Quickrod down... (Rant)

[SFW]

Well, Monday I was playing my Quickrod and getting some tones and effects presets dialed in for a new song that we are working on when the amp decided to crash. Blew the Mains fuse. I figured that a power tube must have gone. Which is a little disappointing, as they have only been in the amp for about four months. I picked up a new 4A fuse and install my spare set of tubes. (I know that these are good tubes because I had already tried them in the amp.) Fired the amp up to bias it and then the Mains fuse and HT fuse blew.

I called Scott to see if I could send the amp in. He said that he was running eight weeks behind on new builds and that he couldn't say when he might be able to get to the amp. He thinks the second set of tubes are bad as well. And to switch the amp into half power mode and try cycling the different tubes into the middle slot to find a pair that work. Then he stated that since my amp is a 2005, he can no longer get the parts for it, and it may be time to buy another amp....

Now, I don't know about you guys, but I don't exactly have $2,500 dollars of play money laying around. It is a little disappointing to know that there are Marshalls still in service from the 1960s, but my 17 year old amp isn't worth saving according to the builder. That may not be what he meant, but that is definitely what I heard. I am gonna try the tube shuffle and then take it to a local tech if that doesn't work. Hopefully it is nothing too serious, and won't cost an arm and a leg. Otherwise, I'll have a very expensive Splawn paperweight.

I have been contemplating going to my Axe FX II XL for shows, as we are all on IEMs these days. This just made the decision to switch over a little easier out of necessity. I can say with certainty that my next tube amp will not have a Splawn logo on it.

Anyway... just angry and ranting...

 

[War_in_D]

Did you buy it new? If so, doesn't Splawn carry a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser? I know when I bought my QR new back in 2020, that was a big reason with going new over used.

If not, I'm sure that a competent tech could probably sort it out. I don't see a need to buy a new amp. My only concern would be that if a tech out here in the real world needed any kind of technical help (schematics, etc.), that Scott might not be that forthcoming with that kind of info. I think he's pretty protective of his designs. I know that when I had my Nitro modded to KT88's, I asked him what resitor he changed to get it to bias up and what the original value was on it in case I wanted to go back to EL34's.. and I never got a response.

I hope you can get it worked out.

 

[ericb]

Well, Monday I was playing my Quickrod and getting some tones and effects presets dialed in for a new song that we are working on when the amp decided to crash. Blew the Mains fuse. I figured that a power tube must have gone. Which is a little disappointing, as they have only been in the amp for about four months. I picked up a new 4A fuse and install my spare set of tubes. (I know that these are good tubes because I had already tried them in the amp.) Fired the amp up to bias it and then the Mains fuse and HT fuse blew.

I called Scott to see if I could send the amp in. He said that he was running eight weeks behind on new builds and that he couldn't say when he might be able to get to the amp. He thinks the second set of tubes are bad as well. And to switch the amp into half power mode and try cycling the different tubes into the middle slot to find a pair that work. Then he stated that since my amp is a 2005, he can no longer get the parts for it, and it may be time to buy another amp....

Now, I don't know about you guys, but I don't exactly have $2,500 dollars of play money laying around. It is a little disappointing to know that there are Marshalls still in service from the 1960s, but my 17 year old amp isn't worth saving according to the builder. That may not be what he meant, but that is definitely what I heard. I am gonna try the tube shuffle and then take it to a local tech if that doesn't work. Hopefully it is nothing too serious, and won't cost an arm and a leg. Otherwise, I'll have a very expensive Splawn paperweight.

I have been contemplating going to my Axe FX II XL for shows, as we are all on IEMs these days. This just made the decision to switch over a little easier out of necessity. I can say with certainty that my next tube amp will not have a Splawn logo on it.

Anyway... just angry and ranting...

That totally blows, but I live in 1 of the smallest States in the country (VT) and our local tech was able to easily fix my StreetRod once when the Bridge Rectifier ceased to work. It's like a less than $5.00 part. Scott mailed me the part, and the tech fixed it. I know that probably isn't your issue , but I'm sure you will have local techs who can assess and fix the amp if you're not able to. .BEST OF LUCK

Eric

 

[kmanick]

make sure you're to using paper wrapped fuses either, I had a power tube red plate on me and it blew the fuse and I got paper wrapped ones (right ampage) and every time I powered down it blew, I got Scott on the Phone (facetimed even) and he saw the fuses and told me the right ones to get. New tubes ,correct fuse, one year later no issues

 

[311splawndude]

That sucks.
Bought new = Lifetime warranty and he would/should support.
Bought used = No warranty transfer.

Although he has been known to help even on used amps. I've always had stellar service from him. A regular old amp tech should be able to trouble shoot and fix I don't think anyone would need a schematic or special parts.


Warren - that resister switch is not a secret. It is documented over on the Splawn Proboards. I think it is 1K

 

[War_in_D]

Although he has been known to help even on used amps. I've always had stellar service from him. A regular old amp tech should be able to trouble shoot and fix I don't think anyone would need a schematic or special parts.


