UPDATE: My Katana mk2 head just died :( - IT DIDN'T DIE!

skunkwerx · June 2023

Was fine and then whilst playing just cut out. I was moving myself around and could have disturbed a cable.. but I've checked them all.

I have it hooked up to the 2x12 cab.

Amp still powers on, lights up, can change settings/channels and tone studio recognises it.

If I put it on 100w mode and crank the master volume up you do get some sound, very low, and sounds shitty, ie not 'normal' tone but quiet.

Things I have tried:

1. Plugged guitar directly into amp.

2. Tried a different cable.

3. Tried a different guitar.

4. Unplugged everything, switched off/on again.

5. Unplugged the cab to see if the internal head speaker works (it doesnt, and it does the same as the sound through the cab, very quiet but you can just about hear the guitar).

Seems like it's the head itself.

Plugging into my Blackstar amp, all works fine.

Something to note.

The other day the same thing happened.. I wiggled the cab speaker where it plugs in to the head and sound came back.

On a normal amp I figured that could have killed the head if the connection between the cab was cut whilst in use.. but 1, the katana manual mentions nothing about disconnecting the cab whilst in use being bad, and 2 the katana head has a built in speaker that it uses if no cab is detected. I would presume if the cab is disconnected whilst in use then the head speaker takes over and no harm done.

I've never done that before anyway.. in fact I've never even used the heads internal speaker since having the amp.

I'm all out of ideas other than contacting Andertons and seeing if theres anything they'll do. Its out of 12 month warranty mind.

darthed1981 · June 2023

Sounds like something has blown on the power amp stage if it affects both the internal and external speakers.

I guess there could be an issue with the jack as if you unplug it normally the internal speaker kicks in.

How far out of warranty is it?

If it's literally a month out of date then you do have the element of the sale of goods act that states goods need to be of "satisfactory quality" - e.g.. that a guitar amplifier that fails after 18 months was clearly not of satisfactory quality and you could reasonably expect a few years of use. Sadly, production line products like the Katana do produce the odd duffer.

Not sure if that would wash with Andertons but Boss might repair for free on that basis - both are worth an ask?

skunkwerx · June 2023

darthed1981 said:

Sounds like something has blown on the power amp stage if it affects both the internal and external speakers.

I guess there could be an issue with the jack as if you unplug it normally the internal speaker kicks in.

How far out of warranty is it?

If it's literally a month out of date then you do have the element of the sale of goods act that states goods need to be of "satisfactory quality" - e.g.. that a guitar amplifier that fails after 18 months was clearly not of satisfactory quality and you could reasonably expect a few years of use. Sadly, production line products like the Katana do produce the odd duffer.

Not sure if that would wash with Andertons but Boss might repair for free on that basis - both are worth an ask?

Cheers bud.

Just checked my Roland account.. I usually log stuff on there when I've bought it and sure enough I did..

Can't believe I've had it this long actually but it's 2 years 3 months ago I bought it.

2 year warranty as standard, so 3 months out.

I'll raise it with Roland later and see what they say.

darthed1981 · June 2023

skunkwerx said:
2 year warranty as standard, so 3 months out.
I'll raise it with Roland later and see what they say.

Can't hurt, and hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised

steamabacus · June 2023

skunkwerx said:

Something to note.
The other day the same thing happened.. I wiggled the cab speaker where it plugs in to the head and sound came back.

A thought that comes immediately to mind ...

I presume the speaker out socket on the head is switched - so it breaks the connection to the internal speakers when you plug in an external speaker.

These kinds of switching sockets are notorious for causing faults through corrosion over time (usually it's effects loop sockets that are the culprit).

If you can get at the sockets, try cleaning with some isopropyl alcohol or switch cleaner. A bit of emery paper between the contacts can help cleaning them up as well.

It might even be enough to squirt a jack plug liberally with IPA or switch cleaner and plug in and out of the socket several times, repeating the process a couple of times.

Failing that, it might be the solder connection to the socket itself.

skunkwerx · June 2023

Right.. what a palava.

So after a few beers and GAS.. I thought I'd pick up a Katana Artist Head instead.. I'd been thinking of trying that model for some time.. in fact I believe the Artist mkii head was released shortly after I initially bought the regular mkii head and I remember thinking buggar it.. Figured I could then repair the old one and look to move it on maybe.

It arrived today.. didn't realise how much bigger it was!

I really need to dust stuff...

Anyway I cabled everything up, plugged it in and it didn't bloody work. Same problem. Improbable!
Right, clearly there is something I missed.

So I started fault finding.. again. Sweating my tits off in this humidity..

Plugged the guitar directly into the amp bypassing the pedal board entirely .. still didn't work.. It lights up and turns on fine, but no sound.. Tried different power sockets then unplugged absolutely everything..

Right lets start from the beginning.. unless something in my home electricals has killed something, this HAS to work, its brand bloody new.

Plugged amp into socket bypassing the extension, plugged guitar direct to amp, amp to cab.
It works.

Right. Plugged pedalboard in. It doesnt work.
WTF.

