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K-250 Questions [message #7029] Tue, 13 June 2006 18:47   yagevines Messages: 1 Registered: June 2006 Location: Massachusetts Junior Member Hi, I just bought a used 250 bass head amp yesterday from a used music dealer, in piss-poor condition (I knew this before I bought it). The first channel works wonderfully with a bit of hiss if you boost the treble. The second channel crackles when you play a note, not distortion crackle but the type of crackle you'd hear while turning a dirty pot. I have no tech skills to repair this on my own, if it's a circuitry problem, but I would like to open it up just to make sure it's not dirt on the inside causing the problem. I just wanted to know what the right way to do this might be so that I don't accidentely rip off something connected to the detached part. Also, the plug is ungrounded and I've read something about how you can make it grounded, probably leave that to a tech if it's possible. Also, I loved the tone of the thing when I tried it in the store, but I neglected to think about the fact that I have one 200w 4 Ohm cab and one 400w 8 Ohm cab, but no 250+ watt 4 ohm cab. I tried it through the 8 Ohm cab and things did not sound right. I'm wondering if my instant infatuation with the amp hasn't gotten me into gear lust-induced trouble. And, using modern overdrive pedals that are analog, can I burn out the amp, was it designed to handle the signals that can be put out by Death by Audio or Metasonix level distortions/overdrives? And, I shocked the bejesus out of my self when I accidentely touched the speaker wire while it was plugged into the amp while turned on. I'm hoping that's a normal result. If it's not, then what the heck is going on? (told you I wasn't very tech-savvy) And, if anyone knows a guy or girl in the Boston area that is good with servicing these amps, give a shout. Keep in mind that this amp was in horrible physical condition in terms of dirt and grime. I spent about 3 hours cleaning the outside with q-tips and paper towels and I think that a lot of the dirt, especially the dirt inside the little pleather canyons, might have actually been from a hundred packs of cigarettes that were smoked in 1976. This is where the dirt-affected second channel theory is stemming from. I don't think this thing has seen daylight in three decades. But it sounds great and I really would love to get this thing fully refurbished and take real good care of it. Report message to a moderator

Re: K-250 Questions [message #7030 is a reply to message #7029] Wed, 14 June 2006 07:57   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Hi, seeing that your tech skills are low I would take the amp to a music store or stereo shop with a good in house repair section. That channel my just need the controls cleaned which is easy and hard at the same time. The 2 preamps unplug and unbolt from the face of the amp easy if the nuts behind the knobs are not corroded to bad(some nuts I`ve had to grind in half) but the slot in the controls mounted on each preamp board face the top of the board and its hard to get contact spray in them.The head puts out 125 watts RMS so your 4 ohm cabinet is fine as I do not think you will ever have the amp pushed up all the way. If the amp starts to sound real raspy then you are driving the preamp too hard with your pedals. If both ens of you speaker cord where pluged in when you got the shock you must of been touching another piece of gear that was pluged into an ac outlet. getting a 3 prong grounded cord installed while its in the shop will cure that. Let us know how it goes. Report message to a moderator

Re: K-250 Questions [message #7174 is a reply to message #7029] Mon, 10 July 2006 17:32   T-Bone Messages: 7 Registered: January 2006 Location: Boston, MA Junior Member About servicing in the Boston area, two thoughts: 1) I bought my Kustom amp head from Ed "FACE" Korman who was working at Aztech Electronics in Watertown, MA. They are at 246 North Beacon St., basically right behind Arsenal Mall. Phone (617) 926-6725. I haven't used them for repairs, but I believe they had done some work on my amp before selling it to me. The shop is all amps and speaker cabs. Definitely dedicated to that kind of thing. 2) Music Instrument Service Center - The shop right at Berklee school of music near the corner of Mass. Ave and Boylston. I had an old Ampeg amp flaking out on me and they did a good job troubleshooting and repairing it for very fair money. Address is 10 Belvidere Street, Boston, (617)247-0525. By any chance, is yours the blue sparkle, slant face that was for sale at Daddy's junky music on Mass. Ave near Berklee? The problems you describe sound familiar. I tried that one and it sounded awesome! Great sound like my K200, but could go much higher in volume without too much distortion. If that's it, repair shop #2 is almost directly across Mass. Ave, on the small side street near the McDonald's. Good luck! Report message to a moderator

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