Question about Amps [Do not read this thread if you are a digital multieffect thingee using ponce!]

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Ok, this fall I blew out my Norma amplifier while I had it and my piece of shit Crate hooked to my stereo chorus pedal. (It sounded so fucking amazing.) I had reached over to twiddle a knob on the pedal and I think my hand touched one or two of the metal sheaths of the output cables at the same time as the pickups/strings of my guitar. I got a fairly nasty shock (effects much more sudden than shocks from aquarium equipment) and the Norma went "pop" and was silent.

http://photos.friendster.com/photos/58/60/2800685/1051999229995l.jpg

Opened it up, turns out a fuse had blown. Went to the hardware store, got a replacement, used a much more sensitive fuse (fast blow). Turned it on with just my guitar hooked up; it made an AWFUL sound, really low bass hum. Couldn't get anything out of it but that sound. Noticed some smoke (uh oh!); unplugged everything. Opened the back. Some big resistor was putting out some really gross smoke that smelled like old plastic shit from the 60's.

Turns out the fuse that had been in it when it originally blew was a slow blow (argh).

What do you guys think I should do? I really loved the sound this thing had, wicked sustain on the low end. It had a lovely tremalo and was really fucking light. The inside has a fairly simple printed schematic.

http://photos.friendster.com/photos/58/60/2800685/1051064329624l.jpg

How much work would it be to reconstruct this? Should I consider it good for nothing but to be ripped apart to use the horn (speaker thingee) in a homemade cab (LASERBEAST!!!)?

Help!!!!! Also, anyone know anything about Norma amps?

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 04:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Also:
http://photos.friendster.com/photos/58/60/2800685/896411776905l.jpg

Also, 3 inputs! Foot switch! Cost me $10!

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 04:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Where have all the cowboys gone? :(

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 05:37 (twenty-one years ago)

hey i just plug the thing in, i leave the wires and valves to the professionals

― the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 05:49 (twenty-one years ago)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=3704239085&category=10171
^ similar amp :/

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 05:57 (twenty-one years ago)

She is beautiful.

― Anna Pee, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 07:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm sure you can find an old school TV repair guy near by, point out which resistor blew and have it fixed cheap. If not, check out Vintage Guitar Magazine for a repair shop. I think Norma was a part of Gibson in the 60's.

― Speedy Gonzalas (Speedy Gonzalas), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 07:28 (twenty-one years ago)

And BTW, I am a digital effects thingee using ponce, so best think before you post;)

― Speedy Gonzalas (Speedy Gonzalas), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 07:30 (twenty-one years ago)

if you are in L.A., call AME (Advanced Musical Electronics). They *live* for this shit.

― Orbit (Orbit), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 07:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it'd be cheaper to buy another amp. Sorry.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 08:59 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG, I just realized that Norma was not part of Gibson, but that the first amp I ever had was a Norma I blew the speaker, then sawed the amp section off and used that for awhile. I later used it as a preamp by plugging the output into another amp, WHICH IS SOETNING YOU SHOULD NEVER,NEVER DO!

― Speedy Gonzalas (Speedy Gonzalas), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 09:07 (twenty-one years ago)

SOETNING? What the fuck? SOMETHING, that is what I meant.

― Speedy Gonzalas (Speedy Gonzalas), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 09:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Half-assed amplifier repair is never a good idea, and can have quite literally deadly results. This thing will not be cheap to fix properly.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 09:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Yea, hmmm. I'm pretty sure that more than just the resistor is no good.

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 17:43 (twenty-one years ago)

digital effects thingee using ponces of the world unite!

― Jole (Jole), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

It should be really easy to fix. Find some retired guy who loves to solder. Or learn to do it yourself. Don't waste the amp, m'man.

I can't read that schematic from here, but even if you replace everything, it's less than $20 in parts.

Come on, you need a new hobby. Why not have it be amp repair?

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, does anyone have any suggestions on books and gear for this task?

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:07 (twenty-one years ago)

jon, e-mail chris rabbit (somthingrabbit@cox.net) and ask for barret's e-mail address; he knows his shit.

― ian johnsonn, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

i wish you luck in your quest, and i have signed up for the cause.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude, Phil's dad would probably do it and solder an AK47 onto the top for free. In the meantime, check out http://www.wizzardsound.com/index.shtml . Ask for John Arrigo, and get him to tell you about the fucked up runway he built in Panama while under attack from guerillas

― The Second Drummer Drowned (Atila the Honeybun), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Andrew's dad mentioned some dude who I could trick into doing it.

― Sir Hiss! a.k.a. Jon Williams in brrrrrrrrrrrRochester! (ex machina), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

― Lucy M. H. Butler, Wednesday, 25 February 2004 16:24 (twenty-one years ago)

IT'S TOO OLD!!! Just buy a new amp. *heehehehehehhehheheeeeee*

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Wednesday, 25 February 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't ask me, I'm a drummer.

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 26 February 2004 02:21 (twenty-one years ago)

There's gotta be some other older amps out there by Ampeg, Fender or Gibson that might cost less than a re-wire job. But I get attached to older things, too. Just go ask my wife. (Ouch, Dammit!)

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 26 February 2004 04:53 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

http://www.richbriere.com/images/sunn_logo.gif
^ can't afford

― Lil' Fancy Pants (ex machina), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 06:03 (twenty-one years ago)

hey fancypants!

http://southsidecallbox.com/images/sunn.jpg

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 06:47 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.friendster.com/user.jsp?id=2800685

― Lil' Fancy Kpants (ex machina), Thursday, 8 April 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Revive! Can anyone tell me a good book to read about electronics? What kind of multimeter and soldering iron do I need? Would you anticipate any of the parts to not be available at rat shack.

― 24 hours with the King of Snake. (SNAKE!) (ex machina), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

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