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Post new topic Two failures on one job - a lesson learned!
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Author Topic:  Two failures on one job - a lesson learned!
Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 6:03 am    
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There I was doing a TV taping at a tiny little regional studio yesterday, and I'd broken my own cardinal rule - have a back-up for everything!

First? I was getting intermittent power to my NV-112, and it turned out that the mains-cord had gone bad. Probably my fault, and caused by me carelessly twisting it up and stuffing it in the back of the amp. NO spare amp with me, and I just got away with it by laying the cord out in a certain way.

Fortunately these are not hard-wired into the chassis - but where's the best place to find a replacement? It's really just a standard 'kettle cord', right? Any ideas? I don't think I need to bother Mr Brown with this...

Second - and far worse! Half-way through the taping I lost 90% of my volume!!! The volume-pedal had failed on me! I had to finish the job going direct from steel to my amp - that gets your attention!

So - no spare VP either! What a loonie I am! I didn't give the job enough serios thought, and I paid the price - never again!

I assume the 'pot' has finally gone in my very old Goodrich. Herby replaced this 'pot' for me in 2000, so it's done pretty well, I reckon.

Lord knows how old the pedal is, but I see no reason for not just getting it fixed. I have a much newer Goodrich as a spare - naturally, it was sitting here at home yesterday and not where it should have been - in my steel-seat....
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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John P. Phillips


From:
Folkston, Ga. U.S.A., R.I.P.
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 6:16 am    
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Roger,
It should be a valuable lesson learned. It's not unpardonable to make such a mistake. The lesson to learn is to learn from our mistakes so we won't repeat them. Along the same lines, I've always felt that the only stupid question is one that you don't ask. You sound like a guy with "mucho savey" and I'll bet you will be better prepared next time. Thanks for giving us a timely heads up on what could have turned out to be a tremendous happening. Good luck with future endeavors.
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 6:27 am    
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The strange part is, John, that I usually won't leave the house without duplicates for everything. In fact, I posted on the Forum to that effect only a few weeks back when the subject was being discussed, yet here I was - caught out!

When I go off on tour or to do a season somewhere, I always take two steels, two seats, two (maybe three) amps, two Profex 2s and my two Goodrich VPs. In this case the job was only fifty miles away and I was just being lazy!!! That, and I had my golf-clubs and trolley in the car so there wasn't that much room left....

You're never too old to learn, eh?
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Tom Wolverton


From:
Carpinteria, CA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 6:49 am    
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There is no question about it.....it was the golf clubs that did it. : )

Roger Rettig wrote:
.... In this case the job was only fifty miles away and I was just being lazy!!! That, and I had my golf-clubs and trolley in the car so there wasn't that much room left....

You're never too old to learn, eh?

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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 9:40 am    
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Roger, a "standard" Computer cord will work. You should be able to find one at Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc.

Another trick I found to keep the power cable connected at the chassis, replace the Peavey cable clamp with a smaller diameter clamp that holds the cable tight.
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 10:09 am    
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Thanks, Jack - I've already found one at Radio Shack then, as soon as I read your post, I realised that we must have half-a-dozen suitable cords right here at home!!!

I'm going to see if I can get my $9.53 back; I should have waited a bit longer and I'd have saved myself two trips to the strip-mall!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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John Groover McDuffie


From:
LA California, USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 10:30 am    
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If you didn't have room for back-ups because your golf clubs were in the car I'd say your priorities are exactly correct!
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 10:34 am    
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Roger Rettig wrote:
I'm going to see if I can get my $9.53 back; I should have waited a bit longer and I'd have saved myself two trips to the strip-mall!

You have strip-malls there? Man, I must be living in the wrong state! Whoa! Whoa! Laughing
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Roger Crawford


From:
Griffin, GA USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 11:07 am    
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b0b, especially if you can get out for only $9.53!
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 11:14 am    
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Well - that's what I've heard them called!!!! The whole notion of 'malls' is a strange one to me, so I can't help it if I slip up occasionally.... Embarassed

Now I've done it!

(I bet I could even get a 'power strip' there, too!)
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Tom Wolverton


From:
Carpinteria, CA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 11:29 am    
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...then there is that other Florida thing....ladies in bikinis standing at the side of the road grilling and selling hot dogs.
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Roger Crawford


From:
Griffin, GA USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 12:00 pm    
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The power srtip is extra, especially if you get a surge protector.
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 12:08 pm    
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Okay, boys - I got my $9.53 back again, and nobody divested themselves of any clothing.

Now my Nashville 112 is equipped witha Hewlett-Packard mains cord!!!
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George McLellan


From:
Duluth, MN USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 12:11 pm    
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I also learned a new lesson today. I was losing volume on my steel but not six stringer. I found that the wire connecting the pickups to the jac was loose. Imagine that Whoa! .

I now have a soldering kit in my grip.

Geo
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Ben Jones


From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 3:19 pm    
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this stuff is too expensive to buy two of everything.
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Brick Spieth

 

From:
San Jose, California, USA
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 8:03 pm    
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b0b-

you got that right. Never in my wildest dreams did I think there was places where they had whole malls of topless joints. We gotta get out of this state more!
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James Cann


From:
Phoenix, AZ
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2009 9:03 pm    
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Long shots--either bet on 'em or don't bet, but never, ever bet against 'em. They know the score and will come in only to spite you.
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David Mason


From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
Post  Posted 24 Oct 2009 7:01 am    
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Why go to a mall, when you can buy direct?

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/74066

You'll have to cut down on the stripper bills.
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2009 11:15 am    
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I don't carry anything extra except for cords, picks, and strings. I still carry fuses, but I don't know why...my stupid amp has the fuses on the inside (where the ONE user-replaceable part is not normally accessible. Poor design engineering, really).

I have both faith in my equipment, and a modicum of laziness, which dictates I won't carry extra pedals or amps with me on the tiny chance I might have a failure once every 20 years. I'm not a star, and I don't make a grand for playing one set. I'm a hacker musician, not an EMT. If my equipment doesn't work, it's not the end of the world, or even my career (as a hacker musician).

Laughing
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