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Let down by GK!!

blindeddie

blindeddie

Nov 29, 2005
451
482
52
knoxville, tennessee
#1
i'm actually kinda let down by GK at the moment. i recently posted in this thread about how much i loved my GK gear but i feel pretty bummed right now. my MB2-500 just died the other day and when i called about a repair, i got shut down. no help at all because my warranty has expired. i'm still the original owner and have taken great care of this head and been totally happy with it up til now. and after reading and searching here on talkbass, it is obvious that it has the same problem that alot of people have experienced. it started popping and crackling and sizzling and cutting out. even without my bass plugged in, it is buzzing and the fan is going crazy.
i understand that sometimes this happens, but my thing is, i'm a loyal customer that has purchased a ton of GK gear. i currently have the MB2-500, a new MB200, a Neo 2x10, a Neo 1x15, and a MBE 2x12. all of which i absolutely love. so what i'm saying, is that i have put ALOT of money in GKs pocket over the last couple of years. i'm not whining or trying to get something for nothing. i just want my favorite head fixed. and i feel like after all the cash i have spent and all the positive comments i have made here on talkbass and on the road, that it shouldn't be too much to ask for GK to fix it for me. i mean i am willing to pay for the shipping back and forth. and i don't want a replacement. just a tune up! it would be different if i wasn't experiencing that same trouble that others have ran into with this same head. but my warranty is expired. so what! it's not my fault that there was a problem with this particular model. they should stand behind it as long as i'm the original owner. and i don't feel that it's asking too much for GK to cover the $75 per hour to fix an amplifier for a loyal customer
 
#4
blindeddie said:
i'm actually kinda let down by GK at the moment. i recently posted in this thread about how much i loved my GK gear but i feel pretty bummed right now. my MB2-500 just died the other day and when i called about a repair, i got shut down. no help at all because my warranty has expired. i'm still the original owner and have taken great care of this head and been totally happy with it up til now. and after reading and searching here on talkbass, it is obvious that it has the same problem that alot of people have experienced. it started popping and crackling and sizzling and cutting out. even without my bass plugged in, it is buzzing and the fan is going crazy.
i understand that sometimes this happens, but my thing is, i'm a loyal customer that has purchased a ton of GK gear. i currently have the MB2-500, a new MB200, a Neo 2x10, a Neo 1x15, and a MBE 2x12. all of which i absolutely love. so what i'm saying, is that i have put ALOT of money in GKs pocket over the last couple of years. i'm not whining or trying to get something for nothing. i just want my favorite head fixed. and i feel like after all the cash i have spent and all the positive comments i have made here on talkbass and on the road, that it shouldn't be too much to ask for GK to fix it for me. i mean i am willing to pay for the shipping back and forth. and i don't want a replacement. just a tune up! it would be different if i wasn't experiencing that same trouble that others have ran into with this same head. but my warranty is expired. so what! it's not my fault that there was a problem with this particular model. they should stand behind it as long as i'm the original owner. and i don't feel that it's asking too much for GK to cover the $75 per hour to fix an amplifier for a loyal customer
Click to expand...

Lately, there seems to be a trend here on TalkBass that, because "I have spent a lot of money on -------- gear", that they should fix it or replace it (basically) for free.

Frankly, I don't get it. :scowl:

My Wife drives a 2010 BMW and a week ago the power steering pump crapped out. Cost me $700 (parts and labor). Now, I suppose that I could have went to the BMW site and rose hell because our warranty had expired and mean old BMW wouldn't "man up" and fix it for free, but I understand that once a warranty expires - you are, for the most part - left to your own devices.

Over the years, I have spent (probably) $15,000 on Ampeg gear. Should Ampeg be responsible for the gear I have for the rest of MY life, or theirs? Or is it the actual amplifiers' life?

ANY amp builder warrants their product to be free from defect for a certain period - whatever that period may be. Once it is OUT of the warranty period, they have no obligation whatsoever to fix your amp (unless YOU pay to have it fixed).