Warren - that resister switch is not a secret. It is documented over on the Splawn Proboards. I think it is 1K

Yeah, I wasn't necessarily saying that a schematic would be needed in this situation but I doubt Scott would send one if it were needed. The whole "no gut shots" rule he has would seem to back that up. He may jump on the phone with a tech though, and walk them through something as an alternative.

I did find a thread on the proboards forum regarding changing an EL34 to KT88 after you mentioned it here. I haven't looked to see if Scott just did the piggyback mod to mine (as shown in that thread) or replaced the whole resistor to a suitable single replacement. If it's just piggybacked, I could remove the piggybacked resistor and all would be good. That being said, Scott has usually been very quick to respond in email on product or sales related questions from me, but that wasn't the first time I've had technical type questions that went unanswered so I still think he's a bit secretive when it comes to his circuit. No biggie either way, as I'm sure any competent tech could return my Nitro to EL34's without breaking a sweat.. I just thought it might be easier (and cheaper) for me, if he would just say "No problem, it's a... " and be done with it.

 

[311splawndude]

Yeah, I wasn't necessarily saying that a schematic would be needed in this situation but I doubt Scott would send one if it were needed. The whole "no gut shots" rule he has would seem to back that up. He may jump on the phone with a tech though, and walk them through something as an alternative.

I did find a thread on the proboards forum regarding changing an EL34 to KT88 after you mentioned it here. I haven't looked to see if Scott just did the piggyback mod to mine (as shown in that thread) or replaced the whole resistor to a suitable single replacement. If it's just piggybacked, I could remove the piggybacked resistor and all would be good. That being said, Scott has usually been very quick to respond in email on product or sales related questions from me, but that wasn't the first time I've had technical type questions that went unanswered so I still think he's a bit secretive when it comes to his circuit. No biggie either way, as I'm sure any competent tech could return my Nitro to EL34's without breaking a sweat.. I just thought it might be easier (and cheaper) for me, if he would just say "No problem, it's a... " and be done with it.

Agreed.

My guess is that for those "Authorized Splawn" Dealers out there, they have schematics and maybe even some parts. But yeah, otherwise, he is/was very protective of his circuits. They are certainly out there though. I remember getting in trouble a long time ago by the then moderator of the Proboards because I posted some DISTANT photos of my guts. There was no way you could read a value off of anything if you zoomed in but I complied and took them down. In my biasing tutorial I blocked out the boards etc

I forgot your story on that mod - did you buy it new like that or used? Why don't you just open it up an look?

 

[War_in_D]

I forgot your story on that mod - did you buy it new like that or used? Why don't you just open it up an look?

I bought the Nitro used, and it was running the normal EL34's. I sent it back to Scott to have the "fully loaded" mods done, and while he had it there I asked him to mod it to KT88's as well. Scott had told me he would already be in there and that it took was basically just changing a resistor to get it to bias up, so I bought a quad of KT88's and had it sent to him to get it done. It was after I had gotten it back, and I asked about putting it back to stock and what resistor I would need that I never got a response to. He might have just been busy and it slipped by. I guess the reason I never opened it up and looked was that it had taken quite a while to get it back, and then when it did arrive it was DOA. Scott had me send it back to him again, and thankfully it only turned out to be a broken fuse holder. But, that took more time and then the 22 watt QR showed up and it just kind of fell by the wayside. I guess I could open it up and see what he did, now that I know what resistor to look for (found that in the other post on the proboards thread).

 

[SFW]

My QR was purchased used. As an update.... I did check the tubes and two of them were in fact bad. Have a new set of TADs on order. So hopefully this story will have a happy ending.

 

[311splawndude]

My QR was purchased used. As an update.... I did check the tubes and two of them were in fact bad. Have a new set of TADs on order. So hopefully this story will have a happy ending.

Me too brother

FYI - if you fire up a tube amp with no power tubes in it and a fuse blows, then you know you have a different problem.

 

[donalddemon]

My QR was purchased used. As an update.... I did check the tubes and two of them were in fact bad. Have a new set of TADs on order. So hopefully this story will have a happy ending.

It’s usually the tubes, especially modern ones which are prone to fail. My 05 Pro Mod eats tubes but still runs strong after all these years.

 

[Erock]

My QR was purchased used. As an update.... I did check the tubes and two of them were in fact bad. Have a new set of TADs on order. So hopefully this story will have a happy ending.

sending good mojo towards you man, hoping it's just tubes. I really loved the old 3 pre QR's, there was just something different about those. Scott always seemed like a stand up dude too.

 

[kmanick]

I feel your pain but if he's already 8 weeks behind on new orders, it's going to be tough to get him to take in a "fix"
I know it sucks but any good local amp tech should be able to diagnose the problem and address it. I've taken my SuperSport out of it's shell a couple of times and the layout is very clean and open. anyone who calls himself an amp tech should have no problem working on a Splawn. Look at something like a Mesa Roadster, quite a shit show compared to a Quick Rod, and I am not an amp tech so I would need someone to work on mine if god forbid it went down on me.

 

[311splawndude]

^ Exactly

sending good mojo towards you man, hoping it's just tubes. I really loved the old 3 pre QR's, there was just something different about those. Scott always seemed like a stand up dude too.

Good to see you again Erock brother. Hope all is well with you. You and MatrixClaw were a big reason I even have a Splawn