Amp Tone controls disabled with boost engaged

jandland · January 29th, 2009, 12:52 PM

I'm trying to find out if it's normal for an amps tone controls to become disabled whenever the boost switch is engaged. I'm very new to tube amps and have had no luck searcking online for an answer. I have a US Crate v3112 and even though the tone controls work in every other position, They are disabled when I switch on the boost function.
I have no idea of whether or not it has worked in the past as it's been in a closet since I bought it new for over a year while I was overseas. At any rate, I don't want to risk the fee if it's considered normal and the fine folks at Crate/Loud technologies have not been helpful at all other than to say take it in.
It's still under warranty and I've contacted the authorized service center and they won't even give me a hint if that's a problem or not till they take a look at it. If it's not a valid electronic problem and just tube related they will charge me the $75.00 bench fee plus parts. I just love these guys!!!
It functions normal under any other situation but not with the boost switch engaged so I doubted it was the tubes. Any ideas or info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you..

Paul in Colorado · January 29th, 2009, 01:17 PM

On some amps, how they get the boost is to bypass the tone stack which eliminates the load of that section of the circuit. So if they're bypassed, they aren't going to work.

FatTeleTom · January 29th, 2009, 01:28 PM

Can't help you with that specific amp, but there are certainly amps that work that way (Dumbles being one famous example)--i.e. a boost feature that bypasses the tone stack for more gain/volume.

But a lot of other amps have boosts that do not bypass the tone stack.

TeleBluesMan · January 29th, 2009, 01:33 PM

I have a Carr Mercury amp -- a great amp, by the way. It defeats the tone controls when you go into boost. From the owner's manual:

3 Position Boost –
Position 1: 60s American sound with great warmth
Position 2: Increases gain by defeating the tone controls (Treble and Bass) while trimming low end for a focused overdrive tone
Position 3: Further increases gain from the tone stack and reverb circuit while the lowend focus is refined. Tone controls are defeated.

Tele-Dave · January 29th, 2009, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandland

I'm trying to find out ............

Go to their website and download an owners manual.

January 29th, 2009, 12:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
jandland NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1	Amp Tone controls disabled with boost engaged I'm trying to find out if it's normal for an amps tone controls to become disabled whenever the boost switch is engaged. I'm very new to tube amps and have had no luck searcking online for an answer. I have a US Crate v3112 and even though the tone controls work in every other position, They are disabled when I switch on the boost function. I have no idea of whether or not it has worked in the past as it's been in a closet since I bought it new for over a year while I was overseas. At any rate, I don't want to risk the fee if it's considered normal and the fine folks at Crate/Loud technologies have not been helpful at all other than to say take it in. It's still under warranty and I've contacted the authorized service center and they won't even give me a hint if that's a problem or not till they take a look at it. If it's not a valid electronic problem and just tube related they will charge me the $75.00 bench fee plus parts. I just love these guys!!! It functions normal under any other situation but not with the boost switch engaged so I doubted it was the tubes. Any ideas or info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you..

January 29th, 2009, 01:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Paul in Colorado Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 56 Posts: 5,155 3 Photos	On some amps, how they get the boost is to bypass the tone stack which eliminates the load of that section of the circuit. So if they're bypassed, they aren't going to work. __________________ www.tuatha.net "There are only two kinds of music. Fast and slow."

January 29th, 2009, 01:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
TeleBluesMan TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: virginia Posts: 19	Carr Mercury does I have a Carr Mercury amp -- a great amp, by the way. It defeats the tone controls when you go into boost. From the owner's manual: 3 Position Boost – Position 1: 60s American sound with great warmth Position 2: Increases gain by defeating the tone controls (Treble and Bass) while trimming low end for a focused overdrive tone Position 3: Further increases gain from the tone stack and reverb circuit while the lowend focus is refined. Tone controls are defeated.

January 29th, 2009, 01:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
FatTeleTom Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Evanston Age: 42 Posts: 294 7 Photos	Can't help you with that specific amp, but there are certainly amps that work that way (Dumbles being one famous example)--i.e. a boost feature that bypasses the tone stack for more gain/volume. But a lot of other amps have boosts that do not bypass the tone stack.

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