I was looking at this Amp, happy I came across this video. Thanks for the heads-up.

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's thank you and have a nice day! kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

@aitken1965

2 жыл бұрын

Same!

This is AWESOME. You should seriously think about doing a series of videos about crappy gear. Informative and hilarious. Thank you.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dan!

@gearoftones8585

2 жыл бұрын

I agree. A series on what amps are easy to repair and what should be avoided would be great, it might also prompt manufacturers to think about ease of service when making amps in future if they know their poor designs will be outed on channels like this.

Thanks for the info. I WAS thinking about getting this amp.

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's thank you and have a nice day! kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

I appreciate the information, I was practically 2 hours to buy a used amplifier and you saved my savings and the effort of having earned the money Regards

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Great. It's a shame as they sound good.

I am toying with buying a new amp, I.e a toss up between a used Blues Junior and a Bassbreaker. The algorithms threw up this video on my KZread and you just made my mind up. Thanks for saving me some cash and maybe a lot of agro’

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Good call, I really like the Blues Junior.

You are all missing out on an absolutely fantastic sounding amp! My local guy had no issues with it when I took it in for repair. I even mentioned that there are repair shops saying they will refuse this amp and he said "It's tricky for sure, but any reputable tech can fix it".

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Hi. The amp is great sounding, I'm not denying that. I am a highly experienced tech with tousands of amps under my belt and 50 years experience on the bench. My view is that this amp is unrepairable at a reasonable price - that's assuming you have to do something serious to it requiring access to the board etc. Other techs feel the same. I'd like to know what magic method your tech has for fixing these amps!

@MifuneYoutube

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 I don’t mean disrespect to you, I’m sure you are great at what you do, but that’s not quite what you say in the video. You deem it “almost impossible to fix” and give the impression it’s not worth yours or anyone else’s time at all. It just takes a lot more time than you want to put in at the rate you charge. I probably did pay a little more than average to have it fixed, however that’s how it works isn’t it? We pay for parts and labour time? I’m happy with that deal from this side as a customer if you can fix my beloved amp. This one is too good to give up on, Stuart 🙂

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

@@MifuneKZread Hi. I'd like to know what fault your guy fixed. I would stand by my comment that they are 'next to impossible' to fix. Even with money no object I couldn't see how to access the inside of this. Anyway, I'm pleased you managed to find someone to sort it.

@erajad

2 жыл бұрын

@@MifuneKZread So ... Stuart's question is a good one! What _was_ the problem with yours, and what was the fix from your tech? Thanks!

@MifuneYoutube

2 жыл бұрын

@@erajad a diode inside needed replacing and he gave some dirty pots a good old clean. I was due a tube change too, but I did that myself.

Thanks for this video. I was all set to buy one of these but after seeing this and doing some more research I went with the Blues Junior NOS instead. I like the sound of the Bassbreaker but if they are so difficult for a tech to repair then I want no part of them. Amps occasionally go bad and for sure they need serviced regularly. Pots cleaned etc. A real shame because the Bassbreaker has a very nice sound. Anyway, thanks again for saving me numerous headaches down the road. I think I am going to like my new(to me) amp. Hope it's a good one. :) Have a great week! Peace

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. This is a noce sounding amp, shame about the dificulty of repairing. I like the BJ too. Nice amp.

@Spiritbro77

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 Question? Are the heads built the same way? If so then they are equally hard to work on and thus not worth it, but if they are built differently they might be worth a look...

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

@@Spiritbro77 I've never seen one but I'd be very surprised if they were different.

You saved me an enormous headache. Thank you!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Glad to have been of assistance!

I’d love to see Brads amp garage work on this while giving it a good healthy cussing!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 ай бұрын

Me too!

So glad I researched "fender bass breaker problems". Thank you.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

No problem!

This is precisely why I build my own amplifiers! I'm still giging with an amp I built in 2005!!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Nice!

Yup, was going to mention the peavey classic line as similar. Vox ac 15 and blues junior would be better alternatives at this price point. Thanks so much for posting this so that we know. I hate this sneaky part of the industry. People buy tube amps with an expectation of repair ability. When it's not, it's a tough one to swallow, especially if they are used to banging around an older model that was repairable.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

True. The thing I don't understand though is this would also be a total PIG to manufacture. In fact I can't see how they managed to do it. So it's not a question of "Let's make our life easy in manufacturing and to hell with the repairability."

I was thinking about buying this amp .I'm glad I saw this warning.Thanks man, I'll pass on this amp and I'll be super sceptical concerning any new Fender amplifiers.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

They're great amps whilst they work, it's just a nightmare if they go faulty.

THANK YOU!! I'm so happy that I came across this video today. I have been looking for a small amp to use for band practices & as a gig backup, and had seen one of these advertised locally. You just saved me from making a colossal mistake, I'm definitely going to look at other options.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Excelent, I'm pleased.

Thank you Stuart for the information, I'm subd and I like your videos....thank you for what you do...

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure I'm glad you are enjoying them.

A fellow amp tech here in Kent, what a f*ing nightmare, thanks for the warning! I've had a Peavey Classic 30 on the bench, that was sh*t but that Fender, cripes!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Ah yes, that's the other amp you can;t work on. Utterly ridiculous design! If you need any shematics or anything contact me via link at end of vids.

@MreViewer

3 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 thanks Stuart

I have this amp and absolutely love it.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes it's a great sounding amp and the owners really do like it. But... if it goes wrong, you can forget it!

@stringlocker

Жыл бұрын

At the price I think it's still worth the risk. But not if they raise the prices much higher.

@daniellaudman8580

Жыл бұрын

I would buy another traynor ycv 50 blue fender clean marshall style od put the kt 77 and tungsol 12ax7's and be done

Mine was repaired….no problem. This is a fantastic amp. Sounds amazing. I really love the separate gain stages. It’s like having a tweed, silver face, and a Marshall JCM 900 all in one amp.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

6 ай бұрын

Hi Dan yes nice amp, super hard to repair though. Where did you get yours repaired and what was wrong with it? also, how much?

I am so impressed with the Fender BassBreaker 15 tone on my fender micro I started shopping for the real deal and Im glad I came across your PSA video. Thanks!

@SaxJockey

5 ай бұрын

You have good taste! I am also impressed by the BB15 amp model in the Fender Mustang Micro...hence watching this video 😂.

Dang. I’ve had one since they came out new, I’ve never had any issues with it. Hopefully it stays that way because I love it.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes let's hope it hangs on in there!

@LLSicilia

Жыл бұрын

I have one too.. will be sure to not forget to turn it off!!

You saved me from buying one of these, thank you for the information!

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's thank you and have a nice day! kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

@AntCesZA

2 жыл бұрын

Me too

I did fix one of those for a friend of mine once. ONCE. And it was for a good friend who was short on money and couldn't afford a new amp. All it needed was a new diode in the power circuit and it took me a full day to fix it. It's possible to fix them, but it's not economical to do so. You could buy a new amp for all the time you've invested in doing a simple repair.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Amazing, well done!

They're selling them by the truckload too, I enquired to a few stores in Australia about buying one recently and they were sold out all over the country, with a September ETA. So glad I changed my mind and bought a Hot Rod Deluxe.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

That's a reat amp. It has two problems in my view. First the weight - insane! Second it's hard to get the thing off '1' without deafeing the neighbours. If this is an issue, swap V1 for a 12AY7 and that will tame the gain allowing you to run it at 3-4 instade of 1, or whatever.

@fattommy4436

Жыл бұрын

Would that tube swap do the same thing on a blues junior?

@blackie75

Жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 Cheers, I've had it (HRD) for 12 months now, it's a nice amp and takes pedals really well, but yeah, difficult to push at home that's for sure. We have no neighbours, but it's rattling the windows on 4 😂😂. I ended up buying a little Mustang GTX 100 for practicing at night.

I was able to spray the pots by taking that chassis out just a bit but that's about all ...my reverb was hissing and got louder the more you turned it up....somehow spraying the pot with contact cleaner fixed it... really wasn't expecting that to be the case,but glad it did.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

How odd! Glad you got it sorted

Thanks for sharing this.

I have one of these amps and it sounds great but looks like it will eventually become a boat anchor. I have a total of 4 Fender amps. if the Bassbreaker dies I will not be buying another recently made fender amp. Some of the kit makers should design a replacement kit chassie for these, looks like there will be a market. Thanks for the review.

@markferguson3745

2 жыл бұрын

You should be able to find a tech that can fix it in the States, anyway.If it's a newer model of the 15 or 40, it might be exempt from some of the design flaws.Great sound.

Interesting thanks Jerry

Thanks for the heads up on this amp! I did wonder about getting one. My "dream amp" is one of those small tweed champ type amps, but they can be a bit rare. What got me onto the Bassbreaker was by some fluke I met someone who explained about the modern "Champ" type amps' "interesting" layout inside. So now it looks like both those and these are ruled out!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Hi. My criticsim of the amp is only on the maintenance front. The amp might give you many years of troble-free service, but if it goes wrong, it's a big problem. I quoite like the Fender B;ues Junior as a noce smallish amp. Fixable too!

When I heard about this amp and its tube lineup, I wondered if it was essentially their version of the Peavey Classic series. In particular, if it was as 'disposable' as those amps are. Because when something goes on those, especially the filter caps, it takes a lot down with it. Yes, they're relatively inexpensive amps but not so much so that it's okay you can't have them serviced and up and running again. I still think the Peavey Classic 30 is one of the best backup/grab-n-go combos out there, but kind of ticking time bomb. This seems somewhat similar, but due to construction and placement of boards and such. EDIT: HA! 10:40 - you mention the Peavey Classic just like I did! Yup.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

I think that's an excellent summary of the situation.

A dollar short and a day late. Bought this amp when it first came out. Amazing sound and only complaint was no foot pedal. Used it often in my room with no problems until... last night. It sat for a couple months unused. Fired it up last night, let it warm up like I always do for about 5 minutes then started playing at a low volume. Couple minutes in and a strange sound came out of it right before it just went dead. No power now. Looks like I'm going back to vintage gear I can work on. lol. It will join my Egnater Vengeance in the closet.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Oh no! What a nightmare. I think you'll struggle to find someone able to repair it.

@roberthollander4522

2 жыл бұрын

Have you checked the tubes?

@RisingMoon697

2 жыл бұрын

@@roberthollander4522 nope. There isn't even a power light on or anything. None of the tubes are lighting up either. It's like a main fuse blew. I don't know if this even has a main fuse.

You just saved me a huge headache! I was about to pick one up used. I'll pass. Thank You

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

I'll send the bill...

The amp sounds good I did see one video of a guy fixing it but he said it was hell. I went back to that video by d labs electronics he just replaced the tubes and did not work on the board.

I bought an old Kalamazoo Model 2 in remarkable shape after a good cleaning. It needed a fuse, contact cleaner on the pots and on/off switch, three new filter capacitors and a three prong grounded cord. I paid $100 for the amp and $3.86 for the caps. For a vintage 1966 tube amp it sounds warm and sweet. It also keeps me from wanting anything newer.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Nice! I've not heard of that amp before.

@jasondorsey7110

9 ай бұрын

​@@stuartukguitarampguy5830I have one as well, it's a 5 watt el84 amp, which was unusual for an american amp in the 60s, and it has a 10" alnico speaker, but the cabinet is cheap small garbage which would fall apart if it gets wet...I run it through an ext cab and it sounds much better

I was seeing these go for some tempting prices 2nd hand so thanks for the warning. Terrible that it is so unsustainable😢

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 ай бұрын

Yes try to avoid!

Thanks for the heads up

I have one completely disassembled on my work bench right now. Do you want to put it back together for me? Lol! 😄😂🤣This amp requires a lot of patience for sure. Once It is split into "plug and play" PCB sections. I'm sure an "authorized" Fender repair shop would just unplug the faulty PCB section and replace it with a new one rather than replace individual components. One positive observation is the PCB boards are connected with actual wires rather than the easily broken jumper wires seen in the Peavey Classics. The one I'm repairing has both T1A 250V fuses blown on the power section PCB. Not only do you have to completely disassemble the amp, all of the internal fuses are axial lead fuses soldered to the PCB board. I bought this one knowing it didn't power on just to tinker with for my own fun. Unless an owner of this amp is still within the official Fender warranty window, I would highly recommend either selling it for parts, or gut it and use the chassis, cabinet, and speaker for a hand wired build. At today's prices, the valves and speaker alone could recoup a big chunk of the amp cost. If you are interested in seeing the full layout of this amp, you can check it out on my channel.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Wow well done you!! Thanks for confirming it's a nightmare! All the best.

