For people trained and experienced in electronics it is often easy to spot those who are not, just by what they say and how they say it. Having no experience as a bricklayer, I would never approach a bricklayer and start throwing around terminology from his trade when discussing work I need done. He'll see through me in an instant. How would any of you here feel about someone who has little or no training and experience in your line of work, acting as if they did?
Since I'm not in the business of repairing amps I have no skin in the game, I have nothing to gain by suggesting that someone seek out the services of a qualified technician. I make these suggestion because of the possible adverse outcomes that may occur with untrained, unskilled repair attempts.
The potential exposure to lethal voltages.
The possibility of doing more harm than good.
The likelihood that a tech will not want to work on something after having been "worked" on by an amateur.
The cost of repairs may increase, due to repairing the original problem plus other damage done.
So here are some tips for those who want advice when needing amp repairs.
1) If you intend to try a DIY repair, please let us know your training, experience and skill level in troubleshooting and repair of electronics. This helps us to better assess your abilities and advise accordingly.
2) Describe the symptoms, don't guess at the cause. Would you go to your doctor and tell him you have this affliction, or that disease? Or would you tell him the symptoms and let him work through to a diagnosis.
3) If you don't like what you are being told, just thank the person for their advice and find someone else. Remember, the advice you get here is free. And my opinion is that in most cases, that advice is worth much more than what you paid. You do have the right to consider that the advice is ONLY worth what you paid.
4) If you are not willing to spend any money on these repairs, let us know. In my case, rather than suggest you take it to a tech (because I sense you are not up to the task) I, personally, would likely pass on responding at all.
5) "There are no user serviceable parts inside." This is the case for most modern amps except for things like replacing fuses or pre-amp tubes. These warnings are to protect the user. In the days when all amps were built with tubes and point to point wiring, they were much easier to service. This "easy to fix" attitude has never changed. What has changed is how amps are built these days. What seems like advantages to the ordinary user often make amps exceedingly more difficult to repair, even for qualified techs. PC board work requires special care. Integrated circuits and surface mount devices are exponentially more difficult to replace, and can easily be damaged when doing so. The many features found in modern amps coupled with reduced size means packing things more closely together. This makes access to parts more difficult. How many would-be DIY techs would also be willing to attempt component level repairs on the motherboard of their computer?
6) Ask questions. Don't make statements. The only dumb question is the one never asked. If you make a statement it is incumbent upon you to back it up. If you ask a question, you are putting the other person in the position to back up their response. Who would you rather have be in the hot seat?
7) Be respectful of those offering advise. Not because they may have decades of experience in repairing amps. Rather because it is the proper way to behave in a community. If you disagree, that's OK, but disagree in a respectful way. Don't resort to name calling or accusations. When you do that, you reveal more about your own character than you do about the other person. How do you want the rest of the community to perceive you?
Thank you.
