Amp not working - worth repairing?

[Nicko]

I was about to put my Markbass Blackline 250 up for sale but thought I'd better check it was all working OK.  It wasn't.

 

The amp came on (so the power circuit is OK), and the clip LED lit up (so the input circuit seems to be OK) but there was no output.  When I switch the amp on there is a clicking sound (a mechanical one - like a relay engaging) and when I switch off I get a brief sound from the cab - a bass sound not a farting sound.  The manual says that this could be a fault on output impedance, but I tried with two different cabs of different resistance and two different cables and it made no difference.

 

I'm guessing that even if I can find a specialist locally they'll charge me for fault finding even if it's not economical to do the repair.  The question is whether it's worth trying to get this repaired given that it's a relatively cheap amp that won't sell for much.

 

 

[Reggaebass]

This is exactly the same symptoms that happened to mine and it had only been used as a spare for home use , I made some enquiries but no one really wanted to repair it, I was quoted £60 ph Labour plus parts, I sold it to someone who wanted to try and get it working 

[ossyrocks]

Forgive my ignorance of the MarkBass line (even though I have a Mark Bass setup), but what makes the “Blackline” amps cheaper or apparently inferior to the rest of the line? 
 

Is there a “pecking order” of MarkBass offerings?

 

Rob

[lownote]

yes

[Nicko]

1 hour ago, ossyrocks said:

Forgive my ignorance of the MarkBass line (even though I have a Mark Bass setup), but what makes the “Blackline” amps cheaper or apparently inferior to the rest of the line? 
 

Is there a “pecking order” of MarkBass offerings?

 

Rob

Yes, the Blackline is made in Indonesia to reduce the cost. 

[Nicko]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

 I sold it to someone who wanted to try and get it working 

That's my fall back position of the BC community agree it's not worth having it professionally repaired.

[BassBunny]

Real Electronics are the authorised repairers of MB products and here are their charges:

£35 to diagnose the problem, which you get back if you go ahead. £69 fixed labour, £18 courier fee to send it back + parts. I am pretty sure they don't repair to component level.

It's likely to be north of £200 which is why I didn't get my SA450 repaired.

[casapete]

45 minutes ago, Nicko said:

Yes, the Blackline is made in Indonesia to reduce the cost. 

Isn’t all MB stuff made there now?

[Phil Starr]

Markbass stuff isn't really repairable any more, they don't provide any circuit diagrams and use some hard to get components. Most repair shops won't touch them for this reason. All repairs have to go through Real Electronics who have a monopoly and behave accordingly. Repairing amps incurs their fixed charges and almost always a board replacement. It does mean your amp comes back new except for the case but will cost you upwards of £200 as you have been advised. A new amp is £220 at GAK with a three year guarantee so don't bother.

[SteveXFR]

I've had a couple amps repaired. Both cost me under £100 and one included a new power amp fitted. I think my local tech just asks for £20 for diagnosis. Definitely at least worth getting checked, could be as simple as an internal fuse.

[Downunderwonder]

7 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I've had a couple amps repaired. Both cost me under £100 and one included a new power amp fitted. I think my local tech just asks for £20 for diagnosis. Definitely at least worth getting checked, could be as simple as an internal fuse.

I hope you have sung their praises on the good amp tech thread. The world needs more real fixit people in it.

[SteveXFR]

9 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

I hope you have sung their praises on the good amp tech thread. The world needs more real fixit people in it.

 

I have not. I didn't know that thread existed. I shall do that now

[Phil Starr]

20 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

I've had a couple amps repaired. Both cost me under £100 and one included a new power amp fitted. I think my local tech just asks for £20 for diagnosis. Definitely at least worth getting checked, could be as simple as an internal fuse.

I used to repair stuff for people and with old amps you could source all the components and often get circuit diagrams that speed the process of repair. Most of the gear was UK made and there was infra structure to support repairs. Now a lot of the chips are customised and components surface mounted on multi-layer boards so even de-soldering becomes tricky. Companies differ in their support too. I've recently repaired a Wharfedale PA and they were great, components in stock and supplied return of post. Behringer came up trumps too with a brand new amp board at a really good price. I've got a broken MB here and it's defeated me. It's possible it is something simple but not likely from the symptoms and it is switching on so not just a fuse. If the OP can find somebody who will open it up and look for £20 I'd take their arm off but for £40 I'd be thinking nah... How much is a second hand Blackline worth?

 

The boards may be cheaper for one of these, it might be worth getting a quote from Real Electronics.