my ampeg has crapped up

[budget bassist]

So i have a dilemma. I bought an ampeg BA115 the about a month or so ago from sound control nottingham. Now the tweeter has gone and it's crackling persistantly. I tried both my basses, all my leads and it's definitely the amp. I went in the other day and they said if it's a faulty tweeter (which i'm in no doubt it is as other people have had problems) they would have to send it off to ampeg to get it fixed. When i got it, it took them 3 weeks to get it here, and bearing in mind it's a made in china amp it would no doubt take a good few weeks to get it fixed, during which period i would be without an amp.

There's the problem, i need it for band practice, and i don't want an amp that crackles. So i was thinking take it in and see if it's repairable in the shop on that very day. If so, great! If not, i ask for a spare while they send that off to be repaired (any experience with sound control doing this?). If they say no, i ask for my money back and go round the corner and buy a fender rumble 100, same specs exactly, 100 watts, 15" speaker, tweeter, £280-£300 no more. Only thing is, i like that the ampeg has the kick-back capability so i can hear myself better at practice. But if it means buying an amp that is likely to give me less grief then so be it. (again, are they likely to just straight up give me a refund?)

Your thoughts?

(sorry for the essay by the way )

Edited April 4, 2008 by budget bassist

[warwickhunt]

I think it's fair to expect that a piece of equipment should be fit for purpose and last longer than a month, so they 'should' be tripping over themselves to help you.

The thing to do (and it's a tricky fine line) is establish your legal entitlement and then armed with this return to the shop and be firm but fair with them. No good bowling in and demanding money back because the amp is cr*p, as they'll get their backs up and try and claim that it was your treatment of the equipment. However if you go in and offer them the opportunity to correct the situation and explain that you require a combo to continue playing, you'll probably get further.

Sorry I can't help with the specifics of the legality but a trawl through tinternet should help you and your local Citizens Advice Bureau give free impartial advice. Due to the time limitations on consumer rights I'd be acting sooner rather than later!

With regard to which combo to go for if not the Ampeg... soz can't help there either!

Looking back over my reply, all in all it's a bit useless except to sum up that you need to know your legal entitlement and be firm but fair with SC

[andy67]

100% correct Mr Warwickhunt!

in my experience, Soundcontrol has given me a lone of an amp when necessary. stick with the Ampeg though - they might even have an exchange in the shop but again, as WH says, don't go in all emotional be reasonable with them and you'll get what you need.

andy

[mewsie]

absolutely.

if it was me, i'd go in there assuming they would give me a replacement.
i'd ask them something like if they would prefer to replace the amp on the spot for a new one or if they would rather give me a loan amp while that one is fixed.

get 'em with the ol' double bind. don't even let you [i]not [/i] getting a replacement be an option, but yeah, stay happy and relaxed!
good luck, i'm sure they will come good on it.

x

[Muppet]

Thinking more about the actual technical problem - I had a similar problem in my BA115HP (slightly different to yours). I had a loose connector on the horn which was easily fixed.

Checking this yourself may invalidate the warranty though so maybe you might sugest to the shop that they check it for you?

[budget bassist]

Thanks guys! i'm pretty sure they don't have a replacement in there unless they got one in the last couple of days and i won't be able to get it down there until next weekend (i wish i could drive ) but i'll have to see what they can do, because not having an amp isn't really an option.

Also thanks andy, that's made me a bit more hopeful!

[MB1]

MB1.
You should be able to get a straight exchange on this for another combo "same for same" its not out of Sound Controls warranty, and it sure aint out of Ampegs.This should be down to Sound Control sending the unit back as faulty,be nice with them and theres no reason why they wont do this.Dont forget to take your reciept/packaging if you still have it.
Is this the beginning of quality control problems with Ampeg Vietnam?

[budget bassist]

I don't think they have any in stock but ya know, i'll try. And it's ampeg china, says everything really. f***ing chinese build quality.

[andy67]

Don't be too down on the Chinese/Vietnam made equipment, I have two B410hls which are superb! the only thing I don't like is the tolex, it scuffs and tears fairly easily. For sound, size and flexibility, I cant fault the build nor quality.

[tauzero]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='170089' date='Apr 5 2008, 12:53 AM']Only thing is, i like that the ampeg has the kick-back capability so i can hear myself better at practice.[/quote]
Amp stand for £20 or less will solve that.

[charic]

or a chair

[alexclaber]

Or, as I used at my last rehearsal, a length of 4x2.

Alex

[bassmansky]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='170333' date='Apr 5 2008, 05:12 PM']I don't think they have any in stock but ya know, i'll try. And it's ampeg china, says everything really. f***ing chinese build quality.[/quote]
glad my ampeg is american!probably not selling so much gear now after shipping away from usa,but you cant get much made outside of china nowadays!