The only better feeling than repairing an amp is....

[Axtman]

repairing an amp that another amp tech could not fix!

I am not going to rub it in his face but I will mention that I repaired the amp that he gave me.

[glebert]

Dropping off a couple amps for a guy at his rehearsal space and having him introduce you to the 12 members of his band as "a brilliant repairman who can fix anything." Now, if by "fix anything" he means clean and replace old pots and a bad preamp tube, then he may be correct, but it was still a nice thing to hear.

[g1]

Dropping off a couple amps for a guy at his rehearsal space and having him introduce you to the 12 members of his band as "a brilliant repairman who can fix anything."

Can you fix my VCR?

[The Dude]

Can you fix my VCR?

I can, but it'll cost ya.

[cerrem]

Dropping off a couple amps for a guy at his rehearsal space and having him introduce you to the 12 members of his band as "a brilliant repairman who can fix anything." Now, if by "fix anything" he means clean and replace old pots and a bad preamp tube, then he may be correct, but it was still a nice thing to hear.

12 Members ??? What band is this ?? ... That must be all members of "Blood Sweat and Tears" Steely Dan or Chicago ??? LOL

[Enzo]

I took some pride in being the guy other techs could turn too when they couldn't figure something. But I ran into ones I couldn;t solve now and then. Customer would ask "So it can;t be fixed then?" And I always tell them, "No, it's just that I can't fix it. The next technician might find the solution in a minute." And I am sure we have all even done that to ourselves. We bang heads against the wall trying to fathom some problem, only to set it aside, come back to it later and "Oh, pfft, how could I have missed that?"

I will say that of the things I have served as backup on, some have been tremendously hard to cipher, but others have been quite simple. You never know. I have had several things mailed to me from this forum, and every one was not a simple solution.

[glebert]

12 Members ??? What band is this ?? ... That must be all members of "Blood Sweat and Tears" Steely Dan or Chicago ??? LOL

It's a Portland thing. There are dancers too.

[Axtman]

To be fair I have given amp techs amps that I could not fix. Sometimes they could not even fix them. Some amps just should be left to die.

[Enzo]

My record was 10 years. I have had project amps hang around longer than that, but this was an old amp that I kept getting out and failing at. I eventually figured out the mistake I was making. Was the amp worth that time and effort? Not even slightly. I can sell the thing now for $40-50. But I met the challenge.

[Chuck H]

Can you fix my VCR?

If I had a nickel for every time that sort of thing happened... I'd be getting paid more than most for doing it

[Axtman]

Once someone finds out you can repair stuff they give you all sorts of interesting projects. My neighbor's daughter gave me a curling iron to fix. I fixed it. My sister gave me a clothes iron to fix. I could not fix it so I threw it out and bought her a new one. What a great brother I am!

I have repaired multiple equipment for band members. One guy likes to give me amps that I swear were fished out of a pawnshop dumpster. I have repaired most of them but have told him I won't repair his stuff anymore. Most of the amps could be bought used for under $40 yet it cost me more than that in parts/shipping. And when it is fixed it sounds crappy.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Once someone finds out you can repair stuff they give you all sorts of interesting projects. My neighbor's daughter gave me a curling iron to fix. I fixed it. My sister gave me a clothes iron to fix. I could not fix it so I threw it out and bought her a new one. What a great brother I am!

I have repaired multiple equipment for band members. One guy likes to give me amps that I swear were fished out of a pawnshop dumpster. I have repaired most of them but have told him I won't repair his stuff anymore. Most of the amps could be bought used for under $40 yet it cost me more than that in parts/shipping. And when it is fixed it sounds crappy.

Similar here. Some people get the idea that because you fixed their Belchfire 500, "yoooore a f---'in GEEENIUS, you can fix aaaaanything!" Mmmm, no. Most recent example, yesterday a small time local jazz promoter calls, "you came recommended, I got a GK RB800 bass amp sparking & smoking." Sure, get in line behind 45 other people in front of you. "Oh that won't do, I need it by Saturday (tomorrow) !" This guy has slagged me before, but now he's in a pinch, expects me to drop everything and perform a miracle on command. Nahhh.... "I know where I can take it!" Good, why didn't you call them first?

[Justin Thomas]

I progressed from my friend's 67 Champ (cathode resistor & new 6V6) to my landlord's appliances. I've also managed to diagnose the furnace on occasion, though I decline to work on them as I have a very dull sense of smell and they're all gas. My safety first.

Justin

[nevetslab]

THE ONLY BETTER FEELING THAN REPAIRING AN AMP IS.......THE SMILE ON YOUR CLIENT'S FACE!

I tend to limit the restoration projects or re-packaging old console channel strip modules into a rack-mount preamp for a guitar or mic pre, that sort of thing, but do indulge myself in those as time permits. It's a labor of love, and as long as the client can at least cover the parts cost, I don't hit them over the head with all of the weeks those sometimes take. Those don't happen in one gulp, unless there IS full funding. And, sure, I've repaired my share of hair driers whose power switch has burned out, or the $20 coffee maker on my desk that has burned out it's power switch, flooded my desk when the hot water hose broke, thermal fuse opens....still kicking after 5 yrs. I DON'T do TV Sets or home appliances! Even when I'm the customer, finally solving the problem that has kept some lab gear from working and have been collecting dust for years, it feels really good to find from all of the daily dirt work and being involved on this forum, contributing to it and learning from it, it's a continual education and I feel all the more accomplished from it all. That feels great!!

[Tom Phillips]

The stories of being asked to fix other stuff really sound familiar. There was a related thread on the subject (Customer Calls) back in 2013 at https://music-electronics-forum.com/...ad.php?t=32423 . I still remember how much extra work I donated to fix a 1957 car radio. I talked about it and uploaded pics in post #20 of the "Customer Calls" thread so I won't duplicate it here.
Cheers,
Tom