Am I Being Ureasonable?
- Thread starter mymonkey
- Start date
131east23
...near Frank's Pizza!
I found a guy in Austin to go through my amplifier and his waiting list was four months also, but he called when he wanted me to bring it in. I brought it in and week later he was done, he even brought it to Houston free of charge since he was coming to town to see a concert. I tipped him 50 bucks for the shipping.
That was the 70's. Lots more repair shops, different attitudes.
Today it's struggle to find a tech, pay whatever they want, deal with whatever delay they give.
Different world...and vintage audio is generally considered "obsolete" technology.
Last edited:
Semanon
Super Member
Law of supply and demand would suggest this, but in the broader economy adding another 100 skilled electronic techs isn’t even a blip. Who is going to take the time to learn about vintage equipment when a good wage can be earned by board-level replacement on modern equipment, or becoming a cybersecurity expert (or some such tech career).
That’s why I view AK as such a valuable resource. The folks here are willing to give their time and knowledge for free. If the OP has any technical skills, he could at least assess what’s wrong.
Sadly, even that will eventually dry up. Time and biology makes that a certainty.....
Someone who wants to work from home, and be their own boss, and make as much money as they have desire to work?
You know what is funny? Way back in 1980-90s when I started fixing these things --- the exact same worry was being said about tube equipment techs. "By 2000, there will be no techs and no good tubes." "All the good 1950-60s techs will retire."
Says something about the staying power of vacuum tube technology. This is one thing audiophiles need to thank guitar amp geeks. I do not see the pure solid-state units ever fully replacing tubes and classic tube circuitry.
Oh, there will always be "someone" around to work on whatever the piece of equipment, no matter how old or obsolete". They are just going to get harder and harder to find. There will come a point where people will start throwing things away instead of shipping something across the country to fix.
Same with web forums, there will be fewer and fewer people around to share tech info and eventually, it will dry up almost completely.
there will also always be people who prefer "vintage" gear for "vintage" sound. In a world where everything is "electronic", analog offers something just a little "different". For musicians who are always looking to stand apart from the crowd, it makes sense to use equipment that helps them achieve those goals.
But, it will dry up eventually or, at best, be a niche market.
It's just the way the world works....better faster cheaper, which means "disposable".....
I'd asy that's probably true of someone who's worked in the field most of their professional career, but few are going to go through the years of training to understand electronics just to make a "retirement" wage.
I'm not saying there aren't some guys out there making a decent living at it, just that they are few and far between. Even fewer if you want one with a good rep.
For example, there's roughly a million people in my home province. I don't even need one hand to count the guys who work on audio equipment to the level of what I would consider "repair". Parts changers? Lots of them around. Technicians that can actually troubleshoot to a level of resistors or transistor faults? Waaaay harder to come by....most shops just reply "too old, toss it away"
Tube equipment is really not for musicians to stand apart from others, it's to achieve a tone. A tone that a myriad of solid-state and computer devices maybe needed to try to emulate. All stuffed into those glass genies!
Kind of semantics, but "tone" is what usually sets one apart from another....most listeners just know they like what they hear, they don't know why. It the old "I may not know art, but I know what i like" thing....Tube equipment is really not for musicians to stand apart from others, it's to achieve a tone. A tone that a myriad of solid-state and computer devices maybe needed to try to emulate. All stuffed into those glass genies!
Kind of semantics, but "tone" is what usually sets one apart from another....most listeners just know they like what they hear, they don't know why. It the old "I may not know art, but I know what i like" thing....
Yeah. Right versus left hemisphere thing. It's like plucking acoustic guitars, good ones sound really good. Bad ones sound lifeless. Hard to put into graphs and charts.
Like good looking women... But, that's another story.
Semanon
Super Member
So we’ll said. As noted, tubes have a ‘tone’ that sits just right with some ears. But it’s still niche.
While I’d love interest in vintage to be broader, it’s restricted to a few devotees and a larger group who like the vibe, but lack the passion. Niche when compared to the other audio options out there.
131east23
...near Frank's Pizza!
I'm 62 and work as a field service tech, servicing and repairing generators. When I got into this the old timers, WWII veterans, Korean War veterans, ex-military were at retirement age and had a wealth of knowledge to share. These guys are all gone and now it's people like me who can still troubleshoot a problem, order the right part, but instead get an "upgraded" digital governor to replace an old 25 year old Basler governor, and the new governor has to be programmed with the manufacturers software, which isn't free, wasn't provided with the replacement part, and now I have a memory care facility without a back up generator. There was an art to dialing in a governor back in the day, but now, none of these new guys will ever see that because the manufacturers field service tech has to meet us on the job site and program the governor while we just stand around and watch.
I remember about 20 years ago I took an old 1942 Phillips console AM/Shortwave radio to an ex WWII Navy guy to get it repaired, this was in San Francisco, and he started this shop in the late 40's. He replaced every cap and transistor, and when I arrived to pick it up he handed me bag with all the replaced parts in it. Even back then I had so much fun at night just turning the dial, never knowing what I might run across on the airwaves.
I remember about 20 years ago I took an old 1942 Phillips console AM/Shortwave radio to an ex WWII Navy guy to get it repaired, this was in San Francisco, and he started this shop in the late 40's. He replaced every cap and transistor, and when I arrived to pick it up he handed me bag with all the replaced parts in it. Even back then I had so much fun at night just turning the dial, never knowing what I might run across on the airwaves.
slovell
Well-Known Member
Many years ago I had a guy that worked on my stuff that was a B-17 waist gunner in WW2. He would tell me stories about missions over Germany that would have me laughing my head off or absolutely terrified. This was back in the eighties and he was still making trips to the VA hospital to have flak splinters removed. He was a character to say the least and I miss him.
That guy must have had a lot of crazy stories! He fly over Germany? You remember how many missions?
Thanks!
slovell
Well-Known Member
If memory serves, it was 24 or 26 (?) missions most over Germany. He flew the second raid on the Schweinfurt ball bearing factory for one. That was one of the terrifying ones he told me. Those guys like Mr. Jordan that flew in B-17's were brave, or crazy, or both, beyond belief. The debt this country owes them can never be paid.
Books have been written about those two raids on the ball bearing plants. Tremendous B-17 crew loses.
slovell
Well-Known Member
Reading a book about it is interesting but hearing a first hand account of it from a person who survived it is something else entirely. Mr. Jordan said it didn't really sink in until they looked at all the empty bunks their first night back. He said he wasn't really a drinking man but he made up for lost time that night.
I think the first combined Schweinfurt/Regensburg raid lost 60 bombers. Six hundred crewmen killed or POW. Biggest lost of any single raid. Interestingly, Colonel (at the time) Curtis LeMay lead the Regensburg portion.
My family knew Albert Shower. CO of the 467BG. Flying B24s. He was the only CO to go to England with his newly formed group and return with his group, at war's end.
I got the great Roger A .Freeman book The Might Eighth signed by him. Al helped, as information source during the writing of this book.
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/colonel-albert-j-shower-a-hated-hero-of-the-usaaf/
_______
Last edited: