TR-2 - intermittent problem

[Tony474]

Boss pedals are said to be pretty reliable in general, but I've had a problem with my TR-2 tremolo pedal. In bypass mode it lets the signal through fine, but when engaged it sometimes doesn't work, just passing a weak, rather distorted signal.

On opening the device up I found that the problem seems to do with the ribbon conductors that connect the board with the pots, etc. Something appears to be making and breaking contact in there.

Anyone else ever experienced this kind of thing? Easy enough to remake all the solder joints, but this may not be where the fault lies. I'll be calling Roland UK tomorrow (Monday) to see if they can help, but meanwhile any appropriate info might be useful.

[lefty73]

Hope Roland UK can help you out - though I'll wager they're going to say send it back or just order a new one. If you can fix it (Lord knows I wish I knew how to solder or navigate a circuit schematic) that might be the best option.

[Tony474]

Cheers, Lefty! I called Roland today but they had problems with their internal telephone system and couldn't connect me to the right department. I'll try again tomorrow. I've found Roland UK very helpful in the past, supplying parts for out-of-production items such as knobs for my Blues Cube amps.

[jefrs]

Hmm... Boss Tremolo?

You need a Marshall Vibratrem VT1
from £44 ...

[Tony474]

Cheers, Jeff! To be honest, I use the effect for just one or two songs in the set at most, and not even on every gig. It's dispensable. After a quick fiddle inside at the weekend (ooh, Matron!) the TR-2's working for now, but if I can't fix it permanently I'll probably get a cheap, cheerful and simple Joyo thing.

[Dave_O]

An intermittent problem with a tremelo effect had me thinking about the old joke regarding the apprentice auto electrician checking the indicators on a car...

"They're working-
Now they're not-
Now they are-
Now they're not..."

Originally Posted by Tony474

Cheers, Lefty! I called Roland today but they had problems with their internal telephone system and couldn't connect me to the right department. I'll try again tomorrow. I've found Roland UK very helpful in the past, supplying parts for out-of-production items such as knobs for my Blues Cube amps.

Probably a dry solder joint

The Joyo and GFS pedals look quite tempting, don't they? I'm leaning towards buying the GFS fuzz unit.

I got a 2nd hand VibraTrem (like the one in jefrs pic) which I really dig using- really good on the trem setting, good tweakability and a nice sounding and very usable vibe setting.

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by Dave_O

Probably a dry solder joint

Yeah, the irony didn't escape me - one of the world's leading hi-tech companies having a dodgy switchboard... Actually, what's wrong with the TR-2 probably is a dry joint; either that or a broken wire in a ribbon connector. Both solvable once I ascertain the source.

The Joyo pedals do look good - I've recently bought a JT-305 pedal tuner, which is not only a ringer for the Korg Pitchblack at half the price (albeit with a differently-shaped casing) but I'm led to believe it's made in the same factory and has the same internals. Whatever, it works a treat.

[Tony474]

Update: I've yet to determine exactly where the break in circuit continuity is located, but I've identified the ribbon connectors from the service sheet and parts list that Roland UK kindly provided. If it turns out I need one or both of them, they'll have to be ordered in from Japan, but the important thing is that they're available as spares at a not unreasonable cost - certainly a lot cheaper than buying a new pedal.

[jefrs]

Me, I'll fiddle around mending something like that because I can and because I like doing it, but if I spend more than half an hour doing it I've wasted probably well over £100 at the rate they charge for me at work, I wish I took home that much, mutter ...

The Marshall VT-1 /is/ a cheap pedal at £45, but I spent an afternoon in Reading testing them all out. Ended-up in big-box Dawsons and got all their toys out. Boss Digitech, Behringer, Dano, etc, etc, Marshall. The Boss was a tone-sucker. The Marshall was not only one of the cheapest but I thought it the best of the lot anyway. It does provide a slight lift (buffer) when in bypass. It sounds exactly like a tremolo should and it is built like a brick outhouse.

One of the major problems these days is they have to use lead-free solder and it doesn't work. Great idea to replace the lead with other poisonous heavy metals. Nanny got it wrong.
There are a few industries where its use is actually banned, like aerospace because we do not like people falling out of the skies. Dry-joint? - re-flow with tin-lead, perfectly legit even for industrial repair work.

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by jefrs

Me, I'll fiddle around mending something like that because I can and because I like doing it, but if I spend more than half an hour doing it I've wasted probably well over £100 at the rate they charge for me at work, I wish I took home that much, mutter ...

The Marshall VT-1 /is/ a cheap pedal at £45, but I spent an afternoon in Reading testing them all out. Ended-up in big-box Dawsons and got all their toys out. Boss Digitech, Behringer, Dano, etc, etc, Marshall. The Boss was a tone-sucker. The Marshall was not only one of the cheapest but I thought it the best of the lot anyway. It does provide a slight lift (buffer) when in bypass. It sounds exactly like a tremolo should and it is built like a brick outhouse.

One of the major problems these days is they have to use lead-free solder and it doesn't work. Great idea to replace the lead with other poisonous heavy metals. Nanny got it wrong.
There are a few industries where its use is actually banned, like aerospace because we do not like people falling out of the skies. Dry-joint? - re-flow with tin-lead, perfectly legit even for industrial repair work.

Take your point about labour rates, but hey, I'll effectively be paying myself so I should just about break even...

You may be right about the tone-sucking propensities of the TR-2. That's one reason why if all else fails I'm attracted to the true-bypass Joyo, which only costs a pony or so.

I managed to secure a large reel of 60/40 Sn/Pb solder - more than I'll ever probably use - from RS a while ago, so I'm OK in that respect. Just as well - the lead-free is a bugger.

[tazzboy]

Yeah I am having troubles with one of my voodoo lab tremolo my thoughts are it's probably bypass switch.

[Tony474]

P.S. to Jeff (jefrs): Please don't think I'm dismissing the Marshall VT-1 that you recommend so strongly - it seems very good value but its capabilities exceed what little I actually need a trem pedal for.