Blackstar HT Club 40 | Part 2 : Changing Out the Main PCB

[@KKMcK1]

In a previous video you stated that you work on toys. For the most part, you work on tools. Obviously a few of the amps you work on are not tools, but toys. Case in point. Despite this, your efforts of professionalism are nothing less than heroic.

[@DaveGVideo]

Great videos. I have one customer who loves his blackstar amps. So far, every time he’s brought one to me it’s been a noisy tube that’s about to die. I’ll keep an eye out for this type of failure as well. Good to know the board is available. Thanks!

[@YOutsider]

sounds soo much better with the cold bias.

[@rickycompton2610]

Great video Lyle I wonder if the cost of the board with your labor to fix it in your opinion was it worth it I love when you do these videos it gives me a heads up on what amps not to buy. Your work is so clean and precise.

[@PsionicAudio]

The owner and I discussed that. It was less expensive than buying another Blackstar, and much less than buying some other amp with comparable features. The board cost less than my time would have to fix the original board, and he got a full recap in the process.

[@goodun2974]

@@PsionicAudio , one of the main problems with SMD components and double-sided PC boards is that it allows ridiculously high component density and thereby encourages engineers to take an " everything but the kitchen sink, and the kitchen sink too" approach to amp design, egged on by the marketing department who thinks that the more bells and whistles and blinking lights, the better. As opposed to designing an amp that does 4 or 5 things really well, with greater reliability, and economically serviceable at component level.

[@weschilton]

@@PsionicAudio what a waste though... all that electronic garbage.

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

That is what you get when the masses want cheap amps. Mass produced crap with a fairly short lifespan.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Amazing tones from this new amp. See you in five years.

[@semajdis]

10:45 - "The stars are now aligned". I heard that Blackstar amps are not the most friendly to work on but having to rely on Astrology to get the job done sounds very impractical!

[@AB7F9]

How did you bias the power tubes on the club 40?

[@ScoobyStrat]

Maybe I’ve been lucky with the MKI version of this amp I bought new in 2010. I have never had an issue. These early versions were made in Korea, not like now, made in China. I tend to think Blackstar might have had better QC at the factory when this amp was first introduced. A Vintage 30 really makes it sound better as well.

[@GuitarTubeAmpRepair]

I would like to know how to order a new board and the cost? I am working on one that has a buzz on the clean channel only. I wish I had stuck to my previous policy of not working on any Blackstar. Also, I need a schematic if possible.

[@braincarlson5891]

Where can I buy a new PCB board for a Blackstar HT5?

[@joelburgosrobles]

What is the parts number? Where can I order that complete board. I have exactly the same problem.

[@fullofgamers4307]

Hi, I’m from Ecuador. I don’t know where I can buy the board from my Blackstar ht40 mkii. Would you help me telling me where? I bought and I have to change that.

[@brentmydland5176]

Is the metal grounding ring around the input jack important? Have one of these with a weird issue… the input seems to lose the guitar signal like it was weak or being grounded. Been trying to figure it out for a while now. Finally have the schematic and I’m wondering if I’m losing some of the signal at the input thru some weird grounding or if something like the input buffer IC is acting up. I’m an aspiring amp guy and have been studying learning about circuit design and amp repair and design for about two years now so this is kind of personal I don’t wanna give up

[@ctcards2636]

What is the clean channel on this amp based on ? Or is it its own thing ?

[@tschupbach]

What tool do you use to pull the pots off?

[@PsionicAudio]

A knob puller. Stew Mac, Sweetwater, lots of places.

[@tschupbach]

@@PsionicAudio Thanks! I always used a small putty knife with cardboard on the painted side but that looked simpler!

[@jackbyrd4921]

Lyle shouldn't that main board have been shipped in esd bag?

[@PsionicAudio]

One would think.

[@marciolincon]

The problem with these blackstar amplifiers that use mosfets as an inverter is that the heat affects the fiberglass board. The heat carbonizes the plate generating a parasitic resistance. The mosfets have very high impedance and any resistance inserted in the circuit will cause problems. You have to suspend the fets and isolate the tracks that go through the part of the board where the fets are.

