Do you sign your amps?

[Axtman]

Do you sign, initial, date, or put a company sticker on/in an amplifier that you worked on? I will occasionally find this information on an amp that I am working on.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Often, but not always, I'll put a sticker on the inside with date, power, bias current, bias voltage, hi voltage with no signal, hi voltage at clip at rated load, type of output tubes and whether they're new or used. Sometimes a mini sticker on the outside, with my initials & date of repair.

FWIW I use labels from Staples intended for file folders. These have a more aggressive stickum on the back, tends to stay put over the course of time. I used other labels, sometimes orange or yellow, but found they fell off after a couple years. Always good to clean & degrease the surface you intend to stick the label on. I use a Qtip soaked in 95% ethyl alcohol. If the surface grime is too much for that, I'll spray a bit of Caig non residue contact cleaner on a piece of paper towel & scrub the crud off before applying the sticker.

[Axtman]

Since I am merely a lowly hobbyist and predominately work on my own amps (sometimes I sell them) I do not note them. If I had a business I would certainly put a sticker or note inside or outside the amplifier. I would do this out of pride for my work. I would also keep records as to what was done to the amp in case the amp ever came back in for servicing.

I am working on an amp now that the pro service company should not have put their sticker on. It's a real hack job and I am shocked (no pun) that a repair guy would do such unprofessional work.

[Leo_Gnardo]

It's a real hack job and I am shocked (no pun) that a repair guy would do such unprofessional work.

A bit of self-overconfidence. I'm sure the owner of that amp misunderestimated the talents of that repair guy.

I put the data I mentioned inside the amp so I don't have to rattle thru file boxes or hard drives to discover how the amp was running last time I saw it. Lazy, who me??? But I do keep the invoices both paper & computer records, though I seldom have to refer to them. At this late date I should clear about a cubic yard of old files in my attic, give my shredder a workout. Last 10 years oughta be enough.

[nevetslab]

Do you sign, initial, date, or put a company sticker on/in an amplifier that you worked on? I will occasionally find this information on an amp that I am working on.

I've been meaning to have some service stickers made, but never did get around to it. Now that I registered my business name Nevetslab in LA County (IRS no longer allowing 1099-MISC to be used for self-employed individuals), when I get some 'spare funds', I should do that. I do, of course, keep service records of EVERYTHING that passes thru the shop, which over time,

[Leo_Gnardo]

A little story about an early 70's 50W Marshall head I worked on many years ago, 1990 or so. Inside the box was an ornate pencil signature from Jim Marshall. What a place for an autograph. Somewhere around here I have a photo. Hey... what's better than that?

[nosaj]

Sometimes I give 'em the middle finger but I don't know any other sign language......

nosaj

[Leo_Gnardo]

Sometimes I give 'em the middle finger but I don't know any other sign language......

nosaj

You could give 'em the "okay" sign, but that means something different now, at least in the USA. I learned about 40 years ago in Brazil, there it didn't mean "okay" but "you're an a---ole." Similar in Italy. Hmm now that I think of it maybe that is the new meaning amongst "those in the know" here in the USA. Works for me. What'cha think??? Heck, even the old standard "thumbs up" had a shady meaning in Brazil. Hard to compliment any of our stage hands & truck loaders thru sign language without insulting them.

I'll stick with stickers. Every rare now & then I used to see a rubber stamp mark from a well known tech, "DAWK" somewhere in central NY state. And once I ran across a little sticker from "Gyro Gearloose" another legendary tech from somewhere in the Boston area, it had a miniature pic of the character from Donald Duck comics. Not as detailed as the one below, but many of us will be able to say, "I've seen that guy!"

[Axtman]

Rumor has it the members of The Who signed a bunch of Sunn amp chassis when the went to pick up amps for their American tour.

[Enzo]

Only messages I leave inside are useful notes. Specifically things altered. "Lifted C13 and R4" or some ssuch.

[Mick Bailey]

I sometimes leave notes for the next person if there's something that would be beneficial to know. Sometimes that next person is me!