My love / hate relationship with Ampeg

[Cat Burrito]

On tour recently the jack input nut on my Ampeg PF50t head worked its way loose and is now MIA. I tried buying two different replacements on EBay, neither quite fits. So I email Ampeg and they say I have to buy an entire jack input to replace a nut that must cost pennies (or cents!). They did at least provide a UK stockist I can order from but it's a far cry from popping a nut in an envelope as a good will gesture.

When they originally issued the PF50t head a couple of years back it was advertised as fitting inside any Ampeg Portaflex cab, I found out this meant any PF cab not made within the first few months of manufacture (something they try to play down!), so wound up selling mine to buy an identical new one. As it happened I got a great resale on my old cab and lost little (plus I made a friend selling the cab). Still, what a major faff!

I love Ampeg, I've been a fan for years but they don't make it easy to love the brand sometimes. Come on Ampeg, you are better than this!

[Graham]

If it's just a nut, can you find out it's dimensions and buy a generic?

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1508921275' post='3395289']If it's just a nut, can you find out it's dimensions and buy a generic?[/quote]

That's what I did (twice) so I don't quite what special measurements they use.One slipped over but wouldn't tighten.


As a plus, the "whole jack assembly unit" is actually under £13 with delivery, so whilst a lot for the nut, not the end of the world.

[Graham]

Might be imperial rather than metric size

[BigRedX]

It might be worth posting this on Ampeg's and Polar Audio's (UK Distributor) Facebook pages.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1508922408' post='3395304']Might be imperial rather than metric size[/quote]

I suspect this is almost certainly the case but with two failed attempts, I decided to tow the line and do it properly.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1508923330' post='3395314']It might be worth posting this on Ampeg's and Polar Audio's (UK Distributor) Facebook pages.[/quote]

I did tag Ampeg on Twitter when the vastly more irritating head not fitting in the cab occurred a couple of years back. However they ignored it. To be fair this probably heightened my annoyance over the nut part. And to Polar Audio's credit, they dropped the postage right down so it's now just over £8 all in. I've been quite impressed with them.

[outsider70]

This is why I tend to stay using Ashdown. Their aftersales customer service is top notch
I've never used Ampeg, but I had a bad experience with Gallien Krueger years ago.

[Monkey Steve]

Not had to contact them over this sort of thing, but I've never had an issue with Ampeg's Customer Service Dept. Though the only stuff I've contacted them over were more technical "can you explain this to me" type queries.

However, of the one's I have contacted over spare parts recently, Marshall won hands down. I needed an unusual-ish replacement switch for an amp they don't make any more, and no amount of Googling could track one down. One e-mail to their CS got me an immediate reply with the part number, price and number that I had to ring in their stores dept to order it - £2.95 + (cost) p&p

[BigRedX]

[quote name='outsider70' timestamp='1508933641' post='3395439']
This is why I tend to stay using Ashdown. Their aftersales customer service is top notch
[/quote]

Unfortunately not in my experience. All manufacturers can have their customer service off days. It's how frequent they are, and how they handle them later that sorts out the companies worth sticking with.

[Rich]

Best customer service I've ever had was from SKB Cases. I bought a 6U case secondhand and needed some more of their weird cage nuts but didn't know where to get them. So I emailed them in Orange County USA and explained the situation, and asked if they had a UK distributor I could approach. Back came a reply, "ah yes they can be a bit hard to come by, give me your address and I'll pop a pack in the post FOC". 72 hours later they were on my doormat. Didn't cost me a bean.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1508939180' post='3395504']Best customer service I've ever had was from SKB Cases. I bought a 6U case secondhand and needed some more of their weird cage nuts but didn't know where to get them. So I emailed them in Orange County USA and explained the situation, and asked if they had a UK distributor I could approach. Back came a reply, "ah yes they can be a bit hard to come by, give me your address and I'll pop a pack in the post FOC". 72 hours later they were on my doormat. Didn't cost me a bean.[/quote]

I read a lot of stories like this on here & I would have thought for a nut from a product released only a couple of years back that Ampeg could have stepped up a bit more..... However, they didn't [b]but[/b] Polar Audio had the part on my doorstep within 24hrs so all is resolved. I think Ampeg give a bronze / silver service when many of the examples here are more gold or platinum. Thankfully for Ampeg I really like the product, which I guess is the more important bit.

