ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 3:39 pm I just scored my 5th Randall Switchmaster.

Those things are so badass. I had one for a while that broke so I gave to my friend free so he could get it fixed.

Come to think about it that’s the only two channel clean/dirty amps I’ve ever liked outside of select weird ass Garnets.

llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 4:30 pm

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 3:39 pm I just scored my 5th Randall Switchmaster.

Those things are so badass. I had one for a while that broke so I gave to my friend free so he could get it fixed.

Come to think about it that’s the only two channel clean/dirty amps I’ve ever liked outside of select weird ass Garnets.

This one came with the original footswitch and unlike all the others it actually works! W ell the channel switching/combining functions work on the 4th one I bought, but the amp itself makes a loud hum at all settings. I need to find a SS amp repair person because all the amp guys around here seem to just do tube amps.

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:24 pm This one came with the original footswitch and unlike all the others it actually works! W ell the channel switching/combining functions work on the 4th one I bought, but the amp itself makes a loud hum at all settings. I need to find a SS amp repair person because all the amp guys around here seem to just do tube amps.

Which I don't REALLY get when its vintage because it's through hole, it's not much different than through hole tube

TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:11 pm

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:24 pm This one came with the original footswitch and unlike all the others it actually works! W ell the channel switching/combining functions work on the 4th one I bought, but the amp itself makes a loud hum at all settings. I need to find a SS amp repair person because all the amp guys around here seem to just do tube amps.

Which I don't REALLY get when its vintage because it's through hole, it's not much different than through hole tube

Yeah I mean I haven't asked everyone if they can fix it, but the ones I see who are active all advertise "tube amp repair" but I feel like as long as you can read a schematic, have basic soldering skills and know how to safely take amps apart and put them back together, you should be able to fix something like this.

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:22 pm

TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:11 pm

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:24 pm This one came with the original footswitch and unlike all the others it actually works! W ell the channel switching/combining functions work on the 4th one I bought, but the amp itself makes a loud hum at all settings. I need to find a SS amp repair person because all the amp guys around here seem to just do tube amps.

Which I don't REALLY get when its vintage because it's through hole, it's not much different than through hole tube

Yeah I mean I haven't asked everyone if they can fix it, but the ones I see who are active all advertise "tube amp repair" but I feel like as long as you can read a schematic, have basic soldering skills and know how to safely take amps apart and put them back together, you should be able to fix something like this.

That’s what I’d think, but it may be more of a familiarity or volume of business sort of thing. Then there’s the sorts of power section transistors that might be obsolete.

Solid state parts like opamps and transistors are fiddly and maybe require comprehending data sheets in a way most parts of valve amps don’t require. It’s also possible that it could be hard to get schematics for the myriad of ss amps.

They might also just lump all ss amps together as a category with all the above and just figure it’s not worth dealing with when same old tube jobs pay the bills without any surprises. Still pretty lame because testing power transistors for functionality is not hard at all.

They have that here with the tube guys not wanting to mess with solid state stuff, but I’ve also gotten the same guys to make minor repairs to like a 500-series unit I didn’t want to bother shipping back for a warranty claim. Just happened to bring it with a couple of $250 amp jobs though.

TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:11 pm

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:24 pm This one came with the original footswitch and unlike all the others it actually works! W ell the channel switching/combining functions work on the 4th one I bought, but the amp itself makes a loud hum at all settings. I need to find a SS amp repair person because all the amp guys around here seem to just do tube amps.

Which I don't REALLY get when its vintage because it's through hole, it's not much different than through hole tube

Two reasons:

1. SS amps are different beasts. They are different and generally more complicated circuits than tube amps and one needs to build up an experience level before they can competently work on them. Its not just amps is amps, ya know?

2. Many, maybe most, of them arent worth fixing. Or at least arent worth it at a business level.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:55 am Two reasons:

1. SS amps are different beasts. They are different and generally more complicated circuits than tube amps and one needs to build up an experience level before they can competently work on them. Its not just amps is amps, ya know?

2. Many, maybe most, of them arent worth fixing. Or at least arent worth it at a business level.

Yeah, I came to post basically the same thing. Ironically (and generally), the more "vintage" the amp, the easier it is to repair and to find replacement parts. When an old Fender amp breaks, replacing a part might take 15 minutes.

Solid State amps from the 70s-90s are medium-hard to repair, but parts are a bit challenging to find. Modern solid state amps and other very cheap SS amps are quite fragile and were built in ways that they sometimes get destroyed if you try to take them apart.

Also, as someone who wants to make a reasonable living and run a sustaining business, a three hour SS amp repair might cost $300-$400 (parts, labor, business overhead, etc). So, even if I could fix a broken Randall Switchmaster, will my client pay $400? And I'm also taking the risk that just by opening up the amp that I might break something else.

When I was doing amp repair for money like 20-25 years ago, I would look at most anything, but probably would politely decline about 1/3rd of the work and refer them to someone else. For instance, I never worked on the St. Louis Music (Crate) Ampeg amps.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:55 am

TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:11 pm

ChudFusk wrote: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:24 pm This one came with the original footswitch and unlike all the others it actually works! W ell the channel switching/combining functions work on the 4th one I bought, but the amp itself makes a loud hum at all settings. I need to find a SS amp repair person because all the amp guys around here seem to just do tube amps.

Which I don't REALLY get when its vintage because it's through hole, it's not much different than through hole tube

Two reasons:

1. SS amps are different beasts. They are different and generally more complicated circuits than tube amps and one needs to build up an experience level before they can competently work on them. Its not just amps is amps, ya know?

2. Many, maybe most, of them arent worth fixing. Or at least arent worth it at a business level.

1. Maybe different beasts but debugging circuits is debugging circuits - many SS amps are similar topology other than the amplification stages, … except active tone controsls and getting into switching, and and I can see your point.

2. True

Speaking of solid state repairs, I have a Urei LA-22 that has one channel that compresses like crazy while the other channel is fine.

Anyone here fix studio compressors or can someone provide a reference for someone who does? I never know who to reach out to for pro audio repairs besides Cole Picks Vintage for dynamic and ribbon mics.