1982 MXR Distortion II Guitar Effects Pedal REPAIR

[@jonlennon3348]

I lived right around the corner from MXR. All my friends worked there at one time or another. Small world.

[@Chinaguitarsceptic]

These are my favourite vids man. Love seeing you fix things

[@filonome]

Seconded! My next favorite vids are when he works on mesa boogie amps... y'know how he always loves working on those ones!!

[@fiddlix]

@@filonome ha ha ha

[@kxmrock]

@@filonome LOL

[@jgrimsley2000]

First solid state repair on this channel that I did not yell at my screen. ; ) Elegant and safe solution, Mr. Linzy.

[@BockwinkleB]

Ha, yeah I know nothing about this kind of repair, but it's still cool to see him try stuff that he isnt comfortable with either.

[@TheGuitologist]

I’ll have to get you something to yell about next time.

[@heavymetalATC]

Great video Brad. Your solution made this thing much safer. I also dig the video format. Very concise and informative. This vid will help a lot of people.

[@nicwilson89]

Fantastic As a side note, I really don't think Brad gets enough credit for his playing! :D

[@phillippitts6294]

Please pst a video during the Stupid Bowl again this year. It was nice to have something watch

[@Echoes_AJ]

When the primary on a power transformer opens, it's usually the thermal fuse inside the transformer that blows up (afaik, all power transformers have one, and it's thermal, not current-based). It's on the first windings of the primary so it's easy to spot and bypass once you reveal the coils. I saved hundreds of faulty transformers back in the 80's that way. It's good measure to add a fuse to the primary afterward, of course.

[@tednugentlives]

Well, 20 years ago when mine went bad, (same issue), I gutted it and turned it in to a a/b switch box. I wish I stuck it in the guitar junk drawer to fix later..oh well, I learned something.

[@REXYLAB]

Such peaceful background music.

[@joshuataft5541]

Your one of my hero's brad..I wished when I was young someone like you showed me how cool science and electricity could be ..and its applications. Took me until 30 to realize I fked up a few places on the path.thank god for men like you I cant say it enough. Good is going extinct and started in the late 80s or earlier. It's too bad.. thanx again brad great vidio .I hope if you leave your old vidios will still be here for prosperity. 🖤🖤👍👍😷

[@jasonwhite1244]

Aweşome!

[@nohandleforme....]

@Gerard R. Quit lying. You only make yourself look like a fool.

[@joshuataft5541]

@Gerard R. what's a saditionist. Like a sadist.i like him cause he's real and isn't scared to ruffle feathers and he's damn handy with Amps and can play very well. Nobodys perfect. I see alot of myself in him. If u dnt like him y are u here

[@chopperdeath]

@Gerard R. You wouldn't know sedition if it punched you in the face. Nice use of the dictionary in your trolling efforts.

[@ravenslaves]

Very transparent. With hints of cherry with chocolate overtones and well balanced tannins. Pairs well with both fish and game and the occasional playful Cheeto.

[@grandudetonesnob7107]

I concur, and will add that I noted a long finish, with a slightly metallic bouquet..

[@RHR-221b]

@@grandudetonesnob7107 🍷 😎

[@RHR-221b]

I also appreciate the nuance of Social Distortioning, mingling existentially with Fu*k Art, Let's Dance. Stay free. 👍 🍷

[@patlaw53]

I already know how to do the repairs, but I sure could use some guitar lessons from Brad! You gotta love his style.

[@VashStarwind]

That little quip about california was gold lol

[@ralphups7782]

That clip, you used in frame 0:03/14:12. took me right back to old London great Britain, very tight high waister trousers with flairs sideburns platform shoes and fantastically bad television programs. we really knew what being board was all about, Sunday was the worst. I would look forward to Monday just to hear the traffic going by. :-(

[@meesterprofe007]

So glad to see you doing what you do best......you have style and knowledge Brad. Please keep your great KZbin videos going.....you opened up a whole world to me and I thank you!😊🎙🎸🎤

[@BillHertzing]

Nice work. I almost feel like I know something after watching these repair videos. I come here to learn something and you don't disappoint.

[@PeterAJones]

An excellent solution Brad! Good on ya!!

[@HananGrinberg]

You should put a diode in series or parallel from the jack to the capacitor for reverse polarity protection. If you accidentally send the wrong polarity into this, both the capacitor and the voltage regulator are going to become a lovely fireworks show...

[@RobMods]

I thought this too. I respectfully think he's cut the track in the wrong place. He should have left one of the existing diodes in the circuit. A load resistor wouldn't go astray too, since the reg has no heat sink. Actually, there's no real reason to cut the track at all. Just remove the diodes and use the vacant solder pad. A polarity protection diode could then be put in line on the red wire.

[@graysguitars5113]

This is the kind of content I want to see on this channel no politics, no crazy theories, no virus talk. Just you talking about guitar products working on them and getting them to work again. Keep doing this.

[@PaulPauliePabloPaolo]

I love that you have the old ITV thing at the start...makes me remember being a kid!.

[@ianbanhamamprepair9457]

Thames Television theme from 1960,s

[@jds9958]

Great pedal, I had one. They gave you an actual foam pad to stick on the back to keep it from sliding on the floor.

[@filonome]

Great vid! I always love a repair video. The ambient background "thinking music" was great, haha.

[@Chinaguitarsceptic]

Awesome job and so much safer now with external supply conversion. Great job bro.

[@sski]

Nice work, Brad! I really enjoyed the repair while listening to that ambient music track. That track was great. Thanks, brother.

[@fiddlix]

Genius solution Brad.

[@LonelyRocker]

Great repair. I'm wondering though how much of the original tone of that pedal was coloured by that old transformer (when it was working). Would be interesting to compare it to one with a functioning transformer.

[@jaytee8258]

Woah... I didn't think of that kind of beautiful simple solution. I would have been scrounging for a internal transformer and taking 3x as long to wire it all back up. I'm still learning things. Thanks Brad.

[@8wheeledassassins.]

Thanks Brad. Good to see you getting the content out regularly again. Sure could use an SPF.

[@therealnynetynyne360]

SPF is a recipe for disaster with the tech nazis shitting on everyone

[@8wheeledassassins.]

@@therealnynetynyne360 I know I know. I prefer authoritarian censorship to self censorship, but I understand Brads call on it. That said it would be great to hear the thoughts of a reasonable man, but we all know there is no bigger crime than laughing at the elites.

[@KZ-xb8fi]

Nice to see you in the shop again brad

[@fredyvalstrauss]

Loved the background harmony... Great work as always Brad.

[@briancoonrod7224]

That pedal sounds great 👍 nice job probably quieter as well with that transformer out of there !!!

[@gingerdingdong7311]

i say it again ...in these crazy times ..you keepin it goin , thanks brad

[@theallseeingarmpit5519]

Sweet ambient in the background. Relaxed, almost knodded out.

[@matt0laughed]

Sounds pretty freaking good. Thanks for keeping us informed and interested in electronics. I just fixed a friend's Fender Bassman 400h head that burned up 2 resistors just before the speaker output. I had to epoxy the burn holes in the board, and fortunately didn't need to fix any traces, just able to solder around the board. I wouldn't be as proficient or generally interested in audio electronics without you (or Uncle Doug) so please keep it up. Now i just need to find all the chassis screws...

[@unsurprisingly]

Wish I would have keeped mine thanks much love from Huntington WV

[@internetpizza]

super elegant solution, nice work!

[@uskeeze2131]

Videos like these made me love your channel. I’m all for you expressing your opinion and all but ultimately this is what lead me to your channel.

[@jacobdowler1]

Now there's a video! ....Brad, you got you're mic/audio sounding damn good. id say its pretty tight clean and crisp. i dig the ambient sounds in the background with the voiceover. it's not to loud or not too quiet, its just right. keep these videos coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@AuntAlnico4]

It's funny timing that you did this video as I've just got my hands on a 1979 MXR Distortion+ that has a burnt up chip ! I want to find out a chip replacement and get this awesome vintage pedal going again !

[@jeffbrooks7246]

Really cool old pedal, nice save!

[@haroldsparkman6008]

Awesome. Great repair. I threw away several pedals that probably could have been repaired. Genius at work!

[@fauldurand]

The tone from the pedal through the amp is pretty awesome sounding.

