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scotty1
Junior
Username: scotty1

Post Number: 15
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 5:49 am:   Edit Post

Hello
Thanks to the guys who responded to my thread regarding the MK Signature I was offered, it is now mine, pictures to follow!
I have a problem with my Epic 5. I was rehearsing last weekend and the bass just cut out. I checked amp, cables etc - all fine. I gave the bass to my luthier and he thought it may be the jack input, but on examination it is fine. The wiring all seems fine and he is at a loss as to what may be wrong. The only explanation we can come up with is that perhaps one of the pots behind the controls has failed and is stopping the signal?
Can anyone help please!!??

Cheers

Iain
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 4162
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 9:44 am:   Edit Post

I know it seems obvious, but since you didn't mention it, have you changed the battery?

Bill, tgo
briant
Advanced Member
Username: briant

Post Number: 385
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:43 am:   Edit Post

Battery.
crobbins
Senior Member
Username: crobbins

Post Number: 497
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:58 am:   Edit Post

Battery?
tmoney61092
Advanced Member
Username: tmoney61092

Post Number: 273
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:02 am:   Edit Post

sounds like a battery to me

~Taylor Watterson
pauldo
Advanced Member
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 348
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 12:22 pm:   Edit Post

yep - usually on my Distillate the sound will start getting to an ultra cool distortion just before the signal drops out.

Sometimes it just drops out. . . Battery
scotty1
Junior
Username: scotty1

Post Number: 16
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 3:24 am:   Edit Post

Hey guys

Thanks for the responses. The first thing I did was change the battery for a new one, but no joy.
Should have mentioned it - sorry!

Iain
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 2354
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 11:07 am:   Edit Post

Check if one of the pots is touching the side of the control cavity. This can short out the signal, since the cavity is covered in conductive paint.
scotty1
Junior
Username: scotty1

Post Number: 17
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 10:38 am:   Edit Post

Thanks for the info Adriaan. I have checked this also and they are not touching the sides. I am now totally at a loss to know what to try next. My thoughts are that it may be the volume pot that has failed?

Iain
jcdlc72
New
Username: jcdlc72

Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2009
Posted on Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 12:39 pm:   Edit Post

Try this: Plug the bass in. With the back cover unscrewed, try touching with a small screwdriver's tip each soldering point related to the "hot" audio wire path (ie, the jack, the volume pot, the balance pot) and check where it does sounds, where it does not, and how (low or high volume, meaning after or before the preamp),. that will give you an idea of where the failure would be...

(Message edited by jcdlc72 on November 26, 2009)
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 8973
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, November 29, 2009 - 8:41 pm:   Edit Post

Is the problem intermittent, or did it just cut out and never worked again?

Did you try a different cable?

Did the luthier check the entire circuit with a multimeter and not find any breaks in the circuit, including the pots?

Do the pots feel firmly attached to the body, or do any feel loose? Do the knobs still "point" to the same places they've always pointed to, or has one moved any?

Check the connector that the battery plus in to. Check the wires that attach to the connector and make sure they are not loose.

When a cable is plugged into the jack, there is a contact that is made which completes the circuit to the battery. When the cable is unplugged the contact is broken so that the battery isn't being used. Are you sure that when a cable is plugged into the jack, that the contact that completes this circuit is making a good connection?

Do you have access to a multimeter?
scotty1
Junior
Username: scotty1

Post Number: 18
Registered: 9-2008
Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2010 - 11:39 am:   Edit Post

Hey Dave

Finally tracked down the issue. A cracked joint on the PCB, probably from a jolt to the bass at some point - all fixed now!!
Thanks to all who assisted on the thread, much appreciated guys.

Cheers

Iain

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