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Hartke LH1000 issues and repair refusals

#23
If your financial situation allows it, I would move on. Think Mesa or Genzler, two highly reputable companies that make amps that are pro-grade and not that much more than a new Hartke. Personally I have a Mesa Subway D800+ and could not be happier. If $$ are tight, I'd see what Hartke has to say. But I don't think that either way, I'd want to spend much to repair that head. Like all things in life, better to buy quality once and not have worries about reliability.
 
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#24
From your OP, it sounds like both of the repair guys were saying (in so many words) that they didn't WANT to work on the amp, not that they wouldn't. If I was totally sold on that amp, I'd put it in line at one of those places and be willing to pay the bench fee for an initial diagnosis. See if you can ascertain what the policy is for those shops -- many places will credit that initial bench fee to the final repair cost.

If the second guy was right -- not just blowing smoke -- and you can indeed buy the same amp used for $300 or so, I'd say do that to have something to use while your amp is in the shop. Once it's repaired, you'll have an exact, drop-in backup on hand should another problem arise. You've had one problem -- not at all likely to be catastrophic, since it's actually still working. That's no indicator for future failure, IMHO.
 
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#25
I've had several similar experiences as you have, Ray..

Regardless of what folks say, qualified or not, it shatters one's belief and trust in contemporary electronic products, devices and to a large extent, the whole production process.
Especially if one is on a limited income. No amount of soothsaying can repair the damage inflicted at a subjective level.

It's all a gamble, no matter which avenue you decide to walk upon. It's not profitable to make things last a lifetime... It certainly makes one rethink the term "disposable income"..

All i can come up with is perhaps it's time to find a different method of bass amplification ?

Welcome to the best of all possible disposable worlds.
 
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#26
If the hum disappears when you plug something into the effect return. ask Hartke if it's worth it to try replacing the tube. A long time ago I had an LH1000 that would start to softly buzz on its own after being powered on for a while. It turned out to be a failing/failed tube. Tech thought the amp might have been jostled around and the tube might have become unstable. Nothing exotic, just a plain JJ preamp tube of matching model/spec.
 
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#27
frankie5string said:
If the hum disappears when you plug something into the effect return. ask Hartke if it's worth it to try replacing the tube. A long time ago I had an LH1000 that would start to softly buzz on its own after being powered on for a while. It turned out to be a failing/failed tube. Tech thought the amp might have been jostled around and the tube might have become unstable. Nothing exotic, just a plain JJ preamp tube of matching model/spec.
Click to expand...
First move we made after changing cables and isolating cabs was to replace the tube with a Mesa. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try a few other ideas, but I will report back.

God Bless, Ray
 
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#28
The response from the two service shops is telling , the cost of repairs will be more than the amp is worth . Their in business to make money and even they don't want to deal with it . The bottom line is you need to buy a new amp .......thanks a lot "TECHNOLOGY" . :banghead:
 
#29
jimmydean said:
The response from the two service shops is telling , the cost of repairs will be more than the amp is worth . Their in business to make money and even they don't want to deal with it . The bottom line is you need to buy a new amp .......thanks a lot "TECHNOLOGY" . :banghead:
Click to expand...
Which doesn't make any sense for those amps... Those amps are supposed to be repairable.
 
#30
jimmydean said:
The response from the two service shops is telling , the cost of repairs will be more than the amp is worth . Their in business to make money and even they don't want to deal with it . The bottom line is you need to buy a new amp .......thanks a lot "TECHNOLOGY" . :banghead:
Click to expand...
You have a couple of shops that are either incapable of repairing the amp economically, or are giving the "we don't want to work on it" price. This is what happens when the quality of the service industry falls to unacceptable levels. It has absolutely nothing to do with technology in this instance, because this is a low tech, lead sled design that is repairable by QUALIFIED service techs.

Since they have pretty low resale value used (~$300), it may very well be less expensive to replace with a working used amp IF you can find one in good shape. If not, then it makes sense to repair IMO.
 
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