Indianapolis, Indiana
Tube Amp Repair in Indianapolis
Tube amps fail in ways that are easy to guess at and expensive to guess wrong about. A hum can be filter capacitors, a heater fault, a bad ground, or a tube that is only bad under load. Swapping parts until it goes away is how a cheap repair turns into a bill for parts you did not need.
I diagnose first. The amp goes on the bench, I trace the actual fault, and you get findings and a written estimate before any repair work happens. Every job gets documented - what came in, what it turned out to be, and what fixed it.
Common Faults
What Usually Comes In
Hum and buzz
Filter capacitors dry out and stop doing their job, and the amp starts amplifying its own power supply ripple. On a recent Deluxe Reverb this showed up first as a blubbery low end under load, then as loud hum at idle.
Dead or weak output
Screen resistors, output tubes, and the high-voltage supply are the usual suspects. These are diagnosed against actual voltage readings, not by swapping tubes and hoping.
Crackle and intermittents
The hardest category, because the fault has to be present to be found. Dirty pots and jacks, cold solder joints, failing plate resistors, and tube sockets that have lost tension.
Bias drift and retubes
New tubes need the bias set for them. An amp running hot eats tubes and output transformers; running cold sounds thin and crossover-distorted.
Dead reverb or tremolo
Usually the recovery tube, the tank, or the RCA cables to it - all cheap, all commonly misdiagnosed as something worse.
Full recap and restoration
Electrolytics have a service life. On a vintage or hard-used amp, a full recap resets the clock and is often the difference between a reliable amp and one you cannot trust at a gig.
Note: Tube amps hold lethal voltage in the filter capacitors after they are unplugged. If you are not set up to discharge and measure them safely, this is not a good first repair to learn on.
Proof
This Work, Documented
Real jobs of this kind, written up from intake to completion.
How It Works
What To Expect
Get In Touch
Tell me the make, model, and what it is doing. Local drop-off is by appointment in Indianapolis; if you are not local, ship it in - here is how that works.
Diagnosis
A $75 bench fee starts the job and is applied to your total if you approve the work ($50 for pedals and small electronics). I trace the actual fault before touching anything, then send you findings and a written estimate.
Repair and Test
Nothing proceeds without your approval. Labor runs $85/hr for pedals and small electronics, $105/hr for amplifiers, and $125/hr for synths and pro audio, plus parts at cost + 15%. Standard turnaround is 3-7 business days; rush service is $75.
Back To You
You get a written summary of what was found and what was done, and a 30-day labor warranty. If something I fixed comes back, I make it right.
FAQ
Common Questions
What brands do you work on?
All of them. Fender, Marshall, Vox, Mesa/Boogie, Orange, Peavey, Ampeg, and boutique or vintage amps of any make and era.
Do you work on solid-state amps too?
Yes. Tube amps are the specialty, but solid-state gets the same diagnostic approach and the same documentation.
How much will it cost?
A $75 bench fee starts every job and is applied to your total if you approve the work. Labor is $105/hr for this kind of work, plus parts at cost + 15%. You get the estimate before I start.
Can I ship an amp to you?
Yes. Email me first so I can tell you how to pack it. Pull the tubes and the reverb tank and pack them separately - those are what break in transit.
Ready?
Get It On The Bench
Indianapolis drop-off by appointment, or ship it in from anywhere.