Amp Techs - how did you start?

[tweedeluxe]

Hi all,

I'm 25, work full-time at a dead end job, and am looking to get out. I would love to be able to work on amps all day long, but don't really know where to start.

I'm not very experieced - I've repaired/modified about a dozen amps for friends/acquaintances, mostly Fenders plus a couple Vox and Marshall amps, and built two tweeds, including the cabinets. Although I don't have a lot of expereince, I feel very confident in my ability to repair amps the RIGHT way, and I'm not afraid to ask for help when I don't know what to do.

I spend most of my free time reading books, internet articles, and forum posts on tube amps and electronics in general - but I don't have any formal electronics training or anything like that. My wife supports me 100% in my decision to become an amp tech (she sees how much I love this stuff), and we could survive off her paycheck for quite a while if absolutely necessary, although I'll probably still work part-time at my current job.

I'm curious how those of you working as full-time or part-time amp techs got started. For example, what steps did you take to make your business legal? Did you find that you needed any credentials or certifications? How did you build your clientele? Do you advertise? Do you have any trouble finding business?

Lotsa questions, I know. Any more I should be asking? I am sincerely grateful for any advice you guys can give me.

Lowell

[Structo]

I suggest you keep it as a hobby/ part time until the word gets out that you are the "man" to see in your area.
When you have more amp work than you can handle part time then that is probably the time to quit your day job and go at it full time as a job.
My 2¢

[tweedeluxe]

Thanks for the reply Structo. That was my original plan . . . I am definitely the "go-to" man for all the guitarists I know, and they've given me a little business through word of mouth, but it's still slow going. I would like to be a little more proactive, but I don't really know where to start.

My buddy who worked at Fender for many years recommended that I start the Fender tech certification process - how useful or necessary is that sort of thing?

I've thought about just walking into music stores and asking if they're interested in hiring me out to do their tech work. Is that a good idea? What should I bring to show the shop owner that I know my stuff? Would pictures of my work be enough?

I'm sorry to ask so many questions, but I don't know any amp techs personally, and since it seems to be sort of a niche career, I can't find much practical info on how to get started.

Those of you who work as techs - how did you get your start?

Thanks.

[Johnhenry]

My 2 Cent's, I'm retired after 30 yr's of repair work, Warranty and street repair's, Mine started out as a hobbie, taking care of my stuff and the band's stuff i played with, when i got good enough to work for money i started out for a vintage shop as thier amp repairman, that mean's a lot of S/S junk along with tube amp's, it help's to have an education on the electronic's, I was raised around it, My Mom and Hero was the Guitar Player, My Dad was a Farmer in the day time and a PackerBell TV repairman and salesman at night,
Being certified give's you something that the would be's don't have, unstead of sorting through all the Bad schematic's on line,and there are a few still out there. being certified give's you excess to all the factory schematic's you could ever want, and i did find that if you ran into an amp with major problem's, the manufactor's best tech's were only a phone call away, and were alway's very helpful, Sorta nice talking to Tony Bruno or Paul Rivera one on one,
I do have friend's now that are working out of thier home doing repairs but like the story go'es, they hav'nt given up the day job !
Whichever way you can do it, I say if that's your dream, go for it !
Johnhenry

[RHGraham]

I agree with Johnhenry, any certs you can get, in any field really, pay back dividends. there are no lack of hacks working on stuff, having some paperwork behind you will help customers sort you out from the mundane.

[brownnote]

In my experience, most shops will jump at the prospect of securing a good tech, and will give you a chance, but you need to be able to fix whatever they send your way.

[dartanion]

Certs do help, but keep devouring info as much as you can. If the "hiring out" from shops doesn't work, they always have bulletin boards that you can hang a sign on.

I have done repairs for years, but on a limited basis, then started building, then started a kit business, now do repairs and custom work. More custom work than anything else. It fills a niche in my area. However, I also have a day job running my own IT Consulting firm, which keeps the bills paid and enables my music business.

[rfgordon]

I got trained in electronics by the Army back in the early 80s, but it was all low voltage and digital. Not till a few years ago did I get the notion to mess with tubes, and by then most of that early knowledge had faded. For tubes I started with Aspen Pittman's book. Next I bought all three of Gerald Weber (Kendrick Amps) books. By the fourth time through Gerald's trilogy I was ready to build my first amp.

I pick up books here and there and tons of stuff from the internet.

As far as repairs go, I choose what I take on. Most of the time I only work on older amps like Fenders, Ampegs, Marshalls. I don't like PCB amp repairs, because most of those amps aren't really designed to be fixed! I did a cap job on a Peavey recently, and the same brand/spec filters available today physically would not fit the board. The board was designed to parts of a certain size.

