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Selling an amp with issues
- Thread starter pfschim
- Start date
Try working all the switches repeatedly, especially the ultra high/low. It might just be the contacts. I've seen this on other Ampegs.
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If all else fails, people do buy stuff for parts.
I just got almost $100 on eBay for an old Nikon F3, condition listed as "For Parts - Not Working".
If that fails too, I've been known to drop off some bricked electronic items at the dump. (They want $25 or something to process a larger appliance, but they took an old combo amp & powered speaker for free.)
I just got almost $100 on eBay for an old Nikon F3, condition listed as "For Parts - Not Working".
If that fails too, I've been known to drop off some bricked electronic items at the dump. (They want $25 or something to process a larger appliance, but they took an old combo amp & powered speaker for free.)
I would be hesitant at looking under the bonnet of that amp, and I am a fully qualified electrician who has worked on industrial equipment that had tubes in it.
Have you ever had anyone check the tubes in the amp ?
Hybrid amps that have tubes in the preamp and run a SS power amp do need to be serviced as far as I know, tubes do not last forever, but I have no idea how long they last.
The SVT6 has tubes in the Pre and Power amp as far as I know even though it has a solid state output.
I would pass it to a proper technician to check over myself. (After I tried new tubes)
Have you ever had anyone check the tubes in the amp ?
Hybrid amps that have tubes in the preamp and run a SS power amp do need to be serviced as far as I know, tubes do not last forever, but I have no idea how long they last.
The SVT6 has tubes in the Pre and Power amp as far as I know even though it has a solid state output.
I would pass it to a proper technician to check over myself. (After I tried new tubes)
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- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,037
- 5
- 220,965
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Open it up and take a look inside.
You can’t break what’s already broken.
My first amp is this Ashdown ABM500 that I bought broken for equivalent of $10 and this was the issue:
View attachment 5350529
open it up, look inside for obvious things. If it has connectors clean those up etc.
What’s the worst that’s gonna happen? That it breaks even more?
That’s not broken, it was intentional cut. Wires don’t break like that. Perhaps they were “broken” by someone who had no business being inside an amp? That’s my best guess based on my professional experience with folks who think they know how to fix amps, and yes a hack working on an amp can take something broken with value and turn it into a zero value amp pretty quickly.
I see the results of fiddling all the time, almost always it costs the customer more to fix properly, and some do get hurt in the process. Your advice is generally poor, I see you are new here. You might get a better idea about how advice is given by reading some of the threads that deal with this subject.
Most people don't want to buy other people's problems, except for the occasional go-getter with a lot of hustle who will pay pennies on the dollar and gamble that they can fix it for a reasonable price.
If it was mine and I wanted to sell it, I would either price it as scrap/junk and sell it "as is", or I would have it repaired and try to recoup the repair cost and part of my original investment by selling it at current market value.
Or, you could give it away to a young struggling musician and let them get it fixed. Patron of the arts and whatnot.
No it was not intentionally cut.
It was stuck between transformer and edge of PCB = cut off over time.
So yes, wires can break like that. But thank you anyway.
I’ve repaired loads of broken items by simply trying.
And I’ve failed many times, countless of times.
Thus far it has saved me loads of money in the long run.
I’m sorry for my poor advice then.
I guess nobody should ever try something and with that analogy nobody will ever learn.
But as I said, I’ll practice bass instead because that’s what I need.
"take it to a qualified tech"
in many areas this doesnt exist
in many areas this doesnt exist
For the OP - just list it for sale as "Not operating correctly" and sell it at a cheap enough price that it will sell.
My thoughts in general. An old uncollectible amp is like an old uncollectible car. If you can maintain it and fix it yourself then it MAY be worthwhile to keep running. If you have to pay someone else every time something goes wrong it is probably not worth it. No matter what you do there is always the chance that something else will fail. Also - after so many years sources of original or even reliable second market repair parts dry up rendering repairs an expensive exercise in 'make it work'. There always comes a point where you end up dumping more money into it than it is worth and subsequently lose.
