Thread title change....issue resolved

[Matt300ZXT]

I got this basically new old stock Morris the other day from a guy on TGP. It's an April 22 model that he seems to have bought and just never really used. If he did it couldn't have been much. I got it in the original box with original packing, even still had the blue plastic sheet around it.

From day 1 I had an issue with the clean channel where turning the volume or gain knobs from 0 to whatever would cause a pop through the speakers, and one setting on the bright switch produced enough buzz that made that setting practically unusable. Through talking with Glen, it seems to be a preamp tube was causing the issue and now that's pretty much resolved. Today, I go to put it through my attenuator so I can get a better rock tone at bedroom levels and now every high note I play sounds like I have an octave pedal on. It's faint, but it's definitely notoliceable. From what I can gather, that's usually either bad filtering or a power tube dying.

This is a $2800 amp brand new, hand-built on a turret board by hand and I've had nothing but issues so far. The guy's ad didn't state anything about as is or no returns and it's not that I just don't like the sound or regret spending money, it's that it is unusable without taking it to a tech and spending money there or having new power tubes put in and just hope for the best that something else doesn't screw up down the line.

 

[311boogieman]

I can't really help you with the return part. You would have to prove that the amp had issues before it was shipped. Speaking of which, something could have gone south during shipping. Happens all the time. But swapping some tubes around shouldn't be that big of a deal, and honestly, when owning tube amps - it is best to have multiple (many) extra tubes lying around. You could also take a peak at the insides and take some pics if anything look afoul. Just don't touch anything in there (but if you did, use a chopstick or pencil etc). Hope that helps some.

 

[Matt300ZXT]

Bought it from who I guess was the original buyer on the gear page with plain ol regular paypal.

 

[LP Freak]

Just be honest with the guy and explain your concerns. Maybe he’ll work with you

 

[Matt300ZXT]

Should he choose to be an ass and not accept a return, because whether it was bad from the factory or whatever, he shouldn't be passing the savings on to other people so to speak, how likely is PayPal to side with me should I choose to file a report?

 

[griff10672]

Bought it from who I guess was the original buyer on the gear page with plain ol regular paypal.

I just noticed where .... you mentioned ...
I would tell him you feel the amp is unsafe .... you paid for a working amp to arrive ... it didn't . It shouldn't be on you to file the claim ..not IMO anyway ...

 

[Matt300ZXT]

I'm trying to get it on a recording but it doesn't really come through the phone on playback, but I can definitely hear it when playing.

 

[psychodave]

Sounds like filtering is causing ghost notes? A complete guess is the amp wasn't played. the caps might have been discharged for a long time, then when you got the amps and turned it on, it caused the caps to charge, but not fully and now they need to be replaced?

 

[LP Freak]

Sounds like filtering is causing ghost notes? A complete guess is the amp wasn't played. the caps might have been discharged for a long time, then when you got the amps and turned it on, it caused the caps to charge, but not fully and now they need to be replaced?

The amp‘s only a year old though.

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

Was it doing this before you used the attenuator? Don’t know why you would need one with one of Glen’s amps……other than his Brownout. His master design allows for consistent tone at all volumes. I would talk to him more in depth before you approach the seller.

 

[ZEN Amps]

I'm trying to get it on a recording but it doesn't really come through the phone on playback, but I can definitely hear it when playing.

This is very common with amps with low filtering. It's not 'bad filtering', it's a design choice that has pros and cons. It could be a power tube, but even if it is asking for refund seems out of line, retubing an amp is what it is.

If it's not a power tube and you just don't dig the ghosting you get with a lightly filtered design, then you can increase the filtering, live with it, or sell it I guess. Those ghosts notes usually disappear in a a mix, and if you can't capture a recording of it then it seems to be a mild case.

Bummer you don't love the amp, just part of the game really. Good luck man.

 

[psychodave]

The amp‘s only a year old though.

Yeah, but who knows with todays parts? Could have been a marginal cap to being with then sitting for a while caused it to really drift and cause the issue? I know nothing about the amp design.

