-4???? Also does anyone have an operation manual in pdf they could send to me for that amp?

Steve

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Re: K250-4 amp [message #22604 is a reply to message #22579]

Fri, 06 March 2015 16:10

fieldflower
Messages: 71
Registered: July 2004
Location: Sweden

Member

Don't have a manual but we can probably sort it out anyways...

On the top (bass voiced) channel You can use all effects except the Fuzz.
On the bottom channel You can use all the effects.
(Fun tip is to connect to both channels via Y-cable to be able to blend pure and fuzzed tone. Great for grindy bass.)

If You don't have a footswitch the effects are kind of on all the time, but You can turn them off by turning them down to zero.
With footswitch You put the effects in standby on whatever level they're on, as usual.

Anything else You're wondering about?

Edit: Forgot to mention - the Selective boost (wha) can either be set to desired frequency on the front, but the intention is to use a footpedal connected to the Boost pedal jack on the back.
Pretty normal expression pedal really (simple turn pot inside) so should be possible to set up a replacement, but not sure what the resistor value is...

[Updated on: Fri, 06 March 2015 16:16]

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