CC257 Problem with preamp/output
SC_Trojan83
Posted 2021-10-05 6:29 PM (#556206)
Subject: CC257 Problem with preamp/output


Joined:
October 2021
Posts: 5

Hello, I recently purchased a Celebrity Deluxe CC257 (1992 according to the serial number). I am not getting any output. I put in a new 9V, no love. I get no light from the battery check button. I jiggled the wire and got a momentary light, but no output. I unplugged the connectors to and from the preamp. I can find no info on the particular preamp checking the usual sources.
Short of getting elbows-deep into the wiring, has anyone gone with just the pickup straight to the output jack? I have zero experience with Ovations, so my question is: will the “Ovation sound” be affected? I normally run thru an amp, so EQing is not an issue. My instinct is to replace the under-saddle and run it to the jack.
Thanks in advance!




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arumako
Posted 2021-10-07 1:45 AM (#556209 - in reply to #556206)
Subject: Re: CC257 Problem with preamp/output



Joined:
October 2012
Posts: 1018

Location: Yokohama, Japan
Nice CC257 SC_Trojan83! Unfortunately, connecting the piezo to the output jack directly will not help you. There's nothing to drive the signal from the piezo to the output without the preamp. On the other hand, your fix may not be as difficult as it seems. I would remove the output jack from the bowl (pretty easy to do if you take the manhole cover off). There's a good chance that one of the wires on the output jack has come loose. This never happens to USA Os as they use fairly robust wires with good soldering. The inexpensive Celebritys use thin wires that break at the solder joint. The other issue could be a cracked output jack housing. The black plastic that houses the output jack could crack leaving an intermittent connection. One of the Celebritys I worked on had a negative battery lead that was misaligned and wasn't making connection too. Try one or a combination of the above. The three slider "Thinline" pre-amps are pretty simple and bullet proof. Hopefully, the fix will be a simple one. Good luck!

Edited by arumako 2021-10-07 1:46 AM
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SC_Trojan83
Posted 2021-10-07 8:48 PM (#556212 - in reply to #556209)
Subject: Re: CC257 Problem with preamp/output


Joined:
October 2021
Posts: 5

Much thanks arumako! That gives me a good jumping off point nagware of shotgunning it. The connecting wires are rather petite shall we say? Now that you mention the jack, when I plugged into my amp, the buzzing was very loud.
Thanks again for the help
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arumako
Posted 2021-10-09 4:42 PM (#556221 - in reply to #556212)
Subject: Re: CC257 Problem with preamp/output



Joined:
October 2012
Posts: 1018

Location: Yokohama, Japan
YVW! Let us know how things go!
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SC_Trojan83
Posted 2021-10-18 11:45 PM (#556313 - in reply to #556206)
Subject: Re: CC257 Problem with preamp/output


Joined:
October 2021
Posts: 5

An update on my guitar. After taking apart the electronics, re-soldering the connections, the buzzing remained and changed as the gain increased/decreased. This pouted me to the pickup, which seems to be a common problem area. An Amazon search and $8 later, I have a functioning Ovation! Huzzah! Thanks for the much-appreciated help.
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arumako
Posted 2021-10-19 9:15 PM (#556318 - in reply to #556206)
Subject: Re: CC257 Problem with preamp/output



Joined:
October 2012
Posts: 1018

Location: Yokohama, Japan
Nice SC_Trojan83! Thanks for the update. Glad you were able to get everything working! Congrats!
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