Marshall Bass 12 (5501) headphone socket oddity

[Guest canonman]

Hi peeps

Just picked up a nice Marshall Bass 12 off eBay, and after a good clean and a blast of Super 10 in the pots it works a treat. Strange thing is though, when I plug some headphones into the HP/Line Out socket, it doesn't mute the internal speaker. This is going to make it a bit unpopular with the missus if I want to use it for practice while she's got the telly on!

I noticed while I'd got the chassis out that the socket in question has had one of the contacts pulled out from where you'd expect it to be, so that it only makes contact when a plug is in the socket, rather than when it isn't. Hopefully the photos show this. Would it have come from the factory like this or has somebody been fiddling with it, and that's why the speaker isn't muted with headphones plugged in?

TIA for any info

Cheers,

Dave
[attachment=152053:100_6505.JPG][attachment=152054:100_6498.JPG]

[icastle]

It didn't leave the factory like that.

That bent contact is part of a switch, bend it back into place so it matches the other terminals and it should sort your problem out.

If it doesn't, then unsolder it, drop it in the bin and fit a new one.

[Guest canonman]

Thanks for the info, you've confirmed what I was thinking, somebody has been fiddling with it!

[Bassman Rich]

Apparently, I've heard, but can't confirm, that Billy Gibbons used the guitar version as a preamp for some ZZ Top studio stuff, and I have a 1984 bass version too!!!

[Guest canonman]

[quote name='Bassman Rich' timestamp='1389644656' post='2336553']
Apparently, I've heard, but can't confirm, that Billy Gibbons used the guitar version as a preamp for some ZZ Top studio stuff, and I have a 1984 bass version too!!!
[/quote]

That would be great, if it's true!

So, you can confirm that the speaker's meant to be muted when you plug headphones in then?

I think I'll just pop a new socket in and be done with it....

[icastle]

[quote name='canonman' timestamp='1389696443' post='2336925']
So, you can confirm that the speaker's meant to be muted when you plug headphones in then?
[/quote]

Yep.

When you push a plug into that socket it is supposed to break the connection to the loudspeaker and divert the signal through the jack plug to the headphones.

[Bassman Rich]

Yes, it should mute the speaker, as iCastle says above. I had mine fitted with a 150 watt speaker 20 years ago so I can use it as an external (small and fairly quiet) extension cab for when the onboard 12 watts is not quite enough. This hasn't been too succesful (buzzes and rattles), but better than carting a 4x10 up a twisty turny staircase into a mates attic, which was the only other alternative at the time..... and before neo was invented!!

[Bassman Rich]

[quote name='canonman' timestamp='1389696443' post='2336925']
That would be great, if it's true!
[/quote]

Check wiki if you believe that!!

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZ_Top_equipment#Amplifiers"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZ_Top_equipment#Amplifiers[/url]

Or the 2nd paragraph of Steves amp stuff here.
[url="http://www.stevesamps.co.uk/wp/?page_id=289"]http://www.stevesamps.co.uk/wp/?page_id=289[/url]

Happy strumming guys

[Guest canonman]

[quote name='Bassman Rich' timestamp='1389809893' post='2338176']
Yes, it should mute the speaker, as iCastle says above. I had mine fitted with a 150 watt speaker 20 years ago so I can use it as an external (small and fairly quiet) extension cab for when the onboard 12 watts is not quite enough. This hasn't been too succesful (buzzes and rattles), but better than carting a 4x10 up a twisty turny staircase into a mates attic, which was the only other alternative at the time..... and before neo was invented!!
[/quote]

Thanks for confirming that.

I'm not surprised by the rattles and buzzes, poor little cabinet!