Turnaround times on GK warranty repairs?

Adam Bomb · #1 08-24-2011, 09:47 PM

Hey - My band has 4 or 5 gigs in quick succession beginning Sept. 15 - exactly 3 weeks from tomorrow. I would love to get one of my MB210s looked at before then. But I've no experience with shipping off amps to get repaired, and don't know if hoping to get it back in less than 3 weeks is foolish.

I know that anything can happen, no one can predict the future, YMMV etc. And already I have hit a couple of snags in the system that have cost me weeks. But before I hold off entirely I want to make sure that, for minor jobs like a tweeter replacement (I'm guessing that's minor), it's not typical to get the amp back in, say, 7 to 10 days. If it is, I'll risk it.

Guitar Center (pro coverage) still hasn't emailed me my UPS shipping label, so that could hold things up a day or two more. Also, if I didn't get the amp back, it wouldn't be the end of the world - I usually play through two MB210s, and if I only had one to gig with I would bring along my Avatar 210, which sounds great with it. So, it isn't life and death, of course. But it's all new to me.

Anyone have concrete experience with this?

--Bomb

Gecko 5 · #2 08-24-2011, 09:49 PM

I had an MB2-500 that went down on a Saturday, had a gig the following Saturday.
They got my amp back in time.

**B-string** · #3 08-24-2011, 10:25 PM

You are dealing with GC? If they need a little nudge contact brian@gallien.com (artist relations).

**millertx** · #4 08-24-2011, 10:30 PM

In my experience the warranty work was done locally at an authorized repair center. While the warranty work was free, they were so backed up with work that normally it is a few weeks before they can even look at it. (They are a reputable repair center that handles a lot of different brands of PAs and amps.) They had an option where I could pay $25 so that they would bump it up in priority and look at it within a week, which is what I did.

On the other hand, right after I bought my new MB115 when it was shipped to me it had an obvious problem, I called GK and they sent me an RMA and a shipping label, I shipped it to them and as soon as they had confirmation from the shipping company they shipped me a replacement amp, had it within a week.

Rich

Adam Bomb · #5 08-25-2011, 06:57 AM

This is all very encouraging. Thank you! So, today I ramp it up a bit and hopefully get GC to finally send me my label (!!!). And if I even have only 10 days til Gig Day I will prolly risk it. Especially if the label expires or something and after my gigs I have to start this all over again!

Thanks, guys.

--Bomb

p.s. Oh, yeah, B-String, Brian has been very helpful.

**B-string** · #6 08-25-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Bomb

This is all very encouraging. Thank you! So, today I ramp it up a bit and hopefully get GC to finally send me my label (!!!). And if I even have only 10 days til Gig Day I will prolly risk it. Especially if the label expires or something and after my gigs I have to start this all over again!

Thanks, guys.

--Bomb

p.s. Oh, yeah, B-String, Brian has been very helpful.

Knew he would be

They have a great bunch of people there at G-K

Adam Bomb · #7 08-27-2011, 07:17 PM

Dropped the amp off at the UPS store this morning. Guitar Center did *not* make it easy, dragging its feet every step of the way. But I have reason to trust that GK will get the job done.

--Bomb

**Freddels** · #8 08-27-2011, 07:36 PM

Why did you have to go through GC? Is that where you purchased it?

Adam Bomb · #9 08-27-2011, 11:29 PM

"Pro Coverage". I'm guessing it's a ripoff 99 times out of a hundred, but I usually get it anyway. Felt pretty cool taking an unboxed amp to the UPS Store and just leaving it there.

Surly Clerk: It'll be $65 to ship.
Me: I don' care ...

--Bomb

Adam Bomb · #10 09-07-2011, 09:36 PM

I was hoping for maybe a "Cool, bro, we have your amp" email or whatever but that does not seem to be s.o.p. Bummer. I walked into UPS with a $600 amp and left with a little slip of paper with gibberish on it.

Gig's in a little over a week. Fingers crossed!

--Bomb

Adam Bomb · #11 09-10-2011, 03:11 PM

Amp is back! Haven't picked it up or tried it out yet but I have reason to trust that it is new and improved.

Total turnaround time: 13 days.

GK ftw

--Bomb

LilloEsquilo · #12 09-10-2011, 03:27 PM

Sounds like getting GC to do their part was really the hardest part of this. They always push those warranties as so easy and how they'll stand behind you and so on, sounds like that's just more marketing hype. Based on that, glad I don't have anything which has their "pro coverage" anymore except a headphones that I don't really care that much about.

5port · #13 09-10-2011, 03:58 PM

Sweetwater FTW...You get 2 year warranty free and a personal sales rep who takes care of everything.

**B-string** · #14 09-10-2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Bomb

Amp is back! Haven't picked it up or tried it out yet but I have reason to trust that it is new and improved.

Total turnaround time: 13 days.

GK ftw

--Bomb

AWESOME