One of the best amps I’ve ever heard. I’ve a couple of 007s too! Lots of low quality components in them I must say.

Wow! Thanks for posting this.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Күн бұрын

I'm not dissing the amp itself. It sounds great. It's just a so-and-so to repair if it goes wrong.

Thanks for your honesty. The amp sounds sweet, but this cheekiness from Fender is unacceptable. I will avoid buying any products from them, thats really the wrong way they are going nowadays...

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes the amp sounds great, it's just the maintenance which is a nightmare.

Nice choice!

Wow! What the hell was Fender thinking? Sounds great until something fails, then throw it in the trash bin and buy another. What crap! Thanks for the review!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Ha ha, yes. Tbh a lot of the modern Class D power amps also have this problem - pretty much unfixable if they fail.

It is fixable and at a reasonable cost IF you can get a procedure for the teardown, also the redplating of the EL 84's has been documented ad nauseum and the culprits are almost always the two Zenon diodes in the bias circuit.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 ай бұрын

Yes that's the issue though, the procedure for the teardown. From memory (could be wrong) those zeners aren;t readily changeable without complete teardown.

This was an awesome video. I've been using this amp for six years and I haven't had any issues so far. I love the amp but as I was watching the video I was shocked at how poorly the inside was designed. Now I'm hoping my amp continues to work as it should 😂

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Hi Abel Yes great amps, let's hope it stays working ok for many years!

@dimitris70

Жыл бұрын

Abel do you gig with that amp? I mean is a hard working amp or home using?

Thank you. You saved my money

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Great. To be fair, it;s a good amp. It's just that it ever went faulty it would be a big problem.

Commenting just to make sure more people see this

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Johan.

I'm glad I found this video. This was going to be my next purchase. But with a little research and your video, I'll definitely be looking elsewhere. Thank you for saving me from making a mistake

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure. I'm not 'down' on Fender amps in general of course, It's just the very poor desitgn of this amp from a maintenance perspective.

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's ALLAN ROTONI kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

May God bless you, just almost bought this, uff.. Whats your opinion about Laney VC15 or VC 30 (UK made)? They seems to be more reliable and repair - friendly.

Hello, glad to learn that. I thought about getting the 30r version (the newer one), do you think that version is different from this one ?

@preciseaudioblog

2 жыл бұрын

I’m wondering the same!!

@darklight4815

2 жыл бұрын

I would imagine it's built exactly the same way..those chassis are bent in a way where I'm sure it saves them just the tinyest bit of space to save a few bucks on cabinet costs.

@daniellaudman8580

Жыл бұрын

I was interested as well on the 30r. No thanks!! Can't afford to take that chance $$$$$$$

So helpful to know

Funny this video didn't come up when I was reaching this amp a couple months ago. I've got one now and love the way it sounds, haven't a clue what to do with it now

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Use it and love it until it goes wrong!

Thanks for the heads-up, I'll be sure to refuse repair of this piece of garbage if anyone asks! Could always offer something for it and reuse the cab, speaker and iron in a custom chassis, and rebuild it as something else that IS serviceable. Edit: I found the schematic for this and it did make me laugh: Belton digilog module for the reverb, 555 timer IC in the power circuit, a bunch of op-amp nonsense in the audio signal path 🙂 I have a Peavey custom 50 in my queue, do you know if they are as bad to work on as the 30? Thanks

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes one tpo be avoided. The users love them though!

Thank you. You saved me of buying one. I’m thinking on getting instead one of these amps: blues jr IV, vox ac15 or Roland blues cube hot. Are these amps easy to repair?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

To be clear these amps sound great, it's just that if they go wroing they are a nightmare. I like the Fender Blues Junior but an amp is a very personal thing.

I’ve done mods on a few Peavey Classic 30’s. They’re difficult but that looks even worse. I’ve also done mods and repairs on a Panama Loco and Traynor YCV20. They’re a little time intensive too. I’m guessing any small modern amp is going to be a pain to work on.

Thanks, this is great info. Shame on you Fender!

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's thank you and have a nice day! kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

Thank You for the PSA! I imagine it’ll save a lot people from buying this junk. I was about to be one of them! A shame Fender didn’t design this better.. It has great tones

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's thank you and have a nice day! kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

Thanks for the video. Would you know if the head versions of the same model are similar?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, same I believe.

