Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

[Tony_H]

I took my Laney LC-15 for retube yesterday and had to play an ugly old German (GDR) solid state combo in rehearsal. The clean tone was tolerable but the distortion was like the nastiest, most unforgiving chemical fuzz you can imagine.

Still I was able to get the sounds I needed just with my volume knob. This - and the estimated price of the retubing that the tech gave me - made me think that maybe solid state amps don't suck that bad.

You know, I recently bought a second LC-15 (a LC-15R because I want the FX loop), and I'm having both this and my old LC-15 retubed. The estimated price is CZK 5,000 for both, and I bought the LC-15R for CZK 6,000. The tech's putting some military-spec tubes in and he will inspect the LC-15R wiring for cold solder joints etc. for free. Still, that's an awful lot of money. This kind of made me go figure.

I'm not about to embark on a new GAS trek searching for the perfect solid state workhorse amp. I'll compare the two Laneys after they're both retubed and MAYBE sell one of them.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

I dunno how much that converts to in US dollars, but a retube and bias shouldnt cost more than 50-60$ + the cost of tubes.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

I dunno how much that converts to in US dollars, but a retube and bias shouldnt cost more than 50-60$ + the cost of tubes.

Yeah, if you're nearly paying the same price for a retube as you did for the amp... something's not right IMO.

 

[Tony_H]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

I dunno how much that converts to in US dollars, but a retube and bias shouldnt cost more than 50-60$ + the cost of tubes.

My bank's exchange rate as of today is CZK 23.5 for 1 dollar, so this means I bought the LC-15R for approx 255 dollars, and now I'm paying approx 213 dollars for a) new tubes, b) retubing and biasing (work + tech's margin) etc. for BOTH of the amps (106.5 dollars per amp). Some of the tubes (the output stage EL 84s and the 1st preamp tubes) are military spec.
The breakdown that the tech gave me was like this:
One power tube (EL84 military spec) - 37.5 dollars
One preamp tube (ECC83, military spec) - 21.5 dollars
One preamp tube (ECC83, regular spec) - I don't remember
Is that reasonable?

The LC-15R costs an equivalent of approx 467 dollars new; mine was used but the price I paid seems quite good to me.

 

[B2D]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

IMO you still paid too much. $213?!? I've had a retube and bias done on and old Marshall for $125 before.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

One power tube (EL84 military spec) - 37.5 dollars
One preamp tube (ECC83, military spec) - 21.5 dollars
One preamp tube (ECC83, regular spec) - I don't remember
Is that reasonable?

If they're current production tubes, that sounds kinda steep. If they're NOS (new old stock) tubes, it's not so bad.

Of course, that's by US standards. I have no idea what the going rate is in Europe.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

I dunno how much that converts to in US dollars, but a retube and bias shouldnt cost more than 50-60$ + the cost of tubes.

50 bucks?!? F*** that!

You can buy a bias meter for $125 from Weber. That and an insulated screwdriver are all you need to bias an amp yourself. Well, that and enough electronics understanding to not electrocute yourself.

If you can do a little math, it's about as simple as turning a trim pot 'til you see the right numbers on the meter. It doesn't take many $50 bias jobs for the Weber to pay for itself. . .not to mention the convenience of having it done on your schedule, not the tech's.

I bias my own amps 'cause I like to swap tubes and don't like waiting for a tech to do something I can easily do myself. Depending on how easy or hard it is to pull the chassis, biasing an amp is a 20 minute job: 5 minutes to pull the chassis, 5 minutes to let the tubes heat up, 5 minutes tweaking the idle current (more like 2 minutes, really) and 5 minutes to replace the chassis.

 

[Willis]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

There's a place near me that will set the bias for $25. I haven't had it done before, but from what everyone here is saying that sounds like a good price.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Played a crappy amp yesterday ... and it didn't matter!!!

guys, remember, that was for BOTH amps...only 106 per amp..not bad if you ask me