Recommended AMP TECHS

MikeDearing

I'm in the same boat re SE London  - who to recommend please as my chap has moved to Gloucestershire - cheers M

mo6020

I'm not reading 12 pages to see if anyone's mentioned him already, but Jim at Sweet Amps in Hackney is awesome. 

andyman

mo6020 said:

I'm not reading 12 pages to see if anyone's mentioned him already, but Jim at Sweet Amps in Hackney is awesome. 

That's just Frank from JPF in Denmark Street (Jim runs the shop selling his amps and Frank does the repairs).
I took him something in Denmark Street a year or so ago and it blew up straight away after he "fixed" it and charged me. He complained at the time about it being a PCB and didn't even bother to take the board out for inspection when supposedly diagnosing the issue.

Revolutions

That’s a shame about your experience- did you get your money back, or get it sorted?

I’ve used Frank for years & never had any issues, but almost all my amps have been point-to-point.

For info: JPF is officially closed at Denmark St as of this week. Only at Sweet Amps now.

Shipwreck

@Bowks ;;
@MikeDearing ;;

RE: Dickenson - I thought he was brilliant. Took a week to service the amp but kept it for a week as couldn't get there. Didn't try any funny business either (I expected to shell out for new tubes etc) so was pleasantly surprised. Amp looked totally refreshed and shiny too - other half was happy with that. Think it was £120 for a service (possibly on the higher-end of London rates, I'm not sure?) but he is incredibly thorough (their mantra is to basically take everything apart and rebuilt it etc). I would go back again in a heartbeat and I'm planning to take my Telecaster over to him in a few weeks to exorcise any demons. Give him a call - open weekdays until about 3:30ish - properly decent bloke.  

ps. one gripe..  watch out for those f**king stairs! I thought I was fairly fit but lugging my 25KG combo up them finished me off haha!

Bowks

@Shipwreck thanks for the feedback! In terms of pricing, I spoke to an East London amp repair service and they reckoned 2 hours work at £80 per hour to service a 100w PCB based Marshall, so Jon’s pricing stands as reasonable.

Im undecided as to whether I get my amp serviced and keep it, or if I sell up and get a smaller Marshall.

I remember the stairs, as well as the barn door arrangement that you have to step
over to get to the stairs. Trip hazard tastic!

Are you SE London based? There’s a few of us and we do have a catch up every now and then.

Shipwreck

@Bowks - Great stuff - and yes - the whole arrangement feels like a proper smuggler's cove. I live locally and had no idea it was there! 

And I live in Penge (and have no desire to sell up any time soon!) - very much up for a SE meet. Think I missed the last pub meetup! 

Bowks

Shipwreck said:

@Bowks - Great stuff - and yes - the whole arrangement feels like a proper smuggler's cove. I live locally and had no idea it was there! 

And I live in Penge (and have no desire to sell up any time soon!) - very much up for a SE meet. Think I missed the last pub meetup! 

I cycle with Penge CC, so I’m either in SE20 Cycles or Southey Brewery!

Shipwreck

Bowks said:

Shipwreck said:

@Bowks - Great stuff - and yes - the whole arrangement feels like a proper smuggler's cove. I live locally and had no idea it was there! 

And I live in Penge (and have no desire to sell up any time soon!) - very much up for a SE meet. Think I missed the last pub meetup! 

I cycle with Penge CC, so I’m either in SE20 Cycles or Southey Brewery!

No way! Regular in Southey - Mrs Shipwreck designed their new pint glasses! 

andyman

Revolutions said:

That’s a shame about your experience- did you get your money back, or get it sorted?

I’ve used Frank for years & never had any issues, but almost all my amps have been point-to-point.

Hell no. Considering it seemed like they hadn't even looked in the amp the first two times I called in (I actually took it to Sweet Amps before that and they said there were no issues, despite the effects loop being broken) I felt there was little point. I'm closer to Dickinson nowadays anyway.

joeW

Shipwreck said:

@Bowks ;;
@MikeDearing ;;

RE: Dickenson - I thought he was brilliant. Took a week to service the amp but kept it for a week as couldn't get there. Didn't try any funny business either (I expected to shell out for new tubes etc) so was pleasantly surprised. Amp looked totally refreshed and shiny too - other half was happy with that. Think it was £120 for a service (possibly on the higher-end of London rates, I'm not sure?) but he is incredibly thorough (their mantra is to basically take everything apart and rebuilt it etc). I would go back again in a heartbeat and I'm planning to take my Telecaster over to him in a few weeks to exorcise any demons. Give him a call - open weekdays until about 3:30ish - properly decent bloke.  

ps. one gripe..  watch out for those f**king stairs! I thought I was fairly fit but lugging my 25KG combo up them finished me off haha!

Those stairs - I have a Marshall 30th anniversary combo that I refuse to take because it would not end well.  He is excellent and take all my other amps there.  

Bowks

joeW said:

Shipwreck said:

@Bowks ;;
@MikeDearing ;;

RE: Dickenson - I thought he was brilliant. Took a week to service the amp but kept it for a week as couldn't get there. Didn't try any funny business either (I expected to shell out for new tubes etc) so was pleasantly surprised. Amp looked totally refreshed and shiny too - other half was happy with that. Think it was £120 for a service (possibly on the higher-end of London rates, I'm not sure?) but he is incredibly thorough (their mantra is to basically take everything apart and rebuilt it etc). I would go back again in a heartbeat and I'm planning to take my Telecaster over to him in a few weeks to exorcise any demons. Give him a call - open weekdays until about 3:30ish - properly decent bloke.  

ps. one gripe..  watch out for those f**king stairs! I thought I was fairly fit but lugging my 25KG combo up them finished me off haha!

Those stairs - I have a Marshall 30th anniversary combo that I refuse to take because it would not end well.  He is excellent and take all my other amps there.  

I can sell you a 30th Anniversary head if you want