Paul took a look at it! He's an absolute sweetheart of a man. But it is out of his comfort zone.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
GK Fusion 550 - HELP!!!
- Thread starter GSNOLA
- Start date
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,961
- 5
- 220,636
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
You might need to ship the amp, but Bammel TV Technology Service in Houston should be able to take care of this.
It's likely beyond the typical Yokel-Local repair tech's ability, you actually need to understand how the amp is supposed to work before attempting the repair. This troubleshooting skill is being lost and we are seeing the very good shops thriving and the rest struggling in the race to the bottom.
It's likely beyond the typical Yokel-Local repair tech's ability, you actually need to understand how the amp is supposed to work before attempting the repair. This troubleshooting skill is being lost and we are seeing the very good shops thriving and the rest struggling in the race to the bottom.
Update for those of you who are interested! Already into over $200 with no promise of parts availability or repair. Two national tour techs have looked at it - no idea what is up - and it is now with Bammel in Houston to see if my twice-used Fusion 550 can be lifted out of boat anchor status. I have now learned a lot more about this particular head and its failure issues, so if anyone has any questions, please feel free to PM me.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,961
- 5
- 220,636
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
May I ask why you are being so rude to me? Your question is rhetorical - the reason why is that there are NO authorized service centers in New Orleans - none. So my calculus was to have two extremely experienced amp techs look at it - gratis, immediately - to determine whether there was anything obvious. What I have done is now to have invested shipping costs and already sunk tube change costs into a process which has - as per GK's own advice - no guaranteed outcome. If the surface mounted ICs are toast - the most likely culprit in what is effectively a brand new preamp board - then, assuming there is no replacement preamp board available, I am looking at spending hundreds of dollars. in repairing an amp head that has given zero return on initial investment. Furthermore, I have always found Talkbass to be the most open and friendly environment in which members support each other. I have no idea why you are questioning my logic in such an abrupt and public manner.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,961
- 5
- 220,636
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
I'm not being rude, you are simply not understanding what I am saying and seem to have an agenda against GK that is based on inaccurate information.
I mentioned to you earlier that you will need to seek a QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED, AUTHORIZED GK service center experienced with this model. I didn't say this to be rude, but because I know this amp and it's not something an average tech will understand. You live in LA, there's no authorized service centers (or experienced, qualified, authorized techs) in LA which means that you will need to ship your amp to an authorized service center. This is not uncommon an sophisticated and fairly rare amps, and it's not GK's fault.
"Extremely experienced amp techs" is not the same as qualified, experienced GK service centers and you should be starting to understand why I said what I said.
You are mis-informed regarding how the amp is built... there are no surface mount IC's present in your amp. If this is what your "extremely experienced amp techs" are claiming, it just reinforces my earlier comments. It's also not the most likely culprit, but that's what under-qualified folks will claim because they don't understand.
The preamp board is still available, it's only $250 and was in stock at Full Compass (GK's largest reseller of parts), but it's very unlikely that this is necessary.
I am questioning your logic because it's wrong, and I have done this in a straight forward way. It's a public forum, you asked the question publicly so I answered publicly. My response is not just for you, it's for other members who might find themselves in a similar situation.
If you don't want help, don't ask for help. May I remind you that HELP was in the title of your thread?