I know that that is NOT the answer you are looking for, but it is true.

In a perfect world amps and cars would never break down and the sun would always shine brightly and there would be no wars. The last time I checked - it ain't a perfect world.:smug:
 
#6
blindeddie said:
you miss my point. after searching here on TB, there was apparently some sort of "recall" or something on these early models. it's not just my amp. mine just lasted longer than most.
Click to expand...

I understand completely what you are saying. Unfortunately, short of a "recall" I don't know what your options are, other than paying to have it fixed.

If you have contacted GK and they don't have any info on the "recall" then you have few options. It sucks, to be sure, but there you go....

I truly wish you the very best.
 
#7
Have you tried contacting RAG directly via PM?

Frankly I'm surprised that you're getting stone-walled because I had one that crapped out and Bob told me to send it in and I had a new one in time for my next gig. I wasn't the original owner. In fact I bought it in a pawn shop.
 
#9
also, we do not have an authorized GK service center anywhere close to knoxville. the only real amp service we have at all is at least two hours away and it's still not a GK service center. so it's not like i can just take it anywhere and have it repaired. i really don't trust some local guy to try to mess with my micro head. i think it's probably best to let GK do the work needed. and considering the history of this generation of the head, i don't feel that it should matter if the warranty is expired. it hasn't been that long.
and by the way, we're not talking about a BMW, we're talking about a $500 amp. it must be nice to be able to spend $15000 on a wall of ampegs and have enough dough to have the wife cruisin around in a BMW, but alot of us can't afford that kinda thing. so, every little bit helps. and i'm sure it's not that expensive to fix. it's just the principle. i'm not gonna pay to have the power amp replaced when it would cost the same to buy a new amp! if i'm gonna have to put out that kinda cash, i'll just buy something else!
 
#10
Hey man, you don't get anywhere in life counting other people's money.

Anyway, sorry about your amp but you do buy them with the knowledge of the warranty, and when you buy it, you agree to it. And chances are you were offered an extended warranty by the store, too. I always decline them because they're legalized gambling, but they do offer them if you think the GK warranty is too short. Sucks when it's your turn in the barrel, but they're under no obligation to you to give you free repairs past the warranty.
 
#11
Since you were aware of possible problems from reading about them on TB, why didn't you send it in while it was still under warranty? I mean, just because it was still working, you must've known the warranty period was about to expire at some point, right? I would've taken a pre-emptive strike before it was too late. Now of course, it IS too late. Just find a good amp tech, we all need to know one of them at one time or another, and take it in. Good luck.
 
#12
blindeddie said:
also, we do not have an authorized GK service center anywhere close to knoxville. the only real amp service we have at all is at least two hours away and it's still not a GK service center. so it's not like i can just take it anywhere and have it repaired. i really don't trust some local guy to try to mess with my micro head. i think it's probably best to let GK do the work needed. and considering the history of this generation of the head, i don't feel that it should matter if the warranty is expired. it hasn't been that long.
and by the way, we're not talking about a BMW, we're talking about a $500 amp. it must be nice to be able to spend $15000 on a wall of ampegs and have enough dough to have the wife cruisin around in a BMW, but alot of us can't afford that kinda thing. so, every little bit helps. and i'm sure it's not that expensive to fix. it's just the principle. i'm not gonna pay to have the power amp replaced when it would cost the same to buy a new amp! if i'm gonna have to put out that kinda cash, i'll just buy something else!
Click to expand...

A lot of us can't afford that kind of thing? I am 60 years old and have been buying Ampeg for the last 30 or so years. But, if I understand your idea of "service", the CL that I bought back in 1983 should be fixed if it breaks because I have spent money with Ampeg.....??

Now YOU are missing the point here. At what point does the manufacturer relinquish responsibility for the upkeep of their product?

To you, it's the "principle". To me, the "principle" costs money. If they built a "bad" product then they are responsible to fix, or replace, any product returned for warranty work. If, however, you (or anyone) doesn't return the product within the required amount of time, then so be it. It's your loss (or responsibility) to have it fixed.

