Phil Jones bass: product support experience and power supply question

I don't think many companies support products they no longer produce, unless you're talking about computers or operating systems or have a lifetime warranty. Especially niche products from smaller manufacturers. PJB aren't Fender.

Good luck, though. I'm sure someone out there makes a power supply that matches. I would hit PJB up again and see if they respond.

 

I too feel that PJB could be more helpful to a customer. Yes this unit was purchased used but if that customer had received more help the company could have had a customer for life!

 

Not saying I disagree with you, would be great if companies supported products indefinitely, but OP mentioned product was 12 years old and they finally discontinued it. Seems like it had a nice long run.

But you'd think if it was around that long, there must be power supplies available for it somewhere. I would check Ebay and Amazon.

 

I disagree (in general) with this statement.

I think most manufacturers do in fact support their products for a reasonable time after they have been discontinued. My experience is mostly in the pro audio field, but using companies like Yamaha, Shure, Audio Technica, DBX, JBL, Crown, QSC and Soundcraft as examples I can recall getting full factory support for easily 5 - 10 years after a product has been discontinued.

From personal experience (because my experience with other companies in the MI industry are generally more limited) of companies I have worked for in the MI side of the industry, I know that both Mesa and Genz Benz stand/stood by their products for many years after they were discontinued and both companies also had products with long production lives. Mesa still services products that were discontinued over 20 years ago. Genz Benz is a little different, but it was the former owners Fender and KMC who insisted that the products be supported for a minimum of 5 years after being discontinued, and then went a step farther and did the right thing by making it possible for me to continue the factory level service/support through my R&D lab for at least 10 years after being discontinued. I never experienced anything that suggested that any of these companies don't care about the customer 5 years down the road, and in fact quite the contrary.

Where things get tough for all manufacturers is when key suppliers discontinue critical parts. Sometimes we have advanced notice and can be sure we have adequate inventory on hand, but sometimes we don't. When this happens, we can often find alternative parts, but sometimes the part is so specialized that it has become unobtanium. While they may appear to be available on eBay, Ali Express or Amazon, almost always we discover that these are either counterfeit parts, or relabeled parts that are not the same and unusable when repairing products for a customer. With product technology advancing as rapidly as it does, I would expect to see more of this sort of thing, but it's something that many designers do consider when selecting parts for a design.

I think that if you look at most of the well respected brands on the market, most do in fact have pretty good customer service from the factory.

 

I don't expect Fender to fix my 60s Fender in 2020.

Again, I'm not saying I agree, just saying that unfortunately, it can be that way. And what can we really expect past warranty dates? I think a lot of companies who can afford to do so, do it.

But how big is PJB? Nowhere as big as Yamaha, Shure, or the others mentioned above. It may not be worth it for them. Also, it may be that the demand just wasn't there for the power supplies for that product in the 12 years it was available. In any case, you should just send them another email, maybe someone will help you.

 

Agedhorse recently serviced my old GenzBenz Streamliner . It's like a new amp . And I am very happy to have invested in it .

 

Sorry to hear your pain but this isn't an issue with PBJ's customer service. It's simply the reality of offshore contract production and the details within that contract. Supplying spare parts - especially one-off 18v power supplies - can be an expensive gamble on the part of the manufacturer when the yearly sales are counted in hundreds and not 10's of thousands. I'm sure PBJ would have sold you a replacement if they had one but in reality they're in the same boat as you with no more parts and nobody to make them.
Your best bet is Amazon as long as you can be sure of the consumption and the tip is the correct diameter.
Good luck .....

 

Can you post a photo of the label on the original power supply? It would make it easier to find a compatible replacement.
Don't forget that components become obsolete over time and that might be the reason that the power supply is no longer offered. From what I can tell, Phil Jones cares about the quality of his products and may not be willing to provide an inferior replacement. Even if it is off-the-shelf, I'm certain that PJB fully tested and vetted it before including it with his product.

 

So you bought a Bass Buddy that you knew was broken, assuringly for a good price and are upset that you're not getting within warranty, original purchaser level service? Yes, a 1960's Fender Twin amp can still be serviced, but I don't think you would want a 65 lbs headphone amp with point to point wiring, nor be willing to pay the purchase price.

 

Let me suggest one possible reason why some power supplies are becoming unobtainium...

There have been several major regulatory changes made over the past few years that have specifically affected power supplies.

The first is new efficiency and safety standards for walk watts type supplies that for the most part have precluded the use of line frequency transformers. If the original power supply used a line frequency transformer, it may not be possible to build new ones under the current regulations.

The second possible reason is that if the power supply was an early SMPS with some specialty in the design (common in that era) and if that’s the case, some of these parts may no longer be available. Many component parts like this have been obsoleted by changes in safety, EMC and EU 1W eco standards. If power supplies can’t be certified, there’s no reason for suppliers to continue to produce the component parts

This leaves the used market to supply replacement power supplies, but there may be features of the factory supply that are essential to proper, noise free operation.

 

It's a two year warranty, they will cover you during that time period. There are other options out there, but they are more expensive. Integrated components give us a lower purchase price, but also mean that the cost of repair is likely greater than the original purchase price - if the components are even available.

 

Are you sure the input current is 1.5A and not .15A?

That looks like an early SMPS, there may be special noise control features built into it for audio applications. It’s also early enough not to meet the new standards so it wouldn’t be surprising that the supplier can no longer build them (at least as they were originally designed)

Maybe PJB has researched alternative supplies that will work even if the don’t stock them? I suggest following up with them even if it appears frustrating.

 

Apples and oranges. Compare the number of phones sold versus the number of bass amps.