[@goodun2974]

Nitromethane is what you should use on the "red paint" on those screwheads. Traditionally, screws have been locked in place on circuit boards with something known as glyptol, a lacquer-like, syrupy liquid, and nitro is the only stuff we've found that works well. It's possible that they might be using something different nowadays, perhaps silicone based. Was it hard and flaky, or soft and rubbery?

[@PsionicAudio]

Rubbery. And bullshit on Blackstar's part. I shouldn't need a full chemistry lab to use screws. If I did more than 1-2 a year I'd just order a box of the correct metric screws from McMaster. Faster/cheaper than cleaning off this red crap.

[@goodun2974]

@@PsionicAudio , star washers under the screwheads would prevent them from loosening. A dab of actual Loctite wouldn't hurt. Anyway, whatever locking compounds they are now using on Chinese made stuff, it's definitely known to be corrosive over time when exposed to heat. I've seen this happen on Asian-made tube hifi gear: the shit turns from red to brown and becomes crusty and any metal it touches will corrode.

[@rasjase1]

@@PsionicAudio I was rolling at the nail polish jokes.....love the dry sense of humor

[@cpfs936]

@@PsionicAudio So how many dB of gain do you get with the red threadlock as opposed to say, blue? Seriously Lyle, you could be onto something if you could convince some people that the color affects tone. 😉

[@kennyallums7984]

Those spring loaded buttons are carefully designed to only function properly when the pot nuts are hand tight.

[@jameskavanagh4300]

A great example of a truly disposable amp not built for the long haul

[@exmailman1]

Where did you obtain the board?

[@PsionicAudio]

Full Compass

[@ferraridinoman]

Guess we all have to get used to all these cheap crap rubbish economy chinese circus boards and componants that have a VERY limited life span. Guess being and old git I'll stick with my old basic Fenders and Musicmans!! Nice work young Lyle! (rather you than me!!) x

[@leoahearn7382]

Street Walker Red nail polish is the sh/t…

[@ianmccutcheon6759]

Is this potentially an ongoing issue that will have to be replaced again? (in your professional, informed opinion)...and how does whether a problem happens again factor into a conversation with a customer on cost of repair?

[@PsionicAudio]

This particular issue is unlikely to happen again (possible but not probable). But other issues will arise. It's an inexpensive amp cheaply made. You get what you pay for. But his amp is essentially new again, which resets the failure clock. These Blackstars, the new Fender Tone Master amps, all Class D amps on the market, they're all disposable. View them like a laptop or cellphone and buy another cheap thing every five years or so.

[@ianmccutcheon6759]

@@PsionicAudio thanks for the response. Good work and explanation as usual.

[@michaelwbuncher7599]

@@PsionicAudio How much does one need to spend to avoid a "cheap" amp? These are $1000 new. Granted, that's a recent price hike but the Fender Tonemasters have been at and above the $1000 dollar level. Is there anything at $1000 that isn't cheaply made or rather what is the least cheaply made amp for $1000? Basically, what's the lowest price for a new amp that isn't "cheaply made"? Love your vids!

[@PsionicAudio]

Thanks. I don't keep up with everything on the market. But you can't really go wrong with a Vox AC15 or AC30 Custom series or a Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb RI.

[@michaelwbuncher7599]

@@PsionicAudio Thank you for your reply! I have a blues junior with noise issues and I've been looking at your vids to learn about it. After seeing a few and not really wanting to deal with the blues junior anymore and not knowing any local techs, I was thinking about keeping my eyes peeled for an AC 15.

[@fiddlix]

Black star amps aahhrrgg. I have forgotten what the problem with the original board was..?

[@PsionicAudio]

Buzzing on both channels coming from the three opamps and their related circuitry between the input and the volume. Would have taken me longer to change that stuff out than it did to replace the board. And my time would have cost more than the board did.

