# Boutique amps - Void warranty if you dont send it in to change tubes?



## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

I have a very expensive boutique amp that i love. I sent it in for the newest updates and he informed me one of the power tubes is fried and that it's not the original pre amp tubes. He told me the cost would be $200 ($125 for JJ EL34L power tubes and $75 for pre amp tubes). I already spent $500 for the update and shipping both ways so i'm not prepared to drop another $200. I told him i have a new quad of JJ EL34l's and he informed me that if i change tubes myself it will void warranty. Is this normal practice? I'm not sure the warranty is worth it anyways if i have to spend an extra $250 in shipping (plus the month it's gone) to change the tubes yearly. What do you think?


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

I find it odd that changing the tubes would void the warranty. That seems like a user serviceable task to me. 

What if you blew a tube in soundcheck? Does he expect you to send him the amp before your set?!


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## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

I agree. It would seem that this warranty isn't really worth it anyways.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I want to know which boutique maker that is.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

keto said:


> I want to know which boutique maker that is.


^ this. I am dying to know too!


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Sorry to hear that Ryan, I wish I could have done the work for you. This is nothing more than unmitigated greed. First we hear about Carl Chute, now this prick, un-forgiveable, we're not all like this.


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

rpurdue said:


> I have a very expensive boutique amp that i love. I sent it in for the newest updates and he informed me one of the power tubes is fried and that it's not the original pre amp tubes. He told me the cost would be $200 ($125 for JJ EL34L power tubes and $75 for pre amp tubes). I already spent $500 for the update and shipping both ways so i'm not prepared to drop another $200. I told him i have a new quad of JJ EL34l's and he informed me that if i change tubes myself it will void warranty. Is this normal practice? I'm not sure the warranty is worth it anyways if i have to spend an extra $250 in shipping (plus the month it's gone) to change the tubes yearly. What do you think?


If you had to pay $500 for some kind of update. It sounds to me like the warranty sucks anyway. I really don't know how these guys get away with it.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

So he charges you for updates,(what did he do for $500.00?) then has the nerve to charge you double what the cost of the tubes are on top of that.


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

I'd stay away from someone like that for any work on amps.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

From what I've been reading, warranties on amps for "auidophiles" is only 90 days anyways."tubes have a 90 day warranty from Fender and are considered a consumable, customer replaceable item"
ie: you can change them.
Same as tires on a car.
There has to be an amp tech close to you.
"Updates & tube replacement?" How boutique do you want it to be?
Sounds like a wrought to me.
If he doesn't stand by his product, contact Canadian Office of Consumer Affairs. (OCA)


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

I am 99% sure of which company Ryan is talking about. I can't believe someone would pull a scam off like this. I am never going to change the strings on my guitar for fear of voiding the warranty!


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

This amp might have been made at Hogwarts. ;-)


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

rpurdue said:


> I have a very expensive boutique amp that i love. I sent it in for the newest updates and he informed me one of the power tubes is fried and that it's not the original pre amp tubes. He told me the cost would be $200 ($125 for JJ EL34L power tubes and $75 for pre amp tubes). I already spent $500 for the update and shipping both ways so i'm not prepared to drop another $200. I told him i have a new quad of JJ EL34l's and he informed me that if i change tubes myself it will void warranty. Is this normal practice? I'm not sure the warranty is worth it anyways if i have to spend an extra $250 in shipping (plus the month it's gone) to change the tubes yearly. What do you think?



It may be a great amp but what the f$#k do you do if you're in frigging Moosejaw and you blow a tube?

I'd like to know the maker's name.

That's simply a ridiculous warranty.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

WCGill said:


> This amp might have been made at Hogwarts. ;-)


That would be sweet! Maybe a group of owls would be able to fly it back and forth from anywhere in the world then if the tubes were shot. Or better yet the company that built it could apparate and replace the tubes. I wonder how much the repair bill would be then!


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## Mr Yerp (Feb 24, 2006)

Milkman said:


> It may be a great amp but what the f$#k do you do if you're in frigging Moosejaw and you blow a tube?
> 
> I'd like to know the maker's name.
> 
> That's simply a ridiculous warranty.


I'm quite interested in the maker too. Sounds like something Dumble would do! largetongue


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

_And_, he's screwing you over by making you buy new preamp tubes too - those things generally last for decades, no reason for a change at all.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

> From what I've been reading, warranties on amps for "auidophiles" is only 90 days anyways.


If your talking just the tubes, that's typical. If you're talking amps you're way off. I do work for manufacturers whose warranties vary from a year to 10 years. 5 being typical.
I do know of one manufacturer that even warranties the tubes for a year.
But that's another discussion.


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Don't know the builder, amp model, or # of preamp tubes it uses but, for reference sake, a matched quad of JJ EL34s is under $65 and 12AX7s are $11 a piece from thetubestore.com so...draw your own conclusions about the builder's motives.


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## urko99 (Mar 30, 2009)

I am strugling with "why the big Mystery"? Expose the Bastards. It's the only way to force a consumer shift from "I need to have it" to "No thanks, I dont need it" because it's this Builder's sh__y policies that he's trying to shove down your throat.

I've always been an advocate of if you get a good deal on anything, you tell other people about it and pass the word. 

However, If your getting screwed by someone, You should tell as many people as you can by tenfold, in this case, protecting the rank and file of this forum and others, after all, boutique makers depend on these forums as a "word of mouth advertising" for a huge part of thier market.

If you Piss off too many people, It would definetly affect thier Reputation and forcing policy change.

Sorry for the vent, But I thought It had to be said IMHO.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Hogwarts fellas, and I thought I was being too obvious. Wand more do you need to know?


