RhysP Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 My EBS Gorm combo has crapped out on me & I have neither the time or the money to try & get it repaired. The cabinet, speaker & tweeter all appear to be fine so I was going to put it up for sale for "spares or repair". The amp does work, but the sound is quite distorted at low levels, especially on lower notes & the gain control doesn't seem to work as it should as the clip light doesn't come on until it's almost at full. Also even with the master volume turned completely off there is still a low level intermittent distorted signal coming through the speaker. I have absolutely no idea what sort of price I could realistically ask for it in this condition - anyone have any idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 It may seem harsh but with an unknown fault it could render the value as basically a bit less than the cost of the cab section by itself! However, the fix in itself could be a relatively simple job (I remember getting some advice on repeatedly inserting a jack in and out of the effects loop or headphone socket and it fixed a similar problem, saved me virtually binning a good amp as I had no funds to fix) and it would be criminal to sell your amp at virtual scrap value! It genuinely might be worth biting the bullet to get it repaired. If you were local to me and desperate to get rid of it then I'd be offering as little as possible and keeping fingers crossed it was a simple fix BUT aware that I might be simply buying a speaker cab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I had a combo/ cab which the amp section had been taken out. It was very very high end stuff in there and sold it (to warwick hunt) for £150 or so. I would guess around that price? Whatever it is you would probably get more if you fixed it then sold it I would have thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandmann Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 i´d recommend that you contact the technical service department of ebs, at least here in Germany they have a great customer service and are very helpful. maybe it is just a minor fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 [quote name='Sandmann' timestamp='1343748992' post='1754591'] i´d recommend that you contact the technical service department of ebs, at least here in Germany they have a great customer service and are very helpful. maybe it is just a minor fault. [/quote] I contacted the UK distributor who say that there is only a one year warranty on the amp (despite the EBS website saying two), and that as it was bought as "New old stock" the warranty would not be valid anyway (which again is not what EBS told me when I registered the amp after buying it but there you go....). The figures they quoted me for repairing the amp are far more than I can afford to pay (£75 per hour + parts + VAT + courier both ways), and would end up costing more than the poxy thing cost in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 [quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1343747551' post='1754557'] ...the fix in itself could be a relatively simple job (I remember getting some advice on repeatedly inserting a jack in and out of the effects loop or headphone socket and it fixed a similar problem, saved me virtually binning a good amp as I had no funds to fix) [/quote] Now you mention it, I think the problem only started when I used the "Tuner Out" socket a few weeks ago. Might be worth f***ing about with that for a bit - I can't make it any worse....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Find a retired tech... most amps faults we've had have been £35 and simple fixes... for him..!! A write-off for the likes of me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Actually, under EU legislation we now have a 2 year warranty and the last I heard the UK is still in the EU. http://www.eccnl.eu/page/en/themes/Kopen-in-de-EU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1343753869' post='1754688'] Find a retired tech... most amps faults we've had have been £35 and simple fixes... for him..!! A write-off for the likes of me.. [/quote] I had an ask around & I've been recommended an amp tech. I've sent him an email so now I'll just have to wait & see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1343749468' post='1754600'] I contacted the UK distributor who say that there is only a one year warranty on the amp (despite the EBS website saying two), and that as it was bought as "New old stock" the warranty would not be valid anyway (which again is not what EBS told me when I registered the amp after buying it but there you go....). The figures they quoted me for repairing the amp are far more than I can afford to pay (£75 per hour + parts + VAT + courier both ways), and would end up costing more than the poxy thing cost in the first place. [/quote] Ouch - I would certainly drop EBS an email, this is not good a advertisement for them. New Old Stock is as good as New in terms of lifespan before giving you any issues. Edited August 1, 2012 by EBS_freak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1343807958' post='1755396'] Ouch - I would certainly drop EBS an email, this is not good a advertisement for them. New Old Stock is as good as New in terms of lifespan before giving you any issues. [/quote] I thought about contacting EBS direct, but I didn't want to cause anyone at the UK distributors any trouble. Then I read your reply & contacted them anyway....