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Kustom K200A-2 [message #22933]

Wed, 20 May 2015 23:16

eaestes
Messages: 4
Registered: May 2015
Location: Dallas

Junior Member

I bought a Kustom K200A-2 head and twin 15" bottom. The bottom has two holes with no tubes or chrome rings. I have the stomp box but it has no wire. I believe it may be one of the models referred to as a "Frankenstein". I know the guy who purchased it in 1965 new and recently sold it to me. It's very near pristine on the outside with operational exceptions. The reverb box is in tact and the transducers read 174 and 181 ohms on the primary side. Pink foam was stuffed in it for some reason. It has:
(1) PC302A/B stack for Reverb and Trem-Vib
(2) PC 102 Preamps/tone PCBs
(1) PC 602
(1) PC 502
(1) PC 702 Driver board

The amp is super quiet and works well other than the lack of reverb and trem/vib. Investigations revealed the reverb and trem boards were bypassed and the foot switch no longer wired. It was jailbraked for an unknown reason, but I intend to put it back to normal and see whats what.

The XLR connector was converted to allow two added 1/4" phone plugs to go into one XLR. The blue wire on the bright input was removed and the blue wire from the reverb unit put as the input, bypassing the reverb and trem boards. A 3 prong power cord was put in without removing the grounding cap, and has no strain relief other than a knot in the cable. I have some questions:

Is this a Frankenstein unit?
Is there a way to test the secondary of the transducers on the reverb board?
Is the tremelo/vib connected to ground to enable it? or disable it?
Same question again for the reverb.

I have a Tek scope, DVMs, signal generator, and other misc test equipment.

Thanks,

Andy

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Re: Kustom K200A-2 [message #22935 is a reply to message #22933]

Wed, 20 May 2015 23:52

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

The Frank head have the larger top face of the front..on the regular amp heads the top and bottom are exactly the same dimension......reason they are referred to as Frank heads......look like Frankenstein's forehead.

As to your tech questions, Bart, Bill or Stevem will be able to help you out. In all probability, the reverb crapped out and was unhooked because even if it didn't work, the spring would clang like heck when amp was moved. Out of the five amp head I have, so far only one has reverb that works.

Welcome to the Kustom club.

[Updated on: Wed, 20 May 2015 23:54]

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Re: Kustom K200A-2 [message #22936 is a reply to message #22933]

Thu, 21 May 2015 02:10

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

As Iowa Boy explained, the Frankenstein heads have a taller top front panel, just like a wide panel Fender tweed amp. With the boards that you have listed, you have a K200A head that was made right after the Frankenstein heads.

I don't understand your reverb transducer question. If you get a resistance reading of around 180 ohms across both of the RCA jacks, then the coils of the transducers are okay. As long as the two long springs are still connected it should be okay.

On the A-series amps the effects are normally off, and need to be turned on by way of the footswitch.

If you go to the technical section of the site, you can look up the schematics for most if not all of the boards for you amp. They will help you to get it wired back to original condition.

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Re: Kustom K200A-2 [message #22937 is a reply to message #22936]

Thu, 21 May 2015 02:13

eaestes
Messages: 4
Registered: May 2015
Location: Dallas

Junior Member

ChicagoBill,

The 602 is one I didn't see. Is there a composite print showing the interconnects between the boards? Also, to enable the effect, should the gray or light brown wire be shorted to ground?

The nameplate data shows it to be a K200A-2.

Thanks

Andy

[Updated on: Thu, 21 May 2015 02:14]

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Re: Kustom K200A-2 [message #22938 is a reply to message #22933]

Thu, 21 May 2015 06:19

stevem
Messages: 4730
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

You do not have a Frank model if the circuit boards are stacked and the reverb pan attaches / hangs from tthe top of the chassis and not hanging off of the inside wood top of the cabinet .
The A series amps need to have the foot switch or the foot switch wires shorted to get the effects to work.
Here's the wiring from inside the amp at the foot switch Jack , white is tremolo, red is reverb, blue is boost if the amp has that effect, and black is the clipper if the amp has that effect. Shorting any of these wires to ground / the chassis will turn on the effect.

[Updated on: Thu, 21 May 2015 06:22]

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Re: Kustom K200A-2 [message #22941 is a reply to message #22933]

Thu, 21 May 2015 12:19

chicagobill
Messages: 2005
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

The PC602 is the negative regulator board. I'll look to see if I have a copy of it and the interconnection schematic.

As I recall, the schematic has all of the circuits on one sheet. I have to dig through the paper stack to try and find it.

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Re: Kustom K200A-2 [message #22943 is a reply to message #22938]

Thu, 21 May 2015 15:01

eaestes
Messages: 4
Registered: May 2015
Location: Dallas

Junior Member

Turns out, after putting the wiring back and testing the system, the only true problem is the reverb switch on the stomp box is shorted so as long as it's plugged in, its on. Reverb and trem-vib work. All I need is to plug (2) 1/4" holes, strain relief the cord and replace the stompbox switch with a good cable and switch and I think its back to really nice shape.

Thanks for the help!

Any additional schematics would be of great help, ChicagoBill!

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