I just bought a used BB 15 head for $400. The amp sounds great. The gain is very good, also. I like the digital reverb, also. After this video, maybe I should return it to GC.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

5 ай бұрын

Hi Yes great sounding amp. I'd keep it. They are fairly reliable and it could be many years before it breaks down. AT that point you might find a tech with more patience than me!

My local tech never has a problem working on my Peavey Classic 30, in fact he's always happy to work on it because he knows how great-sounding of an amp it is. Curiosity about the Bassbreaker brought me here, serviceability is a must on a tube amp due to the nature of tube technology...it looks like the Bassbreaker is a step or two harder than the Classic 30 to service. The Classic 30 has that U-shaped triple board but the inside is nowhere near as cramped as the Bassbreaker.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Hi Yes I've done a few classic 30. Not my favourite to work on but they are at least doable, unlike the Bassbreaker!

Thanks souch for showing your work. I have this amp to and it has a common problem- the reverb is intermittently making noise. I was considering taking it apart to investigate, but your ezperience has put me off. Unless anyone out there has advice..?

Thank you. Was about to buy. I’m also into serving things myself and this just stopped me from buying this. I wonder if their other model bassbreakers are designed like this. Probably so. Landfill

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Yes it's such a shame as it's basicaly a great sounding amp.

Also is their a similar sounding amp that has a similar price I really like the clean tone this offers

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry but I can;t really advise on amp sounds as I am not a guitarist. I just repair them! All the best.

@theceo1

3 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 thank you!

@esdaudiodarwishholding9430

3 жыл бұрын

Infarenes this model was nice, the only down side is about the technical side which should be take care by the repairing technician but not the user. In my experience repairing a fender brand for almost 15 years, I encountered a different issues but I manage to fixed them with perseverance in finding the faulty parts, First impression on this model was difficult to diagnose due to the structure but when you in to it doing the diagnosing I realize it was easy. I always applied the basic trouble shooting I always applied the basic trouble shooting with technic. Please watch my video's ALLAN ROTONI kzread.info/dron/T2FbRDYA0PchLSnpYxcGxg.html

Do you think I’d get the same problem if I buy the bassbreaker head and cab?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Definitely!

Out of curiosity I would be able to fix it only one time and that's it! The next time there is a problem with the amp I would hate to be getting in there again. And that's the problem with these disposable amps. I read the new chinese made peavey classic 30 have different design but I can't find a picture online.

Thanks for the vid! Any amp with similar sound clean/dirty you would recommend?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

I quite like the Fender Blues Junior.

@preciseaudioblog

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 I’ll check it out. Thank you!

Lol. There's no way I'm getting rid of mine. It's friking amazing!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes they do sound good but you can pretty much write it off if anything goes wrong!

Do they do the same with Bassbreaker 30?

Makes you wonder how they get from one end of the assembly line to the other!!!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Exactly!

Hey my friend, is the Bassbreaker 30 combo bad as well???? I was thinking about nuying one when I saw your review/...

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

My guess would be yes but I've never had one in the workshop. These amps are fine unless they go wrong!

Is it the same case for the 18/30 model? So glad I saw this, I almost bought a second hand one 🤙🎸

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not totally sure but I expect so.

@thebudgetguitarist9721

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 thanks so much for getting back to me 🤙🎸

Hiya Stuart, what amps are the easiest to repair and best build in your opinion. I was gonna get one of these but this has put me off big time

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Hi MArk. This is SUCH a personal thing and you'll need to have a look and see what suits. In this size of amp I think the Fender Blues Junior is a great little amp.

I've had this amp for 4 years roughly. Play maybe once a week sometimes less as I use another practice amp around the house as its portable. Couple years ago had the amp red plating, took to an experienced amp tech, who fixed and serviced but he did struggle as it is very hard to work with and he cursed many of times. Real shame it is poorly designed for maintenance because I love the sound. What would you recommend as a replacement for this amp as close to being like this amp?? Cheers.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

He's a brave man! Do you remember what he charged? A really great amp of about the same size and power is the Fender Blues Junior.

@paulleach1480

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 He was a real calm one paced sort of guy, I think you need to be. His knowledge on amps was fascinating, quite like your videos. He was working on the amp from 9am until 1pm and he charged £100 which what I saw that he had to do I thought was very good. He also took out a resistor somewhere so that the amp would work better, something that was causing the valves to red plate. Thanks for the recommendation, I'm aware of that amp and I do quite like. Cheers.