[@kenhancock8931]

Thx brad. That's a little after the 1976 hand wired red compressor I owned. It was 9volt only. I hate thieves . The 803 transistor is the shit!!!! Have a great day

[@matthewjones5450]

very cool this was my firs pedal

[@micahwatz1148]

Just commenting to support the channel. Just started watching.

[@wrenchhead4378]

Great guitar pickin! Glad to see you doing a repair video.

[@elducko1951]

Brilliant!! Very enjoyable lesson, Brad, thank you

[@darrellkelly7614]

I believe That I have seen the greatest video of all..I must've discarded dozens of mxr plug in pedals due to that same issue. If my roadies back in the 70s and 80s knew what to do I would have.....oh been say saved.. If this world we know ends sometime, Im glad that I've been shown the light on many issues via my guitologist. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in a way that allows us true discovery. Cheers D.

[@lroyshredding3850]

Great Vid Brad 🤘One of the best distortion pedals. I had one used it with my first amp Peavey mace 130w combo. The resonance knob is particularly great at bringing out the bottom end. I sold it with that amp.

[@joesalyers]

I had one of these when I was a teenager and god the distortion was so bright and fuzzy no matter where you set it that it just would not cut through on stage, but if you have a dark guitar and pull the drive down to where it is clean and use the resonance filter to brighten up a Les Paul's humbucker at the neck then it can a powerful tool.

[@ctcards2636]

I owned a 70s version of the Dist +, but id seen these Dist II thru out the years but never tried one out. Thanks for the video, one of these days i will finally try one out. I use a Dist + still to this day, but i use 2 other distortion pedals as well.

[@nedward5871]

Good to see on this one the previous person cleared out all the crumbling foam... On mine when I opened it it took an hour to get it all out... Why not just also remove the transformer?

[@j_morco]

Whatever pickups are in that guitar you used to test the pedal are awesome!

[@timmooney7528]

Good job, and a great way to fix it without having to source an oddball transformer. At first I was guessing you were going to use a buck converter, but a wall wart is also very clever.

[@andrewmiller2868]

Great little video Brad, thanks.

[@michaeltaylors2456]

The optional sticky pad comes in the box from the factory. My DYNACOMP had one

[@BockwinkleB]

Gllenn Fricker gave you a shout on his video today about that Silvertone guitar. Hard to believe he was really considering refinishing it.

[@graxjpg]

I saw that, had a laugh because I know it wasn’t even his guitar and he nearly got Tom green levels of shit for it!

[@doctoribanez]

Cool man. Its even better now

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

You are amazing Brad!!!!

[@stu-j]

A very smart and much safer pedal now..well done

[@richarddickson7243]

Thanks Brad . That was fun. That pedal is even better without a/c.. safer too!

[@julesl6910]

Hot damn that is one pedal that stands out, it sounds fantastic. My first mental connection was the intro to the Raspberries - Go All the Way

[@luisvillarreal5262]

Nice.,Great job Brad. I love these type of repairs. I still have my MXR Distortion + pedal from the early 80’s. It’s the same look , but half the size. If you get any SRD Scholz X100 Rockman for repair, I’d like to see that.

[@archloy]

Nice ! The only trick AFAIK, is that you should plug it onto 18v PSU to make the voltage regulator working no ?

[@mickdebergerac1143]

Aaaahh Brad chilling and doing great things, lovely, just get my cup of tea and sit back and ....relax, enjoy 😎

[@shotgunrebels]

Nice fix. Exactly what should have been done. Will be usable for many years now.

[@caifanesdelaaalaz8529]

DUDE!!! THAT EASY!!! OR AT LEAST YOU MADE IT LOOK THAT WAY. THANKS FOR SHARING.

[@jimbeaux4988]

First thing I thought was get that AC out of there. Did the jack fit right in the cord hole? That was lucky.

[@TheGuitologist]

Perfect fit.

[@icefenix3187]

Funny, that's what I was thinking too. I said out loud, "You'd be better off with an ac adapter connection instead."

[@joshuataft5541]

Sounds great

[@DellFargus]

I have a similar problem. My kid ripped the 9v battery jack off (huh-huh) of the circuit board of a pedal. When I was trying to figure out where out where the red lead went I think that I put it on the wrong circuit and popped a diode. You interested in having a look?

