"Non-serviceable" Fender amps

[g1]

Can you get parts for them? I'm looking at a Rumble 100 with a bad power transformer (open primary). Fuse still good, no sign of any other problems. Out of warranty. I look at the schem. and see the page with a few part numbers and the words "non-servicable".
Does anyone have a part number or know if this PT has a thermal cutout/fuse in it?
Do you guys take in non-serviceable amps for repair or turn them away?
Is there a list anywhere of which models are non-serviceable?

[Enzo]

"Non-serviceable" is a warranty repair status. It does not mean the amps cannot be repaired, nor does it mean there are no parts available. SOme of the parts may not be, case by case, you have to find out. And often times if parts are available, it won;t be right away. WHen a product is early in its product life cycle, they won;t divert a lot of parts from production just to have spares sitting there for you.

All non-serviceable means is that in case of warranty, Fender will not pay us to fix them, they would rather send a replacement unit. SOme brands use the term "exchange only" to mean the same thing. I suppose exchange only sounds less dreadful. Most major brands have an exchange only list. It doesn;t mean they cannot be repaired in an electrical sense.

I don;t turn them away, but I am not going to work at my bench at half price just because a little amp is cheap. Like the little amps that come in "STrat-Pack" starter guitar sets. How many people will pay $45 to get one fixed? On the other hand, if an FM212R needs a filter cap soldered or a couple broken controls replaced, the owners usually will go for that repair.

Fender's do not repair list includes: all Squire amaplifiers, Fender G-DEC, CHampion 600, Bullet series, the FM series, the Frontman amps made in Indonesia, and the Rumble series. Also the small LA series SWR amps, and the smaller PAssport Fenders. And others. There are also some limits on labor for some models that just missed the cutoff.

That short parts list for the Rumble series covers several models, so it does not include the power transformer. That tranny may or may not be available. Take the number off the old one and call Fender and ask if it is available. If it is, you can order one through any Fender dealer or through PArts is PArts.

YOur dead tranny may or may not have a thermal fuse. What have you got to lose? tear it open and see. The amp has 41v rails which means the transformer is about a 30-0-30 type. FInd some other Fender model with 40v power rails and use the transformer from that if necessary.

[MarkusBass]

Your dead tranny may or may not have a thermal fuse. What have you got to lose? tear it open and see. The amp has 41v rails which means the transformer is about a 30-0-30 type. FInd some other Fender model with 40v power rails and use the transformer from that if necessary.

Enzo is right (as always). I had exactly the same problem few days ago. A transformer from other manufacturer had a termal fuse. Since the primary winding was separeted from the secondary it was easy to fix the transformer. Another option was to import the transformer from the States (expensive and time consuming operation). It took me about 20 minutes to fix it.

Mark

[g1]

Thanks so much Enzo. Glad to hear it is more about warranty than parts availability. I know what you mean about the strat pack/small stuff. One of the places I worked put about 50 of them into school rentals.
At the end of the year many came back with broken pots or jacks and ended up going in the garbage. Not worth the time to fix.
I realize all manufacturers are like this and was not trying to single out Fender. They are just most likely for me to see where I am.
What surprises me is the bigger stuff & freight costs. This thing is heavy. Does the dealer end up eating shipping to return it to Fender? I guess even if Fender pays shipping both ways for a warranty replacement it is cheaper than having a service center fix it? (thinking of simple repairs here, say a blown spkr.)

[Enzo]

SOme things Fender wants back, like the PAssport systems, and that FM212R. They send me call tags for those. But the smaller stuff is left to me to destroy. I am supposed to pull whatever parts off them I want to keep and destroy the rest. In reality, I pile them in the corner until I need something off one. I am not going to bother trying to anticipate future needs from them.

Warranty repairs should not wind up costing me - or a dealer - anything. If I need to send something to Fender, they either send a call tag, or reimburse me. If I have to order parts, there is a box on the claim for shipping. Etc.

The amps they make overseas are extremely low in cost. Paying me $50 to fix one is prohibitive to them, compared to replacement.

As to size, they have to draw the line somewhere, so something will always wind up close to that line.