Solid State Amps being... "recently serviced".

[Coilte]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1470291383' post='3104733']
I don't think servicing means repair. When I have my car serviced no repairs are made. If any repairs are necessary then they are identified at service, but the repair is outside the scope of the service.
I regularly have my valve heads serviced and the last two heads and pre-amp were found to be running correctly with no additional work or repairs needed. I class this as a service.
[/quote]

A car is a different matter. It has moving parts that need to be monitored for wear and tear. If they are found to be OK, that's good. If they are found to have wear, they are repaired or replaced.

Valves are also a different matter. We are talking about SS amps in this thread.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Coilte

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1470304125' post='3104865']
A car is a different matter. It has moving parts that need to be monitored for wear and tear. If they are found to be OK, that's good. If they are found to have wear, they are repaired or replaced.

Valves are also a different matter. We are talking about SS amps in this thread.
[/quote]

Why are they a different matter? Are you trying to tell me that all parts of a SS amp are never subject to any form of degradation? Even vibration from a cab can wear things loose.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1470303781' post='3104863']
This is exactly what I was referring to in my OP. Also, as well as "recently" serviced, I have come across..."regularly" serviced. This would imply that people possibly pay techs to simply clean the amp.

Handy money.
[/quote]

Yep. Massive conspiracy by amp-techs to rip you off.

It's my choice to take care of my gear and I've never had a tech that has done any more than what is needed.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Billy Apple

[luckydog]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1470303781' post='3104863']I have come across..."regularly" serviced. [/quote]

Meaning "regularly failed, had to keep getting it fixed". What a cynic I am

LD

[chris_b]

Was this "SS Amp in Service Scam Shocker" a Daily Mail article chance?

[RhysP]

I think a lot of people like saying they've had stuff serviced by 'my tech' because they think it makes them sound cool. "Wow, he's got his own tech guy, he must be a real pro".

[Coilte]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1470306030' post='3104888']
Why are they a different matter?
[/quote]

Simply because a car has moving working parts that can wear out and a SS amp does not.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Coilte

[Coilte]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1470308488' post='3104923']
Was this "SS Amp in Service Scam Shocker" a Daily Mail article chance?
[/quote]

"Scam" is your word...not mine. I was simply asking why the need to "regularly" service a SS amp.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Coilte

[Machines]

It's meant to sound like an MOT and imply reliability and responsible ownership.

Edited August 4, 2016 by Machines

[Big_Stu]

During a nostalgia attack I once bought one of the Marshall circa1976 Treble n Bass 100w tranny heads (for £45 iirc). To play safe I sent it to Marshall for a service. I spoke with their head tech about what they do for £17 about 20 years ago and they checked all the caps, trannies and replaced all of the front knobs with shiny new ones. My sons band still use that head as a keyboard amp.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1470310184' post='3104959']


Simply because a car has moving working parts that can wear out and a SS amp does not.
[/quote]

How do solid state amps have parts that will never wear out?

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1470336275' post='3105297']
How do solid state amps have parts that will never wear out?
[/quote]

The answer is that SS amps [i]do[/i] have moving working parts that may wear out though these are usually the easiest ones to replace or fix. It's the immobile working parts that cause the biggest repair headaches afaics.

Anyhow, 'recently serviced' is simply the seller's tacit affirmation that the amp is in working order while avoiding any contractual oo-ers should said amp fail in the future, near or otherwise.

[dmccombe7]

My interpretation of a SS amp service is literally clean out any dust or dirt, clean the various potentiometers (pots)
I usually do this myself. If i know the fuse has been installed over 5 yrs i will replace any fuses.
That's only based on the fact that i know fuses wear out thru use and is more a precaution than anything else.
I've never had an amp that was PAT tested to my knowledge. It may have been earth tested at factory when built but not since.
As mentioned before a good tech might get schematics out and set up the various line voltages to spec but i would doubt that ever happens unless the owner has a problem with the amp.

Valve amps i would chnage the tubes on the power amp if i detected any noise while playing but not generally replace on a time basis.

I'm not an electronics expert by any means but having a background and basic understanding in electronics and Instrumentation (industrial instrumentation that is) i know enough to get by.
I therefore only take an amp in for repairs and never a service. I might ask for a service to be done while a valve amp is in shop but that's rare anyways.


Dave

[drTStingray]

[quote name='4stringslow' timestamp='1470297176' post='3104788']


Isn't that a repair with a bit of incidental cleaning while the box was open? The problem was caused by the coat, not a lack of 'servicing'.




Mechanical things are very different to solid state electronics, parts wear out and/or go out of adjustment. That doesn't happen with electronics.
[/quote]

I'd agree i wouldn't have taken the amp there had it not gone pop, but to say they simply vacuumed it and cleaned the controls is quite wrong - they checked out a load of other stuff and replaced other parts - it got a completely new output stage (the bit the coat-based overheating fried) - at the end he tested it with an old Precision bass - basically well over an hour's work and a very affable guy as well. I said don't worry too much I'll be using a proper bass when I get home lol 😏

As for electronic parts, I think they can go faulty, and the electrical linkages can go wrong owing to vibration and goodness knows what else (being dropped for instance). So solder joints etc etc.

I'm sure some people can deal with their own amps but I'm afraid where mains is concerned I let someone else better qualified than me fiddle with equipment - I don't do anything beyond the plug!!

I don't buy the idea that electrical components don't degenerate or wear out at times. One of the reasons vintage basses sometimes sound more mellow 😉

However in my case I wanted the whole amp checked out so was glad Ashdown offered such a great service - the guy did my amp in between building prototypes - very interesting stuff. I couldn't give them a higher recommendation (though my back prefers the LM3 I use for gigs these days).