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So my Fender 75 ('80-'83) power switch has been acting up for a while. For a period of time the light wouldn't go on, but it would still give power to the tubes and work fine when I took it out of standby. Then neither the light nor power wouldn't go off any time the amp was plugged in (power strip became my switch) no matter how the switch was flipped.

It worked two days ago right after I changed the tubes and fuse with the issue of the light/power.

Now, I'm getting nothing, and the switch likes to go in four different directions rather than the traditional up-down.

So could I take the chassis out and fix a cold solder joint or replace the switch easily/without electrocuting myself? Or am I gonna have to go to an amp tech and waste my money?

YOU CAN DO IT!

No, no I couldn't.

So I found a loose wire, I identified what I believed to be the proper place for it and poorly soldered it back there over the course of an hour (shitty soldering iron + shitty soldering skills + hand tremors = much difficulty). Still nothing. So I said, "Fuck it" and I completely bypassed the power switch. Plug it in, still nothing. At one point I accidentally discovered it was not the power cord and power IS getting into the amp (not all that safe I know, but kinda glad I knocked out that possibility).

Gonna borrow an ohmeter from somebody and try to track down some addys so I can have this done by the morning.

Update: I resoldered the loose wire (in the correct spot this time!). Then, on a whim, I switch in a new fuse and suddenly, like magic it works again (albeit the still bypassed AC switch). Excited as fuck, I play a couple notes, turn it off and put the chassis back in the cab. Flip the switch again, and nothing, no power. Fuse blew again. Maybe I need to get the fuses listed on the back of the amp rather than the ones that were in there for a year and never had an issue until now. Maybe I need to replace the other three preamp tubes (only had money to replace two and the power tubes last week). Either way, I'm giving up for the moment because I'm frustrated as fuck.

MEC wrote:YOU CAN DO IT!

Dammit MEC. Why'd you have to go and be right?

Yeah, I replaced the fuse and now it works just fine. Still no AC switch which gives it a nice grungy quality, lol.

Now, I'd replace those other preamp tubes and see if that helps stop the fuse from blowing.

MEC wrote:Now, I'd replace those other preamp tubes and see if that helps stop the fuse from blowing.

That's the plan, just gotta work up some funds.