HotRod Deville motorboats only on Drive channel

[audiotecnicservices]

Generally, in tube amps, motorboating is due to a leaky capacitor. Check the caps around concerned tubes, in doubt change suspect ones... Good luck.

[Jazz P Bass]

Stan, I can not express my gratitude enough at your insiteful posts.
I do feel that I have learned alot from them.
But how much of this applies to kids working on there own equipment?
The average OP, coming out of the blue (my amp does this, how do I fix it), probably cannot fathom exactly what you are driving at.
Which brings up the question: 'Why are people so adverse to taking there equipment to a well qualified tech?'
Are most techs considered overpriced?
Incompetant?

[Enzo]

A lot of people look at us like we were shade tree mechanics. I also think many customers or potential ones have unrealistic expectations.

They will assume that the value of their item somehow ought to set the repair rate. I could have a 1 hour minimum labor ($60) charge, and out of the goodness in my heart, charge only $45 for some basic repair, and I'd hear, "But I only paid $50 for the amp." Well sorry, it is the same work to replace a couple jacks in a $50 amp or a $3000 amp.

I had a guy bring me a Fender Rhodes piano once, and I swear to God he said to me, "When will you be doing the actual work? I want to come watch so you don't charge me for work you didn't do." Said that to my face. I told him to leave and never return.

SOme people look at an amount of money as whether it is something they are OK to part with or not. They don;t want to spend $200. Never mind it includes a complete set of tubes and a speaker. SHow them the prices in catalogs, charge them a single hour and still, "Yeah, but it is $200."

Find a big 32 channel or larger mixer, with lots of sends. To do ANYTHING on it will take at least a couple hours labor. I once rebuilt a large MAckie board with extender for some church. I had to remove over 950 knobs - and make a chart to get them back on right - over 250 jack nuts, 100 plug small screws for the XLR jacks, etc. It was hours of labor just to do all that. The point of the rebuild? To replace all the ribbon cables. Every board had to come out to access the ribbons, and Mackie charged ME $300 for the ribbon set. Oh the howling at that bill.

And try explaining why replacing a slider or two on a large mixer can take three hours.

[Prairie Dawg]

Seconded. A friend of mine once told me I didn't have to fix everything that showed up at my door. It was good advice. I try to spread out my new technology expeditions to a time when I've got time to do some constructive thinking.