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I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11945]

Wed, 23 September 2009 16:37

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi,
I need help for my "K-200B 2" head. My 'BRIGHT' channel is at about 10% power at (5) on the volume control nob and if I take it up to (10) it's like going to (0). The normal channel has some noises and buzzing but the power seems to be there. I did notice looking inside some one did some work on it in its life time. I did take it to the local "KUSTOM" tect. In a nice way he told me it would be too expensive to fix. I need the address and phone number of an expert on these old "KUSTOM" amps so I can sent this one to him. Also if that is not possible, I need the schematics so I can do the work myself. Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11946 is a reply to message #11945]

Wed, 23 September 2009 16:39

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

GARIBIANCHI wrote on Wed, 23 September 2009 16:37

Hi,
I need help for my "K-200B 2" head. My 'BRIGHT' channel is at about 10% power at (5) on the volume control nob and if I take it up to (10) it's like going to (0). The normal channel has some noises and buzzing but the power seems to be there. I did notice looking inside some one did some work on it in its life time. I did take it to the local "KUSTOM" tect. In a nice way he told me it would be too expensive to fix. I need the address and phone number of an expert on these old "KUSTOM" amps so I can sent this one to him. Also if that is not possible, I need the schematics so I can do the work myself. Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11947 is a reply to message #11946]

Wed, 23 September 2009 16:48

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

Welcome to the board.

I'd suggest that you try cleaning the 2 position bright boost switch first. If it becomes dirty it will affect the volume of that channel. You should use a high quality spray cleaner like Deox-It or Pro-Gold.

Where are you located? Never mind I see that you are in NC.

[Updated on: Wed, 23 September 2009 16:50]

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11949 is a reply to message #11947]

Wed, 23 September 2009 17:03

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi, I cleaned all the pots and circit boards still no go. I checked the switch for the bright channel and it tested okay. I noticed there has been some work done before in its life, compairing the "BRIGHT" channel to the "NORMAL" channel, I notice the circet board has a blank spot, what I mean by that there is (2) tiny hole in the "BRIGHT" circit board that is not in the "NORMAL", I am thinking it might be missing something there. I also notice that there in no ground wire coming from the input jack on the "BRIGHT" channel. There is also a ceramic cap(???) coming from the power light as a ground and when the amp is on this ceramic cap(???) gets very warm. I can take some pictures of the circitry and email them to you if you would like to help??? I do not know anything about electronics. Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11950 is a reply to message #11949]

Wed, 23 September 2009 17:18

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

GARIBIANCHI wrote on Wed, 23 September 2009 16:03

...I notice the circet board has a blank spot, what I mean by that there is (2) tiny hole in the "BRIGHT" circit board that is not in the "NORMAL", I am thinking it might be missing something there.

The two circuits are different so the boards are different. You say that you have a K200B-2, which should have one normal channel and one channel with reverb and vibrato. What is the PC board number for the channel that you are talking about?

GARIBIANCHI wrote on Wed, 23 September 2009 16:03

There is also a ceramic cap(???) coming from the power light as a ground and when the amp is on this ceramic cap(???) gets very warm.

That is a power resistor. It takes the 40 volts from the power supply and reduces it down to 28 volts for the pilot lamp. It will normally run hot. If you have the wrong bulb in the socket it will could cause the resistor to run hotter than normal. The bulb should be a number 1829

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11951 is a reply to message #11950]

Wed, 23 September 2009 17:31

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

I am talking of the 'BRIGHT' channel wich is the reverb channel. The two holes that I am talking about is in between the volume and bright switch. These are the only holes that does not have anything in them. The holes are running parallel to the bottom of these pots (control devices). The bulb that is in this head is a 1891. Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11952 is a reply to message #11950]

Wed, 23 September 2009 17:38

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

I have the amp together at the moment. I will tear it down to get to the PC board codes. Thank you for your help so far!!!

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11953 is a reply to message #11952]

Wed, 23 September 2009 17:54

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

You should have one of each of these boards.
PC105 (Normal Pre-amp)
PC303 (Pre-amp with Reverb and Vibrato)
PC703 (Power amp and low voltage regulators)

I'm still not sure what holes you are talking about.
Tonight when I get home, I'll look at my amp and see if there is anything like what you are describing.

