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Home » VintageKustom.com » Repairing Kustom Amps » Tremolo Ticking? (I thought this happened only in tube amps...)
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Tremolo Ticking? [message #24800] Wed, 23 March 2016 21:05 Go to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
Messages: 323
Registered: April 2009
Location: Reading, MA
Senior Member
Well, the title says it all... I bought a circuit-breaker Kustom 200 A4 for 100$ (guy didn't know the footswitch needed to be used). So, why is the tremolo ticking? With the speed knob all the way down it just goes...tick... tick... and when you turn the knob, it gets faster. I thought this only happened with tube amplifiers, those which had that roach thingy?

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24803 is a reply to message #24800] Thu, 24 March 2016 09:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
Senior Member
No, it happens to Kustoms also as I have a K100 that does the same thing and last year I spent about 1 hour on it and found no cure yet.
I am to the point where when I get back back into it next time I am going to have to use my O scope to track down where the issue starts at stage wise!

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24809 is a reply to message #24800] Thu, 24 March 2016 13:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
Are you talking about a tick when the tremolo/vibrato is turned off or when it is on and the noise is in the background?

I know that on a B-series amp the footswitch shuts off the oscillator, but I'll have to look at the A-series schematic to see if that is true for those amps as well.

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24811 is a reply to message #24800] Thu, 24 March 2016 13:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
Senior Member
If I recall right on mine Bill the ft switch on or off made no difference.

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24813 is a reply to message #24811] Thu, 24 March 2016 15:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
Messages: 323
Registered: April 2009
Location: Reading, MA
Senior Member
It's only with the footswitch, and with the effect activated. Otherwise it sounds clean. Reverb, Clipper, and Selective Boost work. I've been replacing parts and trying to follow the signal. Didn't realize just how long and complicated the signal path is...

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24814 is a reply to message #24800] Thu, 24 March 2016 16:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
Senior Member
Checking the schematic, the oscillator is always running and the footswitch just bypasses the circuit.

Does the ticking change depending upon the setting of the depth control? How about the Tremolo-Vibrato control?

The K200A trem/vib circuit is much different than the later K200B circuit. Each section is a circuit by itself. There is a tremolo circuit and there is a vibrato circuit. These two circuits were combined in the K200B amps.

If one circuit makes the noise and the other doesn't or if one is quieter than the other, it may help focus in on the problem area.

The two circuits share the same oscillator circuit, so that would also be a good starting point.

[Updated on: Thu, 24 March 2016 16:41]

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24815 is a reply to message #24814] Thu, 24 March 2016 17:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shaun_Musings is currently offline  Shaun_Musings
Messages: 323
Registered: April 2009
Location: Reading, MA
Senior Member
It's the speed pot that changes things. When it is all the way to the left (0 or 7:00, I suppose), it ticks every second or so. When you turn it all the way to the right, (10 or 5:00) it is so fast it reminds me of the clacking thing I had on my Big Wheel when I was a kid. The intensity pot doesn't do anything to the ticking although I can hear the wave in the background as I play, and the trem/vib knob... well, I've got 3 of these heads and not one trem/vib knob has done much that I can hear.

Born on the Baaaaayou (Ok, in Massachusetts)

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Re: Tremolo Ticking? [message #24823 is a reply to message #24800] Fri, 25 March 2016 06:17 Go to previous message
stevem is currently offline  stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY
Senior Member
All of your A series amps need to be re-caped then for starters as the trem and vib in these amps work very nice when all is well .

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