I'm about 15 years from retiring from the government, so as time goes on, I'll take on more repairs. That way, as my amp business and repair clientele build, I'll have something to keep me busy in my golden years.

[benoit]

I spend most of my free time reading books, internet articles, and forum posts on tube amps and electronics in general - but I don't have any formal electronics training or anything like that.

I'm in a similar position to yours - no formal electronics training, gleaning what I can from books and the web. What would you say are some of the best resources you've found as far as really getting a good grasp on electronics? I've done a fair amount of reading and can certainly read a schematic well enough to do a build but there's so much more to learn.

[tweedeluxe]

Hi all, thanks for the great direction and encouragement. It's enlightening to learn how you guys got your start.

Benoit - the best "general" resource on electronics that I have is two Navy Training books from the 60's. They're reprints - my brother-in-law gave them to me for Christmas. You can find them at Barnes and Noble for about $13ea which is a steal IMO. One is titled "Basic Electricity," the other "Basic Electronics." I've read the first few chapters of "Basic Electricity" a dozen times at least, same with the electron tube chapter in "Basic Electronics." I can't recommend these books enough.

Before that, I had made a 3-ring binder with everything useful I found on the net (all of Aiken's tech info, some of the AX84 docs, some stuff from geofex.com, and just a random collection of useful tidbits from all over the net, including many forum posts).

I also own a couple of Weber's books and Jack Darr's book, which don't have a ton of gerneral electronics info, but have helped me learn how to troubleshoot amplifiers. I also bought Aspen Pittman's book, which is 80% advertisement for GT, but has a ton of schematics.

Lowell

[muchxs]

My advice would be don't quit your day job.

There are a couple areas where you can make enough money as a tech to get by. If you're good and you're in New York, L.A., Nashville or Austin plus maybe a few other places you'll do o.k.. The operative term is you better be good because there are plenty of other guys who have been at this for a long time who are probably better.

Take your time, learn your trade. If you know what you're doing word will get out. On the other hand if you don't have a good background in troubleshooting word of that will get out pretty quickly as well. There are numerous experienced techs who turn out enough work that if you search around you can find some negative comments about them. When it comes to tone people have philosophical differences. We all have limits to our knowledge, it depends on where we've been and what we've done.

It helps to love what you're doing. You better love it because that's what keeps you going when the money just isn't there.

[Andy Le Blanc]

it really does depend upon where you live
if your in an area that has the need and the economy to boot
you can make a business.... but.... theres this old joke....

Whats the difference between a guitar player and a large pizza?

A large pizza can feed a family of four......

the realities of the market place can be tough.....

[CaseyJones]

I spend most of my free time reading books, internet articles, and forum posts on tube amps and electronics in general - but I don't have any formal electronics training or anything like that.

I'm in a similar position to yours - no formal electronics training, gleaning what I can from books and the web. What would you say are some of the best resources you've found as far as really getting a good grasp on electronics? I've done a fair amount of reading and can certainly read a schematic well enough to do a build but there's so much more to learn.

The best place to start IMHO is by de-constructing as much vintage gear as you can get your hands on.

I don't mean you should mess with tweed Fenders although that's how I got started, they were expendable back then. Learn the basics of safety so you don't Kentucky fry yer ass then have at it! Old phonographs, tape decks, tube radios, any of that old junk will teach you a thing or two. Every old radio has a power supply. You seen one you seen 'em all more or less. Sooner or later you'll run into one with no power transformer, take note of the similarities or differences between it and what you're used to.

Basic amp architecture is preamp / power amp / power supply. If you break the circuit into those three building blocks then create a dichotomy you can start to really understand the differences from one circuit to the next. Understanding that they're building blocks allows you to combine the preamp of one amp with the power amp from another and like I said, when it comes to power supplies you seen one you seen 'em all. I'm talkin' traditional amps, most of them incorporate nothing that would have been revolutionary in 1949. When you get into your modern crap you'll find a lightweight and cheap to manufacture switching power supply then maybe digital effects on the front end.

When I started out "they" tossed me straight into a program to earn an FCC Second Class Lisence. I was very young, I didn't have the background and experience to apply the heavy duty math to what it needed to be applied to. Math is one of those things that in the abstract it hangs in midair unrelated to reality, you may be able to get the correct answers but without being able to apply the answers it's pretty meaningless. Guitar amps aren't rocket science, there aren't the consequences you'll have when you tune a 50kw transmitter off frequency, the FCC will send you a nasty letter and you better not do it again! Besides gettin' an eye opening shock (if you're careful) about the worst you can do with a guitar amp is end up with something that squeals like a pig or instantly commits hari-kiri in a puff of electrical smoke. Press on, that's part of the learning process.

