Fender Bass breaker 15 EL84 Tube Guitar Combo amp Repair Demo D-Lab
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- Recently repaired this amp for a local player. At first, I was like, a circuit board amp! Then after hearing the audio quality, I was happy to fix it. Simply bad tubes and the cool thing is, no bias setting required. A very nice full featured amp. Thumbs up for Fender on this one!
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Bassbreaker 15 Issue Fixed
Problem: Low end drops out, bass and mid controls don't work and treble control acts like volume. Problem is intermittent.
Solution: The terminals on the front of the pots are dangerously close to the chassis and had been making intermittent contact, shorting the mid and bass terminals on the front of the pots to GND.
I placed a strip of electrical tape across the front of the pots to insulate from the chassis. Problem is gone.
Servicing these amps is not as hard as most people claim. This amp is worth learning to maintain.
This is such a great sounding amp. All of the songs on my channel were recorded with one. Love it so much I bought a second amp which is the one that had this problem.
The first amp had the effects loop hum issue which I got fixed by an authorized dealer, he replaced the 1/4" jack with an insulated jack. There was a ground loop causing the hum. My second amp came with the insulated jack.
The BB15 service manual can be found online showing schematics and PCB assembly drawings along with service notes.
Barring the compact construction, this is the best Fender amp in 20 years IMHO. Sounds incredible, clean or gained up.
if they made each mode a separate channel, put a belton reverb in, and bumped it to 40 watts it would be a beast.
💯 agree 👍
yes? i am looming for an amp just for clean but not too expensive? its good clean?
@@dressedtosmellgood They did. It’s called the Hot Rod Deluxe. :-)
I watched another video about repairing this amp, mainly just about changing the tubes. The repair guy hated this amp and advised anyone owning one to get rid of it. I have the 007 model. I really love the amp. I am glad biasing is not necessary. That was what I wanted to find out. In case, I have to change tubes. I did learn from another video that preamp tubes don't require frequent changing. It's the power amp tube that usually needs changing. Don't know if it's true. Sounds good though.
The first 30 seconds convinced me this is the amp I’ve been Lusting for all my life , and it just keeps getting better from then on , WOW
It's a great amp!!
Buy one! I’ve the 007 combo and I just bought the 007 head and cab. It’s fantastic. Big bloom from it. Warm and beautiful tone.
Then you need to watch further into the video to see what the man is trying to tell you. Unless you miraculously happen to land the one Bassbreaker that will never ever require servicing, I would at least warn you that any type of repair on this thing will quickly become half the price of the amp.
YES! "Little Wing!" One of my most favorite songs of all time. THANK YOU!
Probably the best 'guest' you've had on your channel, Terry! Nice that you've tuned up his 'vocal cords' for him!
I spent a week on one of these one day.
Luckily, Fender tech support was able to suggest the cure. But, as you pointed out, accessing the circuit board to remove the bad zener diodes was nightmarish.
Howard Rose If you have redplating issues (blowing fuses), removing 2 Zener Diodes (near power tube connections) are solution.
These have a digital hall reverb because a spring reverb makes too much noise and unwanted sounds when you play high gain stuff. I think most people buy this amp for the high gain tone so they made the reverb for high gain applications. I may be wrong but I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the reason for the digital hall and not a spring.
Get this guy to demo ur amps :-)
Why not buy one of your creation instead??
Hearing this fender, makes us appreciate D-Lab amps even more
I agree. From what I heard, it was a mediocre amp in the hands of a very good player.
Fixed common BB15 redplating issue by removing 2 diodes. Also, replaced orig reverb board with Accutronics BTDR-2 spring reverb chip by figuring out the pin-outs of the BB15 (sounds better than the original plate reverb imo).
Make a video next time.
there is a video of a repair man that said its almost impossible to fix this amp if you had to work on the board because of the design. he said amp techs will refuse to work on it.
Yup, and he's dead right. If you're doing this type of work for a living, it's different from Terry doing it as a hobbyist. If you have one of these, eventually you will have to face the possibility of having an extension cabinet. Plus, it doesn't actually sound that different from a blues junior, which is much easier to work on. Step up to a Princeton and you have an almost forever amp.
@@cloudconnect this amp does not sound like the blues junior. This amp takes pedals better and the volume tapers well which means I can use it in a apartment where the blues junior is too loud. But I'm sure the blues junior is way easier to fix
Their chumps, I repaired mine with basic skills. It’s not as easy because of the tight fit. But it opens up if you take your time. And that’s the catch “time” it takes time to disassemble but anybody that can use a Philips screwdriver can do it. Amp sounds really good.
Love your videos. Not sure if this was an editing mistake but you pointed out that the impedance switch should be set to 8 ohms, then later I notice later in the video the impedance switch was set in the 4 ohm position.
Yes, the clips may have been out of order. Needs to be at 8 ohm for the speaker installed.
