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Please Read BEFORE Your Purchase of a PF-500...
- Thread starter shoot-r
- Start date
Wow sounds like GK.Mine blew after maybe 40 hours use tops.I had it 30 months out of warrantee so out of luck on that one.Seems this can happen to any amp.That's the way it goes.Take your Ampeg to the range and blow it up,lots of fun and you'll get your frustration out. If that don't work well there is always OM. lol
This kind of thing happens a lot today. To all companies at one point or another.
Carvin, Markbass, GK, Ampeg, TC, etc.
Yes sir, every manufacturer has a clunker every now and then.
It's in the "how" they step-up and deal with it.
G.K. treated me well when I had out of warranty issues with my MB2-500...Ampeg, not so much!
See post #34 in this thread.
OP here.
The PF-500 head that I'm talking about in this thread was new, still in it's sealed shipping box when I got it. But, I got it from a fellow T.B.er, so the warranty didn't extend to it.
It had roughfully 3 to 4 hours on it from use as a practice amp in my family room.
It burnt out at the beginning of the second set of the first gig it was used at.
Total running/use time, 5 hours tops.......
as failure rates go, that's not all that good. If it's so low of a rate, Ampeg should be OK with issuing replacements or refunds for all of the failures, right?
That 1% number, as already noted, has never been officially sourced or corroborated and might as well be bogus. By the admittedly non-scientific talkbass poll, and judging by these kinds of threads, around 30% of PF-500 TB'ers have had their new PFs crap out. Of that number, a significant portion have had the replacements crap out, as well. Some people have gone through three and four replacements; how does that figure into the percentage? If the lottery had odds like this, I would be buying tickets every day.
FWIW, it seems like buying used is the way to go, as most people with problems report experiencing them very soon, and electronic components and appliances are apparently most prone to failure within their first hours of use. If a unit hasn't gone bad with regular use, it's likely a good one. If you're buying new, just go with the PF-800. These problems haven't been reported so far. I've had a 350 and 500 both fail, but the 800 didn't.
FWIW, it seems like buying used is the way to go, as most people with problems report experiencing them very soon, and electronic components and appliances are apparently most prone to failure within their first hours of use. If a unit hasn't gone bad with regular use, it's likely a good one. If you're buying new, just go with the PF-800. These problems haven't been reported so far. I've had a 350 and 500 both fail, but the 800 didn't.
^^ No way I'd buy one of these used. If it goes down you have a paperweight.
About the 1%... We know that Thomann has a 3% return rate on all Ampeg products - which include their speakers, valve products (guitar) and older Pro units which would be under represented in that figure. You could safely assume their newer class D amps are WAY over 3%.
Of course AmpegUSA could feel free to correct me on that assumption.
About the 1%... We know that Thomann has a 3% return rate on all Ampeg products - which include their speakers, valve products (guitar) and older Pro units which would be under represented in that figure. You could safely assume their newer class D amps are WAY over 3%.
Of course AmpegUSA could feel free to correct me on that assumption.
I suspect they had a bad run of production or something. I don't recall hearing any of these issues at this scale when it first came out like 2 years ago...
Actually, I doubt that all the amps that failed on "other than the original owner" were counted in that 3%, so the actual failure rate is probably a bit higher than that...
- georgestrings
There have been multiple revisions - that's a sure sign of an ongoing problem...
- georgestrings
The fact that the PF-500 has so soon be axed and replaced tells me something.
As does the fact that it's replacement is more expensive, even though the price of class D/SMPS output systems continues to drop like a dead pheasant.
As does the fact that it's replacement is more expensive, even though the price of class D/SMPS output systems continues to drop like a dead pheasant.
Same with the SVT 7PRO, and micro AV. WHAT could they have done so much worse than everyone else???
I mean, I don't think Behringers fail at this rate.
And it's a shame, because I LOVE these amps. But, if I can't trust it, I can't have it. Idk bout you guys, but I don't necessarily HAVE the $80 in shipping expenses I have to "eat' when it comes time to play warranty roulette. I have a strict budget, and amp repairs shouldn't be included if I'm buying new.
I mean, I don't think Behringers fail at this rate.
And it's a shame, because I LOVE these amps. But, if I can't trust it, I can't have it. Idk bout you guys, but I don't necessarily HAVE the $80 in shipping expenses I have to "eat' when it comes time to play warranty roulette. I have a strict budget, and amp repairs shouldn't be included if I'm buying new.
If I had sold you that faulty amp, I'd offer to submit it for warranty work if you shipped it back to me. Maybe your seller would do the same if you asked. Good luck, Bob
Technically it's fraud and Ampeg probably now have the serial number that would prove it. I would have been onto the original owner from the start, since I knew about the warranty. Actually, I wouldn't have, because I've got no interest in Ampeg lightweights.
I love the tone and mobility of the PF series amps. However I'm no fool I know this is a fragile amp that requires one to watch how you push it while playing. Take the time to learn the limitations of this series and all should be fine. Most people push it way too hard and it craps out. Don't like the fragility of the series... try something else. I for one plan to purchase either a used or new Hartke LH500 or maybe even just a HA2500 as a back up. Old school tech, heavy, inefficient but reliable as a tank.
I saved $100 of the retail price by purchasing a restock from Musician's Friend about 3 months ago and haven't had any issues with my amp. It didn't come in original packaging, but otherwise looked new, so I'm not sure what their restocking process involved. Currently they have a restock that is only knocking $20 off the price.
I've read some people blame the amp cutting out on pushing the gain too hard. I play a Stingray through mine and without the -15 dB pad, I still have to turn the gain to about the 8.5 to get the peak light to even flash. I have pushed the volume to see how loud I can get my amp (playing through two 8 ohm 4x10 cabs), but playing at my church, the volume at about a 2 is plenty loud.
I've read some people blame the amp cutting out on pushing the gain too hard. I play a Stingray through mine and without the -15 dB pad, I still have to turn the gain to about the 8.5 to get the peak light to even flash. I have pushed the volume to see how loud I can get my amp (playing through two 8 ohm 4x10 cabs), but playing at my church, the volume at about a 2 is plenty loud.
Whoa, just finished reading this thread and it scared me to death.
I am preparing to get a PF500 used from GC, but I think I won't.
Am I being too skeptical ?
Also any suggestions about any other amp would be appreciated.
I am preparing to get a PF500 used from GC, but I think I won't.
Am I being too skeptical ?
Also any suggestions about any other amp would be appreciated.