[@billyhughes9776]

Finally a gear related video!

[@freepress8451]

Innovative solution, well-done.

[@THUNDERWORX]

Way to go!!! Sounds great. I had forgotten the day of AC cords for effect pedals...LOL. I had a Mutron Phasor and I'm pretty sure it had a two-prong AC power cord on it. I was constantly trading pedals as a teenager.

[@rickengh1943]

epic beard,dude.keep up all the good work,brother...

[@Jester-Riddle]

Very 'elegant' solution indeed ... It will fit on a pedal board now. Love to see you fixing an old original WEM Copycat with the multi-head tape loop ... Those were the days ... 😂 Anyone remember those ??? Loved the calm ambient music in the background.

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Good job, Brad.

[@TheTrueVoiceOfReason]

my guess is that there was a thermal fuse on the primary side of the transformer that let loose, buried somewhere underneath the first set of windings.

[@ricoeugene2628]

Thank You!! ..again.. for a useful and informative video ..thank You , from Norway..

[@graxjpg]

I love the sound of these. I really want a dist+ to replace my DS1.

[@Da_Porkchop_Xpress]

This was great, Brad. God bless

[@kxmrock]

Excellent Upgrade

[@fuzzcityrecords432]

Cool!

[@fuzzcityrecords432]

used to have a distortion plus script - it ruled.

[@Chrispy_tV]

Cool vid. Nice to see some neat tricks on an old pedal. Also, I like your commentary better than the soothing music for tear downs. A lot of knowledge can get dropped then and I feel like I’m missing out on it.

[@MrSKAGNASTY]

Brilliant . My mind has been blown . Yea just bypass the bad engineering . Nice one head , I'm only just starting my journey into electronics ,but this made me smile

[@l6srob990]

great video i have an early seventies distortion one that still works

[@scarmyguitar]

Now this is worthy content of my attention

[@foreverpick170]

This is right up my alley

[@foreverpick170]

Haaaaa!

[@glenkepic3208]

Nice !! Back in '81, i played again after a 'break'. Pedal to get, MXR Distortion +. Parties and a couple of bar gigs. Saw the ii in mags and wanted one. Never played one. Sold the + for a Boss HM 2....i know... Back at it after another break, yep, Dist + . This time Crazy Train riff as a demo.

[@loumonte658]

Sweet sounding vintage pedal.

[@leemurphy6581]

Love it man!

[@tjsogmc]

Very elegant repair. I would have replaced the capacitors while I was in there just because.

[@AuntAlnico4]

The truth is a beautiful thing, even if the truth exposes some ugly stuff it's still beautiful truth !

[@dutchyfresh1]

Nice job my man!

[@BigWilleyMusicandFun]

what voltage adapter did you end up using . may have one with the same issue lol so this hits home

[@TheGuitologist]

12-18v will work.

[@thekingofelfland3294]

That was my question too. Is the adapter now external on the power cable ? Like a notebook/laptop ?

[@BigWilleyMusicandFun]

@@thekingofelfland3294 i a 12V pedal power supply i imagine

[@Bennett8187]

Your videos made me want to build my own amps. The jcm800 i built doesnt work that well but im getting there.

[@michaeldowning796]

Nice save Brad...

[@freesk8]

Elegant solution! :)

[@decomputerleraarable]

Your background music has really improved. Rob

[@Bob-Whiting]

Did you then use a 12Volt power out/wall wart?

[@TheGuitologist]

12-18v would be fine with this.

[@Bob-Whiting]

@@TheGuitologist Yeah that's what I was thinking but I didn't catch if you actually referred to the supply voltage or not. I haven't heard this pedal before and the schematic said 15V so I was thinking you wouldn't have used 9V fer sure. It looked to me like previous "tester" applied a known good cord to the shorted transformer and got some nice sparks! Thanks for the vid brother, I watch ya a lot.

[@_-_Michael_-_]

Finaly, gear, what I subed for. Thanks.

[@SteveLedger]

Background music from The Slow Mo Guys? Your fix for this was perhaps the most logical one. Not sure why MXR even created a pedal that needed to be connected to mains...