It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:47 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:06 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:59 am
Posts: 492
stratele52 wrote:

A tech for me is an electrical engeneer who LEARN ELECTRONIC ( or musical instument ) IN SCHOOL.

If you don't learn electronic serously like in school , sorry you are not a tech.


I must say that in my experience, very few of the best techs I've dealt with over the years had even a whiff of formal training, or at least any more than is compulsory in school when you're a teen, which over here is very little. All self taught out of sheer passion for the subject.

(I'll also say that some of the worst had some very impressive qualifications on paper. :lol:)


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:10 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
BMW2002Ti wrote:
"As far as an education having to be in a "school" I have to disagree. "


You know Blues, Some guy named Leo Fender and another named Jim Marshall had no formal education in electronics. Yet, they seemed to do ok.


+1

But for every Leo Fender or Jim Marshall, there are thousands of wannabee's who wreck virtually everything they touch.

The trick is to steer around them before you hit the rocky shoals that are their work benches.

:lol:

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:12 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:33 am
Posts: 65
blues bondsman wrote:
So why do so many sell off their prized vintage amps so soon after service ????
Cheap tubes that will never allow it to sound as it should ? Thats my guess.


I think there is a general impression out there that tubes wear out and need to be replaced. Replacing them is something you can write in your Craigslist ad and command a bigger price. The uneducated buyer seems to go for that.

Maybe this has been done, but it would be a good idea to put together a repository of trusted techs for a reference to those interested. I'm sure this group could put a good initial list together.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:20 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
Runnerman wrote:
Maybe this has been done, but it would be a good idea to put together a repository of trusted techs for a reference to those interested. I'm sure this group could put a good initial list together.


+1

A roster of reliable speaker-reconing shops would be handy as well.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:35 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm
Posts: 2889
Excellent ideas !
It is unfortunate that we have none in this area that are in shops where they can be easily found.
There are no doubt great basement and garage guys but they are hard to find.

The guy I used a few times was Fender trained and worked at a local guitar shop since the late 50's he has since retired and only takes on a few projects a year.
I only wish i lived closer so I could shadow him and pick up 60 plus years of experience.

I get the question all the time from folks how old are the tubes ? how much life left in them ?
Probably why people retube before selling ??? big mistake !

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 12:55 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:53 pm
Posts: 2252
Location: Harvard IL
Yeah Louis, I really appreciate formal education. It's just that when I was in college Philosohy and World Religion were my majors. Electronics ended up being self taught. But I was lucky enough to have the influence of three older electronic guys. Radio station builder, TV & Radio engineer, and a PA design engineer. You guys have my respect! Art

_________________
None of Us are free, if One of Us is chained !


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 2:05 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
BMW2002Ti wrote:
"As far as an education having to be in a "school" I have to disagree. "


You know Blues, Some guy named Leo Fender and another named Jim Marshall had no formal education in electronics. Yet, they seemed to do ok.

:mrgreen:


It is always possible to acquire high end knowledge without going to school, but it remains the exception.

Leo Fender was a genious. He is an exception.
IMO Jim Marshall just copy the Fender baseman ( not sur he do himself ) and after it is his workers who design and built amps . He was only the owner of the company. I never see a photo of Jim Mashall working/ designing an amp like Leo Fender or Mesa Boogie's founder Randall Smith. Am I wrong ?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:52 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 10:53 pm
Posts: 1467
Location: deep down in Florida...
Retroverbial wrote:
Runnerman wrote:
Maybe this has been done, but it would be a good idea to put together a repository of trusted techs for a reference to those interested. I'm sure this group could put a good initial list together.


+1

A roster of reliable speaker-reconing shops would be handy as well.

Arjay

+2

Those lists would be a huge help for those new to vintage amps.

I'm very lucky to have an excellent tech locally that I trust. He's a great guitar player himself and knows good tone, so he can easily understand what I'm trying to accomplish and will steer me away from any unnecessary "upgrades" :) if anything needs to be replaced he makes sure to return the originals... and whatever he uses as replacements are always of the highest quality.

Couple years ago he moved up north... I had no choice but to take my amps to other techs in the area. I was never satisfied with the work. As soon as he moved back to the area I had him undo the work that was done and let him work his magic.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:59 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm
Posts: 2889
Lets face it there is a bit of fine tweeking to taste that can be done to these beasts we all love.

Finding someone who understands what your looking for and is honest.

