# Recommendations For Amp Tech In GTA/Southern Ontario?



## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I need to get my '78 Traynor YGL3 Mark III looked at so can anyone recommend a good amp tech in the GTA? The friend mentioned in my other thread is way too busy to look at the amp for at least a couple of months and I haven't heard back from Redex.

It has been established that the amp is a '78, not a '72 as I had thought. It has also been established that the volume drop between channels is normal. I cleaned the input jacks and everything seems fine there (although the problem was intermittent so it might not actually have been resolved).

Here is its issue - I am currently hearing a pulsing noise, which might mean that the tremolo is switched on. I need to find my footswitch so that I can make sure it is turned off. If that ain't it, then something else is going on (a tube?). Other than that the amp seems to be working fine, but I would like to get it looked at, biased, and tuned up. Basically, just have someone look it over and make sure everything is in proper working order.

Yorkville/Traynor would be the obvious choice but they are _really_ backed up. In fact, they are so backed up that a friend at my local store has told me that they are currently refusing to take in anything that they didn't sell. Apparently the issue is a combination of backup due to staff shortages during Covid and a lack of parts due to the current shortages worldwide. So they are out. Still, I will email Mike Hollman there to confirm.

I saw a Kijiji ad recently in which the seller included paperwork from an amp tech who had serviced his amp. The work done seemed really thorough so I contacted the seller and he gave me the guy's name (Dom and he is located just east of Canada's Wonderland). So he is on the list of people to contact. I will also go into the Mississauga L&M to speak to Pat Furlan to see if he has time to look at it.

But I would appreciate recommendations for other amp techs in the GTA please.


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

If you don't mind driving to Cambridge Rich at Amplifiers Plus is pretty top notch.


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

I usually go to Tim at Superfuzz Audio (Dundas and Dovercourt) but he's also quite busy.

I had a recent good experience with Lil'Demon (Queen and Roncesvalles area) but I think they outsource their amp work and I don't know who does it. 

I've also heard good things about Shyboy and Tex on Queen W and Chris Church (in Hamilton)


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

GuitarT said:


> If you don't mind driving to Cambridge Rich at Amplifiers Plus is pretty top notch.


Thats my "go to" guy. I have been using Rich for years with absolutely no complaints.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I am not against driving to Cambridge if I have to. I lived in KW for a decade (with a year of that in Cambridge) so could kill two birds with one stone by visiting friends on the same trip.

Superfuzz isn't conveniently located except that my brother and sister-in-law just bought and moved into a house two blocks from there so I could drop the amp off while going to see their new house. When picking it up, I could either combine the trip with a visit to him or have him grab it for me and bring it here when he comes out to visit our Mum in LTC.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

MetalTele79 said:


> I usually go to Tim at Superfuzz Audio (Dundas and Dovercourt)





colchar said:


> Superfuzz isn't conveniently located


I thought you shopped and Long & McBlock? It's not that far down to Dundas St.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

jb welder said:


> I thought you shopped and Long & McBlock? It's not that far down to Dundas St.


I don’t shop at their Bloor location.


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## bgreenhouse (Jan 4, 2014)

I have used Derek Hoeckel in the West end, and another guy (whose name I can dig up) on the east end. Which one is more convenient for you? PM for contact info.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

colchar said:


> Superfuzz isn't conveniently located except that my brother and sister-in-law just bought and moved into a house two blocks from there so I could drop the amp off while going to see their new house. When picking it up, I could either combine the trip with a visit to him or have him grab it for me and bring it here when he comes out to visit our Mum in LTC.


I will agree that Superfuzz is in a crappy location for parking. If you see a spot within a few blocks take it because there's a good chance there's nothing closer. I usually wait till I have a guitar that needs some work and then I can also drop off to Zach at Electric Standard which is the same storefront.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

colchar said:


> I don’t shop at their Bloor location.


Ah. For some reason I got my wires crossed and thought your guitar tech friend was at Bloor.
Nevermind.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

You’re North and me, and I go to Shank Amplification in Barrie. In fact, he comes down to Courtney Park regularly for work. Usually a one week turnaround. Has been used (in a good way) by @gbomb and @bluehugh2 . PM me and I’ll recommend you.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

bgreenhouse said:


> I have used Derek Hoeckel in the West end, and another guy (whose name I can dig up) on the east end. Which one is more convenient for you? PM for contact info.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk


West end as I am in Brampton.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I emailed Mike Hollman at Traynor so am waiting to hear back from him regarding how backed up they are. Even if they aren't as backed up as I have been led to believe, they might be far more expensive than independent techs and those independent techs can take more time with an amp than Yorkville can.

I might also pop by the Mississauga L&M tomorrow to speak to Pat Furlan.

Some members here have also provided contact info for independent techs who they have used in the past.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Edited


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Change of plans.

Someone here kindly gave me a word of caution about the guy I had planned to take my amp to, so I tried to get in touch with Rob from Redex again. This time I got him, and he told me to bring it on by any time. Since he lives about 700m from me, that is easily enough done!


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

So Rob has the amp.

He thinks the pots might have been changed, but will figure it out once he is inside the thing. He pulled a couple of tubes - one was an EH EL34 the other was an original Mullard. We didn't pull any others to see what they were.

The amp is in great shape cosmetically so we are hoping that the circuit hasn't been molested. I am also hoping that it won't take too much to get it properly tuned up. If the price is reasonable then it will be well worth it, but if the price gets too high I'll have to decide what to do. Keeping my fingers crossed.

If it can be tuned up at a reasonable cost then the amp will outlive me, provided I take proper care of it.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

colchar said:


> Someone here kindly gave me a word of caution about the guy I had planned to take my amp to


If that's all you can say, perhaps it would be fair to remove his name from the post above.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

jb welder said:


> If that's all you can say, perhaps it would be fair to remove his name from the post above.



A fair point, so I did.

I wasn't told anything bad, I was just given someone else's opinion on him/his work. I didn't say anything more than that I was given a word of caution, because it wasn't my experience to relate.

But yeah, since it wasn't personal experience it is fair that I remove his name so I did.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Thanks.
I hope that's 700 metres rather than miles.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

What ever shop you do walk into...look for this guy, as Flip Wilson would say: he's usually in the corner in the dark.
Don't be fooled by his appearance...he may look scatter-brain however, he knows his gear...hell he eats, breathes ands sleeps with this stuff and he won't screw you over.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Paul Running said:


> What ever shop you do walk into...look for this guy, as Flip Wilson would say: he's usually in the corner in the dark.
> Don't be fooled by his appearance...he may look scatter-brain however, he knows his gear...hell he eats, breathes ands sleeps with this stuff and he won't screw you over.
> View attachment 389397



Rob at Redx has it, and he has slightly better style than that.


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