Ampeg V4 PT

[Chuck H]

Hey Dude, no skin man. I wasn't so much saying that marking up is wrong, I was saying that marking everything up to retail profit margins makes for loony, prohibitive prices. But some guys do it. Even on expensive parts and even when they have to pay the same markup as everyone else, effectively doubling the price to the service customer. I have no beef whatever with honest shops getting paid for their work. Anyone whose had to maintain an inventory of any kind and/or source sometimes hard to find parts knows that stuff doesn't get done as free time or for pleasure

[The Dude]

Chuck,

No offense taken by your post whatsoever. I just thought it might be a good idea to take on the subject a little more in depth.

[Enzo]

At the risk of making a tangent, when I have to buy a $200 transformer, I don;t mark it up 100%, I do whatever I feel like that day, maybe I add $40 for myself. That is 20%. SHipping has to be figured in there.

But I mark some things up a lot more than 100%. If I buy a small signal transistor like an MPSA06 or a 2N3904, I buy them 100 at a time for 5 or 6 cents each. I charge at least $1 for those parts. I am not going to charge 12 cents for 6 cent transistors. Shipping is not usually a factor on small stuff, but my time, having it in inventory and so on are values. My minimum charge for an IC is $4. Even though my little op amps might cost 39 cents. If my IC costs $3, then I will of course charge more than the $4. Jacks start at $4. My cost is more like 50-60 cents.

My parts have to make money for me, but I keep in mind trying to be fair to the customer. So I can't justify having a blanket, automatic 100% markup.

[The Dude]

FWIW, That pretty much describes EXACTLY how I do things.

[Chuck H]

There's always some "get it where you can". That is, hell yeah mark a $0.50 capacitor or resistor or transistor up to a buck or two. The customer won't balk at all and you get "get PAID biache"! Well, not exactly like that. actually it's more of a recoup for likely to be misunderstood and virtually unchargable time spent elsewhere on related $h!t. For real. For a small shop that adds up to, what? $1000 to $2000 bucks a friggin year!?! That's not changing anyone's lifestyle. That's just paying the bills. And then there's gray area...

Dude, we're still discussing the issue and you're still participating!!! Is that in any way related to your research on the product? Well, some of it yes, maybe? Probably not all of it.?. So there's that. The reality of experience and dedication commanding a premium has been raised here as well!!! In the end it's like Enzo said. You charge "whatever I feel like that day" depending on circumstances, mood, guilt, entitlement, etc. The unfortunate reality is that I don't know any electronic repair techs that have built a good retirement charging over 100% for small components!?! I surely wish it were different (for electronic repair techs AND house painters ) So I suppose I can't fault any shop that adheres to a stringent markup if they can get it. And I hope the best for all of my kindred that virtuosity doesn't combine with a cultural definition of morality to equal a difficult retirement. That's a pipe dream of course, unless you're Stan

[The Dude]

......Dude, we're still discussing the issue and you're still participating!!!......

Well, I'm currently working on a Fender Passport 250 with a roasted amp and roasted SMPS. Diversions/Breaks are necessary to keep me from launching this thing across the warehouse floor. If you've ever been inside one of these POS's, you'll understand my frustration.

[bob p]

I have a local music store that keeps trying to get me to work on that kind of stuff. I just can't see the point in spending time on Class D amps. They're built to be a card-type replacement from the manufacturer or an amp on a stick, and if you can't buy the amp on a stick replacement they're expected to be thrown into the garbage. I don't think they're worth my time.

I tell the stores that I'll happily work on vintage gear and the new reissues, but I've drawn the line at wasting time on Class-D amps and modelling circuits. Most of today's amps are throw-aways that would cost more to repair than they're worth.

Does that make me a cherry-picker?!?

[The Dude]

I tried to scare 'em off with a high estimate. It didn't work.

[bob p]

Well, if you make the repair estimate >= the cost of a new amp, the repair turns out to be pretty easy. lol.

[Enzo]

It does make you a cherry picker, but sometimes cherries is all you can reach.

There is the Passport, and there is the Passport D, but that is D for digital FX.. They have always had the SMPS, but the power amps are linear, unless the newest ones are class D now. All the P250 and PD250 I know have linear amplifiers.

Those are a pain to work in, but I have done it enough, they come right apart for me. Once the SMPS and power amp on heat sink assembly is out, they are not hard to service. On a warranty basis, Fender expects us to swap SMPS boards, but we repair the amplifier boards. Usually just a blown pair of output xstrs. Originally the SMPS was supported, but they found a LOT of guys out there couldn;t handle them.

Always fix the power amp first, many time that is the issue for the SMPS.

[The Dude]

Yes, the amp is linear and an SMPS power supply. I've repaired quite a few of these (unfortunately). I don't find the troubleshooting part particularly difficult. It's pretty straight forward. It's the assembly/disassembly that is a PITA. The amp is fixed- just a single shorted output. The power supply had a handful of shorted FET's, a couple diodes and some burnt resistors. I'm just waiting on a KA3842B (just ordered). It's the only part I didn't have. Then, the fun of cramming it all back together.

[bob p]

It does make you a cherry picker, but sometimes cherries is all you can reach.

It's not that I can't reach them -- it's that I don't like to eat the ones that are sour.

[Enzo]

It is OK, I don't let persimmons into my shop.

[Chuck H]

It's gettin' a little fruity around here.?.