The Electra Forums

anybody seen this? worked fine for awhile. usually does it at first plug in. sometimes I can remove it swap bays and it will work again.. It's not the bays though, other module works fine in both.

You may want to clean the edge connector contacts on the module with a pencil eraser and try it again. That may fix it

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

A number of things could cause finicky operation. Even if other modules are working ok, don't rule out the Battery as different modules are most certainly going to draw different amounts of juice. If you have narrowed it down to the POD Module, as Arthur suggests, clean up the contacts and see how things go. There are only like five components in there, but one of the Capacitors could have failed after 30 years, or you may have a cold solder joint somewhere that needs to be heated up again.

Worse case, you should think about the Thorny (patent applied for..?) modification which will give you more boost and less hiss. All of these 70's circuits were noisy. Frankly, I don't know why the prices keep going up on all the MPC cartridges, they're pretty low-fi, and you only get one knob to control it. When you buy one on eBay, you pay top dollar and after 30+ years they don't all function equally. I've heard four Flanger modules in person, and I think only Randy's at last years EF2012 sounded right and was useful. Buy 'em in person if you can (I know that's tough), and let the buyer beware with these.

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I think I may have found it.. a light tap on my leg then put it back in and it works... has all the symptoms of a cold solder joint.. I got wondering why it would work when I moved it.. Shouldn't be a hard fix.

Found a real cool tone with my x-320.. Treble/Bass booster treble side rolled up, Power OD on.., neck pickup rolled back and through an Envelope filter gets a pretty convincing funk Strat sound with some amp od.

I also have what looks to be a very early Phase Shifter to figure out next(two PC board version).. Pretty much dead. does pass some sound with the color switch in one position.

Carefully open the module. The schematic for a vintage Electro Harmonix Small Stone is close enough to help troubleshoot. I suggest first replacing the long electrolytic capacitor. Those typically fail after a few years anyway, so it would be a good thing no matter what. If you're not sure what I'm talking about you should get a qualified tech to look at it.

Actually know exactly which one you are talking about.

Yep, replace all the electrolytics - including the tantalum ones (teardrop ones). They are polarized too, so you have to get the + and - on the correct sides. That is generally what goes wrong. Electrolytics don't last forever, and are designed for 10 years, and these got 30-35 years so you did good.

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Thorny