Author Topic: No output on Epic 4 (Read 649 times)

claude · « **on:** September 22, 2010, 05:55:50 PM »

I bought a used Epic 4 this past Sunday (9/19/10), took it home, played it a couple of hours, (sounded fantastic),I accidentally left it plugged in. So when I turned the amp back on to play it again, there was no sound. So I installed a brand new battery, still no sound. This is my first Alembic and I am at a loss as to what the problem might be. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

mica · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2010, 06:08:40 PM »

Do try the battery again - no point in chasing down something exotic if it's just a defective battery (believe me, they are out there).

Then, check the the battery clip is still plugged into the connector in the main cavity. There's a small 2-pin connector that joins the clip to the rest of the electronics.

If that's not it, check that none of the solder side of the boards in the main cavity is contacting the side of the cavity. If it is, it's shorting out on the shield. You'll have to remove the knob (please read this before removing knobs) and reseat the control to avoid the cavity.

It might be something else, but these are the most likely culprits.

claude · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2010, 06:56:36 PM »

Thanks Mica for your fast response and your help. I tried everything thing that you suggested. Installed 3 different new batteries, removed & reseated the knobs per instructions, checked that none of the boards were shorting out on the shield, and the battery clip seemed to still be plugged into the rest of electronics and still not a peep. I've read some of the past posts that have dealt with this problem . Again, thanks for helping me to try and resolve my problem. I'm not sure what to do now.

sonicus · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2010, 08:31:00 PM »

If you have not done so already , try a different guitar cord . it is good to rule out all of the simple possibilities first .

claude · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2010, 03:35:35 AM »

I've tried that too Sonicus. I tried 3 different cords and even plugged in my electric guitar to verify the cords are good. Thanks for the suggestion. I read all the Troubleshooting posts that dealt with this particular issue, and tried all of them. I've handled it very gently that's why I'm puzzled as to why it's not workig. I'll try again tonight after I get off work. I really like this Bass and its sound.....if I can just get it to come back to life.

edwin · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2010, 11:52:30 AM »

I wonder if the battery clip is damaged. I've had this issue before. In fact, I keep a stash of spare clips in my tool box as this is a common failure. Last summer when Phish was playing at Red Rocks, I brought my Starfire down to sound check for Mike Gordon to check out. It had been all around the country with me playing dozens of gigs all summer, bouncing around in our trailer, with nary a problem and then as soon as we plugged into his rig, no sound. Sure enough, the inner parts of the battery clip had come apart.

mario_farufyno · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2010, 04:20:47 PM »

There must be a way to check that with a multimeter...

claude · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:02:15 PM »

thanks everyone for your input. I've checked every single item that everyone has suggested, still nothing. I'm at my wits end. I've bought many guitars and never had this happen. I geuss I'm gonna see if I can find someone local (St.Louis area) to check it out, I dunno. I'm not giving up.

mica · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:21:30 PM »

Sure looks like the solder side of the board may be contacting here:

If it is, there will be no output.

claude · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:32:48 PM »

No the board is not touching. I made sure that none of the solder sides are touching even though from my poor photography it may appear to be. I wish that was the cause. Again, thanks.

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:39:04 PM »

To check this, remove the knob again, loosen the hex nut that holds the pot snug, turn the pot just a bit so that the edge of the pc board that Mica is pointing to isn't so close to the shielding, and then tighten the nut back down to snug the pot back up.

I like to put a piece of cloth between the body of the bass and the wrench, being careful not to scratch the surface.

Whoops, you've already done that.

(Message edited by davehouck on September 23, 2010)

mica · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:44:49 PM »

Try plugging one of the pickups directly here:

and let me know what you find. You need needle nose pliers to reach the 2-pin connector on the treble board without unmounting the control. Make sure you handle the plastic housing, and don't pull the wire itself.

mica · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:48:54 PM »

Further to post 6970, I should make it clear isn't the board itself that's the problem, it's the conductive little spikes of the components soldered in that make contact. It only takes one!

David Houck · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2010, 05:54:52 PM »

This is probably not the problem, but the trim pot (blue box with the white slotted knob) looks to me as if it is turned all the way down.

To check this, turn the knob with a small flat blade screwdriver. It is not a 360 degree turn, so don't overturn.

claude · « **Reply #14 on:** September 23, 2010, 06:36:09 PM »

I appreciate all of you alls suggestions, and I've followed them all to the letter, making sure the solder spikes aren't touching, turning up the preamp volume, plugging the pickup into the different connecter, all to no avail. It appears 'Freddies dead', I don't know what else to do.