New guy with amp dilemma

[Reginald Perrin]

Greetings all,

New here. I wanted to take advantage of the knowledge and experience here.

Bought a (used) 65 Twin reissue from GC. Got ti, and it has a problem. Used it in a rehearsal last week, and it was agreed by everyone that it wasn't loud enough. someone asked "Why did you turn up?" I had the amp on 7. Rehearsal isn't excessively loud, and having had twins in the past (it's been a few decades) experience tells me the amp should have been screaming.

So my dilemma is this - keep the amp, pay to get it working 100% or return it to GC (I've had it almost two weeks) and get a different Twin. I know I want a Twin. So I search their used gear and find the following: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Fender/Twin-Reverb-2x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp-112380435.gc

I don't want to spend anymore than I would have credit for. I've been through too much with GC in the last year, and this will be my last amp from them. But as an amp tech I know said, after I sent him that link, that I'd be better off passing on that amp. It apparently has two chokes - what's the other doing in there? Who knows who did the modifications and what else has been done. Who knows how well the work was done for that matter was their opinion. But my thought was why would someone pay to have upgrades installed and not have it well done. And the amp is otherwise clean for an early 70's model. Apparently it's a 70 or 71.

I found other Twins, but they were either more than the credit I would have, or they are beat to heck.
Doesn't seem to make much sense to get another RI if I'm going to take mine back. Might as well try for a PTP wired Twin.

Just wondering what others might think about this, any ideas, suggestions, feedback would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[Blix]

A Twin that isn't loud enough, said no one ever! Obviously it's broken. Even if you bought it used from GC, I'd expect it to actually work as it should

 

[radiolab]

I would try a new guitar. Try a new cable. Twist the knobs from 0-10 a few times. Make sure the speaker terminal and speaker wire has a good connection. If all those look good, I would return the amp and get a new ri twin (if possible) or just walk away from the whole thing. 7 on a twin should be ridiculously loud.

 

[70 Mach 1]

Have a tech give it a once over and a written estimate. Ask him to put a rush on it and explain the situation
Then Take that back to GC with the estimate and see what they say. You have 14 more days to work something out. At worst you return it and your out a $40 bench fee.

 

[TEPR]

I'd return the amp to GC if it isn't working right. I wouldn't buy that highly modded one linked.

SF Twins aren't hard to find, and the prices are not going up.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

I would try a new guitar. Try a new cable. Twist the knobs from 0-10 a few times. Make sure the speaker terminal and speaker wire has a good connection. If all those look good, I would return the amp and get a new ri twin (if possible) or just walk away from the whole thing. 7 on a twin should be ridiculously loud.

I tried all the obvious things, and a few not so, with the help of the amp tech friend. A new one would put me back another three or four hundred dollars, and I'm not giving GC any more money after having gone through other problems with them this last year. I'd walk away if I knew they'd refund my money in full. Maybe I could find a SF Twin on Craigslist.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

I'd return the amp to GC if it isn't working right. I wouldn't buy that highly modded one linked.

SF Twins aren't hard to find, and the prices are not going up.

That's two people saying avoid that amp - that's close enough to a consensus for me. As I said to someone else on this thread - I'd return it and get another Twin elsewhere if I knew I could get them to refund my money.

 

[Tomm Williams]

They have a 45 day return policy, take it back and get what works for you.

 

[big mike]

Return

 

[ifailedshapes]

Return it and look on Reverb and Craigslist.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

They have a 45 day return policy, take it back and get what works for you.

Agreed. But the only way for me to currently afford a Twin of any sort is a used one. I've had nothing but bad luck with used amps from that place. Do you suppose a SF, even if it has some issues is worth getting to have my amp tech get it squared away?

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Return it and look on Reverb and Craigslist.

Can GC be convinced to refund my money? I've never tried doing that before.

 

[ifailedshapes]

Always thought their policy was 30 days, no questions asked.

 

[lowpaygigs]

Can GC be convinced to refund my money? I've never tried doing that before.

If the product is not working, and they cannot replace it with a working one, a refund is well in order.

 

[Tomm Williams]

Can GC be convinced to refund my money? I've never tried doing that before.

I've bought and returned probably half a dozen amps with GC, it's no issue.

 

[Tomm Williams]

Always thought their policy was 30 days, no questions asked.

Used to be but they extended it to 45 days several months back

 

[Tomm Williams]

Agreed. But the only way for me to currently afford a Twin of any sort is a used one. I've had nothing but bad luck with used amps from that place. Do you suppose a SF, even if it has some issues is worth getting to have my amp tech get it squared away?

You can purchase an amp from another GC and have it shipped to the one in your town. Just find one you like on their used site and have them order it.

 

[Reginald Perrin]

You can purchase an amp from another GC and have it shipped to the one in your town. Just find one you like on their used site and have them order it.

Right. I've done that a few times already. I've never bought a used amp from them that didn't have problems. I suppose I could take a gamble a try again. Seeing as how I can get a refund, that might be the best thing to do.
Or just pay to get the amp repaired, and consider it the cost of doing business with GC on used gear.

 

[stevel]

Return it.

Buy new if you're buying a Re-Issue. Warranty, and no one's putzed with it. The problem is, you're buying used. You never know what someone's done to it. With Twins especially, you've probably got all kinds of people trying to tame the volume, the weight, get drive out of it, whatever...unless you know it's completely stock used and you've got a good vibe the person took care of it - stay away from it.

A twin not loud on 7 is a "non-working amp" as far as I'm concerned. Of course, you should have tested it in the store, but if you take it to have it repaired, you're basically taking ownership of it. I don't know why you'd take a Re-Issue bought used to get repaired when there are current production models. For a 60s or 70s amp I could see buying one "as is" at a good price and dumping more into to get it working.

Take it back, get your credit. Add some dollars to it as soon as you can and get a brand new one with a warranty.

 

[Tomm Williams]

Right. I've done that a few times already. I've never bought a used amp from them that didn't have problems. I suppose I could take a gamble a try again. Seeing as how I can get a refund, that might be the best thing to do.
Or just pay to get the amp repaired, and consider it the cost of doing business with GC on used gear.

Wow you've had some bad luck there! I guess throwing the cost of repair on top would depend on the total cost. I would take it back if it was me.