@NinjerXp

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Paul perhaps an experienced technician could copy it? I think it would be worth it, it is a wonderful amplifier

@paulleach1480

2 жыл бұрын

@@NinjerXp hi. When you say copy it, do you mean build an amp to replicate the Bassbreaker?

@chrisbalding3128

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulleach1480 Yes, he meant to copy the circuit onto a more maintenance-friendly platform. For example, there are amp builders out there who will convert a tweed Fender Bassman reissue into a hand-wired amp. I know a builder who does the same with the Pro Jr. and Blues Jr. amps, too.

I dunno, are you an amp "repairman" or not?. If it's hard to fix... fix it any way. I've had my BB15 for 6 years gigging out and rehearsing. No trouble what so ever. Great amp, incredibly versatile. By far,, the best amp in that price

@thejusticeization

2 жыл бұрын

i mean i would think this is easier to repair than a digital amp

@robertkorn

2 жыл бұрын

I was cringing watching him strip out the heads of the screws as he was taking this thing apart with that pos driver. He doesn't impress me as being that skilled, so have to take this opinion with a grain of salt.

But they sound so damn good….

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

True... true...

Looks like matey from Aus took it apart and found a reasonable fix. Terrible design though and I do not blame you at all for not having a go at fixing. Looks like it was designed by a Citroen or Renault designer! LOL!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Ha ha. Yes that's about right!

There is a service manual and its free online. Certainly not easy like a vintage amp but I am 100% confident it can be fixed.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

7 ай бұрын

Thanks Sylvain. Yes anything can be fixed, but at what price? I don;t know any techs who will touch this amp.

Good job I watched this video as I tempted by this amp. Could you name any similar amps that you would recommend from an ease of service point of view?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Hi I quite like the fnder Blues Junior but an amo is a very personal thing. Thankfully most are repairable.

@doa1001

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 thanks for replying. The blues Jnr was my second choice so that’s a relief.

Yes but you'd think it would be a right so-and-so to construct as well!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Ah but if this amp was available in head form, it would still be a total nightmare to work on!

I would think a 1/4" drive socket wrench with a short socket would have made quick work of that ground nut. Agreed it's tight compared to anything I've seen. I think if you left the switches and connectors wired up but removed their nuts from the panel you could get the piece of metal out of the way.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I have yet to hear from a tech who has successsfully repaired one of these though. Hardly any will even attempt it.

@sunriseshell

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 It's asinine design thinking with ZERO regard for anyone down the line who might have to work on it. No thought for longevity or maintenance. More and more cars are being built this way too. I think if I ever end up with one of these some sheet metal modification would be in order if it ever needed repair. Despite the limitations I'm still tempted as it's really hard to get this sound and versatility at this price point and size.

Hey! Does the Fender Bassbreaker 30 have the same problem? Thank you!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not 100% sure but I'd bet it has!

Is this issue true for all Bassbreaker models? I was interested in the Bassbreaker 45...any info on that?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

I'm unsure as I havenlt seen one of those.

Interesting video!! Seeing as Fender make the EVH stuff ... i wonder if that stuff is more tech friendly.😎 I think i will stick to my first choice & buy a LANEY Super Cub. I had to sell my Iommi TI-15. ( lack of LANEY products on your channel. that´s a GOOD thing right. 🤠 Cheers

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Hi Dan Ah that's interesting. You're right, I rarely get a LAney in!

How about the head version? Can that be repaired if needed?

What about the head version of the bassbreaker 15? It has the same difficulties on repairs or not? Thank you!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Hi Gabriele YEs I believe it's an identical chassis just put into a smaller box! Fine when they work, virtually impossible to repair when they don't.

@gabrielelissia

Жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 thank you very much for your insight, I was almost torward buying it!!

thanks, I was about to buy a 5 year old one, not anymore!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Good Call!

Thank you sir you just saved me from buying this.

This is a lot like a new car where when you ask for a lot of stuff to be put into something and there isn't a lot of space. Older amps generally last longer because there's just less to go wrong with them, or they're given a lot more space and parts don't get as hot from normal operation. I bought my amp from a former Fender engineer who said it's hard to put a lot into a small space. You have to make sacrifices.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Yes that's a good observation. There's a lot crammed into a very small space.

