Noise gate issue. Anybody else?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dynovalve
  • Start date Start date
I do not use that pedal. I use a GCX switching system. It will do the same with nothing plugged in and gate control "off" I am going to try putting a 1/4" jack in the gate control and switching it off that way to see if it helps. There has been no resolution. ENGL techs have scared the crap out of me with 2 month & $700.00 repair fees.
I might be ok with $400.00 but the problem is so sporadic, my luck would be that they would try it for days and it would not do it for them.
 
That's a bummer. When you do get it sorted out please post what the solution was.
 
I contacted Jens a second time. As you have read in this thread I was not readily accepting the "tube socket" thing. This time when I called, He thought it WAS the noise gate. :scared: I have called 3 ENGL repair shops, and they have told me that ENGL does not support them very well,parts & labor are expensive. I emailed velvet dist-no reply. I emailed Michael Berger- no reply. I emailed ENGL- no reply. I was just looking to see if ANYONE can tell me if the noise gate is a replaceable component and cost.
Guess the repair shops were right. Pray nothing goes wrong with your amp.
 
Update. I tried plugging a switch into the noise gate 1/4" jack and hard switching it off. It didn't stutter. After working the switch a couple times, I unplugged the jack, and it seemed to work perfect. I have had issues before where the switching jack wasn't making good contact and the drop could possibly?cause the noise gate to freak. This is wishful thinking. I am going to wire a stereo jack that leaves the loop on but switches off the gate. If I run into problems live,I'll have the jack put in. If it fails then,Off it will go.
I want this amp to be perfect because it really is the best sounding amp overall I have ever owned and I have owned most every amp people say is "better" than this one. It will spank country on my tele as well as my Deluxe (add reverb), killer blues and yet rip guts out with low end metal! The biggest thing is how well it responds to your dynamics. I love reading the posts that this thing is "sterile" or SS sounding. Or sounds like crap in the studio. They obviously do not know how to dial an amp in or have JJ's in it because mine is WARM & jucy as heck!
 
Your scaring me. My amp was doing the stuttering thing only on my distortion channel but that was taken care of after it was realized it only happened with my Z-4 plugged in. Now, after 15 minutes I lose the lead channel completely & it doesn't stutter, its just gone! Even without the pedal plugged in! I emailed Jens Kruse through this site - no response. I've emailed Engl twice - no response. I even posted on the Engl website in their forum - no response. Its currently sent off to a local tech through the guitar shop I frequent & I'm fearing the worst. I don't want a distortion stomp box. I bought this amp specifically for its distortion. And although it didn't cost as much as you're PB II, it was still almost 2k with the pedal to control it. And to not even get 2 years out of it angers me. I totally agree with you. I loved both the Powerball II & the Fireball 100 upon hearing them. They were/are the best sounding amps I've heard, the FB 100 was more in my budget though. I even sold my 1982 mesa/boogie mkIIb to help pay for it. It was 30 years old & I never had a problem with it.
 
I just wish there were techs with enough experience to have an idea where problems are based on amp's design,instead of having really no idea. Like perhaps simply the switching female jack not making good connection or something. But I don't know the insides of the amp like I would assume a ENGL repair tech would/should so I don't even know if that was part of the design. If it is, I would have at least passed that on in response to a noise gate problem instead of pointing at the noise gate itself. I surely can't have the ONLY amp that has done this exact same thing.
 
JMRoss":3u69vb5a said:
Your scaring me. My amp was doing the stuttering thing only on my distortion channel but that was taken care of after it was realized it only happened with my Z-4 plugged in. Now, after 15 minutes I lose the lead channel completely & it doesn't stutter, its just gone! Even without the pedal plugged in! I emailed Jens Kruse through this site - no response. I've emailed Engl twice - no response. I even posted on the Engl website in their forum - no response. Its currently sent off to a local tech through the guitar shop I frequent & I'm fearing the worst. I don't want a distortion stomp box. I bought this amp specifically for its distortion. And although it didn't cost as much as you're PB II, it was still almost 2k with the pedal to control it. And to not even get 2 years out of it angers me. I totally agree with you. I loved both the Powerball II & the Fireball 100 upon hearing them. They were/are the best sounding amps I've heard, the FB 100 was more in my budget though. I even sold my 1982 mesa/boogie mkIIb to help pay for it. It was 30 years old & I never had a problem with it.
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Customer service like that makes you want to buy a PEAVEY if there was one that sounded as good. It's almost worth not sounding as good for when you try to get a answer. I'll bet if you were one of the treasured endorsers,you would have no problem.

Your problem (much as I hate to say what is always first said) does sound like it could be tubes/tube. Have you eliminated that possibility?
 
The tech I took my amp to tested the tubes & said they were ok. He determined it was diodes that were haphazardly attached to the board. According to him some had solder on one side & not the other. Some were glued & the glue didn't hold. I also had loose tube sockets & the jack to plug in the Z-4 was not making full contact on the board. I get it back this Thursday, so we'll see. (Fingers crossed)
 
As I have said ch 3& 4 were cutting out leading me to believe it was noise gate the way it acted. I now do not believe that is the case. When lightly pressing on the top of any 12Ax7 tube, it cuts out. More than likely it is a bad solder joint, lead etc. I called Michael Berger for repair recommendations and he called back promptly and assured me parts & support would be available should I need them. Now for the 400mi round trip to the service center. I hate shipping amps!
 
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