Roland DB 500 bass amp , 1999

[N_Cook]

Is there any redeeming feature about working on this amp?
I don't suppose removing the front would reveal removeable connections on
the speakers.
So you have to remove a choke, ferrite filter, numerous earth straps etc to
be able even half get at the main board. Then desolder the 4 speaker wires
i see a choc block going in there). But its the stink of horse manure
inside that is most annoying. What do they make transformer lacquer from in
the USA? . This is the third such box , and all USA made, take the covers of
and the room smells of manure. Not the fresh stuff but the rotted form ,
caproic acid coming off it according to my chemist friend, or maybe butyric
acid.
other littoral stinkers were
Fender Pro 185, 1989
JBL SA660 (James B Lansing ), domestic amp 1969

 

[N_Cook]

maybe (precursor to?) this form of varnish
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5225468/description.html
This invention relates to polymeric insulation compositions which are
crosslinked to produce heat resistant and flame resistant products useful
for coating wire and cable products. More particularly, the invention
relates to crosslinkable flame retardant ethylene-vinyl ester and
ethylenealkyl acrylate copolymer insulation compositions which do not
tarnish the surface of copper conductors upon curing.
/
THE PROCESSING ADDITIVE
While any known processing agent can be employed, fatty acids or fatty acid
derivatives, polymeric processing resins and hydrocarbon oils, or
combinations thereof, are most generally used. The fatty acid derivatives
can include metal soaps, esters, ester-soaps, amides, and the like.
The term fatty acid as employed herein, refers to aliphatic carboxylic acids
having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms. While these acids are usually derived from
natural sources, they can also be synthetically produced. The fatty acids
can be branched or straight-chain, saturated or unsaturated and they may
consist of a single acid, or as is more commonly the case, a mixture of
acids within the specified carbon content range. Illustrative fatty acids
include caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic
acid, myristoleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid,
isostearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, eleostearic acid, behenic acid,
erucic acid and the like. Useful fatty acid mixtures are obtained from
triglycerides present in natural fats and oils including coconut oil,
cottonseed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, soy oil, tall oil, safflower oil,
corn oil, rapeseed oil, tallow or the like.

 

[N_Cook]

Made in USA? Since when?

Alright assembled in USA, otherwise Taiwan .
CHIA YU is probably the make on this one and the choke as well

 

[David Nebenzahl]

[...] This is the third such box , and all USA made, take the
covers of and the room smells of manure. Not the fresh stuff but
the rotted form , caproic acid coming off it according to my
chemist friend, or maybe butyric acid.

Made in USA? Since when?

Alright assembled in USA, otherwise Taiwan .
CHIA YU is probably the make on this one and the choke as well

Well, there you go: good old Chinese horseshit, the traditional
insulation material used there.

 

[N_Cook]

[...] This is the third such box , and all USA made, take the
covers of and the room smells of manure. Not the fresh stuff but
the rotted form , caproic acid coming off it according to my
chemist friend, or maybe butyric acid.

Made in USA? Since when?

Alright assembled in USA, otherwise Taiwan .
CHIA YU is probably the make on this one and the choke as well

Well, there you go: good old Chinese horseshit, the traditional
insulation material used there.

This time yes but I doubt a JBL SA660 (James B Lansing ) 1969 amp would have
had a Chinese transformer inside. Is it a specification thing? I don't know
how many hundreds of amps made in or made for UK I've poked around inside
of, but none with the smell of rotted horse manure (not as unpleasant as
fresh manure smell BTW). So probability-wise looks either a USA thing or UK
air polution or 240V operation combining with exotic materials

 

[N_Cook]

I should say it is not just me, this one and the JBL previously confirmed my
smell diagnosis, by 2 seoparate people other than myself. The JBL really
stunk out the room , not just while it was around but for some days
afterwards.
I can find no www reference to USA based repairers ever noticing this
agriultural smell, making it all very odd. Do they use another word for
horse manure over there?