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11954 is a reply to message #11953]

Wed, 23 September 2009 19:56

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi,
Thank you for the help so far, I will be taking some photos of the boards if you are still interested and have the time to help me. I will email them to you if you like.
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11956 is a reply to message #11954]

Wed, 23 September 2009 20:49

oren hudson is currently offline

oren hudson
Messages: 274
Registered: March 2008
Location: Gastonia, NC

Senior Member

Hello fellow Tarheel. Hopefully, you didn't take it to Yontz at Mad Science Works. He's in Raleigh and has been highly recommended to me by several others. Phone # is 919-341-4278. Web address is http://www.madscienceworks.com. Cool

Cool

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11958 is a reply to message #11956]

Wed, 23 September 2009 21:12

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi, Personally I haven't, but the guy that owned it before me has. I did talk to Yontz about this amp, and he told me, in a nice way of course, he would rather not do the work on it. Is there something I should know??? He told me it might take days before he can locate the problem and of course his time is my money, so in a way he was telling me if I wanted to spend twice as much money of what it's worth than he can help me.
The normal channel powers up, there is a little noise. The "BRIGHT" channel has very low power, about 10%.
Is there anyone that you know that can help me???
Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11959 is a reply to message #11953]

Wed, 23 September 2009 21:19

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi, I checked out the boards and you are right: PC-303; PC-105; and PC-703. The PC-303 has the two holes in between the volume and bright switch. I flipped over the PC-303 and there has never been anything soldered to this placement, very clean. I have taken some pictures, but I'm thinking this has nothing to do with the problem now. Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11961 is a reply to message #11945]

Wed, 23 September 2009 22:11

rodak
Messages: 511
Registered: October 2001
Location: Georgia

Senior Member

I'm far from an expert on this, but my K150 had a similar problem - volume would go WAY up very early in the volume knob's rotation, then taper way off to zero. With advice I got here and elsewhere, I replaced the first two transistors in the preamp circuit - the first two that appear in the signal chain right after the input jack. It shouldn't be too hard to trace that without a schematic.

www.combo-organ.com

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11963 is a reply to message #11945]

Thu, 24 September 2009 06:27

stevem is currently offline

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Hi, if the volume control is having any effect at all then my first guess would be that the problem lies in the very first section of that PC303 preamp board which comprises some three transistors,Q300 a NPN type, Q301a PNP type,and Q302 a NPN type just like the first one. I would bet that if you replaced these one at a time, that one of these is dead and you couls fix the problem in 1 hour or less, not days as you have been told, they just do not want to work on it!
Ordering these three transistors plus shipping would come to well less than 8 bucks.
If you do not want to try fixing it yourself, but can solder or have someone unsolder the red, blue and green wire form the board you cab pull out the whole board and ship it to me and I will revive it for you, so let me know.

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11965 is a reply to message #11963]

Thu, 24 September 2009 18:00

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi, Where are you located??? Can you give me your phone number so I can call you and set it up with you, if I choose you to fix it??? Right now I am still checking out my options on how to go about fixing it. Thank you for your help so far!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11966 is a reply to message #11961]

Thu, 24 September 2009 18:06

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi, Thank you for the advice!!! With the help from this sight I know I will get this Amp fixed RIGHT!!! Right now I have a line on a K-250 that has pretty much the same problem but it's in the clean channel. The price on that is $125.00, Do you think that is too much??? Also the "TUCK 'N' ROLL" has been removed.
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11967 is a reply to message #11966]

Thu, 24 September 2009 20:41

pleat is currently offline

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

Senior Member

Well, I think most on the site prefer the older plexi faced kustom over the slant face series. I don't own any of the slant face amps. I just prefer the older amps that used all individual transistors over the slant face amps that used IC's. I think the tone is better on the older amps especially if you use any stomp boxes or processor pedals. Another big problems with the slant face amps is the molex connectors that connect all the circuit boards together. Kustom had a lot of field problems and sent a dealer memo to just cut off the connectors and solder the wires direct to the boards. As far as 125.00 for the one you mentioned with a similar problem, does it have any effects or just a straight two channel amp? The covering gone and electrical problem, I wouldn't pay more than 50.00 for it, in the condition it's in and not knowing what it might take to get it back into operational condition. But that's just my opinion.
Don

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11968 is a reply to message #11967]

Thu, 24 September 2009 21:06

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi Don, Thank you for the information!!! I feel you are right about everything you say. This K-200B 2 I paid $100.00 for it plus a Traynor speaker cabinet of the same era loaded with 2 vintage Fender speakers. I'm hooked on Vintage Kustoms now, but just because there vintage I do not want to hurt myself. Thank you!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11975 is a reply to message #11945]

Fri, 25 September 2009 05:58

stevem is currently offline

stevem
Messages: 4733
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

As far as my ear goes, I like the slant face k150s and 250s the best and I have all of the classic kustom heads but for the k200A serise which is 95% like a Frankenstien head circuit wise anyway.
The tone shaping at hand in the 150s and 250s leaves the others in the dust!
These heads also had a reverb pan lock which saves you from having busted wires in the pan which is something that I see some 75% of the time in vintage amps I work on.
Price wise for that k250, the 125 bucks is worth it just for the power and polarity switches in the amp if they work!
The problem with that k250 mat just be some plug in board connectors that need to be cleanded and or tightened up.