I'm 25, work full-time at a dead end job, and am looking to get out. I would love to be able to work on amps all day long, but don't really know where to start.

Oh yeah, the dead end job. That's good, that teaches you to live on Ramen noodles so you got enough money left to put gas in yer car!

Here's the way they do it in my neck of the woods:

Expect to get $9.00 per hour for some shitty factory job, you can forget about rock 'n' roll because they'll start you on third shift. Now $9.00 per hour is "good money for around here", the way "they" get away with it is to pay $9.00 per hour and work six ten hour shifts. Yippee, yahoo that's $13.50 per hour on time and a half for 20 hours a week never mind that $13.50 an hour is what you should be makin' for the first 40. Expect the job to be dirty demanding and dangerous, more so if you make it to first shift. In some workplaces many of the people on the production floor are still drunk from the night before, it's pretty common to smoke up in the parkin' lot before punchin' in, then suck down a Rock Star or a Red Bull durin' first break to either knock the edge off or sharpen the edge up dependin' on yer point of view. You'll have guys carpooling to work because they're on DLS 3 or sumthin'. You'll have a bunch of pissed-off bastards who will take it out on each other. I'd be pissed-off, too. Think I'm kiddin' here? Seven out of ten factory workers in my area won't pass a piss test, that's a bonafide statistic.

Next bit of good news: You signed up to work as a temp in the hopes of becoming "permanent" and havin' job security and maybe a benefits package. You'll work your first year with no paid sick days and no vacation days. You'll get holidays but you won't get paid for 'em. After your first year -IF- you make it they'll ceremoniously announce that you now get five paid days off to use as you see fit.

I got a better idea... I'll use ALL my days as I see fit!

[Tubetwang]

I spend most of my free time reading books, internet articles, and forum posts on tube amps and electronics in general - but I don't have any formal electronics training or anything like that.

I'm in a similar position to yours - no formal electronics training, gleaning what I can from books and the web. What would you say are some of the best resources you've found as far as really getting a good grasp on electronics? I've done a fair amount of reading and can certainly read a schematic well enough to do a build but there's so much more to learn.

The best place to start IMHO is by de-constructing as much vintage gear as you can get your hands on.

I don't mean you should mess with tweed Fenders although that's how I got started, they were expendable back then. Learn the basics of safety so you don't Kentucky fry yer ass then have at it! Old phonographs, tape decks, tube radios, any of that old junk will teach you a thing or two. Every old radio has a power supply. You seen one you seen 'em all more or less. Sooner or later you'll run into one with no power transformer, take note of the similarities or differences between it and what you're used to.

Basic amp architecture is preamp / power amp / power supply. If you break the circuit into those three building blocks then create a dichotomy you can start to really understand the differences from one circuit to the next. Understanding that they're building blocks allows you to combine the preamp of one amp with the power amp from another and like I said, when it comes to power supplies you seen one you seen 'em all. I'm talkin' traditional amps, most of them incorporate nothing that would have been revolutionary in 1949. When you get into your modern crap you'll find a lightweight and cheap to manufacture switching power supply then maybe digital effects on the front end.

When I started out "they" tossed me straight into a program to earn an FCC Second Class Lisence. I was very young, I didn't have the background and experience to apply the heavy duty math to what it needed to be applied to. Math is one of those things that in the abstract it hangs in midair unrelated to reality, you may be able to get the correct answers but without being able to apply the answers it's pretty meaningless. Guitar amps aren't rocket science, there aren't the consequences you'll have when you tune a 50kw transmitter off frequency, the FCC will send you a nasty letter and you better not do it again! Besides gettin' an eye opening shock (if you're careful) about the worst you can do with a guitar amp is end up with something that squeals like a pig or instantly commits hari-kiri in a puff of electrical smoke. Press on, that's part of the learning process.

I'm 25, work full-time at a dead end job, and am looking to get out. I would love to be able to work on amps all day long, but don't really know where to start.

Oh yeah, the dead end job. That's good, that teaches you to live on Ramen noodles so you got enough money left to put gas in yer car!

Here's the way they do it in my neck of the woods:

Expect to get $9.00 per hour for some shitty factory job, you can forget about rock 'n' roll because they'll start you on third shift. Now $9.00 per hour is "good money for around here", the way "they" get away with it is to pay $9.00 per hour and work six ten hour shifts. Yippee, yahoo that's $13.50 per hour on time and a half for 20 hours a week never mind that $13.50 an hour is what you should be makin' for the first 40. Expect the job to be dirty demanding and dangerous, more so if you make it to first shift. In some workplaces many of the people on the production floor are still drunk from the night before, it's pretty common to smoke up in the parkin' lot before punchin' in, then suck down a Rock Star or a Red Bull durin' first break to either knock the edge off or sharpen the edge up dependin' on yer point of view. You'll have guys carpooling to work because they're on DLS 3 or sumthin'. You'll have a bunch of pissed-off bastards who will take it out on each other. I'd be pissed-off, too. Think I'm kiddin' here? Seven out of ten factory workers in my area won't pass a piss test, that's a bonafide statistic.

