What's to chat about?

[Seth]

Interesting news. Thanks for sharing it, Kevin

From a consumer standpoint, I hope any changes in business operations are beneficial to our community and hobby.

[Bruce Weldy]

Well, I plan to once again regale you with my latest exploits into the world of sound. So, if there are any re-runs of Andy Griffith or Gilligan's Island on your TV right now, you might want to pass on this expose' of my mundane life and catch Aunt Bea or Mary Ann.....whatever your predilection might be. If it's Aunt Bea, please keep that between you and your priest.

A couple of years ago, a local venue had me come fix their subs. They have a pretty nice system in their outside covered space. Three QSC KLA12s arrayed per side and a pair of KLA181 subs per side. I've probably mixed more shows on that system than anyone else even though I haven't done a show in there in probably a year and a half.

The subs get rolled into a closet inside after every show. Since they were never willing to hire sound guys themselves (I always was hired by the bands), it was up to the "help" to put them away. In this case, the "help" would be waiters, waitresses, managers, busboys, or possibly a near-sighted, 800 pound gorrilla (based on the constant damage).

The aforementioned subs would get wheeled into the building and directly into the closet that was outfitted with two really nice side-by-side doors. The depth of the subs as they are rolled in is probably within and inch of being the exact width of one of the doors. So, as you can imagine - opening BOTH doors is just too much after rolling those things 50 feet to put them away.

Two years ago, they hired me to come fix the Powercon connectors that were broken on the amp modules. Did I fail to mention that the Powercons stay connected at all times? Much easier to setup and put away like that.....just happens that it's also much easier to bang them into the closed door that, for some reason, can't be opened lest the joy or tearing up the gear would be supplanted with the mundane feeling of doing something correctly.

Fortunately, that time the only real problem was that the screws holding the Powercons in the modules were ripped and stripped out. I took some #4-40 screws and nuts to replace the prior screws that were too wimpy to take a little bashing on the door frame nightly......losers....

After repairing them, I impressed mightily on the managers that opening both doors would lead to them not seeing me anymore. I felt that alone would have caused them enough joy to threaten the "help" sufficiently. But alas, it was not so. Within two months, I was asked by a solo performer friend to come sound check him one afternoon. The subs looked like I'd never touched 'em....still working, but the powercons were broken again.

Last year they had a big even coming and they hired the guys who put in the system to handle the show. I let 'em know that there were probably some issues. However, they knew where two more of the subs were hidden. They pulled those out and did the show.

Well, last week the owner's son called me to ask for some help with the subs as they had another big event coming up. The bands who play on the stage probably 4 nights a week were using half the subs as two were toast. I guess they weren't a big event and didn't rate the whole system working.

I went to check it out last Wednesday......oh my gosh, what a mess! Three of the subs had broken powercon connectors on the amp module. One had an XLR housing stuck in the input. The wiring harneses that ran from the wall to the subs have the signal cable and the power together. The power cables were so trashed that you could see the wires inside through the slashes in the jacket. One of the XLR cables was missing an end and the jumper that ran from top sub to bottom sub was missing.

I suggessted a fix......so, I set about repairing two of the three broken modules (including one of the spares). The Powercons are easy. However, the one with the XLR housing stuck in it was a bit of a problem. I had to remove the PCB board in the power module, unsolder the connetor, tear the lock mechanism out of the connector (fortunately, you don't really need those), solder it back on the board and re-assemble. I really thought I could have gotten the housing out without having to tear into it - but it had been hammered so hard that it wasn't budging.....and QSC actually uses quality Neutrik connectors.

So, the next day, I had two of the modules installed and working giving them 4 for the weekend.

I had to order some Powercon Panel mount connectors and all the stuff to build new cable harnesses. But, there was still the prolem with the "help" trying to pound a round peg in a square hole. So, the solution was to build some protective fences around the modules, thereby protecting the connectors. So, I got cooking on those early this week, then the parts came in to build the harnesses and fix the last amp module.

Everything got completed and I installed the fences this morning and installed the new cables. They are now back to 4 working subs along with two spares.

Now admit it......you're kind'a wishing you'd gone for the Mary Ann optiong about now, right?

Anyway, here's one of the finished sub stacks. And of course they got flipped sideways....they are fine in my files. Didn't want to take 'em landscape......click on 'em and they'll be correctly displayed.

[Seth]

As usual, I enjoyed the read, Bruce. Good story, told well.

The whole time I was reading, I was thinking your solution should be to double or triple your rates. That way you can look forward to them getting damaged and offer high praise to "the help".

I'm impressed with your solution. I didn't see that one coming. Seems like it should solve a lot of issues for them. I'm kind of surprised though... no Duratex?

[Bruce Weldy]

As usual, I enjoyed the read, Bruce. Good story, told well.

The whole time I was reading, I was thinking your solution should be to double or triple your rates. That way you can look forward to them getting damaged and offer high praise to "the help".

I'm impressed with your solution. I didn't see that one coming. Seems like it should solve a lot of issues for them. I'm kind of surprised though... no Duratex?

