AMPEG SVT 4 Pro - Busted Preamp Help

aRun · #1 03-07-2013, 10:41 PM

Hey guys

I have had my SVT 4 Pro ( USA MADE ) in my closest Ampeg Service centre for the last 6 months. Ampeg Distro here in australia just changed hands so it was balls up from the get go, BUT it has taken this long just to get a quote. Which is roughly 1000 bucks

:
$749 - for the part " trade price".. apparently
$250ish - Plus Whatever the labor comes to.

Here i can buy an Orange AD200b mk III for 2200 to my door. Ive been thinking about one of these amps for a while and my amp Died just as i was about to sell it. Which was great timing, had i sold it with a near death Preamp i would hate myself for doing that to someone else.

SO to cut this epic story short, i would either like to source the replacement preamp from overseas to save a butt load of money, get my amp fixed and sell it.
If anyone has one or know where i can score one of these boards it would be amazing.(new or used i could care less)

B sell it as is for **** all and put that cash towards my new amp.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT :

So it appears to my Power Amp, anyone had this issue??

ugly_bassplayer · #2 03-07-2013, 10:42 PM

IMO 1000$ is way to expensive for the repair.

aRun · #3 03-07-2013, 10:55 PM

I absolutely agree. a new one of these Units here is 2800. Being that it is a USA built unit i was tempted to try and keep it going. But it doesnt 100% suit my tone these days.

new distro, markup to the moon.
or the service centre would prefer not to do the work. markup to the moon.
Im not sure.

Anyone had this work done? Ive heard its somewhat common.

hodgy · #4 03-07-2013, 11:44 PM

I would smack my tech upside the head for not being able to repair the preamp to component level. There's not much going on in that thing.

KeithAlanK · #5 03-08-2013, 12:13 AM

Cut your losses and run away from that amp.
"The Show MUST Go On" isn't just a cute quote or bit of friendly advice.
It's our life and livelyhood.

I'm a Peavey kinda guy, because unlike many other brands their gear has never failed me.
Your mileage may vary.

aRun · #6 03-08-2013, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hodgy

I would smack my tech upside the head for not being able to repair the preamp to component level. There's not much going on in that thing.

That's what i was thinking at first. Why not just repair that component.

Perhaps i should ask around the Ampeg Tech land in Australia a little further and see if i can find someone that can fix it.
Unless you might know someone?

hell if its a board that they need to replace, id be tempted to install it myself. Wish i could just ship it to you guys. but that just wouldn't be cost effective ;-)

The issue i had was that there was a strange popping sound at a certain frequency range. the next time i powered the unit all i was getting was a faint signal, it was like the power section of the amp had died.

JimmyM · #7 03-08-2013, 01:53 AM

I certainly would do that after what Hodgy just said. And 6 months for a quote? Jeez! Yeah, I'd head for the hills!

aRun · #8 03-08-2013, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I certainly would do that after what Hodgy just said. And 6 months for a quote? Jeez!

I know right, to my understanding we were just waiting on the part. but that wait was purely for a quote on hte part. im expected to wait another 8-10 weeks for the part to arrive. Double screw that.

I could get together enough money for a full tube amp in that time frame.

Id hopefuly source something on these interwebs, otherwise this might be a fantastic door stop.

BassmanPaul · #9 03-08-2013, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hodgy

I would smack my tech upside the head for not being able to repair the preamp to component level. There's not much going on in that thing.

Absolutely agree with Hodgy. any competent tech should be able to fix that amp fairly quickly.

hodgy · #10 03-08-2013, 02:23 PM

Did you swap out the preamp tubes? That and bunk pots are the most common failure I've found in those.

Nephilymbass · #11 03-08-2013, 02:35 PM

My advice is buy a separate pre amp and plug it into the power amp in. You could get a sans amp RBI or rpm for 300 or and number of pedal pres and it would still be useful. Ampeg has even made separate preamps from time to time but they are hard to find. My pre amp in my swr head died. I use a sans amp RBI and power it with my swr head and its awesome

hodgy · #12 03-08-2013, 03:06 PM

Buying more gear to compensate for a half-working piece of gear just does not make sense to me.

Jerrold Tiers · #13 03-08-2013, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hodgy

I would smack my tech upside the head for not being able to repair the preamp to component level. There's not much going on in that thing.

That is one of the most charitable statements of the year so far.

The tech seems to be a bozo of the first order..... or he needs to make a car payment (not smart enough to have bought a house).

There is nothing in that unit's preamp that should make it a money pit like that.

What will it cost you to get it back with all its pieces? It better not be much after the crazy dunghill they have put you through.

WHAT part are they charging that money for? A whole new pre? Shouldn't cost that much even at "trade price"...

EDIT:

How do you know it's the preamp? Did you verify the power amp worked? I assume so, just asking.......

If it is for sure the preamp, you had better hope the numbskull hasn't killed the poweramp messing around with it. Sounds about their speed from what you say.

fdeck · #14 03-08-2013, 10:11 PM

Agreed with the above. There's no reason why a preamp shouldn't be eminently repairable at the component level.

aRun · #15 03-08-2013, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerrold Tiers

How do you know it's the preamp? Did you verify the power amp worked? I assume so, just asking.......

If it is for sure the preamp, you had better hope the numbskull hasn't killed the poweramp messing around with it. Sounds about their speed from what you say.

So here is the thing, the part is a replacement Preamp board. they probably dont know if that will fix the problem until they try.

I replaced the tubes when it happened assuming it was those with no change at all. I did the usual check all fuses and connections.

As far as i know the unit is in its original state, so im going to get it back later next week when im off work. I did consider trying to use it purely as a power amp. I own a Sans amp Bass driver i can use for now. But i have been checking out some ampeg pre amp units. Hard to find as u said though.

Once i have it back im going to contact some other techs in Sydney and melbourne to see if they could look over it for me.

The New amp is something ive been looking at for a while, id rather not just dump this thing, id rather repair it and keep it. Amazing backup. Hopefully the power section is fine, that will do me in the interim.

B-string · #16 03-08-2013, 10:16 PM

Sounds like a "I'm to lazy or inept to find the problem", so lets throw a whole board at it. [Hope that fixes it]

aRun · #17 03-08-2013, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Agreed with the above. There's no reason why a preamp shouldn't be eminently repairable at the component level.

Id say that they are a warranty repair centre that just replaces entire components under warranty and that catalogs their effectiveness as Bass and guitar amp Techs. Definately moved to the **** list.

Seriously, SIX MONTHS.

I called every week or two, "aahhhh we have sent another email, we will let you know when we hear from them". In the end I called and they had received an email, the whole time they were just waiting on a quote on a replacement preamp board. That takes 5 minutes. *** right ?

the service centre i work in, if i havent heard back from a supplier in a day i get on the phone. Then persist until i get an answer. isnt that customer service 101?

aRun · #18 03-08-2013, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-string

Sounds like a "I'm to lazy or inept to find the problem", so lets throw a whole board at it. [Hope that fixes it]

Most likely.

fdeck · #19 03-08-2013, 10:32 PM

The thing is, I can't even imagine a life where somebody with a cool piece of gear in front of them, not working, wouldn't be delighted by the chance to figure it out.

B-string · #20 03-08-2013, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

The thing is, I can't even imagine a life where somebody with a cool piece of gear in front of them, not working, wouldn't be delighted by the chance to figure it out.

If you are not good at what you do or not vested in your career, you may see it as a chance for failure? Maybe? I've seen it in a few "techs", just not up to a challenge only a paycheck?
Don't know for sure.