blew my amp because of distortion pedal

9am53 · 15th March 2005, 02:39 PM

Hello everyone, I not long ago blew my friends cheap ss guitar amp. I had it set to 12 oclock all day long, but when I hooked up my metal zone II pedal, it started farting and shortly thereafter it conked out. Is this just because it was a cheap solid state amp, or can this happen to other amps? I am in the process of converting a bogen PA to a guitar amp, and I want to protect the old circuitry as best as possible...what do you recomment? can I just wire a fuse of some sort in series with the signal going in to the amplifier after the pedal?

Giaime · 15th March 2005, 07:13 PM

Hello!

Your friend's amp burnt down because it was already stressed and overheated as you said, and when it tried to amplify the MT2 output, which is very strong and with strong harmonics, it falied. A tube amp behave differently: a solid state amp doesn't like saturation of the output devices, instead a tube amp doesn't mind for it. You can plug any pedal into a tube amp, just make sure that your grounds are well connected. Other than some particular case (cheap lo-power ss amp, or normal amp but with heavy defective pedal), the "a pedal burnt my amp" question is just a legend. That thing can happen only with ss amps, and not all of them.

Go on with your Bogen! And don't forget to post results and photos...

9am53 · 16th March 2005, 07:56 PM

Hey thanks man, I will definately be keeping the forum posted as to my progress...I intend to open a thread that will contain my entire build...with pictures, and questions. Do you know of anyway I can fix the amp I broke...I know it may not be worth much, but I dont want to give it back broken...

Thanks for your help

Giaime · 16th March 2005, 08:31 PM

Well... the usual SS things. Check for fuses, bad output transistors (the big ones mounted on an heatsink, search the net on how to test them), bad drivers transistors, burned resistors, the usual things. Most of these small ss amps have an output IC (they're little Gainclones

) and it fails often. But they're cheap...

If you aren't qualified (i.e. you don't know how to use a DMM) refer to a qualified technician.

Keep Posting!

15th March 2005, 02:39 PM	#1
9am53 diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ontario	blew my amp because of distortion pedal Hello everyone, I not long ago blew my friends cheap ss guitar amp. I had it set to 12 oclock all day long, but when I hooked up my metal zone II pedal, it started farting and shortly thereafter it conked out. Is this just because it was a cheap solid state amp, or can this happen to other amps? I am in the process of converting a bogen PA to a guitar amp, and I want to protect the old circuitry as best as possible...what do you recomment? can I just wire a fuse of some sort in series with the signal going in to the amplifier after the pedal? __________________ Guitar is Good

16th March 2005, 07:56 PM	#3
9am53 diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ontario	Hey thanks man, I will definately be keeping the forum posted as to my progress...I intend to open a thread that will contain my entire build...with pictures, and questions. Do you know of anyway I can fix the amp I broke...I know it may not be worth much, but I dont want to give it back broken... Thanks for your help __________________ Guitar is Good

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15th March 2005, 07:13 PM	#2
Giaime diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2004	Hello! Your friend's amp burnt down because it was already stressed and overheated as you said, and when it tried to amplify the MT2 output, which is very strong and with strong harmonics, it falied. A tube amp behave differently: a solid state amp doesn't like saturation of the output devices, instead a tube amp doesn't mind for it. You can plug any pedal into a tube amp, just make sure that your grounds are well connected. Other than some particular case (cheap lo-power ss amp, or normal amp but with heavy defective pedal), the "a pedal burnt my amp" question is just a legend. That thing can happen only with ss amps, and not all of them. Go on with your Bogen! And don't forget to post results and photos...

16th March 2005, 08:31 PM	#4
Giaime diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2004	Well... the usual SS things. Check for fuses, bad output transistors (the big ones mounted on an heatsink, search the net on how to test them), bad drivers transistors, burned resistors, the usual things. Most of these small ss amps have an output IC (they're little Gainclones ) and it fails often. But they're cheap... If you aren't qualified (i.e. you don't know how to use a DMM) refer to a qualified technician. Keep Posting!