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Kustom 300-5 [message #23557]

Sun, 02 August 2015 21:10

dacflyer
Messages: 17
Registered: July 2015
Location: Fayetteville NC

Junior Member

a friend of mine is wanting to buy a Kustom 300-5 but it has low output..
is this going to be worth buying or should i not take on another basket case ?

what could i be looking at that could be causing the low output ?

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23558 is a reply to message #23557]

Sun, 02 August 2015 21:59

chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003

Senior Member

A general description of low output is hard to diagnose. The problem could be in the power amp or it could be in the summing circuit where all of the channels are mixed. It might be as simple as a bad coupling cap or could be a power supply problem or...

The fact that it turns on and works to some extent is always a good sign. At least your probably not looking at a fried board or a bad transformer.

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23559 is a reply to message #23557]

Mon, 03 August 2015 06:23

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

If it is not distorting that would be a good sign that it does not have any major problems in the output section I would say.
Does the master volume work,and all of the six channels have the same low output?
Was the amp being played into the needed 4 ohm load, or was it higher?

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23561 is a reply to message #23557]

Mon, 03 August 2015 11:28

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

If he' looking at the silver one listed on Ebay for $135.00 there's another one for $150 listed that is in working order I saw last night. Guitar Center also has one listed as well for the same money I think.

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23562 is a reply to message #23557]

Mon, 03 August 2015 13:07

dacflyer
Messages: 17
Registered: July 2015
Location: Fayetteville NC

Junior Member

thanks for the info.. was not sure if there were any common problems with this model.
i'll pass the other info on to him.
thanks again..

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23563 is a reply to message #23562]

Mon, 03 August 2015 15:04

pleat
Messages: 1454
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

Have your tech clean all the molex connectors that interconnect all the boards together.
pleat

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23564 is a reply to message #23557]

Tue, 04 August 2015 12:02

dacflyer
Messages: 17
Registered: July 2015
Location: Fayetteville NC

Junior Member

if he gets the amp, I'll Be The TECH...lol
i'll go thru it either way, just was looking to see if there was any common issues with that model.

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23565 is a reply to message #23564]

Tue, 04 August 2015 16:55

pleat
Messages: 1454
Registered: June 2004
Location: Belding, Mi

Senior Member

That is a common problem with all the slant metal face Kustoms.
pleat

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23566 is a reply to message #23557]

Wed, 05 August 2015 14:00

dacflyer
Messages: 17
Registered: July 2015
Location: Fayetteville NC

Junior Member

you mean the bad molex connections or something else ?

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23567 is a reply to message #23557]

Wed, 05 August 2015 15:16

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

Most times its a poor connection due to tarnish on the aluminum pins and reciver's that make the connection.
Many times just removing and pluging the connectors in and out is enough to give the needed signal flow back for a year or so even with no cleaner spray used.

That all being said, over the years I have had 3 K250 heads with factory bad solder connections on the signal input connector on the power amp driver board.

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Re: Kustom 300-5 [message #23568 is a reply to message #23557]

Thu, 06 August 2015 15:30

dacflyer
Messages: 17
Registered: July 2015
Location: Fayetteville NC

Junior Member

would it be a good idea to put some DE-OXIDIZER past on the pin connections ?
have seen this used on electrical connections before.
or would it be a better idea to replace the connectors and pins ?

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