For those of you playing the home version of our game, my LMTube head took a minor tumble off my cart while inside it's "protective" MB bag. As luck would have it, it landed knob-first, and caused the VPF to be 100% on. That was in late Dec. Since the local authorized repair facility was closed over the holidays, I wasn't able to initiate any repair until 3Jan when I dropped it off in person.
About two weeks later I called and they said that the preamp board was broken and that they'd have to order the part. I asked whether or not it might be covered under warranty (the amp was purchased March 2010) and they said they'd ask but since it was dropped they didn't think so. I argued that in my opinion there were a couple of issues that they might want to factor into their decision - it was stored in a MB bag, it was a short fall, and most important, the knobs are not properly supported by the face plate, making any physical trauma a potential PC board breaking event. To me that is a design flaw.
So finally today I got the email that they got the part (5 weeks after dropping it off). A little over $100 for the board plus labor and it would not be covered under warranty. And then they ask if I want them to fix it. Well, not much choice, eh?
Somehow I think (know?) that if this were a Genz Benz product the customer service would have been slightly different. I wouldn't have been out an amp for 5+ weeks, and they would have more seriously considered a "goodwill" warranty claim or at least partial claim. More importantly, GB actually builds their amps such that the knobs are properly supported by the faceplate, thus minimizing the probability of this type of problem.
I guess I'll get the MB back in a few days (depending on how quickly they want to fix it - hey, I've already sat around for 5 weeks without the amp, it must not be that important). It'll be up for sale (with full disclosure of its history) and I won't be owning any more MB products. ymmv.
About two weeks later I called and they said that the preamp board was broken and that they'd have to order the part. I asked whether or not it might be covered under warranty (the amp was purchased March 2010) and they said they'd ask but since it was dropped they didn't think so. I argued that in my opinion there were a couple of issues that they might want to factor into their decision - it was stored in a MB bag, it was a short fall, and most important, the knobs are not properly supported by the face plate, making any physical trauma a potential PC board breaking event. To me that is a design flaw.
So finally today I got the email that they got the part (5 weeks after dropping it off). A little over $100 for the board plus labor and it would not be covered under warranty. And then they ask if I want them to fix it. Well, not much choice, eh?
Somehow I think (know?) that if this were a Genz Benz product the customer service would have been slightly different. I wouldn't have been out an amp for 5+ weeks, and they would have more seriously considered a "goodwill" warranty claim or at least partial claim. More importantly, GB actually builds their amps such that the knobs are properly supported by the faceplate, thus minimizing the probability of this type of problem.
I guess I'll get the MB back in a few days (depending on how quickly they want to fix it - hey, I've already sat around for 5 weeks without the amp, it must not be that important). It'll be up for sale (with full disclosure of its history) and I won't be owning any more MB products. ymmv.