My pedalboard has 2 chains, one for the FX loop, one in the front end.
All pedals receiving power, the PSU's are all lit up.
Ok. Plugged guitar to front end pedals, then amp.
It works.

Interesting. Plugged guitar to the row of FX loop pedals then straight to front of amp. Doesnt work.

I REALLY need to dust these fuckers. Infact, thats probably what caused it. That'll learn me.

Bingo. There is something up with that row of 4 pedals killing the signal.
BUT if thats the case why didn't the old amp work when I plugged straight into the amp?

Well. I think I forgot to unplug the effects send cable from the back of it.. see, when I did, it worked. Fucking rookie mistake.
Course the amp didnt make a sound... I left the effects return and send plugged in and there was a broken connection somewhere in that loop.

So I bought a new amp for no reason. Well I was impatient..

Started with the looper.. That was fine, added the Blue Sky, and cycled thru the lot of patch cables. All patch cables fine, Blue sky fine.
Got to the Duncan Vapour Trail.. Didnt pass a signal.

I clicked the pedal on/off a few times.. it then all worked.

It was a sticky. bloody. pedal. switch.

Just to confirm I wasnt going insane I plugged the old katana in. All worked fine. LOL.

stylesforfree · June 2023

Well, this is one of those moments we have all endured, plugging and unplugging cables, following the lead from one jack to another, switching everything off and back on again, turning every single dial and knob, double checking everything is plugged in.

Im very happy that your Katana is working fine. Maybe you can just return the new one you bought?

I do love happy endings.

skunkwerx · June 2023

stylesforfree said:

Well, this is one of those moments we have all endured, plugging and unplugging cables, following the lead from one jack to another, switching everything off and back on again, turning every single dial and knob, double checking everything is plugged in.

Im very happy that your Katana is working fine. Maybe you can just return the new one you bought?

I do love happy endings.

Hehe it's here now and all shiny and new.. gotta keep it!

Never mind, I'm sure I can find a use for the old one...

S56035 · June 2023

I spent ages in a similar situation. Turned out to be the battery in the guitar. Forgot it had active pickups.

Paul_C · June 2023

S56035 said:

I spent ages in a similar situation. Turned out to be the battery in the guitar. Forgot it had active pickups.

I have had at least one customer who has done that.

One who told me it couldn't be the batteries because he'd put some new ones (2x AA) in, they were dead.

One where the battery box didn't have a battery in.

etc. etc.

Rkphilpot · June 2023

skunkwerx said:

It was a sticky. bloody. pedal. switch.

I've had exactly this before, a pedal switch was sort of half pressed some how. I only figured it out by going along and pressing every single switch! Even so, I still didn't think of it when reading your issues.

Let me know if you are interested in selling the standard mk2 head. I could be interested for the right price.

Nikc · June 2023

Ha I had a nasty distortion through my new Orange amp totally convinced myself something had let go - I even contacted Orange for advice - then went back to basics, a bloody cable breaking down that I had in the effects loop. New cables and all is good with the world

darthed1981 · June 2023

I want an Artist Mk 2 and a GA-FC now...

Talk me out of it guys...

ICBM · June 2023

I bought an expensive Mesa valve overdrive pedal, took it to a gig and it didn’t work. The following day I took it apart to find the problem, but couldn’t find anything wrong with it... it was only when I finally tried connecting it to my pedalboard and the same patch cables wouldn’t reach the right jacks - when they had at the gig - that I realised I’d plugged it in backwards

.

At least you get to compare the two amps properly. If you don’t need two, then sell (or return) the one you like less. Personally, I’d keep the new one anyway for the simple reason that the controls are in the right place.

ESBlonde · June 2023

I learned long ago that if stuff dies at a gig you need to strip down fast to minimal and carry on, at least to a break. Working out that procedure in advance can save a lot of wasted time.
if the switch is sticky it might benefit some contact cleaner but I’d buy a quality replacement soon so you can swap it out at your convenience.

skunkwerx · July 2023

Just to update and give a nice close to the story, I met fellow member Rkphilpot last week who bought the standard MkII head, so it found a good home!

As for the Seymour Duncan Vapour Trail, it has been forgiven, but will be my first suspect in future haha.

Rkphilpot · September 2023

And FYI, I changed the grille cloth to white and have gigged it a few times, love it!

DuploLicks · September 2023

An excellent wheeze to get new gear past the better half. Lament about kit packing up. Disbelief that this has happened & having tried everything the ONLY solution is to buy a replacement, well maybe something slightly different.

skunkwerx · October 2023

Rkphilpot said:

And FYI, I changed the grille cloth to white and have gigged it a few times, love it!

Oh nice! Have you got any pics of that? Be interesting to see, it sounds like it would look awesome!

icu81b4 · October 2023

darthed1981 said:

I want an Artist Mk 2 and a GA-FC now...

Talk me out of it guys...

I bought the combo one recently with the waza speaker as a practice amp, but was so pleased with it I promoted it to a gig rig.

If you only want to use the GAFC (EX) without outboard pedals then it can be a bit of a tap dance though.

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UPDATE: My Katana mk2 head just died :( - IT DIDN'T DIE!

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