Marshall Artist 3203 Head Problems: HELP!!!

[kirk]

oh there are plenty of companys that make good replacement tranys,i like magnetic components out of triode electronics if they dont have one c.e. does for sure has the right one (well maybe) im positive i could find one if you want it most are not as much as mercury(shhh,im not a mercury fan)

 

[Charvel1975]

One of my good friends has the Marshall right now, he has I believe a 1st year run Peavey XXX head he might be trading me for my Marshall.

 

[Shatter_The_Silence]

i think i would rather have the artists. those little amps sound amazing when they are done right, not a huge fan of the xxx. or most amps on its chassis.

 

[Charvel1975]

Well I'm picking up the Peavey XXX head, no footswitch though, tomorrow or Saturday, my buddy was gonna let me borrow it and use it for band practice Sunday while he continues to borrow my Marshall Artist until he makes up his mind what he wants to do, if he doesn't want to do a trade I just might wind up selling my Line 6 Flextone 2 Head & Floorboard or the Marshall Artist or trade plus Cash for a Peavey 6505+ head.

By the way, does anyone on here have a used Peavey XXX footswitch for sale or know anyone that does? I think he was looking for one anyway even if we don't do the trade. I heard that the JSX, 3120 and 6505+ footswitches work with the XXX, is that true? If so, that would be fine as well.

 

[Charvel1975]

Hey guys sorry to bring up an old thread but right now I have my Marshall Artist 3203 head and matching stock 1965A 4x10 for sale right now locally and the amp recently started having an issue with the Master Volume knob so as soon as it started happening, it was shut off & hasn't been turned on since just a little bit ago got done trying to play thru it to check everything and the volume fades in and out on the Boost Channel and the Clean Channel...sometimes comes right back...sometimes abruptly comes right back? The head is also all original NO mods, the amp isn't necessarily broken, you have an overall Master Volume and then each channel has it's own Channel Volume and whats going on right now is the overall Master Volume will be turned all the way down to Zero and then say for example your on the Clean Channel as soon as you start to turn up the channel volume you get volume and the same with the Overdrive Channel. Trace from VooDoo Amps e-mailed me before it was serviced in 2007 and said that broken solder connections on the input jack is common as well as on the control pots. It was serviced at Akron-Canton Electronics in 2007, on the Work Order they put: No Output, replaced blown output transformer, I think it was a Marshall JCM900 4500 transformer they used, replaced both EL34 tubes and 12AX7 tube, moddified a Peavey 2 button footswitch to work with the amp, resoldered numerous connections on PC Board (cracked, loose), reassembled and tested 30 watts RMS. It could be something as simple as using some contact cleaner on the overall Master Volume pot, I don't know?

 

[Loudness250]

But how is it all original? Did you get the fender transformer out of there and put a Drake back in again? I guess you need to get it serviced professionally and then try to sell it.

 

[Charvel1975]

But how is it all original? Did you get the fender transformer out of there and put a Drake back in again? I guess you need to get it serviced professionally and then try to sell it.

Sorry bout that oopps! No it's not all original, the transformer they put in there was from a Marshall JCM900 4500

 

[rupe]

I still have one of those that I bought new back in the mid-80's...killer sounding amps. That said, mine has spent more time in the shop over the last 5 years than it has in my jam room. They are at the age where there are problems. Probably needs new caps and a few other tune ups. Have it serviced or warn the buyer and prepare to sell it for peanuts...they don't bring a whole lot even when working well.

 

[JerryP]

Dirty effects loop jacks or broken solder joints would be my first guesses.
Jerry

 

[Charvel1975]

Dirty effects loop jacks or broken solder joints would be my first guesses.
Jerry

Should I go and buy a can of CRC QD Electrical Contact Cleaner and spray it in the effects loop jacks?

 

[racerevlon]

Listen to Jerry.

 

[Greazygeo]

Insert a patch cable from the FX loop send to return....see if that takes care of it. Most likely all it is......

 

[rupe]

Insert a patch cable from the FX loop send to return....see if that takes care of it. Most likely all it is......

This...it's a common issue with these amps. I've had the loop on mine repaired 3 times in total.

 

[Charvel1975]

Insert a patch cable from the FX loop send to return....see if that takes care of it. Most likely all it is......

This...it's a common issue with these amps. I've had the loop on mine repaired 3 times in total.

Greazygeo thats what it was! This issue was fixed before but looks like it came back again! I was also hearing scratchiness on both the send and return jacks too

 

[Charvel1975]

I'm trying to sell the Artist 3203 head and the matching 1965a cab together locally but updated the ad a couple days ago or so that I was willing to sell separate too or trade for a Peavey 5150 II/6505+ Head with Footswitch. Now that we narrowed it down to the Effects Loop issue what should I ask for the Head with the original footswitch and Peavey 2 button footswitch that was modded to work with the amp and power cable? What should I ask for the stock 1965a 4x10 cab?

 

[Greazygeo]

Insert a patch cable from the FX loop send to return....see if that takes care of it. Most likely all it is......

This...it's a common issue with these amps. I've had the loop on mine repaired 3 times in total.

Greazygeo thats what it was! This issue was fixed before but looks like it came back again! I was also hearing scratchiness on both the send and return jacks too

Cool. I've had a few friends with those amps. They all did that.

Those jacks can get dirty from corrosion type stuff. Another issue is if something is plugged in the loop for a long time the jacks don't fully close when the loop isn't used. Seems more of a problem when the amp sits unused.....