[Counterstriker]

Hey, my groove tubes came in today, it's a 92 model, right before they added the effects loop on it. I set it up similar to how i set up my H&K bluesmaster and hooked it up to a Zoom H4n to see what kind of tones I would get as if it was straight to the board. I turned it on, and all i was getting is a very loud annoying buzzing and humming, and nothing coming from my guitar... I looked at the back and noticed the "ground lift" switch, which way should this be facing, it could have gotten switched during shipping in the box. One thing i did notice, is when i when to touch the actual chasis of it, i though i felt electricity, not painful, but just a little bit to make my skin tingle... I took it apart and saw that it was serviced by a guy in florida in 2002, and that it has upgraded caps 2 really big silver "Mallory", I think they are upgraded atleast.. the inside looks like nothing i saw on the internet before.



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[playingdead]

Here are some photos from the inside of my (former) Trio ... dunno if that will help or not.

Ground lift should have nothing to do with output, but I'd be pretty alarmed at the electricity feel.

http://playingdead.net/trio/

[Counterstriker]

hmmm.. The huge capacitors are really out of place on mine.. and after testing again, i'm defintely feeling some kind of electricity when touching it..

[Counterstriker]

And I don't understand what that braided silver wire coming out of the tube is for..

[JonnyBoy]

That wire off the tube is most likely a ground. Did you have insurance? If so call the carrier now! It can be so many things, that an amp tech is prolly your best choice at this point.

[Counterstriker]

I didn't insure it, upon taking the lid off I noticed those giant capacitors.. What could those be for? They are HUGE! they say "Mallory" made in the USA on it. I don't know if i was just imagining the electricity feeling after getting my family to feel it if they felt the electric.. Maybe i just over reacted?

I'll be able to see if it's working saturday, i'm borrowing a poweramp while i decide on which one to by.

Plugged right into the Zoom I get nothing from my guitar.. Mods were done and I was never told by the owner..

I thought that braided wire might be a ground but i don't understand why it's there, on Vic's picture his doesn't have it, and the solder connecting to the board looks like after the hour... It's connected to the clean channel board.

[playingdead]

I'd be talking to the seller. If you're not getting anything to the Zoom then you won't get anything to the power amp, either ...

[Counterstriker]

I'm trying to get in contact, i'm still wondering about big ass caps and what they will do to the tone.. maybe i'll try the input in the back.. hopefully he replies.

Thanks for the pictures though!

Oh and i am definitely getting shocked, it's when my guitar is plugged in and i have my hand on the strings.. Show in 1 week and amp less..

[Counterstriker]

So i contacted the seller and he was surprised that it wasn't working, he thinks its all a grounding issue, but is willing to refund. I got it for 400 which is much cheaper then ones ive seen.. So if I have to spend a little on repairs that's fine.

I think it also may be a ground issue, I was reading that when going straight to board or in my case zoom recorder, that the board should be grounded to avoid buzz hum and electrical shock. But the recorder is battery powered and not grounded which makes me think that might be the issue, since when someone else touched it nothing, and when i felt the shock, it was in the hand on holding the guitar string, not the hand touching the chassis. Taking it to a tech tomorrow, which happens to be where my Bluesmaster is, so looks like ill have to drop that off and use my bluesmaster for now.

Hopefully it's something simple like a grounding problem or a bad wire is hitting the metal case.


Do you know what year your grooves tube was Vic? I can see some differences from mine to yours, like mine has no labeling on the board itself.