The Electra Forums

Hey All,

I was lucky enough to score an MPC Flanger unit to finish off the Chris Squire replica I made out of an X-610. She looks and sounds great (and if I knew how to put a picture directly into this post, I'd show you all)! Very cool.

I have some questions for anyone out there who has the Flanger unit, to make sure mine is functioning correctly.

I noticed two things about the unit that seem funny: firstly, when I turn the effect pot all the way up on the instrument for the MPC unit, the Flanger starts whistling very very very loud, like it's feeding back into itself. I can't go past 7 before the thing starts screaming into the amplifier, even at quiet volumes. Any ideas on that one?

The other thing I noticed has to do with the range dial on the unit itself. It doesn't really seem to function so much like a range setting as it does a "center point" setting. What I mean is that it sounds to me like the range of the wave of the Flanger is actually fixed, but with the range dial, I can change where the center frequency is on the sweep, so it's either a low frequency Flanger or high frequency. Anyone else experience this? My suspicion is that this unit is supposed to have a much greater range in the wave than I'm actually getting, especially when I hear how great the sweep is in Chris Squire's instrument when I listen to "Tempus Fugit" off the Drama album.

So boys, what can you all tell me?

Still, this bass sooooooo ROCKS now!

Chris

Thorny had some info on this unit in this post

Post subject: 2 new Electra MPC "Thorny modded" MPC5 Overdrive ModulesPosted: Mon May 26, 2008 10:41 pm

The first time I heard someone using a Flanger I knew I had to have that sound- I bought the MPC Flanger the next day;

In my X340 I have always used the MPC Compressor as module 1 (left) and the Flanger as module 2 (right) - looking with the MPC cavity open.

The Flanger has 2 adjustable dials on the face at the bottom - Speed (left) to 7 o'clock position and Range (right) adjusted to 5 o'clock position; I have never changed this since I set this many years ago; I use the control pots on the front of the guitar for any adjustments to either module; BTW- the Flanger will tend to have a spaceship (growl) sound? if you turn the front control pot all the way to 10; I usually adjust the front control pot between 0 - 7 depending on what sound I am looking for. This Flanger at this setting is one of the best sounding ones that I have found - for what I am looking for.

Pic of the settings at: http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra/RCSblues.php

Scroll down to see the pic of the MPC cavity with the effects.

Hope this helps you,
RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

What most often goes wrong with flangers is the little "tear drop" electrolytic capacitors need to be replaced. You find the values either on them or by the color - and I don't recall where to get them off hand - maybe mouser.com? There used to be a site called small bear electronics that had parts too. There are guys that specialize in that stuff too. I am more limited to the fuzz and overdrive (amplification) circuits rather than the flanger and phaser circuits.

I bet your flanger needs those little caps replaced. Just about EVERY flanger that works properly has already had them replaced - I can almost guarantee it. They just don't last forever.

If anyone has a person that works on their FX that wil fix these let us know. You can forward my information to them regarding the capacitors and I expect that they will agree and fix it. We should post them on the page for repairs. Modules are getting rare enough and the age is old enough that they will be needed from time to time. The flanger is a module worth fixing.

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Thorny

Should I be worried?

I have had my Flanger MPC 10 box since 1978 or so; haven't ever had any problems;

Have always left the unit face settings where I originally set them at about 7 and 5 o'clock - respectively left to right;

But now I guess I'll be watching and listening to it more closely.



RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

I wouldn't worry. Just it may gradually stop working correctly. The flanger may not have the sweep or the controls stop working or only work in a narrow band. Or one day it may stop working all together. If that is the case, it likely will be the result of those little capacitors. Sometimes you can open one that does not work and see one of them actually burnt up (I have seen that). When I have bought flangers or heard others that were bought off of ebay, frequently they have these problems as a result of the capacitors.

If yours works today - GREAT! If it should not work a year from now, I hope you remember this information and can find someone to replace the caps and get it going again. I don't want to scare anyone, I just want everyone to know what needs to be done should their flanger stop working properly. I hope this will encourage them to fix it rather than toss it.

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Thorny

Would you be a contact for repairs if this ever happens?

RCSBlues

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RCSBlues

I could be, but I was thinking if anybody has anyone they use for FX repair that they have used and recommend, we could put them down as someone that repairs these.

I repair overdrives, and can repair fuzz modules as well - but the phaser and flangers are more complex and not amplifier circuits that I am more used to working on. I had a guy, but frankly it has been 10-15 years ago since I used him and I don't recall his name off hand. I have moved since then and lots of things have changed.

Hmm, maybe scotty at proanalog? I can check with him. Maybe even Kevin at Uncle Alberts. I will check with those guys. I know them by reputation and they are definitely top notch guys. I don't know if they want to fool with this stuff.

If I could recall where to get the capacitors, I probably could just point that information out. Right now I don't have time for the investigation because I have too many irons in the fire.

Anyone have any pedal repair person recommendations? Parts sources for those tiny "tear drop" capacitors?

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Thorny