Fender P38J

It was left idle for 9 years as told by the owner. Bought used in mid-2000.I don't believe I've cross path with one of these.

One thing about fender instrument is they all looks the same. You need to look in the neck pocket or neck butt for clues.

This one stamped P38 or to be precise from the catalog as a P38J. I think letter 'J' stood for Japan only? My camera failed to show the real finish. It's actually greenish leading toward the dark burst outline.

There's not much work to do aside from rewiring, crackling jack replacement, setup and clean up (as best). I'm not sure whether the pickup is a real Bassline or just a cover job. Electronics look stock from factory. Good bass and Goodbye.

Thank you

Yustech.

Caline P5

'Adoih' aka 'ouch' says the owner. The exterior enclosure has many undeburred edge to start with.

The main problem are a few tiny switches does not click in place, disrupting the required output supply. Looks new and too early to have such problem.

This is a power supply unit from Caline. At first I thought it's pronounced either as Cadine or Caqine.

Lawak Bodoh aside, First thing is first, I filed the knife like edges. I hope later badges will be no glove safe. The QC should run their fingers under there prior packing just to be sure. We certainly don't want to injure any guitarist fingers after. Especially the working ones. Mudah-mudahan celaka lah tangan-tangan yang tidak bertanggungjawab dimana ia dibuat!

Continuing on, I did an internal inspection and there's cracks on the red selector plastic embodiment. What I'm going to say will sound blunt but it's appears that there's a design flaw. The DIP switch is deeper than it should. Instead of being flush with the metal cut out. The purpose of the cut out is to hold firm the switch aside from the obvious. As it is the dip switch would move even with a feathers touch hence what more on shredding fingers. Yes, this explains it.

The Caline P5 looks identical to Mosky Padola power supply. I wonder who did this poor design for who here. A or B or an unknown source. But I try to look on the bright side. Its RM50 (parts and labour) for my bench that’s isn’t so bad at all. That’s just one, imagine 100. That could get me closer to a Keysight 100Mhz four channel scope. Thanks Caline for supporting the servicing sector. Keep up the bad good work.

I got a call one day from the owner asking my thoughts and how many stars to give this power supply. I never expect such questions to begin with but I told him the fucking enclosure almost cut me too and I had it deburred, sanded and polished all 6 edges of the aluminium case. He was pleased to hear it and that was it for the phone conversation. Ada yang lebih penting untuk difikirkan.

No stars nor thumbs given but instead, a deserving three turds and two emphasized uninjured middle fingers. With that I am not interested to evaluate the guts. I let the readers judge it.

On the other hand this Caline Power Supply is quiet a versatile unit. Aside for powering up pedals, by default it’s a potato cutter, boobi trap for pedal thieves or serve as weapon of self-defence (at a right angle).

I’ve yet to decide whether to order the same switch or find a slightly taller one (for improvement). I think you know what I am going for. If you see a (or some) P5 with a different switch, you know whose bench it had come off. Hehe.

Verdict - Bad design with bad exterior finish.

Thank you

yustech

Yamaha TSX-B232

I like fixing stuff. Aside from bringing things back on its feet (some money for the bench ya). It's also a way of saving unnecessary repeat purchase on the consumers' side but I now have to face the fact that I couldn't read the markings on these tiny components anymore, what more solder them.

 I salute the newer generation whom able to take such kind of repairs. For this writer, redundancy is imminent and my worst fear. Embracing more tools such as microscope and good hot air station are simply isn't viable. There's also the difficulty of attaining such documentation plus understanding the inner workings of device under repair.

Making things tougher and smaller to repair is today’s norm. Indoctrination of the consumer to be individuals than letting them stick together has worked. Make the consumers' buy again is the future we're heading now. I'm not surprise if this kind of work would be obsolete in my lifetime. To you, the future generation of consumers', I say good luck.

Last but not least, a sincere phrase from my chest.  "Fuck you manufacturer!"

Thank you

yustech

Pioneer DC-Z94

The nature of this work certainly brings some memory of my consumer electronics servicing era. For your information I never work for Pioneer Authorized Center.

The DCZ-94 is a semi separate system from Pioneer. The basic package consist the Main amplification with built in twin cassette decks and a matching pair of speakers. Tuner, CD and TT player were sold separately I believe. 

 You can tell its 90s from the many buttons with firm boxy but stylish exterior. If I'm not mistaken this was also the time when many manufacturers began to put reverb/echo effects in Midi HiFi's, Borrowing ideas from THX, Dolby AC-3 technology trend of the time. On the other hand, I found old HiFis’ (70s, 80s and 90s) to be well designed compared to post 2000 toys

 The main problem of the DCZ was no power. I managed to get it to power up by luck. Then it went blank unable to be powered back. The standby light is active though. I hope it’s just dry joints at the power supply.

 The first thing I did was to clean the unit inside out, it’ll make it easier to look for dry joint, blown or leaked components, cracked board etc.

As I was blowing dust from the unit, the voltage selector cap fell off. The cap is part of a rotary switch assembly. In it are two leaf contact connecting the selected AC mains to the primary. The internal locking nib appears to be brittle and snapped off.

By now it’s obvious what the culprit is but without seeing an example, it’s hard to know which contact inside the switch goes where. There’s more wires going through the voltage selector heading to the primary as this is a global compatible model. I don’t think such a replacement part exist today.

 My attempt was to hardwire the mains bypassing the redundant voltage selector. I don’t think the owner will move to Japan or North America ever.

I began determining each primary input wire with a DMM to know which one is for 100, 120, 220 and 240VAC. I measured the winding resistance. Low ohms is for low voltage and vice-versa. I also used a step down transformer so I don't blow things up at first go.