I used a couple of Bob's products Waaaayyy back when. Not my cup of tea, but I have rarely heard nary a bad word spoken about him OR his company and I hope that both you and he can come to an amicable settlement.

My statement remains, however, that lately it seems as though there are too many folks here who choose to rant and rave on THIS site until they get something that they really aren't entitled to.
 
#13
Sorry but i agree with the OP.
Of course, GK is not obligated to fix your amp. But! A good company would stand behind their product and repair a unit that is known to have a particular problem. Also known as a "defect."
And some manufacturers would, and do indeed. Just look at genz benz for example.

I find it even more odd that someone posted in this thread that they got their amp fixed by GK, out of warranty, and they even bought it at a pawn shop. A little inconsistent?
 
#14
I think the problem is, Genz have raised the bar in service to a crazy level, and now I feel like I expect that with everything. Unfortunately not all companies stand behind their products like Genz do. If it was a 5 year old Genz design, even 2nd hand, they would help you get it sorted...at a very small charge or maybe even free.

Maybe PM RAG as suggested and see if they can meet you half way.
 
#15
thudfromafar said:
Sorry but i agree with the OP.
Of course, GK is not obligated to fix your amp. But! A good company would stand behind their product and repair a unit that is known to have a particular problem. Also known to as a "defect."
And some manufacturers would, and do indeed. Just look at genz benz for example.

I find it even more odd that someone posted in this thread that they got their amp fixed by GK, out of warranty, and they even bought it at a pawn shop. A little inconsistent?
Click to expand...

You read my mind...I basically said the same thing at the same time.
 
#19
blindeddie said:
also, we do not have an authorized GK service center anywhere close to knoxville. the only real amp service we have at all is at least two hours away and it's still not a GK service center. so it's not like i can just take it anywhere and have it repaired. i really don't trust some local guy to try to mess with my micro head. i think it's probably best to let GK do the work needed. and considering the history of this generation of the head, i don't feel that it should matter if the warranty is expired. it hasn't been that long. and by the way, we're not talking about a BMW, we're talking about a $500 amp. it must be nice to be able to spend $15000 on a wall of ampegs and have enough dough to have the wife cruisin around in a BMW, but alot of us can't afford that kinda thing. so, every little bit helps. and i'm sure it's not that expensive to fix. it's just the principle. i'm not gonna pay to have the power amp replaced when it would cost the same to buy a new amp! if i'm gonna have to put out that kinda cash, i'll just buy something else!
Click to expand...

"It's just the principle", eh? "i don't feel that it should matter if the warranty is expired- it hasn't been that long.", eh? You're saying "My amp broke after the warranty expired and I don't want to pay for the repair". What's the point of stating a warranty period if they're going to repair everyone's amps after it expires? Oh, you don't think they should fix everyone else' amps, just yours?

That's the bottom line. YOU think they should give free service AFTER the warranty. If you had heard about issues with others of the same model, you should have done something about it before the warranty ran out. You could have shipped it to them and, being a micro, it wouldn't have cost much. USPS has Flat Rate shipping boxes and one of these would have worked.


How did you present your problem to GK? If you went in with guns blazing, you're not going to be high on their list of people that they want to help. If you were calm and reasonable, it's different but it still doesn't require them to fix your amp out of warranty. Yelling and screaming gets no special treatment, other than cutting the time between the beginning and end of a call.
 
#20
darius8 said:
Yes, if there was a recall for a design flaw then GK should replace the circuit board or whatever it was recalled for.
Click to expand...

Recalls aren't open-ended. They send info to their dealers and the customers who returned the registration cards- that's why the cards are in all of this equipment, not to activate the warranty. Sometimes, they extend the warranty for sending it in, but that varies by manufacturer. The dealers are required to make some attempt to contact the buyers and the manufacturer is required to make repairs within a reasonable time period.
 

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