Thanks, fender just lost my money. Was going to buy this.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Great sounding amps but VERY hard to fix if they fail. Try Fender Blues Junior.

I am so glad I bought my Hot Rod Blues Jr.4 instead of this amp. My blues jr iv is so easy to service & it really is a dream to play. Also it has a black pc board & I've not heard of anyone having any problems with it yet. Although I am sure a ton of people will probably disagree, but I am just in love with mine.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I really like all the Blues Jnr amps. Lovely little amps.

Hi all. I’m thinking about getting a Marshall Dsl20/Dsl40 are last longing without issues?? Thank you.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Yes they're pretty good amps and also repairable!

@preciseaudioblog

2 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 In your experience, do they have issues often? Thanks again!

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

@@preciseaudioblog Ity's hard for me to say becuse all my experience is based on wat comes in for repair. For what it's worth, I haven't had many of them. But it's not an old amp so maybe you wouldn;t expect too many to go wrong? They're great little amps, jist very poor from a serviceablity viewpoint.

They make this junk down in Mexico where people get paid 3-5 dollars an hour. It's a shame but if a person wants a good tube amp nowadays they have to spend extra dough on a good handwired amp from one of these boutique outfits. I've really been paying close attention to Dr. Z amps. They are looking real nice. Pricey though.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

Yes agreed. You have to be prepared to pay a fair bit.

Glowing reviews for Fender. Ha, ha ha!

I bought the 7 or 5 watt version of this amp It sure sounds great But I looked at it And you're right. What were they thinking?! There's gotta be a way to reverse the assembly process. Maybe it's like the ancient pyramids of Egypt where upon completion, they withdrew a single block and that triggered an entire process of locking the entire system down with moats of sand! Seriously I think you can make a pretty penny if you could figure out its assembly process. I wonder if there is a way to cut out swaths Of the chassis With a Dremel To be able to access components?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Hi Rick. Yes I just cannot figure out how they made the thing in the first place! But the really annoying thing is that they obviously knew it would be almost impossible to repair - and didn't care! That tells you a lot about what they really think of their customer care after they've made the sale.

Any issues with the Fender 30R?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

Жыл бұрын

Hi ALfred I'm not really sure as I don't think I've seen one of those.

Designed by accountants!! Messy Boogers suck to repair also!

When I see designs such as this one, I have to think that the intention here by the designer/manufacturer is that when a problems develop with the device (and they will), hopefully the customer will just ditch the device and by a whole new unit. This is how things are viewed in a "throw -away" society.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Good point but I don;t think this is WHY they design it like this. I think it is other reasons which are almost certainly cost related. BUT ... I don't see how they can have made this thing easily either!

@jaysorensenIBEW

Жыл бұрын

It's a combination of all these reasons. Guys like Stuart cause them losses by repair over replacement. Don't think that the pencil pushers and bean counters at fender don't have these discussions. Also, Stuart is right, in that they will have it easier and quicker putting these things together with that shitty design.

@jaysorensenIBEW

Жыл бұрын

I'm sorry, I see that Stuart suggested that it must have been a pain in the ass for them to build as well. This kind of goes back to the original post's point, no disrespect to you, Stuart. 👍

@johnsmith-ug5tp

Жыл бұрын

At 800 bucks that is unexceptable. If it was a 300 or 400 bucks and I got 5 years out of it that would be one thing.

is it the same with the bassbreaker 007 aswell?

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure tbh.

What a shame it is built this way, these are fantastic sounding amps.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

3 жыл бұрын

I guess they're fine as long as they last!

@Avi8torDavy

3 жыл бұрын

@@stuartukguitarampguy5830 True, thanks for the detailed troubleshooting videos. Finding the problems is usually the difficult part, but like you mentioned, the greater the difficulty, the more satisfying it is to fix them! Please keep the repair videos coming!

i guess i will buy that quilter aviator cub

@stevehead365

3 жыл бұрын

Quilter has it nailed and you won't get a hernia.

Lovely amp! I'm guessing one will find those cheap and pull hair off for weeks trying to fix it :) I just might.

@stuartukguitarampguy5830

2 жыл бұрын

Go for it! I'll lend you my lump hammer...

@danielsaturnino5715

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not an amp tech, I just love a good challenge :)

Mine broke down straight away from the factory