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Any news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 No, nothing - haven't heard back from EBS or the amp tech I contacted. When it comes to buy another amp EBS won't be on the list - I'm not prepared to spend money on a product who's company doesn't honour their warranties, or won't even give me a reason why it won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1343749468' post='1754600'] I contacted the UK distributor who say that there is only a one year warranty on the amp (despite the EBS website saying two), and that as it was bought as "New old stock" the warranty would not be valid anyway (which again is not what EBS told me when I registered the amp after buying it but there you go....). [/quote] doesn't matter if it's "new" or "new old stock" - under EU law you have a 2 year warranty on it. If it's register with EBS all the better [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1343908963' post='1757141'] No, nothing - haven't heard back from EBS or the amp tech I contacted. When it comes to buy another amp EBS won't be on the list - I'm not prepared to spend money on a product who's company doesn't honour their warranties, or won't even give me a reason why it won't. [/quote] woah slow down - give them more than 24 hours to answer you, esp and it's not going to a english speaking country! also EBS may be the greatest company ever and their UK distributers are crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1343915392' post='1757258'] woah slow down - give them more than 24 hours to answer you, esp and it's not going to a english speaking country! also EBS may be the greatest company ever and their UK distributers are crap. [/quote] I've contacted EBS a few times over the last 18 months about various things & have never received a reply apart from when they thought I was going to buy something. Advice or questions after you've spent your money? - forget it, they don't seem to give a flying f***. (I've got a load of pedals as well as the amp). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 You can get this fixed much cheaper than EBS have quoted. I would allow them a few days to get back to you, but you could try finding a local amp tech and ask if they don't mind having a look just to see if its a case of "oh yeah its this capacitor on the preamp, its a common fault, they cost 3p and it'll take me 5 mins to swap out". Or if its a case of "sorry mate, thats firkled, it needs the whole power section replacing, honestly I'd bin it" at least you know where you stand before you hack your combo to pieces and go and buy a cheapo head... Most decent Amp techs shouldn't mind spending 5 minutes with you to see if its worth looking at fixing. Could well be cheaper than other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) I've just been looking on the internet & I've found a firm that specialises in audio & high power amplifier repair only about 10 minutes from where I live. I've emailed them to find out if they work on instrument amplifiers so fingers crossed, especially as it looks increasingly like I'm about to join a band & start gigging again for the first time in many years......never say never again! Edited August 4, 2012 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPBass Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Cardiff Guitars on West Bute Street. Great place, swift and reasonable. Saved my ass a few times. Good luck Rhys Col Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='Voodoosnake' timestamp='1344040634' post='1759180'] Cardiff Guitars on West Bute Street. Great place, swift and reasonable. Saved my ass a few times. [/quote] Cheers for that - I didn't know they did amp repairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 (edited) Just got a reply from the local firm I contacted so I'm dropping the amp off to them next week - fingers crossed! Edited August 4, 2012 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Hope this works out for you - It's scary when something like this happens, esp if you can't replace it for a long time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Well, I've heard nothing back from EBS so this afternoon I took my amp to a tech to see if it can be sorted out. He's ringing me Friday afternoon with the good/bad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1344448156' post='1764755'] Well, I've heard nothing back from EBS so this afternoon I took my amp to a tech to see if it can be sorted out. He's ringing me Friday afternoon with the good/bad news. [/quote] Hope it works out - sucks there's no reply from the maker - CS counts, they should offer support for the small fraction of end users that experience issues. Costs a fair bit but can win you life long customers... like Genz Benz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 [quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1344451285' post='1764842'] sucks there's no reply from the maker - CS counts, they should offer support for the small fraction of end users that experience issues. Costs a fair bit but can win you life long customers... like Genz Benz. [/quote] I'm probably going to have to buy a new rig of some sort before too long & I think I can safely say that EBS gear will not be featuring on my shopping list anymore. Now Genz Benz on the other hand........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 (edited) Understand your frustration but I would generally buy Quality amps out of warranty..so basically SH and then I would expect that quality to come to the fore if/when I needed it worked on. I have a very solid and sorted designer/engr who can make sense of anything, so as long as the core components are good...and therefore avoid cack kit for this reason... then it should be easy to fix..and easy to work on. From this POV, I would expect EBS to qualify but I don't know this model This another reason why I don't like makers to have budget lines... or like budget lines in general Edited August 9, 2012 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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