@@d-labelectronics That power transformer looks twice the size of the one in my Bassbreaker 30r, I wonder why?
Thank you so much for showing inside the chassis, been interested in the bass breaker line, but may rethink it, considering the difficulty of just cleaning the pots.
guitarlewy To clean pots you need to 1) Remove back mesh panel, remove chassis, remove chassis backplate, remove 5 knobs & nuts, mark and remove 5 board connections, pull board out, spray pots, reinstall.. it’s not as bad as it sounds.
Remember it’s a job for him, do it yourself, spending a weekend to disassemble, clean and reassemble could be fun!
If terry tell you it is a Nightmare, imagine how can be for a beginer?
This amp may be difficult to repair, but god damn it sounds GOOD!!!
that guy has awesome feel on guitar ....great sound too
Holy crap, those transformers are 3 times the size of any EL84/6BQ5 amp I've ever seen.
The power transformer is bigger than the one in my BB 30r , I wonder why?
Yes, somewhat difficult to get to boards but not that hard (just color code removed connections with different color sharpies).
I had a redplating issue on one power tube.. clipped off the two zener diodes which fixed it (near power tube sockets... didn’t need to remove any boards to do this).
Next problem is reverb doesn’t work so trying to figure that one out (May be more hassle than it’s worth). Already replaced TL072 opamp near reverb pot but no luck... what’s next?
Reminds me of working in the Peavey Classic 30 and it’s stupid folded board design 🙄
Can someone make a video on how to clip the zener diodes so others like me can maybe do it? Thanks:)
Did clipping the Zeners kill your reverb?
Wow Great video Terry , I was surprised with the layout of the amp, being more like a Peavey classic than a Fender Blues Jr
The gentleman knows his product.
Good info. Nice playing.
I have one of these BB15s.
Very happy with it. Got it after my Peavey VK let me down one time too many.
Flashing Standby is neat BUT it's Sooo bright !!
I put some blue leccy tape on it to tame it a bit.
"Little Wing" - Excellent choice!
My favorite amp
A little Jimi Hendrix is always good for the soul! Amp sounds great...and your friend is a hell of a player (As he finished the intro, I was all set to start singing! LOL)! :-)
Sounds like there will become a lot of these serving as extension cabs in the next five years or so.
Hello! Thanks for the video! A question: can I only use the speaker in this combo amp, overriding the amp and use the combo as cab??
Thanks. My favorite is Stevie Ray Vaughn's rendition of Little Wing.
Yes Sir.
Very talented player!
Yes Sir.
The jist of the fake reverb was no splash on metal channel since their isn't a foot switchable reverb. The big tranny is an idea from a kendrick book like the choke. Still waiting for the matching 210 cab to come out. Good luck.
J.
The Boss Katana 100 is made in a similar way (except it's a transistors amp...), the chassis is rectangular with plenty of pcb and no place to work on them, a real pain in the ass!!
By the way thank you to show us how this one is made! You are awesome Terry!!!
Great video Terry!
Nice video! I’ve got a BB15 and I love the tone but sometimes after playing for half an hour or so it loses volume significantly in the power stage (I know because I have a looper in the fx loop). I replaced tubes but the problem return after a month or so... any idea?
Rui Grilo Something maybe heating up. Either a solder joint (bad solder joint) or a resistor heating up and changing value. also cracks in the board could cause this.
For hobbyists, the time to repair is available, but for techs, it's pretty time-consuming and can't charge a customer more than amp is worth. The bigger issue is, can you buy these parts (like progrmmed chips if there is any)? Is there a schematic you can look at?
Great stuff! But I really wanna hear that amp thru the Hammarlund speaker in the background.
Just kidding!
did you say you replaced the tubes with an alternative to el84 tubes? 6bq5 tubes?
my tubes are dark and I'm getting some extra hum I don't think was there when it was new. maybe I'll change them out.
thanks!
I searched for this video because I wanted to know if there was a bias control and you say no - great! thanks again!
If your glass is dark new tubes are needed most likely
Do you think maybe they lay out the components on a flat piece of sheet metal and then use a specially tooled machine to fold it up like a burrito like that before sticking it in the cabinet? And when it comes in for service depending on if it’s an external or internal component they may literally just have a stock of pre-rolled burritos that they just shove in there under warranty?🤣
100% agree that these sound great, but I've heard widely that the combos are very hard to repair, and are not reliable.Design flaw with the effects loop make it unusable.
I might yet try the head version.
If you live in the States, and you want an outstanding clean & dirty amp, with trem & verb that beat Fender, - Ampeg, - especially the older combos; amazing mojo.
Hi Mark, do you know if the Head versions are designed different?
@@daniellaudman8580 Yes, - my local amp tech was telling me that they redesigned the problem areas.I have the 007 head, and it is almost perfect .Inexpensive, great sound, and Rock solid.Also check out the Vox ACTV 4 head; never thought I'd get another Vox, but it sounds killer, - the bigger models aren't Voxy enough.