I was kinda' under the gun timewise. I hit 'em with flat black and a couple of quick coats of rattle-can black that I had in the garage. Plus, I spent way more time on this and was a little embarrassed to charge 'em for all the hours....plus, I gave 'em a $10 per hour discount. It was still $600. The 14/3 elec cord was $1.45/foot and the lumber wasn't cheap. I didn't want to try and get yellow pine to lay flat, so I went with some white pine that looked a lot better. It really added up. Took me way, way longer to build the fences than all of the repair work and building the new cable harnesses.

Because I used 1x2s and 1x3s to build the fences, I did all of the cutting on the miter saw and didn't have to drag out the table saw....that was a main part of the plan. I'd like to say it's because I'm still protecting my back....but, it's really because I'm just fat and lazy.

But it was nice to make some sawdust for a change....seems like all I've been doing lately is sniffing solder fumes.

Busy time for me music wise. Besides all of the sound gigs, I'm practicing up two different bands to do 30-40 minute sets at my reunion in October along with weekly practices for our Wurstfest band. That's a 7 piece made up of all rock and country players doing everything from AC/DC to Willie Nelson to ZZ Top .... polka style! We have 8 shows at Wurstfest this year and warmup show at an Ocktoberfest in Fredericksburg.

21 gigs between now and November 12th. Not counting all of the practices. Not a lot for you young guys, but I'm OLD!

[Tom Smit]

Oooo, you're busy Bruce.
Nice repair you done did.

[howiez]

Those things are removable? LOL
Great story. Sensible repair IMHO.

[Bruce Weldy]

Just thought I'd announce that I'm on vacation for the next 10 days......


My wife went to Italy...

[Seth]

Hahaha, that's hilarious Bruce.

Now you can skip through the living room in your underwear while riding your stick horse all you like. You've got it made my man.

Congratulations!

[Bruce Weldy]

Now you can skip through the living room in your underwear while riding your stick horse all you like.

I already do that.....why do you think she left?

[Seth]

Ha! You've got me genuinely chuckling over here. Too funny.

[Rich4349]

Silly question, but what about using right angle powercons? Do they protrude less?

https://www.parts-express.com/Neutrik-N ... M6EALw_wcB

[Bruce Weldy]

Silly question, but what about using right angle powercons? Do they protrude less?

https://www.parts-express.com/Neutrik-N ... M6EALw_wcB

As long as there is room to use them - remember the angled part has to turn. If the connector is in a tight, deep place, it might be tough.

And no jokes about tight and deep......you bunch of reprobates!

[Rich4349]

If the quarter turn is off and it either starts or ends hitting the shield wall, you could always unbolt the cabinet receiver speakon and rotate until it does align.

[Bruce Weldy]

What to chat about?

Well, I'll tell you what, Junior!

Started and finished a new project. Been thinking about building another guitar pedal. I built my first one last year to use when I'm playing through backline amps. I've always been a guitar, cord, and amp kinda' guy. When people ask me what pedal I use to get my sound, I point at my tuner.

Anyway, after building a clone of a Zen Drive last year that I used pretty much a clean boost with a little hair on it for the wild polka band we put together every year for Wurstfest. Since that's coming up in a month, I figured I'd build a clone of the Analogman King of Tone pedal. It's essentially two Marshall Bluesbreaker circuits in one pedal. This will let me get a clean boost on one side and some serious dirt on the other. This polka band does everything from AC/DC to Willie Nelson to ZZ Top polka style....so, a little dirt is appropriate.

Got in the kit and set to sorting out the parts. You know how small the writing is on those tiny resistors and diodes? Had on my +250 readers and had a lighted magnifying glass. Finally got 'em all into piles and started the build.

Here's where we start....

Then it's on to populating the PCB with all of the little parts. Load a bunch, solder 'em, repeat. Three different boards.

Did that operation over about three sessions....my back can only take so much sitting....and the 100 degree temperature outside was outrunning my fan in the garage.

Eventually ended up with this....

Which after pots, knobs, jacks, etc. get you the finished product.

Nice looking little pedal, so it's time to test.

Fired it up and it passed my Les Paul nicely through to my Boogie. Time to engage the first section.....uh....nothing. It's dead. Crap. What did I do wrong? So, moved on to the second button and pushed it.....nothing again. No hiss, nothing.

Wonderful....$140 down the drain and I didn't have a clue where to start troubleshooting. Went online and posted in a couple of pedal board forums I finally found. BTW.....the layout and navigation of this forum is SOOOOOOOOO much better than any other I've ever been on. One of the ones I found makes you answer a ton of questions to post something. Not personal questions, but stuff I had to look up because I didn't know.

Got a couple of responses which of course said, post some pics and we'll take a look. Well, the pics I posted here were the ones I had already, so I downloaded 'em to my PC from my phone.

Before, I even started posting them to the forums......I took a look and there is was.....if you scroll back up and look at the circuit board picture, you'll notice two empty sockets where the IC chips go. Duh....dumbassery has reared its ugly head once more in my life.

Plugged in the chips and all is well.

The moral of the story is:

Create a problem.
Fix the problem.
Declare victory.

Run for office on a platform of fixing problems.

Hope you'll all vote for me as the Village Idiot of BFM. I'm constantly proving it.

[Tom Smit]

Hardy, har, har. At least I am not the only one.
Good job.