Thats the Key !

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 11:33 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:45 pm
Posts: 1169
stratele52 wrote:

A tech for me is an electrical engeneer who LEARN ELECTRONIC ( or musical instument ) IN SCHOOL.

If you don't learn electronic serously like in school , sorry you are not a tech.


Not necessarily true. I have an Electrical Engineering degree, have repaired a few amps, and built two tube guitar amps from scratch. But I'd never attempt to go into the business of repairing amps. Despite my credentials I really don't have the ability to reliably repair amps in a timely manner. Trust me, troubleshooting and affectively solving tube guitar amp problems is not taught in an engineering school.

Now if you need a design flow implemented for integrated circuits then I'm your man. But raise the red flags if I start sliding the chassis out of your blackface treasure.

_________________
In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 4:32 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
mhowell wrote:
stratele52 wrote:

A tech for me is an electrical engeneer who LEARN ELECTRONIC ( or musical instument ) IN SCHOOL.

If you don't learn electronic serously like in school , sorry you are not a tech.


Not necessarily true. I have an Electrical Engineering degree, have repaired a few amps, and built two tube guitar amps from scratch. But I'd never attempt to go into the business of repairing amps. Despite my credentials I really don't have the ability to reliably repair amps in a timely manner. Trust me, troubleshooting and affectively solving tube guitar amp problems is not taught in an engineering school.

Now if you need a design flow implemented for integrated circuits then I'm your man. But raise the red flags if I start sliding the chassis out of your blackface treasure.


This is only a lack of practice , but with the good theory you must have , you are able to understand what happened in the amp . How electricity work . With no good theory ( from school or other ) you only only repair easy amp's trouble, replacing parts like a lotto. Most of the time ,fixing a tube amp is very easily that 's why anybody try to work in these amp.
But when they meet a real trouble , they ask in forums to have an answer .


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:27 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:52 pm
Posts: 292
pretty simple....if you bring your amp in for service tell the tech you want the your orig tubes if they are to be replaced......


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:53 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm
Posts: 2889
Most folks here are savy enough to ask for old tubes and know whats in there in the first place.

However the vast majority of tube amp owners have never looked under the skirt :mrgreen: and have no idea whats in there.

I guess if I were to be totally honest, If I had an amp I picked up just to flip and it was full of some sweet RCA's or Mullard tubes I would swap them out with something more common, still that would be before the sale and the buyer would know what was in there and never know what had been in there so........

_________________
Keepn' the Blues Alive

2004 50th Ann. Limited edition AMSE Stratocaster
2017 50's Baja Telecaster BSB

1968 Bandmaster with 2X12 cab C-rex speakers
VHT Special 6 Ultra combo

Visual Sound Route 66
Cmatmods Signa Drive


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 10:14 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:52 pm
Posts: 292
blues bondsman wrote:
Most folks here are savy enough to ask for old tubes and know whats in there in the first place.

However the vast majority of tube amp owners have never looked under the skirt :mrgreen: and have no idea whats in there.

I guess if I were to be totally honest, If I had an amp I picked up just to flip and it was full of some sweet RCA's or Mullard tubes I would swap them out with something more common, still that would be before the sale and the buyer would know what was in there and never know what had been in there so........


good point......
I have some pulls for amps I bought to referb. But like you said am honest about what is in there and the work accomplished.
A little research, especially with all the info available, goes along way.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Honest Tube amp repair guys ?
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 3:32 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 8:54 am
Posts: 1179
Location: Florida
cedarblues wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
Runnerman wrote:
Maybe this has been done, but it would be a good idea to put together a repository of trusted techs for a reference to those interested. I'm sure this group could put a good initial list together.


+1

A roster of reliable speaker-reconing shops would be handy as well.

Arjay

+2

Those lists would be a huge help for those new to vintage amps.

I'm very lucky to have an excellent tech locally that I trust. He's a great guitar player himself and knows good tone, so he can easily understand what I'm trying to accomplish and will steer me away from any unnecessary "upgrades" :) if anything needs to be replaced he makes sure to return the originals... and whatever he uses as replacements are always of the highest quality.

Couple years ago he moved up north... I had no choice but to take my amps to other techs in the area. I was never satisfied with the work. As soon as he moved back to the area I had him undo the work that was done and let him work his magic.


Cedar, we need to talk and find out who that tech is. Just in case my Bassman goes TU.

Art


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: