| 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22468] |
Sat, 21 February 2015 01:38  |
fightingplankton
Messages: 11
Registered: February 2015
Location: USA
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Junior Member |
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Hey guys. I'm new to the kustom world. I've always wanted one but never had the $$. Just found a great deal($65) on a k200b-2 so i snagged it.
It has some issues.
1. new pot wired in that connects the volume knob and then the input jack on the bright channel.
2. NO reverb tank...this makes me sad.
3. Still has original ungrounded power cord.
I have read the thread on how to remove the "death cap" and replace the power cable, but cant find much information on where to connect the reverb tank once i purchase a replacement. as for the extra "gain" knob previous owner added, i'm just going to desolder it but leave it in place so i dont have an empty hole in the plexi.
And i would like to recommend adding "sticky" subjects to the "how-to repair" section so newbs like me can find the answers easily. You know, take the most common issues like cap replacement or blown speakers or whatever, and put them as sticky subjects at the front page.
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22480 is a reply to message #22468] |
Sat, 21 February 2015 11:25  |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
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Senior Member |
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Welcome to the place! Cute amp cover you got there.
When you replace the ac power cord just follow what was done at the factory. Guide the cord in the back and around the filter caps and up to the fuse holder and power switch. Connect the white where the white was connected and the black where the black was connected and connect the green wire to the chassis with the screw that is being used to connect the ground cap, just above the switch. Obviously remove the orange ground cap from the amp.
As for the reverb tank, it mounts onto the two cross bars at the top edge of the chassis. On the effects channel, there are two pc mounted RCA jacks. Along with the new tank, you will need to get a couple of short shielded cables with RCA plugs on both ends to connect the tank to the board.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22483 is a reply to message #22482] |
Sat, 21 February 2015 15:50 |
Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014
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Senior Member |
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Welcome to the site as well. As to finding a replacement reverb tank...good luck. I have been looking for 4 months and still haven't found one. There are a couple of threads on this site to tell you where to look, but as I understand it, there is not an after market replacement tank available.......hoping someone will prove me wrong. I have been watching ebay but none have been listed for quite awhile.
You will need to get a meter to start looking for your tremolo problem........your in luck with Radio Shack closing a lot of their stores. Don't buy the cheapest one they sell but something about mid price. The more functions, the better. Chicagobill or Stevem are our tech repair guys.....as well as the all knowing and amazing Pleat.
FYI......the reverb on these units is pretty lame when they even do work. You might want to opt out for a pedal if you seriously want true reverb and when you move the amps it really rattles like the devil; that's probably why the reverb tank is gone and you will have to have a footswitch to turn it off if you do find a tank ( turning the knob does not shut it off).
[Updated on: Sat, 21 February 2015 16:03] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22488 is a reply to message #22468] |
Sat, 21 February 2015 23:45 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
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Senior Member |
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The original US made tanks were made here in Illinois by Accutronics, which was a part of Morley. They have since sold off the Accutronics reverb tank business to Belton a South Korean company.
The new Accutronics company no longer makes a 4FB tank. The closest is a 4EB tank which should work as a replacement.
The 4 is the code number for a long 16" tank with 4 springs. Two of the springs are connected into a longer spring, so it looks like there are 2 springs.
The E represents the input impedance and the B represents the output impedance.
The rest of the letters and numbers represent the delay time, in and out grounding, lock, and mounting position. The delay time and the grounding specs are important, but the mounting position is far less of a worry.
The new tanks sound fuller and darker compared to old tanks, so some will prefer the sound of one type over another. So the 4EB2C1B is the closest version available right now. And depending on which amp it is being used for, the input jack may or may not need to be modified.
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22498 is a reply to message #22468] |
Sun, 22 February 2015 23:30 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
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Senior Member |
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There are no shorting contacts on the footswitch jack. There are so many ways for the vibrato and reverb to not work, it will be hard to venture a guess as to why they aren't working. The actual effect circuit as well as the switching circuit can cause the effect to not work.
Not having the reverb tank makes long distance testing even harder. In my experience unless somebody has really messed with it, very few Kustom preamp repairs require much to fix them. Maybe a transistor or a cap and often just resoldering a bad solder joint.
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22499 is a reply to message #22498] |
Mon, 23 February 2015 03:21 |
fightingplankton
Messages: 11
Registered: February 2015
Location: USA
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Junior Member |
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I'm more than comfortable working on it. I actually build pedals. I just have never had a need to open an amp and what makes a pedal tick is vastly different than what makes an amp tick.
and I'm not super concerned if I cant get the effects working, because #1. I'm using it for my Fender bass Vi amp and #2, I have 30 effect pedals on my board...so it's not like i need the ones built in 
[Updated on: Mon, 23 February 2015 04:20] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22502 is a reply to message #22468] |
Mon, 23 February 2015 14:56 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006
Registered: April 2003
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Senior Member |
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I build stuff on perfboard all the time. Especially the one off stuff where I don't want to bother with laying out a pc board. With a Bass VI you got to have reverb at least and trem too for some stuff. I sat in with a band over the holidays and played the solo for Wichita Lineman on a Bass VI. Big, big sound.
You can start by looking for loose parts on the effects board, and you could start testing the transistors in the vibrato circuit. Go to the technical section of the site and look up the schematic for the effects board and start checking voltages.
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22630 is a reply to message #22468] |
Tue, 10 March 2015 03:00 |
Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN
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Senior Member |
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Yes except for how they mount, you cut the mount off the new handle and drill the hammer rivet out of your old handle, steel wool it up and polish it and install it on the new handle strap with new insert in it. At one time we bought a bunch as a group a few guys here did. You can get them here, http://www.brettunsvillage.com/trunks/howto/parts/schandles. htm scroll down to part number SCH10 those are what you want. You can also take the inserts out of the new handles and install them into the old frames and they install with screws, they are also a much better molding design and will not break like the old design did, they have far better support.
[Updated on: Tue, 10 March 2015 03:04] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: 1968-69 k200b-2 [message #22634 is a reply to message #22468] |
Tue, 10 March 2015 18:53 |
Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014
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Senior Member |
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Hey thanks for the heads up on the handles. I'm missing two complete sets of handles and thought about buying a couple of junk cabinets just for the handles. Now I know where to get new replacement ones. Info greatly appreciated.
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