Next bit of good news: You signed up to work as a temp in the hopes of becoming "permanent" and havin' job security and maybe a benefits package. You'll work your first year with no paid sick days and no vacation days. You'll get holidays but you won't get paid for 'em. After your first year -IF- you make it they'll ceremoniously announce that you now get five paid days off to use as you see fit.

I got a better idea... I'll use ALL my days as I see fit!

In my opinion ...this here "job situation" would probably lead to some kind of violence and frustration...

[Tubetwang]

I spend most of my free time reading books, internet articles, and forum posts on tube amps and electronics in general - but I don't have any formal electronics training or anything like that.

I'm in a similar position to yours - no formal electronics training, gleaning what I can from books and the web. What would you say are some of the best resources you've found as far as really getting a good grasp on electronics? I've done a fair amount of reading and can certainly read a schematic well enough to do a build but there's so much more to learn.

The best place to start IMHO is by de-constructing as much vintage gear as you can get your hands on.

I don't mean you should mess with tweed Fenders although that's how I got started, they were expendable back then. Learn the basics of safety so you don't Kentucky fry yer ass then have at it! Old phonographs, tape decks, tube radios, any of that old junk will teach you a thing or two. Every old radio has a power supply. You seen one you seen 'em all more or less. Sooner or later you'll run into one with no power transformer, take note of the similarities or differences between it and what you're used to.

Basic amp architecture is preamp / power amp / power supply. If you break the circuit into those three building blocks then create a dichotomy you can start to really understand the differences from one circuit to the next. Understanding that they're building blocks allows you to combine the preamp of one amp with the power amp from another and like I said, when it comes to power supplies you seen one you seen 'em all. I'm talkin' traditional amps, most of them incorporate nothing that would have been revolutionary in 1949. When you get into your modern crap you'll find a lightweight and cheap to manufacture switching power supply then maybe digital effects on the front end.

When I started out "they" tossed me straight into a program to earn an FCC Second Class Lisence. I was very young, I didn't have the background and experience to apply the heavy duty math to what it needed to be applied to. Math is one of those things that in the abstract it hangs in midair unrelated to reality, you may be able to get the correct answers but without being able to apply the answers it's pretty meaningless. Guitar amps aren't rocket science, there aren't the consequences you'll have when you tune a 50kw transmitter off frequency, the FCC will send you a nasty letter and you better not do it again! Besides gettin' an eye opening shock (if you're careful) about the worst you can do with a guitar amp is end up with something that squeals like a pig or instantly commits hari-kiri in a puff of electrical smoke. Press on, that's part of the learning process.

I'm 25, work full-time at a dead end job, and am looking to get out. I would love to be able to work on amps all day long, but don't really know where to start.

Oh yeah, the dead end job. That's good, that teaches you to live on Ramen noodles so you got enough money left to put gas in yer car!

Here's the way they do it in my neck of the woods:

Expect to get $9.00 per hour for some shitty factory job, you can forget about rock 'n' roll because they'll start you on third shift. Now $9.00 per hour is "good money for around here", the way "they" get away with it is to pay $9.00 per hour and work six ten hour shifts. Yippee, yahoo that's $13.50 per hour on time and a half for 20 hours a week never mind that $13.50 an hour is what you should be makin' for the first 40. Expect the job to be dirty demanding and dangerous, more so if you make it to first shift. In some workplaces many of the people on the production floor are still drunk from the night before, it's pretty common to smoke up in the parkin' lot before punchin' in, then suck down a Rock Star or a Red Bull durin' first break to either knock the edge off or sharpen the edge up dependin' on yer point of view. You'll have guys carpooling to work because they're on DLS 3 or sumthin'. You'll have a bunch of pissed-off bastards who will take it out on each other. I'd be pissed-off, too. Think I'm kiddin' here? Seven out of ten factory workers in my area won't pass a piss test, that's a bonafide statistic.

Next bit of good news: You signed up to work as a temp in the hopes of becoming "permanent" and havin' job security and maybe a benefits package. You'll work your first year with no paid sick days and no vacation days. You'll get holidays but you won't get paid for 'em. After your first year -IF- you make it they'll ceremoniously announce that you now get five paid days off to use as you see fit.

I got a better idea... I'll use ALL my days as I see fit!

In my opinion ...this here "job situation" would probably lead to some kind of violence and frustration...