cjlandry Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Sorry, not a Gibson brand guitar. This is my Traveler Speedster. I carry it with me everywhere I work, which is pretty much anywhere on the planet. I'm currently in Iraq. I plugged it into my little Mini Tone-Master amp a couple of weeks ago, and it started sounding like a bad cable. So I opened up the plugs, checked resistances, wiggled them around, and couldn't find a problem there. Next, I opened up the amp and started looking for bad solder joints. Nothing. Opened the guitar and couldn't find any bad solder joints. Clipped the pickup wires. Open circuit. Checked the volume pot, high to low. Open circuit. Ordered some parts and had them sent to my company, to be shipped with some parts I need for some electronic repairs on a drilling rig over here. Well, I found out that those parts won't even leave Texas until tomorrow. Meanwhile, I've been a strummin' and a pickin' with no amplification. Well, I started thinking about the circuit. Humbucker. Two single coils wired in series. Hmmm.... This should be simple enough. I isolated the bad coil, connected the hot directly to the jack, and the ground to the shield, bridge wire, and ground side of the jack. Now I have a guitar with only a single coil pickup and a jack. The amp has volume, tone, and gain knobs, so I'm back in business until my parts arrive! It's not perfect, but at least I can hear myself play again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Sounds like a signature model in the making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Sounds like a signature model in the making. :lol: Yeah, I'll call it "The Al Basra Edition". :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 The Spirit of Les Paul lives on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 You have a tone master? Those things are awesome! What do you do that has you working all over the world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Yeah, those are boss. Is it like this? http://www.music123.com/Fender-Mini-Tone-Master-Amp-480860-i1145451.Music123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 You have a tone master? Those things are awesome! What do you do that has you working all over the world? Drilling rig electronics. I work on generator and motor control systems. Mostly digitally controlled variable frequency drives. Yeah, those are boss. Is it like this? http://www.music123.com/Fender-Mini-Tone-Master-Amp-480860-i1145451.Music123 Yep, that's the one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 I also have the Orange Micro Crush, but it's a little heavy for travel. I carry about 80 kilos of tools and test equipment with me, so I cut weight wherever possible. The Mini Tone-Master also has a little steel wire prop stand on the back, and I always use it. I like it. Yesterday, I put some resistors and a cap in the guitar circuit for tone control. The little guitar sounds just fine without a volume control, but I couldn't handle it any longer without some kind of tone control. My new parts should be in Baghdad today, and they'll probably get them to me in Basra by some time next week. When I get home, in a couple of weeks, I have a little Smokey waiting for me, and components to make a "cigar box amp" and a pocket amp just for headphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 I was thinking of a different tone master. I completely forgot about that little Fender Tone Master which is ridiculous because I have one. My friend gave it to me a couple years ago but it's broken so I never use it. Those little smokeys are cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 Ah, OK. The little mini-amp isn't great, but it allows me to practice while I'm traveling. Same with the Speedster guitar. I just took this photo of the guitar and mini-amp. You can see the sharpie marks on the lower section, where I was thinking of routing it for extra controls. Now I'm thinking of mounting the switch on the back, where it won't get beat up if something smashes against the gig bag in my Pelican case. I'm also about to order a Vox Amplug AC30 headphone amp, and the little Amplug speaker cabinet to go with it. I like having some options when I'm not at home, not to mention having a backup amp or two. After this little experience, I'm gonna start carrying a full set of guitar electronics with me as well. It hasn't been easy waiting for those parts to arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjlandry Posted August 26, 2010 Author Share Posted August 26, 2010 I feel for ya bud, when I was in the Military they threw me into some real remote locations also and the only way to contact the outside world is wait for the snail mail to get to ya (via military post office) or land lines. None of this internet or cell phone crap........ lol It's definitely better than it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 I feel for ya bud, when I was in the Military they threw me into some real remote locations also and the only way to contact the outside world is wait for the snail mail to get to ya (via military post office) or land lines. None of this internet or cell phone crap........ lol Back in the day, there was MARS... But look out if you said a cuss word, or heaven forbid - anything that the operator didn't understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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