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Post subject: Advice wanted (& amp repair)
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:31 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Location: Scotland
Hey all,

I'm looking for a bit of advice, I'm still a newbie when it comes to stuff like this so I'd like some opinions on what I should do. Heres the story:

A while back my amp stopped working. I took it into the shop that I bought it, specifically to the repair shop that is affiliated with it in their basement, for them to have a look at it. I explained what had happened* and they took it in with the description of 'dead'. It was still within the 3 month warranty.

* What had occured was while playing it randomly cut out. Occasional quiet 'thumps' had been coming from my cab and then the volume faded all of a sudden. Power was still getting to the head, tubes were still lighting up, but the head wasn't working (and yes I tried it with a friends amp to make sure it wasn't my cab / speaker)

Now heres the kicker. All this happened 7 weeks ago.

I've been in to the shop numerous times, almost every week on my days off, and have phoned up a few times.

One of the first times I went in I was told it had been sent away, presumably to the manufacter to be fixed.

The first few times I went in the guy played it dumb with the sort of "oh we're expecting it back I'll have to chase it up and get back to you" type thing.

I was also told on a seperate occasion that they were waiting for a replacement to be sent back out (he worded it 'a replacement' not for it 'to be fixed')

The last time I phoned them I spoke to a different guy who kept going on about "a story behind the amp", but seemed a clueless w*nker and didn't give me any information. He did however give me a strong impression that they hadn't sent the amp out at all and it was still sitting there!

Now I don't know what I should do. I understand that as its under warranty its going to be low priority, but this is getting f*cking ridiculous, it seems they're giving me the run around. My amp has been away for almost as long as I've had it! And I've not even had a chance to try out my new strat through it yet, either!

So advice guys? Should I go in and rage at them? I'm a pretty calm guy, I don't like getting riled up, and the last thing I want is a sh*tstorm and more hassle. Should I wait it out? Or what should I say to them?

Cheers..


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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:34 pm
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Go in and ask to speak to the Store Manager. Explain to him what has been going on.

Is this a chain store or a Mom and Pop Store?

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:36 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Its the UK equivilant to GC, 'Soundcontrol'. The thing is, I'm not sure if the repair shop is under the management of the soundcontrol or is a seperate business under the same roof. They obviously have an arrangement with the warranties and such but I don't know the exact details.


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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:40 pm
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Have at em. They've been screwing you around long enough. Demand to either see your amp or paperwork showing where it's at and how long it's been there. If it's elsewhere, get the number to call them and find out what the delay is. If no one gives you any info about it's location, call the cops and report a theft. This way, if it somehow got "lost", someone will be forced to replace it.

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:40 pm
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Highbinder wrote:
Its the UK equivilant to GC, 'Soundcontrol'. The thing is, I'm not sure if the repair shop is under the management of the soundcontrol or is a seperate business under the same roof. They obviously have an arrangement with the warranties and such but I don't know the exact details.


Talk to the Store Manager. Being a chain store the Manager has people he has to answer to, go to them if you still aren't happy.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:46 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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cryingstrat wrote:
Have at em. They've been screwing you around long enough. Demand to either see your amp or paperwork showing where it's at and how long it's been there. If it's elsewhere, get the number to call them and find out what the delay is. If no one gives you any info about it's location, call the cops and report a theft. This way, if it somehow got "lost", someone will be forced to replace it.


CAFeathers wrote:
Highbinder wrote:
Its the UK equivilant to GC, 'Soundcontrol'. The thing is, I'm not sure if the repair shop is under the management of the soundcontrol or is a seperate business under the same roof. They obviously have an arrangement with the warranties and such but I don't know the exact details.


Talk to the Store Manager. Being a chain store the Manager has people he has to answer to, go to them if you still aren't happy.


Thanks, thats good advice. I'll give them a phone tomorrow and see what the deal is, then give them till my next day off before going in to the shop to see the manager/whatever, as I really don't have the motivation to trek into the city and waste half of my few days off work..

But can you imagine how I feel not being able to play my strat? I keep looking at it, picking it up and trying to imagine how it sounds over the feeble unplugged twanging..


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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:51 pm
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I can imagine how you feel. Might I recommend picking up a small practice amp in case this happens again?

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:59 pm
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I would if I could afford it, mate, it'd definately help quell my impatience over this matter. But over the past 6 months I've bought a lot of new kit (2nd hand strat, an acoustic, this amp..) and I don't think I could justify to myself buying a second amp. You could say my GAS has calmed down a lot this past while (with the temptation being limited to pedals for the moment). Then again, I know if I had the money sitting there I'd be the proud owner of a Fender Blues Jnr, I've had my eye on that amp for a good while now :lol:


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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:06 pm
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I understand completely.

I just had another of my brilliant (OK maybe not brilliant) ideas. Ask the shop about a loaner amp until yours is fixed?

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:08 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
I understand completely.

I just had another of my brilliant (OK maybe not brilliant) ideas. Ask the shop about a loaner amp until yours is fixed?


I never actually thought of that! I shall try.

Anyway, cheers for the help, I'll post an update when I get information, and then reward you with the obligatory eye candy when I finally get my amp back :lol:


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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:09 pm
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Highbinder wrote:
CAFeathers wrote:
I understand completely.

I just had another of my brilliant (OK maybe not brilliant) ideas. Ask the shop about a loaner amp until yours is fixed?


I never actually thought of that! I shall try.

Anyway, cheers for the help, I'll post an update when I get information, and then reward you with the obligatory eye candy when I finally get my amp back :lol:


You're Welcome.

Pics would be cool!

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:21 am
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I had a situation with a blown amp but my local shop replaced it no questions asked. Reading this makes me feel pretty lucky.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 6:59 am
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An update.

I just got off the phone to the guy in charge of the amp repair place, he gave me the most info so far. I was right on my hunch before - They were BSing me.

What he told me was they still have my amp there, they haven't even done anything to it as they can't fix it. They've been waiting for the distributor to send out a replacement but they've not chased it up.

Now heres the real SH8TTER:

Soundcontrol, their parent company, the owner of their premises, have gone into administration. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.j ... und101.xml

They've asked me to come in and collect my amp as they don't know whats happening with the shop.

I also took a note of the distributors contact details but the guy told me they probably wouldn't be able to do anything without the serial number.

The guy assured me I'd get a replacement as its under warranty but I'd like to know when!! And he had no effing clue.

I'm f*cking p*ssed. Fuming. I shouldn't have phoned as soon as I woke up, now I'm going to be in a terrible mood the rest of my day off :evil:

/e:

Update 2:

I just called the distributor. Guess what? You're going to love this..

They have no record of my amp. The serial number doesn't show up in their books so no replacement is waiting to be sent out.

Unbelievable.

I've got half a mind to phone the repair shop back up and rage at them but I don't think I can trust myself to maintaince a 'civil telephone voice'..

The guy I spoke to said I should get the amp back and then I could deal directly with him.

So I guess I'm going to have to go in on my next day off, thus wasting it, to reclaim the amp thats been there for (then) 8 weeks but not moved an inch, in order to do what they should have done when they first got it.

I am fuming.

/e:

Update 3,

Called the amp shop up to 'let them know' about the cockup. Sounded surprised and embarassed but completely unhelpful.

God damn I hate soundcontrol.


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