My thoughts in general. An old uncollectible amp is like an old uncollectible car. If you can maintain it and fix it yourself then it MAY be worthwhile to keep running. If you have to pay someone else every time something goes wrong it is probably not worth it. No matter what you do there is always the chance that something else will fail. Also - after so many years sources of original or even reliable second market repair parts dry up rendering repairs an expensive exercise in 'make it work'. There always comes a point where you end up dumping more money into it than it is worth and subsequently lose.
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D
I too am not scared to open up already broken gear, I ended up in an awesome 20+ year career as a touring lighting tech that started in a rental shop by me opening up a fog machine that ended up having a bad resistor, replacing it and sending out for a rental that day.
In all the years since then I fixed tons of broken gear, some I was qualified to fix, some I wasn’t but I knew my limitations.
Since on TB, i have given bad advice a few times and got my pp slapped pretty hard.
Now I lurk and pay attention to threads about this kind of stuff. There are professionals that give great advice and there are plenty of others that give opinions.
Pay attention to the pro’s that are kind enough to share their knowledge and experience
those seem to be in the 500-800 range used.
Take it to a reputable tech for a diagnosis.
Be honest about the condition and price it accordingly.
Take it to a reputable tech for a diagnosis.
Be honest about the condition and price it accordingly.
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Last amp I had like that, I just gave it away. Wasn't worth the bench fee to have it analyzed/fixed. YMMV
Okay so first off, don't go digging around in there. The "worst" that could happen is actually very bad.
Secondly, if you sell it without taking it to a tech , disclose all of the issues you've noticed and sell it as parts with no guarantee that it works properly.
Secondly, if you sell it without taking it to a tech , disclose all of the issues you've noticed and sell it as parts with no guarantee that it works properly.
In San Bruno, about a half hour from you, is Skyline College. They have an electronics tech program. Give them a call and see if they'd be interested in fixing that amp as part of a hands-on training session. Back in the day, in my 2-year tech school, we were always getting broken equipment in to work on. Cost-wise, we'd do it for parts only because the school benefited from each experience. Final check was always done by a qualified instructor.
A very cool thing about this place is that we have industry-leading engineers who will respond to threads like this, such as agedhorse. What I have learned from reading content from him and the other people here who literally designed and built the amps that we use is that DIY repairs have a significantly more-than-zero chance of causing life-threatening electrocution.
Given that information, the experts are compelled by their professional ethics to respond to posts like yours with an adamant "NO!"
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I'd look inside for anything obvious like loose connector or trace of smoke or stains. You won't break anything and won't get electrocuted just by looking.
I'd look for a tech to get a quotation anyway.
I'd look for a tech to get a quotation anyway.
There aren't any large capacitors here that would do any injury to a person. When I was dumber, I got hit by a starting capacitor for a HVAC fan motor. It was very unpleasant and I don't recommend it. The dangerous part here is the power amp, when it is energized. Otherwise the potential for damage is to the amp, not the person.
Having said all that, unless it's a fuse or one is willing to risk seriously damage to the amp, sell it as is or get it to a repair shop. Sometimes the damaged component is obvious but sometimes not.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,037
- 5
- 220,965
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
I don't believe that for a minute, the evidence absolutely does not support it. You are of course welcome to believe whatever story you wish though.
This is exactly why I discourage DIY repairs... because folks simply don't know what they don't know and this is a good example of that.
Sure there is plenty of high voltage, and the caps on this part of the circuit can certainly store enough energy to cause harm. Most of the preamp operates at a B+ of 300VDC. and the dangerous part is NOT the power amp, it's the AC primary side plus most of the preamp.
What is it with all the new members and the attitude that comes along with the dangerous and bad advice lately? If you don't understand what you are proposing (which clearly many don't) then keep it to yourself rather than promoting something that is dangerous to somebody else.
How do you know what the fee will be, unless you actually take it in for an estimate?
Any self assessment is likely to be out to lunch.