The drive belts in the tape mechanism had melted. The left cassettes door/lid had broke at the rack and pinion side. I did emailed Hwee Seng Singapore inquiring whether they kept some old stock parts. It’s no longer available. No worries. The owner was fine with it as his father isn’t going to use it, further more it belongs to his father. His father just need it to work at least. I guess it has some sentimental value to the family. Looking back at the family youth when he bought it. Fully understood this sir.

 As the unit was sent in without any audio source nor speaker, final testing was done using an external FM tuner and a pair of loaned speakers. That’s that and thank you for reading.

For other HiFi owner out there. If yours is fitted with this very same voltage rotary selector, you may want check it for any feel-able looseness. It will break one day.

Footnote – This used to be my core work until 1997. Anyone wishes to send similar gear for repair can be considered. Premium fees apply.

Thank you

yustech

Ibanez AW100CENT

It's been a while since I put my fingers in acoustic preamp overhaul. Somehow this thing don't break down that easy but when they do, either buy a new preamp (size may vary) or good fluke finding the schematic. I bet my Hakko 981 the makers won't provide schematics. Not a lavish wager I must agree. On the upbeat it's good to know tight quality control is an essence in the pre-amp fabrication. I like to believe they deleted schematics files after a product became best seller to focus on the next add-ons, design, next gen etc. And the cycle repeats. That ladies and gentlemen, is no doubt a big pile of pixey turd.

The Ibanez preamp on, wait. Is it on or in...? Could it be at? Never mind, I have enough exertion explaining myself than to worry about preposition. Do forgive when you find any being inappropriate. As long as it doesn't interfere with my iron, it's fine. Let's continue... This AW preamp had some loud coughing and farting issues. Sometime startling too. Battery was fine and there's jolt present at where it needs to be. The opamp is good. Not open nor short. Volume pot is good. There's cancer emerging at two spot of the board. It's Koffin Kanser. The cancer just beginning to soften the pads/tracks. Good thing this pesakit was admitted early, otherwise it will be tough for me to tell what is/are tie to what and where. Just to let you know, I am the best person for this kind of work because I'm good at only what I think I know. Lol and cough....

 I ordered some high grade capacitors to supplant all the tin cans SMD caps. The minute any of those Aluminium Cap go leaky then the rest must go. What I meant by high grade earlier was it can't be bought just like that. Apparently reason is above money. I had to answer a set of questions sent by the manufacturer. It’s part of a “Catch All Export Policy” set by the Japanese Government. Well now, catch me then and deport me to Akihabara constituency please lol. I was a bit vexed in case they couldn’t understand my essay than getting the caps. I don't mean to offend any Japanese readers as I myself have trouble comprehending my own composition here. My excuse to all Japanese citizen. After 72 hours, permission to acquire caps were granted.

The aforementioned caps are the through hole style. I thought I go with the imaginative approach this time as well as at the maximum expense of the user wallet. Hehe. I cut the leads to a specific length and align each carefully prior soldering. Looks crude compared to the stock but it held up good and does the "preamping" great.

Gone are the cough and fart from it (This was six month ago). In case you're asking where is the bottom metal lid for the preamp? It's like that when I opened it or had it went missing from past repairs. It looks to me no-one had been in there before. Since there isn't any RF noise disturbance, I think it's deliberate. I've transcribed too much already. Prevention is better than cure. God willing, see you on the next gig.

Thank you

Yustech

The electric guitar

The slog was full wiring with components provided by client. Fret levelling followed by setup. The guitar plays well, punter was glad. The customer did distinguish what he had bought.

PS : I could fix guitars, amp, pedals etc. I cannot fix vendor insolence.

Thank you 

yustech

Gibson Les Paul BFG

A new acquisition by a client, from Henry’s troubling era.

The complaint was electric shock and together with the usual setup. You see and according to my bantam experience, with Gibson its common to find little jumble like over filed string nut slot (rare), distinguishing finishes (normal), indistinct serial numbers (on older ones), plentiful neck relief (always) and glass strength headstock (deferring physics). However some things are undisputedly dead on like the fretwork, hardware and electronics. Once the Neck, Nut and Bridge is set to the player tech preference. Its good playing until the next delinquent arise.

Somehow I like to have good assumption towards Gibson for those minor disorder. It's like they are trying to send a message. Sounds like "Dear buyer, did you just bought this? Now take the Gibson [insert model] to your tech, see if he could make it play or look better and yes, you have to pay for it yourself of course. Despite our guitar costing two arms, know this. Only a Gibson is good enough!"

In this model Henry was kind enough to put Chinacraft input jack instead of the usual Switchcraft. But Thanks old buddy, you know I always stock Switchcraft input jack for such unexpected circumstance. I didn't take out the toggle switch to see as I have good faith that you didn't Chingcraft it too. I can't stock up that part because it would be too lavish.

As for the users shocking experience. I did interrogate asked the client about his gears at home. He told me his setup never change and of all of his guitars, this is the only guitar that stunned him all night long. I've checked the ground and all are good. I couldn't sense anything shocking with my amp aside from the shocking pretty finish. I did play some AC/DC tunes just to be sure. Perhaps I should've played "Electric Youth" by Debbie Gibson , probably then I would've feel something. Well anyway, I'm sure it didn't happened at the store too.

I told my client to take it home while I google this anomaly and remedy. Pertaining to Gibson Les Paul in particular.

I found many shocking stories that has nothing to do with the problem. You know, the obvious. Like shocking MSRP, quality, CEO, Debt etc. Some thread comments hint the problem is external rather than at the guitar itself. Another thread recommends adding two passive components in parallel. I will try the latter when I get the components.

Thank you

yustech