Finding An Affordable Amplifier Repair

By Donald Richardson


If you are a professional or amateur guitar player and you use a tube or a solid state amp they will both require some maintenance, servicing and faults rectifying when they occur. When your equipment fails you will need to look for affordable amplifier repair. There are some important things to consider before having any work done on your musical equipment and some research is advisable.

There are a few types of amp that are commonly used by musicians and they will all operate differently and differ greatly in cost. A head unit is a standalone amp that uses a separate speaker to enable the guitar sound to be heard. The other type is a combo with an integrated speaker and these are usually used by amateurs and home players due to their portability and lower price tag.

A valve or vacuum tube amplifier will need regular attention to keep it working properly and safely. Tubes will need to be changed occasionally and working guitarists tend to carry spares in their guitar case. All work that is done on a tube amp should be undertaken by a qualified technician to ensure that it is done properly and covered by a guarantee.

A transistor model is much easier to work on and maintain by the amateur in the home. A simple fault can be rectified using some everyday tools that you will find in your home workshop. If the failure is serious, the better option is to get the job done by an expert engineer, and the majority of musical instrument stores will offer this service.

The components needed to repair amplifiers can be found online or in local guitar stores. When you are purchasing the components you should make sure that they are the correct ones for your amp and that they are covered by a warranty. Second hand components be used and in the case of speakers this can be a cheap way to do your repairs.

When you need to purchase components to fix a faulty amp there are a couple of things to consider. Factory made spares should be used when possible as they will be made well and will last longer. If you need a vintage amp repairing it is always a better option to have the maker do the work or an authorized technician.

If your amplifier is a rare model or quite old, and you have trouble locating spares, there are a few places where you may find hard to locate parts. Second hand stores will sometimes have old musical equipment for sale and these are worth checking. Specialist guitar magazines are also published monthly and these will often feature adverts for spare parts that you may need.

The prices charged for amp repair work will depending on the model, the fault and the work needed. If your repairs are going to be expensive it can be worth contacting a few companies for quotes so that you can make some price comparisons. It is also worth noting that if you have to send an amp away to be worked on you will need to arrange shipping and transit insurance.




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