Home » VintageKustom.com » Comment Board » K200A3 (Couple of questions)
K200A3 [message #12518] Thu, 17 December 2009 12:30 Go to next message
milo is currently offline  milo
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Registered: July 2009
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I just picked up a K200A3 and have a couple of simple questions.

I have played through K250s before and this head seems to have quite a bit less volume. Is that normal or could it possibly be cap/component related? Part of it seems to be a different taper to the volume pots compared to the 250 (analog vs linear maybe?) and I haven't been able to play this through the same cabinet I ran the K250s into. Both channels seem to be about the same volume level and the amp isn't noisy.

Also, are the high and low inputs supposed to work differently on this version? The high inputs seem more like bright inputs as opposed to the low input attenuating the signal like on the K250 and my Fenders.

I'm sure that I'll have more questions once I have time to mess with it and open it up. I already have to replace the footswitch XLR jack since the leads are laying inside the cabinet. I assume that the footswitch is needed to activate the harmonic clipping and distortion circuits? They don't work right now without it.

Is a schematic available for this amp?

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Re: K200A3 [message #12520 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 17 December 2009 13:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
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The two inputs on the k150 and k250 models are for gain, the #2 has half the gain, if two cords are plugged in they have the same gain.
Not testing the 200A thru the same known impeadance cabinet as the 250 was played thru can knock off any where from 50 to 70% of the amps output, these amps want a 4 ohm load at which they will put out some 86 to 92 watts rms dependant on if the amp is a effects built model or not.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12521 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 17 December 2009 13:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
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The inputs on the k100s, combo plexy face k150s and k200s are for tonal differences.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12523 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 17 December 2009 19:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
milo is currently offline  milo
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I did play both amps through a 4 ohm cabinet, but I had played the K250 through a 2x12 with 50 watt Webers and I only have a 2x10 with a pair of 30 watt speakers now. Would a K250 have been noticeably louder than the K200?

I figured that the inputs must have been voiced differently as opposed to cutting the gain like I'm used to, I just wanted to make sure. I'm going to try fixing the XLR jack and shorting the footswitch terminals tonight to see if the effects work.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12526 is a reply to message #12518] Fri, 18 December 2009 06:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
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Registered: June 2004
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You are still not compairing apples to apples if they where not the same speakers even thought both cabinets where 4 ohms.
A difference in a drivers SPL@ one meter rating of a mere 3 DB ( as in 92 to 95DB) will make one speaker sound near twice as loud as another even of the same impeadance!
Also note that a K250-1 will output 116 watts RMS, a K200 model with effects will put out less than 90 watts RMS, you will feel and hear that 30 watt difference even with playing a 6 string guitar thru the amp, no less if its bass guitar!.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12527 is a reply to message #12518] Fri, 18 December 2009 06:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
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Also the 71 and latter K150 and 250 models had way more preamp gain than the 100 and 200 models which some people mistake for output wattage.
Fender does a volume trick with alot of there tube amp models since the early 90s.
They install a volume control with a fast taper so that a little movement of the volume control gets the amp cranking loud in the music store when you try it out,and you say WOW!this amp is loud for a 40 watt amp, but once up to the 12 noon postion very ltiile volume change takes place.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12537 is a reply to message #12518] Wed, 23 December 2009 21:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
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Registered: April 2009
Location: Reading, MA
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Congrats on the A3. I have an A4 and I had to take the head apart to really give some scrubbing to the contacts. Some hiss from the tremolo/vibe area (though yours doesn't have that section). I'd clean everything out first. I was stunned by the different...

Shaun

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: K200A3 [message #12539 is a reply to message #12518] Wed, 23 December 2009 21:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
milo is currently offline  milo
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Registered: July 2009
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Thanks.
I think that the K250 I briefly owned sounded a little bit better, but this one sounds pretty good after opening it up, cleaning the pots, and repairing the footswitch jack that was just hanging inside.

Next I have to get a hold of a 4-pin XLR plug so I can rig up a footswitch. I like a couple of positions of the selective boost and would like to have that available. I'll also have to keep an eye out for a black tuck and roll cabinet.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12540 is a reply to message #12539] Wed, 23 December 2009 21:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
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After experimenting, the Selective Boost on 3 will give you the single-guitar version of 'Travlein Band' (Listen to the demo take on thje new release of Cosmo's Factory' and the setting on six and 'Bright' will give that rip roaring opening riff to 'Green River.' Fun!

Shaun

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: K200A3 [message #12541 is a reply to message #12518] Wed, 23 December 2009 21:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
milo is currently offline  milo
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I hadn't even tried plugging my old Rickenbacker 350 into the amp yet. I'll get around to that this weekend.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12542 is a reply to message #12541] Wed, 23 December 2009 21:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
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I want a 325 with the f-hole...

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: K200A3 [message #12598 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 31 December 2009 09:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
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Hey, the cover to your A3's footswitch (the thin metal that says 'Kustom' and 'Harmonic Clipper' and 'Boost' is on Ebay =)

Shaun

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: K200A3 [message #12602 is a reply to message #12598] Thu, 31 December 2009 12:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
milo is currently offline  milo
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I did a search and couldn't find it. Is it gone already or are you referring to the four round metal badges that also come with some pilot lamp covers?

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Re: K200A3 [message #12603 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 31 December 2009 13:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
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Yes that is it. I thought you were building your own pedal so the vovers would help..

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: K200A3 [message #12607 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 31 December 2009 16:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
milo is currently offline  milo
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Registered: July 2009
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Actually,
I am building my own footswitch and was just going to use a newer two-button Fender housing that I had pirated the cable from. I completely forgot that some of the Kustom footswitches had lamps. I don't have a schematic so I'm not sure if the older ones had juice to the XLR to power indicators or not. I think I only saw two wires attached to the pedal XLR so now I'll have to check for voltage on any of the pins.

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Re: K200A3 [message #12609 is a reply to message #12518] Thu, 31 December 2009 17:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
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Registered: April 2009
Location: Reading, MA
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Lamps? I wasn't aware of them. Wasn't sure if you were going to try to build a 2-button footswitch similar to the ones Kustom used back then...

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: K200A3 [message #12657 is a reply to message #12609] Sun, 10 January 2010 11:27 Go to previous message
kustomoholic is currently offline  kustomoholic
Messages: 227
Registered: March 2009
Location: Tulsa,oklahoma
Senior Member
Shaun....I picked up that auction on Ebay...It should be on the way....one can never have enough irreplaceable parts.... I figured since I have several Metalface amps a couple of bulb covers like the one missing on your Charger would come in handy if something were to happen with mine....looked like one for the switches and one for pilot lamps on the SS series amps like the Charger....:-)I would be open to selling a few of the footswitch function covers and when I get the pilot covers I am going to see about constructing some homemade clones out of some styrene plastics that are translucent and suitable for covers. I am hoping to pick up another 300 head tonight if it doesn't cost me tooooo much... I'd like to keep the current beater 300 which is fully functional for potential use as spare parts and tons of Small knobs for metalface amps... Laughing
Kraig

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