800 rb dead once again

[test dude]

It's over : ( The story began when I bought the GK 800rb off craigslist. Later to find out it was my fathers friends son. Took it home, used if for a few months (maybe a year). Then the smell of smoke which led to the heads demise. My father took it to someone he know's with an electric shop and they had fixed it. knew it worked now, but put it under the bed and hadnt used it for awhile. Now yesterday at a tryout, the thing must have overheated maybe the second song in. It just stopped dead in its tracks but the light was still on.(goodthing i had my backup head) Plugged in the GK today and all it done is make a constant humming noise. Any clue on what this is? Though Its not my priority anymore cause Im sick of it.

[PhatBasstard]

I had one about 20 years ago.
Went down 4 times in a 5 year period.

Back then these were super popular. I knew many other players with similar issues.

[BassmanPaul]

The 800RBs power section is a simple reliable unit. If you use it within its ratings they last a long time. On the low amp you have a 4Ω limit but on the high amp it's an 8Ω limit. If you go below those limits the amp will fail.

[jelwood]

Yeah man sounds to me like you probably went below the minimum load...

[PhatBasstard]

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

The 800RBs power section is a simple reliable unit. If you use it within its ratings they last a long time. On the low amp you have a 4Ω limit but on the high amp it's an 8Ω limit. If you go below those limits the amp will fail.

Originally Posted by jelwood

Yeah man sounds to me like you probably went below the minimum load...

Nope and Nope. When I got it I was running a single 8 ohm 15 cab. Later was running one or two Hartke 410XL's (both 8 ohm BTW).

The 4 repairs were spread over 3 different shops (I was on the road 95% of the time back then). Each shop gave me the same reason for the failure: Bad solder points".

This wasn't the only piece of GK gear to give me problems over the years.

Search this site. There are plenty of threads dedicated to GK's QC issues.

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by test dude

...yesterday at a tryout, the thing must have overheated maybe the second song in. It just stopped dead in its tracks but the light was still on...

Had the same exact thing happen on a brand new Ampeg B-100R once (Loud Technologies).

Sorry it happened to you.
You might want to steer clear of GK and Ampeg. Pretty sure I will at least for awhile until their reputations improve. Just my 2 cents.

[jackcheez]

Originally Posted by test dude

My father took it to someone he know's with an electric shop and they had fixed it.

Too bad. Those are nice amps.

Probably should have took it to somebody from....

http://www.gallien-krueger.com/support_service.html#

[PhatBasstard]

Originally Posted by jackcheez

Probably should have took it to somebody from....

http://www.gallien-krueger.com/support_service.html#

FWIW, all 4 of my trips were to certified GK techs & dealers. The second trip to the same tech was a freebie.