 

[Matt300ZXT]

This is very common with amps with low filtering. It's not 'bad filtering', it's a design choice that has pros and cons. It could be a power tube, but even if it is asking for refund seems out of line, retubing an amp is what it is.

If it's not a power tube and you just don't dig the ghosting you get with a lightly filtered design, then you can increase the filtering, live with it, or sell it I guess. Those ghosts notes usually disappear in a a mix, and if you can't capture a recording of it then it seems to be a mild case.

Bummer you don't love the amp, just part of the game really. Good luck man.

Ah, never heard of this since none of my previous amps have had it. But then again, the closest to a true boutique amp I've had was a Budda SD45 and it was right after Peavey started building their boards but hadn't quite taken over 100%. If it's a design choice that some amps get and it's supposed to do this then that's fine, I can choose to keep rocking it or just sell it to someone else if it's not an issue, just a design. I finally got pretty close to a tone I really dig and can have fun with and I'm like dammit, not again! Lol

 

[ZEN Amps]

Ah, never heard of this since none of my previous amps have had it. But then again, the closest to a true boutique amp I've had was a Budda SD45 and it was right after Peavey started building their boards but hadn't quite taken over 100%. If it's a design choice that some amps get and it's supposed to do this then that's fine, I can choose to keep rocking it or just sell it to someone else if it's not an issue, just a design. I finally got pretty close to a tone I really dig and can have fun with and I'm like dammit, not again! Lol

Hard to know if that's just a thing with this amp, or there is an actual issue. Talk to the builder or a tech, there's remedies if you love the amp otherwise but the ghosting bugs you.

 

[Racerxrated]

Maybe the seller will work with you as Paul said, in getting a new set of tubes? Or, a partial refund to cover the cost of tubes and/or new can caps? It may be a pretty easy fix, and not trying to fix it you may be passing up a killer amp once it's solved.

 

[tallcoolone]

The cost of doing business--IMO private party used gear sales are final. It's a turret board amp, get it retubed and checked out. Keep your receipts, if you decide to sell the amp you have some documentation that it is in working condition. Couple hours on the bench and a full retube will run you $250 tops and you have peace of mind. Shipping that thing back and forth and dealing with the money and online conflict worth the $250 in the end.

 

[ClintN667]

I would reach out to the company. It might be something simple or it might be as designed.

 

[ClintN667]

But honestly if it's just a tube issue you can't really fault the seller for that imho.

 

[motorboy1]

Contact the builder. He would know best..

 

[classicrocker]

I saw your other thread about this amp so I know it’s the Morris XSIII model you purchased. You didn't purchase a lemon just because it arrived in the mail with a faulty pre-amp tube (after being shipped twice!). With regards to design and reliability it would be hard to find a better quality amp than the Morris.

Some thoughts on attenuators...

I have a 1 watt, 15 watt and 45 watt Morris. The only one I would consider an attenuator with is the 1 watt. Confused? The 1 watt doesn't have a master volume But there is more to it than that...

A non-master volume amp or a PPIMV could be a good candidate for an attenuator but less so a pre-Phase invertor MV amp. The XSIII is a pre-phase invertor MV amp designed from the ground up with pre-amp distortion in mind. The purpose of the MV on the XSIII is really to get you the volume you need... start off so you can't hear the volume and work your way up (this is the opposite of having the master dimed and then lowering it down).

As someone else mentioned the ideal candidates for an attenuator in the Morris Amp lineup would be the 68 Brownout as well as the VTR-10 as they do not have master volumes of any sort. Don't assume all high wattage amps require an attenuator.

Attenuator tip: Try to adjust all the controls at the loud volume without the attenuator hooked up so you know what you're getting in order to avoid unnatural settings like having all the controls dimed. We often cut some EQ controls when diming the master on an amp. Get to know your amp without an attenuator first. You may find the sound doesn't get better past a certain increased setting of the master. Then use the attenuator to tame the volume perhaps only 3 to 6dB for best results with most attenuators.