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11976 is a reply to message #11975]

Fri, 25 September 2009 07:14

pleat is currently offline

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

Senior Member

I think in a post on this site that someone was having a hard time getting a slant face amp to accept a distortion pedal and get a good tone. I know the plexi face amps work great with processor pedals compared to the slant face amps. Since the frankie and K200 series amps were made for more years than the slant face series, the law of numbers apply that there are just more of the older series amps are out there compared to the short lived slant face kustoms. The slant face K250 is a great bass amp, but I think falls short for lead guitar,I will agree the K250-1 can sound better for bass than the older 200 series, the selectone is a cool circuit. I think the added power helped. In the years I sold Kustom amps (66 to 79) I saw way more problems with the reverb locks. Because the reverb pan was mounted on its side, we had several that the lower reverb spring was caught on the back side of the disk that was used to secure the springs from rattling around. Turn on the amp and have very little reverb and we had one shipped to us that both springs were on the back side of the lock and unlocking it pulled one of the springs out of the tank. You mentioned the power and polarity switches if they work. That's is one big issue. They haven't made that switch since 1975 and the company went out of business, and I see a post on this site that the bulbs are getting harder to find. Everyone hears differently, but for my ears, reliability and appearance, I still love the purple jeweled plexi Kustoms.
Don

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11977 is a reply to message #11975]

Fri, 25 September 2009 07:16

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Hi, I'm going to check that amp out no matter what. You're right about the parts, I'm sure I can get my money back just in parts from it, (+) I can really learn about these amps. The only real problem about me buying this amp is $$$$$. With the way the economy is, I'm like everyone else, short on cash. That's the reason this guy is selling it. Thanks for the reply!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11982 is a reply to message #11977]

Fri, 25 September 2009 11:39

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

A few points here.

Steve, the A series heads are much closer in design to the B series heads. They really don't have much in common with the Frank heads.

As for the metal fronts, I really like the way that the trem/vib work on these, better than the Franks or the B's. The additional power is really minimal and doesn't really help that much. And Pleat, I couldn't agree with you more regarding the reverb tank lock. To me the worst is when the foam pad melts into the reverb springs, muffling their sound.

Overall tone though, I still prefer the Frank heads.

And getting back on topic, EZG I find that a lot of techs don't see enough Kustoms to understand them. Most assume that they are too old to to fix and that parts will be hard to find, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the basic parts are still readily available and the obsolete ones can be replaced with modern equivalents. The simplest explanation that I tell techs that have never seen the inside of a Kustom amp, is that they are very similar to older Peavey heads.

Whatever you do, find someone that you can trust and work with him or her to get the amp fixed. You won't be sorry.

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11984 is a reply to message #11982]

Fri, 25 September 2009 15:57

GARIBIANCHI
Messages: 13
Registered: September 2009
Location: RALEIGH,NC.

Junior Member

Thank You for all the GOOD advice!!! Right now I am in search of a GREAT tect that lives in the Raleigh, NC. area. If I have too I will ship this amp out to get repaired. The longer I have this amp I see that fixing it is really no problem!!! To tell the truth I want to fix it myself. Thanks again for all the GREAT advice!!!
EZG

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #11991 is a reply to message #11984]

Fri, 25 September 2009 23:56

oren hudson is currently offline

oren hudson
Messages: 274
Registered: March 2008
Location: Gastonia, NC

Senior Member

I may have another line for you GARIBIANCHI on a repair guy. He's on Charlotte. I just today took him the 150 I've been talking about here and there recently with a couple of issues beyond my limited abilities. I do have experience with him on a Sunn Colsieum from about a year ago. It had a tiny problem when I got it back and quickly remedied it at no charge. Seems like a pretty good guy too. He's also the bass player for a pretty well know regional band called The Spongetones. When I dropped off the head, he was exstatic about seeing it and said he couldn't wait to open it up. So, we'll see what he does on this one and I'll give you a report if you want. Cool

Cool

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Re: I NEED HELP FOR MY K-200B 2 HEAD!!! [message #12164 is a reply to message #11982]

Sat, 10 October 2009 17:29

Shaun_Musings is currently offline

Shaun_Musings
Messages: 323
Registered: April 2009
Location: Reading, MA

Senior Member

Part of why I didn't pick up the 400 when I had a chance was because a few local shops enthusastically told me 'Yep, we fix all vintage equip... you have a what?'

Shaun

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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