W.L.Weller wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 10:09 am
TylerDeadPine wrote: Wed Jul 23, 2025 2:38 pm
Fix our old cheap amps you bastards
Yeah, I understand the concept of "it's not worth it to fix" but if I'd like to spend $400 to fix an amp that's "worth" $200, isn't that my problem? I suppose an alternative is learning how to use an oscilloscope...
Granted, my sample size isn't super large, but the amount of times that I've had someone willing to pay more than the value of a piece of gear to fix that piece gear is zero. Generally, I'd advice them to try and find another one of these items used and keep the original for spare parts.
Mix this with the fact that I've often had old cheap gear basically disintegrate when I've tried to work of my own stuff, or my friend's stuff as a favor, and the time risk and client dissatisfaction risk becomes too high.
For instance, let's say I quoted a client $400 to fix a $200 SS combo amp. While taking the board out to replace a part, an old ribbon cable snaps. Then I have to call the client and say, "give me $200 for the work I've done so far and I give you a pile of broken parts, or it'll now cost $600 to do the repair and fix or fabricate a new ribbon cable."
This isn't an "every time" thing, but it's not an unusual thing.
Now current production gear, that's another thing. You just order the whole board and swap it out. Then keep the old one for possible repairs if that same piece of gear comes in from another client.