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Friday, June 3, 2016

Searching For A Reliable Amp Repair

By Gary Nelson


If you play guitar, you may own one or more tube or transistor amplifiers and these will require servicing and faults attending to when they develop. When your equipment needs attention, you will need to look for a reliable amp repair. There are some important things for you to consider before having work carried out on your gear.

There are various types of amp, made by different manufacturers and every one of these will have different sounds and functions. Head units are commonly seen on stages used by professional guitarists and they need a separate set of speakers. The other kind of amplifier is a combo which will be a single unit with an integrated speaker and these are used by a lot of amateurs and home guitarists.

A vacuum tube amp is a very complex piece of musical equipment and will require more maintenance than the transistor amps. Spare tubes are usually carried by a gigging guitarist and from time to time they will need replacing when they begin to fade out. Any major work that is required on a vacuum tube amp should be carried out by a professional electrician to avoid damaging it.

If your amp is a transistor model, an annual service is highly recommended to keep it in good order. Some small problems can be fixed in the home using a few rudimentary tools that you will have in your workshop. Major faults will always need to be rectified by an amp engineer and most high street guitar shops can offer a reasonably priced repair service.

If you want to do your own maintenance, you will have to find the correct spares and these can be found and purchased from web based retailers or guitar stores. Always make sure that the parts are correct for your model of amplifier and covered by a warranty. It can save you a little money by using reconditioned parts such as speakers and control pots as long as they have been inspected for safe operation.

When you purchase components for fixing your amplifier it is recommended that you try and source factory items if possible. Most of the amplifier manufacturers will carry a selection of replacement parts for modern and vintage amps. If your amplifier is an older model, or very valuable, it is essential that you have a qualified engineer to do the repairs.

Before you attempt any repair work it is worth buying some of the useful books or videos to help you. It is essential that you have the correct tools, spares and other items when you are carrying out your work. When the job is finished, you should have your amplifier inspected by a fully qualified electrical engineer, to ensure it is safe to use.

The prices charged for repairs will be dictated by what spares are required to fix the amp it and the time it takes. A simple loose wire can be sorted out for a few bucks and can be done on the same day. Larger repairs and full rebuilds can run into thousands of dollars and your amp will be away for a while.




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