Website idea..

[Cliff Schecht]

I had an idea for a website that I think would be beneficial to [good] amp techs everywhere, especially one man operations that work out of their house/small shop. Right now there isn't really any resource online that allows amp techs/builders to post their information, credentials and specialties as well as allowing past customers to review their work. For guys like me that work out of their house and rely on word of mouth for business, this would be fantastic way to find new business! I charge fair prices and have a very high success rate with my repairs so I'd have no problem putting myself out there for public criticism. I think..

I dunno, just a thought.. What you guys think? Maybe something we could integrate into the forum? (admins are probably going to hate that idea, they'd have to figure it out! )

[overtone]

Online registers like this are great, but can get out of date quickly.

Someone needs to tidy the garden once in a while, unless it is done, as you say, through a forum model where the out-of-date and not-interesting just rolls off the page.
That would also give incentive for updating with recent repairs and got shots, maybe of tagliatelle wiring-mods that just came in through the door. Could be entertaining as well as informative.

[Cliff Schecht]

Cool thought. While a majority of the repairs I do are routine maintenance and simple fixes, I've seen my fair share of hack jobs and poor attempts at "restoration" on poor old Fender and Gibby amps. The worst part of that is it sometimes costs the customer more to undo the damage the last tech did than it does to fix what is actually wrong with the amp. The GA15-RVT I fixed recently had a puny transformer putting out over 500V on the plates of those poor EL84's (with way to low of a current capacity) that some ahole installed. Musicalpowersupplies.com happened to have a great replacement transformer that dropped right in for a great price, but that was sort of a lucky situation. Finding an appropriate replacement PT can be a bear. The worst part was that it took me a month to get that PT replaced before I could even start troubleshooting where the actual problem was (replating el84). Turned out to be a bad interstage transformer and I again lucked out and found a suitable Stancor one on eBay for $20 shipped. Things don't always work out that nicely either..

[selloutrr]

It opens up small time repair guys to be held accountable to carry insurance pay taxes and be audited. They have this service on most repair techs that are certified / authorized.

Just becareful if you fly under the radar posting on the grid.

[Cliff Schecht]

Great point and that's always a big concern (legal issues). I really only started doing the amp repair gig full-time pretty recently (within the past two months) and so I haven't had the time to setup an LLC yet, but I'm getting this done ASAP so that I am protected if I ever need to be. I'm still learning the ropes of being a small business owner (I'm bad with money and a bad salesman) and need to do more reading into this. My brother has owned quite a few small businesses already and he's been a great resource. I've almost pinged a few of the members here who are business owners to ask for some general advice but I guess I never got around to doing it. I'd be very appreciative to receive some advice (either here or in PM form) on how to scale a small business, marketing, legal stuff, etc. That's the crap I hate dealing with!

[briane]

For me the big problem is whats your certfitication requirements? Who makes the test and who grades it? you cant certify everyone.

We lay you out parts - lock you in a room for 24 hours - if the amps is awesome your certified? What about mods - what about repairs - what about just changing how the dang thing works - I get a variety of requests and they all require different skill sets

Seems like a big job on that - otherwise its just a listing with no info as to whether the dude (or dame) is a bonehead or really good. without that seems kinda not worth much.

anyways -good concept - but like others said itll lock the small guys out due to legal issues. Your selling to the fender and gibsons of the world - and they already have a reputation.

[Phil_S]

...The GA15-RVT I fixed recently...Turned out to be a bad interstage transformer...found a suitable Stancor one on eBay...

Cliff, I am a GA20-RVT owner and have developed a niche interest in this series of amps. Which Stancor interstage transformer did you use? Thanks.
Phil

[dartanion]

http://jedistar.com/jedistar%20amp%20dating.htm

[Cliff Schecht]

Phil it was a Stancor A53C insterstage coupling transformer. The original ratio for Gibson was 2.4:1 and this was 3:1. Worked like a charm and sounds great in the amp. Also happened to fit where the reverb transformer wasn't mounted (this amp had cathode driven reverb).