This is so TRUE. Yes. Sadly sometimes a customer just don't realise/understand and even question your knowledge/skill as a tech (in silence.... the "look" he gives says it all). That being said, I can't count how many hours I've spent trying to diagnose issues for free, and sometimes don't even charge that time (I should! My bad! I know....). Also, sometimes, after the usual steps of diagnosing a fault, if I can't find it - and try to solve it - I do my best on my own time and expense to learn from it, specially if it's a ciruit I am not so skilled/confortable about. But people don't know, they just want the problem fixed. They don't understand the struggle sometimes this repair work is. Good, very good, video!! Thank you!
That is very well expressed. I follow a similar philosophy to you. I call it “dumb time”. I don’t charge for countless hours spent looking for parts, schematics, problem solutions. I wish I could actually earn my hourly rate, but I can't bring myself to charge for dumb time.
Chris ....Just found your channel. As an old amp tech, I still pick up a few tips from your videos and find them very entertaining. Harley is certainly an example that an amp shop dog is the most important tool in the kit! Keep up the good work! And hello from the U.S.....Ryan.
Thank you, Ryan. As you know amp repairs can be a lonely business, and having the continual companionship of Harley is essential to my sanity. Where in the US are you?
Interesting story to share about my Lab Series L9. I opened up the amp to chase down a noise problem. Taking a quick visual of the main power circuit board I spotted a blown fuse to the rectifier circuit. The amplifier was working though. So the diode checker on my meter confirmed a shorted diode. Interestingly, there were two fuses from different legs of the supply transformer. I have no clue how long that fuse/diode issue has existed. Apparently the circuit can function with half wave rectification. There was no audible difference after replacing the shorted diode and blown fuse. Just an interesting circumstance, I suppose. The noise issue turned out to be a noisy power strip. Haha on me. Sometimes it is the unlikely, but should have been considered component bites us on the backside.😂 Very much enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing.
Very interesting, Don. I can recommend Merlin Blencowe's book "Designing Power Supplies for Tube Amplifiers" to help in your understanding, around page 112. I refer to Merlin often.
Hey Chris, super entertaining and certainly enlightening with regard to amp repair..Thanks for your expert knowledge and also hug for Harley, man he's clever..Great video instruction as usual..Stay safe..Ed..UK..😊
Hi Ed!! Thank you, mate. I passed on your thanks to Harley. He said to say "thanks to Ed and give him this from me" followed by a huge sloppy tongue lick. I hope Harley's verbal thanks will suffice, Ed!!
Thank you, Markus. Your comments are always so uplifting. One of my closest friends is in Aachen for 6 weeks holiday. I am very envious. I love Germany.
@@theguitaramptech wow, that's really close, I actually work in Aachen :-) If your friend would like to meet me, please let me know and I'll be available. Kind regards Markus
I will certainly tell him. He has been playing bass with me for 50years, and he is a very good acoustic guitarist too. His name is Ian. Can you send me your email address to amptech@teammania.com.au?
Ill be watching pt2 mate... I (stupidly) bought a Supro BK 12, cos ld heard horror stories about Blues Jrs and the like. Great tone, til there wasn't any!! I turn the vol and master up full to get faint intermittent signal, l now wish ld gone into electronics than steel fixing!!
Hi Baabaa. Sure the Bjr has some issues, but its not a horror story at all. The main problem is cost-cutting by the Fender accountants. Your Supro doesn't sound like too hard a problem. If you're in Sydney, drop it in and we'll record its healing process. Try gently wiggling the tubes in their sockets? Any noise...or dead quiet? It could be as simple as a tube failure.
I know, right! I have so many repairs that its hard finding time to make the videos. An even bigger time-user is editing. I have a few videos waiting to be edited, so I really appreciate your patience with me. Thanks for hanging in with me., Phillip.
I have a cheap amp (bogner alchemist) that has a terrible whine (I assume an oscillation) that is sensitive to the gain control. I have debated sending it to a tech but from looking at the board/schematics it seems like a complicated albeit cheap amp. I was curious if you had any advice/experience with that amp in particular. My plan is to clean out the pots and hope for the best. If you had any thoughts that would be appreciated!
They’re not that cheap, Jethro. Sadly a common trend amongst modern amps is to have too many features and options other than focussing on great tone. A Marshall JMP50 or a Fender Deluxe Reverb will always be prized for its tone in the decades to come. People will shake their heads in disbelief at an amp that needs three rectifiers or MIDI and ribbon cables! I doubt it’s the pots, but good to do anyway. Make sure you use a Clean And LUBRICANT. I use DeOxit F5. When your amp begins to whine GENTLY squeeze each tube in turn (with a heat-insulating rag) to see if you can find the culprit. You could also try “pinging” the tubes with your fingernail as you increase the volume (guitar plugged in with its volume on 1). If neither changes the nature of the whine, take it to a Tech, bend over and say, “Please teach me a valuable lesson”.
It was indeed the pots. I gave them a squirt of contact cleaner and compressed air and the whine is gone. It wasn’t perfect because I didn’t end up with a straw for the contact cleaner. The volume pot is still a bit scratchy on the clean channel, and I think the culprit is still somewhat manifesting. I can audible hear echos of the impulse of me turning the gain knob of the dirty channel. So I think there is just something weird in the architecture of the amp. Will have to study it! Thanks for the help!
