Effects - Pedals, Multi-Effects, and Floor Boxes

[Jonnda]

A year or two ago I bought what seemed to be a near mint DOD FX-17 off of ebay for a reasonable price. Unfortunately after about two weeks of use it crapped out on me, I felt slightly ripped off and thought the seller rigged it some how to work. So I figured if he could get it to work for two weeks, I could get it to work longer then that or just repeat the same repair when needed. That's why i didn't make a stink about it, though looking back on it I really should have.

What is operationally wrong is that the wah/volume no longer tracks, the effect is no longer an smooth sweep. It randomly jumps around and gets stuck at various places along the travel of the pedal.

What is physically wrong is a mystery, but I believe that the variable capacitor (that is created by a circuit board covered with a logarithmic curve area of copper, a sheet of plastic, and a metal plate that is attached to the foot pedal control surface which sweeps across the plastic surface) has worn out. Maybe the plastic bit was replaced by the prior owner, maybe I am missing a conductive grease that has long since dried out, or it could be something else.

What I really would like to know is if there is another person out there that has had a DOD FX-17 that malfuntioned in the same manor, and what they did to fix it.

So far, the only option seems to be to send it back to DOD and see if they will be willing to fix it. They quoted me about $40 just to LOOK at it, I think I recall. As this is what originally paid for the effect, I am not looking forward to paying that again just for someone to tell me if they can fix it or not.

This is my first post on this forum, so hello to every one!:wave:

[bowlingshirt]

So far, the only option seems to be to send it back to DOD and see if they will be willing to fix it. They quoted me about $40 just to LOOK at it, I think I recall. As this is what originally paid for the effect, I am not looking forward to paying that again just for someone to tell me if they can fix it or not.

I'd just get another before paying someone to fix it...it would be cheaper.

[Jonnda]

They tend to go for more around $100 on ebay these days, and I feel like there is no way to garontee that it will remain operational for a resonable amount of time. That is why I was hoping some one could tell me how they fixed theirs, so that I could fix it myself or fix the one I may replace it with (as you suggest) if it craps out too. The other point of this thread was to see how rampent this flaw is, if this is a oddity then yes it would make sense to just buy another. However if this is a common break, it makes more sense to figure out a fix.
:thu:

[(⌐&#9632…]

ok look at the plastic are there any tiny holes in it ?

1) it can be replaced with any vaguely similar robust material
2)there is no conductive grease
3) check all other physical connections and wires with a continuity tester
remove the circuit boards and look for worn traces and loose solder joints
(my fx-17 cost me £10 and e new battery connecter)

[Jonnda]

ok look at the plastic are there any tiny holes in it ?

1) it can be replaced with any vaguely similar robust material
2)there is no conductive grease
3) check all other physical connections and wires with a continuity tester
remove the circuit boards and look for worn traces and loose solder joints
(my fx-17 cost me £10 and e new battery connecter)

Thanks, when I visit home (I'm living at my college right now) I might as well try testing continuity and replacing the plastic. I mean is doen't work now, so I might as well replace the plastic. Do you think what kind matters?

The plastic does not have holes in it but what it does have are pits and scrapes that seem to collect traces of metal in them, like some how some metal dust got in there and then got used. That's one thing I've long been suspicious of.

Here is another question, if any can post a few photos of what their plastic looks like I will be able to tell what should be in there. I have a feeling what is in there now isn't what was origonally there, and would like to be proved wrong.

[ibentmywookie]

I took this photograph the other day and when tweaking my trim pots. I noticed that I didn't have a plastic sheet over the circuit board. Mine works splendidly too.

[Jonnda]

I took this photograph the other day and when tweaking my trim pots. I noticed that I didn't have a plastic sheet over the circuit board.

Mine works splendidly too.

THanks allot but...

Get a picture please of the the right wall area of the pedal. there is a bit of felt one wiper rides against for friction and the other wiper opposite to it (on mine) is riding agianst a clear bit of plastic that is laminated on a curcut board. This is what I want a picture of. in other words just rotate the pedal counter clockwise a little to make it visable.

[Jonnda]

I know this thread is old, but for future reference- it needed a new IC and capacitors.

[TomVanDeven]

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Jonnda wrote:
I know this thread is old, but for future reference- it needed a new IC and capacitors.

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Interesting. I have the FX-17 as well, so if this ever happens I'll go there first.

Thanks!

[Urinate Forever]

Kudos to Jonnda for being proactive

[k tone]

I never buy used wahs. I got bitten once with a POS and if I had done the repairs to it a new one would have been cheaper.

[Jonnda]

Thank you... Um- Urinate Forever. (feels weird calling you that BTW)


Tom, I sent it off to a guy and for the price I paid for it on eBay ($40) he not only repaired the FX-17 but he also added ic sockets, and wrote it down here for others benefit:

http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompboxes/FX-17Tshoot.htm

The IC that died is rather hard to find so I am told, it was either the CA3080 or a 13600. I'd recommend buying spares as they may be more difficult to find as time goes on. Anyway, now that it works better then when I bought it- I am quite happy to own a FX-17. Paying for it's repair saved it from going in a landfil, me from buying another cantankerous DOD fx-17, and hopefully helped other owners of this unique and useful wah.