My goodness. I have absolutely no idea why you are continuing to - yes - talk so rudely to me. Your statement about not being rude denies my right to tell you that you ARE being rude. My perception is just. I have no personal vendetta against Gallien Krueger. I have stated this earlier. They are and have always been a fantastic company and their service - up to right now - has been great. I empathize with them that they are struggling to cope with economic issues like everyone is right now. I have just owned two Fusion 550s and they have both failed. So, from a perspective of my data set of 2, I have a less than stellar view of this particular product. And let's calm the temperature here. We are talking about a PRODUCT. A thing we purchase to play music with. And also - I have said nothing against you - I don't know you. I have noted over the years so many people refer to you and your career with different companies in glowing terms as I am sure you deserve. And I think I am right in saying that you are an expert technician. I am not. Neither my professional career nor my PhD is of any help to me in fixing my amp. You make statements about my "logic" being "wrong" - that is neither a kind nor helpful statement. That is a personal insult. And yes, I did - publicly - ask for help from people in Talkbass to see if anyone could help in direct terms - which they did. And I have now sent my amp off to hopefully be repaired at my own cost. And I will post-hoc make a personal account of whether it was worth it or not - and that is my own calculus. GK have their own reality in providing and not providing service - and I have my reality in dealing with a product which I own that has failed and for which the originating manufacturer cannot provide assistance. That isn't opinion, it is mere statement of fact. Thanks to everyone who helped - I now feel publicly partly humiliated in this forum and it will leave me feeling that perhaps I shouldn't do this again. I would also leave everyone with this thought. In these days of digital communication and the ease with which we can communicate with each other, so many people we do not know, take a moment and seek first to understand. Let's talk to each other with respect and kindness and if we possess enlightened understanding of something others don't understand, then we should deliver that message as a music teacher would correct a student. Don't leave them feeling lesser. What is the #1 rule of Talkbass Forums?
Respect your fellow members. All registered users must address fellow members with the utmost respect at all times. If you do not agree with a fellow member, be courteous in your response. Thomas Jefferson said it best: "When I hear another express an opinion which is not mine, I say to myself, he has a right to his opinion, as I to mine".
Because of the limitations of text-based communication, the expression of intent can be tricky. One of the most common triggers of rule violations is the misinterpretation of intent behind a post. Use smilies often, and remember, it never hurts to begin a response with "In my opinion"...
So, I will close my writing in this thread with that thought. And to my fellow Talkbass member who disagrees with my view, I thank you for your positive intention.
Last edited:
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,961
- 5
- 220,636
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
I have been courteous, respectful and direct. I also provided direct information to help you get this resolved, including the contact info of a GK authorized service center that I know has a good reputation, the source of factory authorized GK parts for your unit, and why it’s important to use an authorized, qualified service center for your particular model.
You are correct that I’m not a professional technician, I train professional technicians, write service documentation for professional technicians and support professional technicians at the engineering level as I am an EE specializing in design and support of audio equipment for over 40 years.
I suggest that you re-read my comments with an open, non-defensive mind and perhaps you will come to a different conclusion.
You are correct that I’m not a professional technician, I train professional technicians, write service documentation for professional technicians and support professional technicians at the engineering level as I am an EE specializing in design and support of audio equipment for over 40 years.
I suggest that you re-read my comments with an open, non-defensive mind and perhaps you will come to a different conclusion.
OP, to give another illustration (not speaking FOR AgedHorse, just this was how I took it), the advice you received prior was from techs giving an over-inflated solution for the problem at hand. If you didn't have any sound coming out of a certain bass, and the cause was simply a bad output jack, would you say a tech that explained and could fix that would be better suited? Or if another tech suggested you need to buy a loaded pickguard to install that was pre-wired with new pickups, pots, and output jack? The solution for a dead car battery isn't to replace everything under the hood.
Someone who's on the right level to deal with this will be able to fix it on the circuit level, without needing to get a whole new board, when it could be a smaller component that's acting up. That's what I was gleaning from it. It may save you money in the longrun if you shipped it to a Tech/Service Shop that is GK authorized, as replacing a few board components as opposed to the whole preamp circuit board. Just a guess though.
As for Bammel TV, I've had them work on a few of my CRTs before and they did solid work. Hopefully they can shed some light on the issue and get your amp straightened out. Fusion 550 was a great sounding amp, I regret selling mine BIG TIME.
Someone who's on the right level to deal with this will be able to fix it on the circuit level, without needing to get a whole new board, when it could be a smaller component that's acting up. That's what I was gleaning from it. It may save you money in the longrun if you shipped it to a Tech/Service Shop that is GK authorized, as replacing a few board components as opposed to the whole preamp circuit board. Just a guess though.
As for Bammel TV, I've had them work on a few of my CRTs before and they did solid work. Hopefully they can shed some light on the issue and get your amp straightened out. Fusion 550 was a great sounding amp, I regret selling mine BIG TIME.
Hello there! I did - eventually. Over $400 and a ton of shipping. So…I sold it. Went back to Luddite tubes!
