CPX900 update

[YamahaGuy]

Those of you who've been around here a while know I had a CPX900 with a broken neck that some Gorilla glue revived from the dead. The preamp was sketchy when I first got it. Last two gigs it acted up. Today it quit. I took it apart and the volume pot is wiped. Hoping Yamaha can/will sell me a replacement unit...

[Rick Jones]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Those of you who've been around here a while know I had a CPX900 with a broken neck that some Gorilla glue revived from the dead. The preamp was sketchy when I first got it. Last two gigs it acted up. Today it quit. I took it apart and the volume pot is wiped. Hoping Yamaha can/will sell me a replacement unit...

Hello sir!

My second attempt at typing this out, as the first go last night appears not to have posted.

I had the same issue with the system 41 dual source mic and Baggs Ribbon Transducer that came in my CJX32. 20 years of pretty much weekly gigs with it and all the sweat (plus my stint at being a percussive style player) and the volume pot had gone from scratchy to not working at all, plus I had some nasty earth loop humming that was getting to where it was distracting.

When I emailed Yamaha UK, this was their response:


Not to be beaten, I discovered this website that contains many Yamaha musical instrument electronics schematics:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/13...-System45.html

Using that, I was able to get the part number: QC271300, and the spec in Yamaha parlance: 10KB EVJ 02BF03B14 –– which is still the same as you'll find on some of their outboard FX gear, and still possible to order directly from Yamaha. It came from Japan, and I am on an island near France, so it took 17 days to arrive.

Then I had a local electronics engineer solder it in for me.

He says that the components and build are impeccable, and that it's easy to work on with no PCB's on the older models, so he kindly stripped, tested and re-soldered everything whilst he was at it.

Then I swapped the ribbon transducer for a newer Baggs element, which was a direct plug-in replacement and didn't even require and saddle alteration.

So all is not lost, and I hope you can do similar and get many more amplified songs out of your CPX.

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by Snorse

Hello sir!

My second attempt at typing this out, as the first go last night appears not to have posted.

I had the same issue with the system 41 dual source mic and Baggs Ribbon Transducer that came in my CJX32. 20 years of pretty much weekly gigs with it and all the sweat (plus my stint at being a percussive style player) and the volume pot had gone from scratchy to not working at all, plus I had some nasty earth loop humming that was getting to where it was distracting.

When I emailed Yamaha UK, this was their response:


Not to be beaten, I discovered this website that contains many Yamaha musical instrument electronics schematics:
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/13...-System45.html

Using that, I was able to get the part number: QC271300, and the spec in Yamaha parlance: 10KB EVJ 02BF03B14 –– which is still the same as you'll find on some of their outboard FX gear, and still possible to order directly from Yamaha. It came from Japan, and I am on an island near France, so it took 17 days to arrive.

Then I had a local electronics engineer solder it in for me.

He says that the components and build are impeccable, and that it's easy to work on with no PCB's on the older models, so he kindly stripped, tested and re-soldered everything whilst he was at it.

Then I swapped the ribbon transducer for a newer Baggs element, which was a direct plug-in replacement and didn't even require and saddle alteration.

So all is not lost, and I hope you can do similar and get many more amplified songs out of your CPX.

Wow!! Thanks for the info! Fortunately, I was able to source a replacement preamp. Stay tuned for updates.

[Rick Jones]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Wow!! Thanks for the info! Fortunately, I was able to source a replacement preamp. Stay tuned for updates.

No worries. Please don't throw out the old preamp, they are repairable!

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by Snorse

No worries. Please don't throw out the old preamp, they are repairable!

I'll be sure to keep it. Thanks.

[YamahaGuy]

Got the new preamp from Yamaha today! Dropped it in, hooked it up.

IT'S ALIVE!!!