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Where do amps go when they die?

#21
WingKL said:
Plenty of "nerds" out there who knows what they are doing and can fix broken electronics instead of just adding it to the landfill like what most others would do.
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These guys can fix anything.

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The owner Jay has a BS in electrical engineering and worked at the Conoco refinery in that town for 25 years before they started this music store. His son Joel is the main guy in charge, talk to him. Tell him you were having problems with the FX loop and you had a tech look at it and it came back totally dead. They can likely fix the loop and diagnose what the other tech broke.

Amp circuitry is like a color by number for him.

If you get on the Gretsch Pages you will find hundreds of praises for them because they mainly work on Gretsch guitars and modding Fender style amps. But when I used to live in that town I would see people bring in all kinds of crap and it would go out the door fixed.
 
#26
An amp that's only worth $200 used, isn't worth $200 to repair. I suggest finding out if the power amp section works by plugging something into the effects return. If it does, then put it up for free on the Craig. If not, then see if your locale has an electronics recycling center.
 
#29
I'm sending mine to one Mr. Duck Dunn in the hopes that he will accept it.


+1 to donating, giving away, scavenging for parts, etc. Anything other than adding to the trash heap. If you must throw it away, scavenge it for anything you can use, jacks, knobs, a power cord, etc., then take it to a scrap metal yard and get a couple bucks for it that way, where it will at least end up being melted down and coming back as a razorblade or toaster or something.
 
#34
Probably a cheap fix for any tech-minded person who isn't doing the stuff for profession. I've fixed a few "basket cases" for a vodka bottle and always got my money's worth. ...So...

a) Give it away to someone who still finds use for it

...or...

b) Cannibalize it. Some of my non-functioning amps / other electronic gear were reborn as amps / other electronic gear. The last amp I built was almost entirely made out from recycled parts. Probably one or two components in a non-functioning amp are faulty, rest is still good stuff. Valuable too if you're willing to work a bit for it.

Observant ones likely figured out a) and b) may kinda go together.

c) option is simply landfill. I'd reserve it for case of not knowing any DIY oriented guy or a tech-oriented person who needs a free amp and is willing to work for an hour or two, spend a few bucks for replacement parts and get a ludicrously cheap amp.
 
#35
If disposal is the eventual choice, check with your town hall to see if they have a day set aside for free electronics disposal, where residents can bring in old computers, TVs, amps, and so on for proper recycling.

However, I agree with the others about narrowing down which still works: power amp or preamp. Even if the power amp is dead, you still have that great G-K preamp inside that you can tap from with fx out. If the preamp is dead, you've got a decent 180W/300W utility power amp still working that you can get to with fx in. I doubt both are dead; it would be too much of a coincidence. If neither works, I'd suspect something came loose in shipping. (That's not the same as "dead.") Open that sucker up and look around if you haven't already.

Did someone suggest (yet) connecting the fx out and fx in jacks with an instrument cable? If that brings the amp to life, then just keep using the cable, or maybe a short (1') fx<->fx cable, and don't eff with the jacks any more, they're more trouble than they're worth.
 
#36
Downunderwonder said:
The usual problem with the FX loop is the 1/4" jack switching corrodes, cutting out the signal to the amp. If you put a patch cable into the loop and it goes you can ask the repair guy for your money back and go buy some DeOxit spray.
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+1 !!!

This ^^^ is the best advice you've gotten so far, you may find this very simple task gets your amp working perfectly again...

And If It does, either your amp tech was totally trying to rip you off, or he's totally incompetent. Either way, you'll know not to ever take another amp back to him for repairs... (plus you could also warn your band-mates/other-musicians you meet to steer clear of this dudes shop)
 
#37
I did try the patch cable method and no dice. I bought this amp used and when I got it home the FX loop, both in and out would not work and the tuner out jack was not functional. Thats why I initially took it to an amp tech. So I believe that there are some serious problems within the amp. I could never just throw away musical gear so Ill probably let it sit around until I find a kid who wants a project or a friend who knows a little more about internal electronics than I do. Thanks for all the advice!
 
#39
When nothing works, that could point to the power supply board, or possibly a broken contact at the input, where you plug your bass in.

Even if you don't know much about electronics, it certainly wouldn't hurt to take the cover off and just look around for any obviously loose parts, burned looking parts, broken wire connections, etc. The worst that could happen is you find nothing. There aren't any lethal voltages in there like in tube amps.
 

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