Good evening Terry
Nothing like Hendrix Little Wing for breakfast!
You're too kind. It is a pos. My buddy has one that needs service, and the first 2 techs refused to even look at it.
God, i hope he doesn't ask me. I'd be tempted to just get a new chassis and use the iron to build a deluxe or something in it
I have a 30r. The chassis cramped quarters is pretty annoying. I called fender, good luck pry barring a schematic out of them. My nit pick is the gril cloth under the speaker edge. Tone sucker. I put a 16 ohm eminence Cannibus Rex In mine so I'm using a diff part of transformer. Makes a big diff. This is supposed to lean towards an ac30(15) with a mid range knob. With choke. Getting a 210 cab to sit 112 on. Sneaky ninja.
J.
The schematic is online?
im on my 2nd bb 15 ltd very weak through the main input but loud & strong through the fx send ??
nice amp, but the player is the best ,very clean sound and accurate,this is a guitar player
Was that only the amp,
or did he have any pedals?
Considering the price tag of Fender, it better sound great. lol
Just amp
The wrong ohm setting probably blew the tubes to begin with
very similar to a WEM dominator.. EL84's.. sounds like a British amp.. smokin hot..
Haven't seen a schematic yet, but I'd assume it's even closer to the TMB 18 Watt "Plexi" or the 5F6A Bassman (Which the Marshall JTM45 directly copied for some time), having 3 preamp tubes and more preamp breakup. Definitely biased a bit cooler with the 240 ohm resistor, similar to the WEM.
Shame such a beautiful sounding amplifier is such a nightmare to service. Sure, anything can always be fixed….but at what cost? I service my own amplifiers, so I wouldn’t mind picking one up, because I can take the days, weeks, months this thing requires to fix. But what will everyone else do?!?
Answer: Watch your repair videos?
I hate that the standby light flashes and makes a ticking noise through the speaker
Smash it! Relic the amp.
Nice!!
Is it so badly put up together that even if I like the sound I should still look somewhere else? How propable is it for it do die and therfore need to go to the tech?
Thanks.
Does anyone know is Fender Bassbreaker 18/30 also fixed bias?
Does this have a kind of 60hz hum even with everything turned down? like a lot of bassbreakers. do you know a fix for it or is it just the way this power class is not being push/pull? mine is kind of bad at low volumes, if I record quite loud obviously the hum is lower in comparison and can remove 60htz hum in post but would rather not alter the lowend in ways I don't need too when mixing. I can fix it if I know how but can't find a solid answer to where the problem is. cheers! from the UK.
cool fuzz 😱
this is a plug and pray amp
You dont require matched pairs.
The speaker is much better then I imagined for a take on American sound speaker by celestion .. still not a big fan of digital reverb but this ain't to bad... Not yet a real spring but better then just a few years ago... Yes "Little Wing" always a good choice for a review! Of course no one does it like Hendrix but oh well he's dead!
ho my godness , i want one !
Do you have any idea why el84's have exceptionally short lifetime?
I believe amp manufacturers apply excessive plate voltage which causes the tube to ark over. 6V6's are more forgiving in that respect.
Thanks.
@@d-labelectronics thanks, I have a 30r Bassbreaker I called it a Bassman in another comment. Paid $130, I think all it needs is tubes . It's brand new! Will try the 6v6's. Hope thats all it needs.
Ive been using my bassbreaker 15 switched at 16 ohm impendance. After watching this video I switched it to 8 ohm. A friend of mine told me that the switch is active only for the external speaker, but I found some difference in the sound switching from 16 to 8 ohms.
I'm a bit confused now. If anybody could tell me.if the switch is relative to the internal speaker or it controls only the extensial speaker impendance?
If you connect a speaker to the "Main Speaker" jack, the internal speaker is out of the circuit, so follow the impedance of the speaker you connected to the jack. If you have just an external speaker connected to the "extension speaker" jack, set the impedance to the combined impedance of that speaker AND the internal 8 ohm speaker. There is a complete matrix on how to set this switch in the users manual depending on your speaker scenario. Rock on
According to the Manual it needs to be set 8ohm for internal speaker when the other ext. Inputs are not being used.
I have this amp but it has developed an intermittent problem with the reverb. Any advice?
Use an effects pedal
@@flintdavis2 oh great. What a good idea. I never thought of that.
What happened to the good playing from the beginning of the video, just my two cents worth.
very "interesting" chassis layout !
Thumbs up for Fender on this one!????
plywood
It's a crazy layout of circuit boards, obviously designed that buyers can hardly repair it so they dump it when broken... Bad for the environment. Come on Fender you can do better, perfect amp otherwise
Built for safety I think.
Tone sounds sweet!