[@LothyBluesCave]

@@PsionicAudio Thats true, but it is also a shame you have to change a whole board because of a part that costs almost nothing...But anyway, well done..Cheers.

[@PsionicAudio]

Well, the entire philosophy of these amps is that board swapping costs less than field repair. Blackstar doesn't fix these either. They do what I did here. And when these boards are no longer available...

[@fiddlix]

@@PsionicAudio I remember now. Great call on a difficult amp at best.

[@AROSFC]

Have you ever had a Fender Super Champ X2 in the bench?

[@PsionicAudio]

Yup. Often with bad DSP cards, and Fender no longer stocks them. All I can do is deliver the bad news to the owner. I usually do a play test on them at the local store I do work through (no one is sending me these from across the country) and do a spot diagnosis. Usually I can call it DOA and not hit the owner with a diagnostic fee. Bad enough to hear your amp is toast without paying $50 for the info.

[@AROSFC]

@@PsionicAudio tks for the info. I got one and I'm quite happy with it using it as a practice and studio amp.

[@AROSFC]

@@PsionicAudio and I've been on forums where that issue has been discussed. There is an online mod for making the 12AX7 work as pre amp tube and not only as a phase inverter but I'll wait until the DSP board fails to pick the iron...

[@dontuckerjr]

I have a Super Champ X2 that I switched out the volume pots to Fender audio taper pots. It made a huge difference in volume management on both channels.

[@AROSFC]

@@dontuckerjr I play it though a 1980's 12' Celestion and it sounds amazing.

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

Shame because these amps get a kicking by loads and they are not too bad for the money. If you spend £600 you get a massed produced amp that has limited lifespan, if you spend £2000 you get an amp for life.....that is all good but most of us are on a budget and tight one at that, so this is our option, and a good used option it is . Nice to see it being saved rather than dumped!

[@topfloorstudio2684]

Save yourself some time and just wire wheel those screw heads to get the gunk off & make them real shiny with the bench grinder. I hold the threaded end with some locking pliers so you don't send one of the screws into another dimension never to be seen again. Lol. Great video man.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

Sure is a lot of work and cost for what I consider a disposable amp. The cost of these is a bit higher than I think they should be, but only because people will pay their price so there is no reason for Blackstar to sell them closer to what they are actually worth. Just my opinion.

[@singleplayer75]

And what would happen if people knew what exactly are thay paying for?

[@heythere6983]

Are all pcb amps hard to repair? Most marshalls have pcbs too correct? I don’t really understand why blackstars are harder to deal with than a newer Marshall? Iv been looking into older amps . Thing is, I assume you need a variac to rub them properly to their lesser voltage requirements. I’m also confused when it comes to old plexis. I see they come with mains input switches. So you can choose 110/220/240 volts . Does this mean I can get an amp from any part of the world and imply switch to 110 if I’m from the US and variac my voltage and I’m done? I spoke to one guy and he said he’d need a strip up transformer to use his in the US although he had the mains switch on his amp, he said it was only for Europe which doesn’t make sense to me since there are switches . Also it says on a sticker that the input is either 110/220 so I assume it would be fine for 110 volts. Although I’m not sure where 240 volts fits into all that . Any info? I’m sure it’s is very basic but I am ignorant to this since I’ve never had an amp with these switches and I use current amps, like blackstars and a marshall jvm hjs

[@jimsalman7257]

Ahh… the joy of repairing “consumer electronics” guitar amps!

[@pauldavis6356]

Sticky push buttons on the front panel - now we know why the pots where only finger-tight. LoL.

[@gingercat777]

I bet you're glad you don't play that amp very often.

[@goodun2974]

Reverb sounds awful!

[@PsionicAudio]

Well, at the end I had it comically high to see if it oscillated or anything, but in the normal range of use it's nothing to write home about.

[@goodun2974]

@@PsionicAudio , I assume the reverb is digital and not analog. It certainly sounded like a bad digital reverb.