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## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

Hey guys. I guess it's not "quite" what it seems. I bought this amp used. It had a channel bleed issue where the Clean was bleeding loudly into the dirty channel. i emailed the builder who stated that if i sent the amp to him to be updated (FX loop, new voicings etc) and paid the $350 he would fix the problem free of charge and honour the warranty. I looked at other avenues but no one else could help me locally so i spent the $550 ($200 for roundtrip shipping insured). It took him 2 weeks to reply that it was fixed but also stated that the amp was designed for JJ EL34L tubes and this one had 6Ca7's in it and non original preamp tubes. I knew this when i bought it and was under the assumption that 6CA7's and EL34's are interchangeable with proper bias. I also checked the bias and all were sitting at 33mV. He told me that it would be another $200 to replace the tubes to the originals and warned me that if i failed to do so that he wouldn't honour the warranty. I emailed him back that i had a new quad of JJ EL34L's as well as new preamp tubes and i would just pop them in when i got the amp back. He replied that "it makes no sense to me when someone belly aches having to spend $200 on a fresh balanced set of PROPER tubes for a $5000 amp properly installed by the factory" and told me he would do the tubes there and i will send him mine in replacement but there will be NO WARRANTY. I love this amp and it's a keeper. So in the end i'm going to suck it up and pay the damn $200 and be done with it. He told me that if i do this and have a tube failure in the future my warranty will be valid if i replace it with the same type of tube. Dave and Bill know who i'm talking about but i really don't want to make this a vendetta as my amp is still at his shop.


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

WCGill said:


> Hogwarts fellas, and I thought I was being too obvious. Wand more do you need to know?


Dumbledore


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

You're getting hosed. I still want to know who it is.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Lots of good hints given.


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## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

vadsy said:


> Lots of good hints given.


 Yeah, Bill is a witty guy . I will spill the beans when the amp is safely in my hands again


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Well it leaves us with a couple of possibilities, but I suspect "it's a kind of .... Queen song" 



WCGill said:


> Hogwarts fellas, and I thought I was being too obvious. Wand more do you need to know?


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)




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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

What model amp is it?


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Oh for heaven's sake, can't anybody come out and say Wizard?


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## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

Hey all. I really didn't want to make the name public. I really only wanted to know whether this was normal practice as it's my first amp that isn't off the shelf from L&M.


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

Just as a little comparison, I purchased a Peters 100w head a few years ago. About 6 to 8 months later, James updated his clean channel to open it up a little more and give it more headroom (there was absolutely nothing wrong with it before, he just found a way to make it better). He contacted me out of the blue, sent me a mailing label and had me ship my amp to him to make the update completely on his dime. He turned it around in about 2 weeks and it didn't cost me a cent.

I was completely blown away, and I've since convinced at least 2 other people to buy amps from him. Some guys just get it.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Absolutely NOT normal practice. I expect better service, and have so far received it, from so called boutique builders.

In this case, based on the clues, it could have been Wizard or Magic Amps. I have no experience with either.



rpurdue said:


> Hey all. I really didn't want to make the name public. I really only wanted to know whether this was normal practice as it's my first amp that isn't off the shelf from L&M.


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## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

Yeah, i bought a used Peters amp and had a few questions. I will say that James Peters was possibly one of the nicest guys one could deal with. He really did go above and beyond for me. Like i said, i'm going to pay the $200. I feel like i'm stuck between a rock and a hard place somewhat. It's a killer amp and i don't really want to destroy the chance of future help if i need it (despite how little help that may be). Hopefully there will be no further issues and it will be irrelevant. I will say though that if i'm ever going to buy an amp new for $4000 it will not be from this builder just based on this experience.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Same here, I've heard nothing but good things about them. That's why it's really important to get the facts out there.



nkjanssen said:


> I'd be shocked if it was Magic. I have no experience with Wizard.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

_____________


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## the-patient (May 19, 2009)

Bummer to hear about stories like this.

Not even massive production companies void warranties because of tube replacement, unless you mash a 6l6 where a 12AX7 should be and destroy the amp because of your own stupidity.

Hopefully the quality of the amp makes up for this kind of bullshit.


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## rpurdue (Nov 9, 2011)

the-patient said:


> Bummer to hear about stories like this.
> 
> Not even massive production companies void warranties because of tube replacement, unless you mash a 6l6 where a 12AX7 should be and destroy the amp because of your own stupidity.
> 
> Hopefully the quality of the amp makes up for this kind of bullshit.


Yeah, it's a killer amp. But, there's a lot of great builders who have better interaction with their customers as well. I probably wouldn't buy a new amp from this guy due to this interaction. 

Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## robare99 (Jan 9, 2012)

Offer to buy the tubes off him and Install them yourself. If he doesn't go for that I'd tell him to go F himself. 


You've already paid $4k for an amp and now he's going to rook you into him doing the tube changes?


The only other way I'd consider it, would be if be paid shipping both ways.


You should list the brand so I know to avoid it.


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

We need know who this is so we can avoid him.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Excuse my language but that is complete bullshit.
Anyone who would be so greedy to even suggest that should be avoided.
Here's a suggestion, get your amp back, replace your tubes yourself. If you feel so inclined, fire off a letter stating how disappointed you are and that you'll hesitate recommending them to anyone.




rpurdue said:


> I have a very expensive boutique amp that i love. I sent it in for the newest updates and he informed me one of the power tubes is fried and that it's not the original pre amp tubes. He told me the cost would be $200 ($125 for JJ EL34L power tubes and $75 for pre amp tubes). I already spent $500 for the update and shipping both ways so i'm not prepared to drop another $200. I told him i have a new quad of JJ EL34l's and he informed me that if i change tubes myself it will void warranty. Is this normal practice? I'm not sure the warranty is worth it anyways if i have to spend an extra $250 in shipping (plus the month it's gone) to change the tubes yearly. What do you think?


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