Itīs the transformer, isn't it?

[J M Fahey]

For those who wonder where that and all those other weird ideas come from, just reads whatīs posted in a Forum called:

Trouble shooting my Randall... - My Les Paul Forums

Read questions and answers.
Best is when somebody who *knows* how to read schematics and apparently runs a Service shop
a) accepts that " transformers get burnt by impedance mismatches" (in an SS amp)
b) doesnīt realize that the schematic posted covers only the preamp
c) asks the OP to "be careful because the PSU capacitors hold over 400V and are dangerous).
The PSU section shown feeds two +/-15V rails.
The Power amp (not shown ) should have no more than 50V rails.
And so on.

Oh well.

[Tom Phillips]

Also seems to happen alot with members who feel that they have to participate in lots of discussions. They comment without reading the whole existing thread or, as in the case you site, without even understanding the subject equipment. If time allowed we could extract advice that would make for a good April fools day troubleshooting guide.
Firt step: Replace the Output Transformer etc., etc., etc.

[diagrammatiks]

ya but just think about how much better that amp would sound if he go +-300 rails going.

rock rock rock.

[J M Fahey]

Well, some PA power amps are already using +/- 150V ; 300 end to end.
Scary.

[dai h.]

For those who wonder where that and all those other weird ideas come from, just reads whatīs posted in a Forum called:

Trouble shooting my Randall... - My Les Paul Forums

Read questions and answers.
Best is when somebody who *knows* how to read schematics and apparently runs a Service shop

from reading the interwebs, having a service shop, amp company, "clients" and customers, etc. doesn't seem to necessarily mean much (that is, these things don't necessarily mean there is actual competence and understanding). I see people with (apparent) businesses, web sites, etc. asking very basic questions or not being able to solve basic problems on amp forums, so... "Viva capitalism!" I guess.

[hasserl]

from reading the interwebs, having a service shop, amp company, "clients" and customers, etc. doesn't seem to necessarily mean much (that is, these things don't necessarily mean there is actual competence and understanding). I see people with (apparent) businesses, web sites, etc. asking very basic questions or not being able to solve basic problems on amp forums, so... "Viva capitalism!" I guess.

A couple of years ago on The Gear Page amp technical forum there was a guy that was starting a bunch of threads asking some really basic questions about amp design. About 6 months later he comes out with an amp company and an amp for sale. He participates on the forum a whole bunch and develops a bunch of fan bois. Another 6 months later and he's one of the speakers on the "Experts Panel" at the LA Amp Show. True story.

[Jazz P Bass]

Let me guess.
Kid Guitar

[diagrammatiks]

i thought that panel was all highest posts on tgp guys.

man i love the amp tech info section on tgp.

[dai h.]

TGP can be a bit ridiculous but OTOH all the trending and waning maybe helps to keep economic cycles going as GPers go on their lifelong "tone quest/journey" (or however it is they put it). Excited...bored. Buy...sell. (Repeat.) A nice venue for that kind of activity.

Another thing (must be more recent phenomenon) I thought was a bit funny/scary was when some guy on another BBS was asking for help with his amp and relating how the repair guy he took the amp to (when he couldn't quite figure things out) was "looking for the answer" on the internet (apparently while his customer was there).

[hasserl]

I have to stay away from that forum, really the entire TGP site. I tend to get too wrapped up arguing against the magic fairy dust capacitor & transformer & attenuator salesmen, then I get in trouble with the moderators. They don't like friction. I do like to lurk on the West Coast Blues thread though, but I have that thread bookmarked so I don't have to go thru the rest of the place to get to it.

[J M Fahey]

Oh well, another SPAMmer !!
Although this time quite less offensive than others.
No "Fake Authentic Replica watches" (never understood that phrase) or inflatable dolls or whatever.

Ps: no "Jessica" either

[Ronsonic]

A couple of years ago on The Gear Page amp technical forum there was a guy that was starting a bunch of threads asking some really basic questions about amp design. About 6 months later he comes out with an amp company and an amp for sale. He participates on the forum a whole bunch and develops a bunch of fan bois. Another 6 months later and he's one of the speakers on the "Experts Panel" at the LA Amp Show. True story.

You forgot about the dozens of sock puppets raving about his gear.

Over in the effects pedal world that sort of "career" is almost institutional. Guys who can't troubleshoot their own builds are suddenly designers and manufacturers.

[Sweetfinger]

I LOVE TGP! Its like a non-stop car wreck. I don't know everything, but I'm reminded constantly that I actually know more than a lot of people, so If I can save someone from mangling their guitar or from trying to turn every old tube radio they see into a tweed Champ, I've done some good.
Regarding "manufacturers"- I fondly remember the boutique amp builder/manufacturer who had gone online to ask about a really peculiar and baffling circuit he had come across in a Fender amp. It was the bias circuit. A few months ago I had called a well known pickup winder/manufacturer to special order(for a customer), a set of single coils with one of the pickups having a reversed magnet polarity. The stock set has one of the pickups RWRP so that they will be hum canceling with both on. My customer wanted OOP in the middle but still hum canceling, so all it would take is just a magnet flip. Mr. "household name" winder merely told me to flip the leads on the stock set. When I explained how that would defeat the hum cancellation, he just couldn't get his head around it. I repeatedly tried to explain why it was necessary to flip the magnet rather than flip the pickup leads. He just didn't get it. Finally I just told him to send me the stock set and that I'd flip the magnet myself.