stephen? Messages: 11 Registered: November 2006 Location: Vancouver
Junior Member
hello everyone, im having a little problem, i came across a kustom 200 watt guitar head a few months ago, so i test it out through my buddys mesa cab, and the channels were all crackly and noisy, so i take it to a shop in vancouver and the guy says the transistors for all 4 channels are shot, and they havent been made for 15 years, he can order the parts and it will take 2-3 weeks and it will cost me $200-300, its been there ever since and i call today to check up, and he hasnt been able to get a hold of any yet, does anyone know where to obtain the right tranistor??? HELP!
stevem Messages: 4742 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
The first thing to do is to take it thre hell out of that shop!, as all the different transistors in a K200 are still made, and still easly avalible and most of them due to a part number change have been up graded to newer better type transistors!it sounds like they may be tryin to screw you as any of the signal transistors on a channel board cost all of 40 cents at the ultimate high.
If the amp is noisy with all the volumes down, them its not a problem with each channel anyway, the problem is in the driver board.
So take it somewhere else, and if need be I can post you a list of all the transistors original part numbers and the new ones the can be purchased under.
C4ster Messages: 686 Registered: June 2001 Location: Mukwonago, WI (Milwaukee...
Senior Member
First off, get it out of that shop, get a second and third opinion. We need more info. 200 watt? Is it a K200 or something else. Troubleshooting 101.
Conrad
tweed112 Messages: 34 Registered: January 2006 Location: Mass
Member
I agree with these other people..Get it out of that shop and dont do bussiness with them again!!
In the last 2 years I have worked on many kustoms and..replaced transistors...Ive never had trouble getting Parts and NEVER paided more than two dollars for them, and that was over priced
Good Luck to you...
stephen? Messages: 11 Registered: November 2006 Location: Vancouver
Junior Member
sorry about the wait, i was in seattle seeing CANNIBAL CORPSE! yesterday, but i picked up my amp and it is a K200-5 guitar head, and like i said before there are really scratchy sounds when it is on, any suggestions??
stevem Messages: 4742 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
Does the noise your amp makes happen all the time, or only when you turn the controls or plug a cord into an input?
By your serial number the amp was made between jul and dec 1971.
stephen? Messages: 11 Registered: November 2006 Location: Vancouver
Junior Member
ive only plugged it into a cabinet once and im fairly certain it is a constant noise, but im going to grab a speaker cable so i can make sure, but if it is a constant noise whats the problem?
stevem Messages: 4742 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
It could be many things if its a constant noise, but it does limit it down to less choises of what it could be.
Many times its just that the controls and input jacks need to be cleaned, a dirty volume control when turned can make a hell of a racket, I have also seen a problem in the reverb pan where one of the small wires on the output side of the pan had broken off and would short out on the pans case from vibration making a racket.
If you are able to play thru the head does your sound cut out during the noise?, or is the noise mixed in with your sound?, is it louder or softer than the volume you are playing at?
stephen? Messages: 11 Registered: November 2006 Location: Vancouver
Junior Member
hey sorry i took so long, i got a speaker cable and played through the amp and it is not a constant noise, its really scratchy when i am playing and adjusting the volume, and when i play at 7 or 8 it sounds as though im playing at 1 or 2, there is not much volume at all.
stevem Messages: 4742 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
For what you discribe it would seem that the only problem is that all the controls to be cleaned, or the offending volume controls need replacement.
Turning the controls should produce no noise but for the added hiss as you crank up the treble control.
stevem Messages: 4742 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
Senior Member
I do not know what to tell you at this point, but if you have a RCA male to 1/4 inch male cord plug it in to the back of the amp and see if you can drive another guitar amp with its output signal, if you can than the preamp section(s) are ok and the problem is in the driver/output stage.