[dmccombe7]

Love my Ampeg tone but reliability of the SVT4 Pro is so bad i now only use it in our own rehearsals studio. Would never use it live.

Not had to use their CS either.

Worst CS i've had was Hartke. No response at all from emails or returned calls.
Best I've had probably Warwick back in 89 when i had a prob with the new Thumb bass i bought. They took the bass back to Germany, repaired the electronic capsule and sent me a box of goodies including an apology letter, sweatshirt, 3 sets of Elites strings, various posters and few other smaller items like pen, keyring etc.

Dave

[JapanAxe]

Tim if you have an issue like this again, drop me a PM via BC or FB. I have a good stock of spares in my bits box, which has been running since 1978, so there would be a fair chance of me having a suitable part. Also comes with tea/coffee, chocolate biscuits, and the opportunity to try out kit!

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1509013267' post='3395983']
Tim if you have an issue like this again, drop me a PM via BC or FB. I have a good stock of spares in my bits box, which has been running since 1978, so there would be a fair chance of me having a suitable part. Also comes with tea/coffee, chocolate biscuits, and the opportunity to try out kit!
[/quote]

I don't need any parts but coffee and chocolate biscuits sounds good
Nice offer. well done sir.
That's proper customer service.

Dave

[EBS_freak]

Well this is all disappointing reading. Its a nut for crying out loud - why can't they just put one in the post to keep people happy?

Whilst we are hanging out praise... Hipshot for me. Unreal.. I asked them about intonation screws and springs... within a couple of days, I had every single plausible combination of screws and springs for what felt like at least two or three bridges.

Spot on!

[gareth]

I used to gig regularly in a loud covers band with a 4x10 and 1x15 powered by a v6 400watt all valve amp, all TE gear.

It was sublime

The amp developed a fault that was eventually fixed

In the meantime I bought an ampeg svt pro 2.

Hated the sound and it was so unreliable - blew power valves every other gig

Could have been just my bad luck but I would not use ampeg again, I found the sound harsh

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1509013267' post='3395983']Tim if you have an issue like this again, drop me a PM via BC or FB. I have a good stock of spares in my bits box, which has been running since 1978, so there would be a fair chance of me having a suitable part. Also comes with tea/coffee, chocolate biscuits, and the opportunity to try out kit![/quote]

Thanks Graeme - that's decent of you.

[mrtcat]

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1509012963' post='3395981']
Worst CS i've had was Hartke. No response at all from emails or returned calls.
[/quote]

Don't get me started. Shameful company.

[Lozz196]

I`ve found Ashdown to be very good re customer service issues, it`s a shame Ampeg aren`t such good performers on this.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1509026201' post='3396137']
I`ve found Ashdown to be very good re customer service issues...
[/quote]

And my experience of Ashdown's customer service left a lot to be desired.

[Mellowman]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1509013864' post='3395994']
Well this is all disappointing reading. Its a nut for crying out loud - why can't they just put one in the post to keep people happy?

Whilst we are hanging out praise... Hipshot for me. Unreal.. I asked them about intonation screws and springs... within a couple of days, I had every single plausible combination of screws and springs for what felt like at least two or three bridges.

Spot on!
[/quote]

[Mellowman]

Yes, Hipshot for me as well, great company.

My Ibanez DWB3 machine head tuning keys started to rattle after a few years so I contacted them by email to ask if there was anything I could do to repair this problem myself. I left it a few days and was contacted by one of their sales guys who admitted the tuners on mine had this problem and couldn’t be resolved so he said he would send me a set. A week later, through the post they came. I was gobsmacked really as when I looked on an e bay shop website, they were £84 a set!!!

Fitted them the same day and now, no rattle. Great result and excellent company....

[Chris2112]

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1509012963' post='3395981']

Worst CS i've had was Hartke. No response at all from emails or returned calls.

[/quote]

That is a shame. Larry Hartke is a stand-up guy and easily reachable online. He even had his phone number on a series of Hartke adverts that ran in American magazines a few years ago, inviting players to ring him direct if they needed any assistance.

[blue]

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1509012963' post='3395981']
Love my Ampeg tone but reliability of the SVT4 Pro is so bad i now only use it in our own rehearsals studio. Would never use it live.[/quote]

I should have never sold the SVT I bought new back in 1973.

Blue

[Mister RLP]

Hi Blue/dccombe7

What do you use live now?

Mr RLP

Edited November 2, 2017 by Mister RLP