Cheap PCB amps are junk!? OK, I'll 'fess up ...

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

... I recently revisited the Epi Valve Jr. by way of MF (hey, I saved on the shipping - that was an incentive of sorts). A few dayze later it arrives, dead as door nail, won't even light up, and it went back on MF's dime. A week or so goes by and another arrives. The pilot light works - a good sign - and she's really quiet (unlike the first VJr. I had). I plug in a fave Tele w/Keystones and I'm totally digging the EL84 tone. Yeah, really. I take it back - PCB or not, these new & cheap VJr's are too good to pass up.

Interesting....
after months of discouraging newcomers from buying these lower priced type amps.... All the arguments on this board and now this...

I'm incomplete shock!
Makes one wonder just which advice to really follow....

[TheViking]

I enjoyed this post so much I went out and bought a Epi! Thanx Rob for sharing this!

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Garrison

Interesting....
after months of discouraging newcomers from buying these lower priced type amps.... All the arguments on this board and now this...

I'm incomplete shock!
Makes one wonder just which advice to really follow....

Yer first mistake is in taking the advice of others.

I still wouldn't rely on or buy cheap PCB amps - particularly if yer looking for a main, reliable amp. Forget tone, think durability. Would I trust this VJrH to gig with? Heck NO. Do I like the tone? Heck YEAH. Was it worth the 99 clams? For ME, You BET.

And in the end, I've got a cab and chassis to stick in the PTP circuit of my choice. You don't know, or want to know how to play with amp circuits? Be afraid, and definitely don't buy a cheap PCB amp.

If yer a relative noobie to guitars and amps, my strong advice is still to stay far away from cheap PCB amps and buy only the PTP variety, vintage or boutique.

Then again, ya feelin' lucky enuf to follow the advice of others?

[celeste]

Originally Posted by Garrison

Interesting....
after months of discouraging newcomers from buying these lower priced type amps.... All the arguments on this board and now this...

I'm incomplete shock!
Makes one wonder just which advice to really follow....

Eip has had a major revision since the early combos. The heads never had the most glaring problems of the early combos. The changes were then incorporated in to the combos, so we are really talking about two different amps. All versions still suffer from very high DOA. How could someone in good faith recommend you buy something that might not work when you first try it ? The first version was very much a kit with no instructions. Heater voltages of 7.2V, B+ of 380V and EL84 putting out 13 watts were not unheard of. These were all things that needed to be dealt with before you could call the amp "finished". It is still not a bad idea to get into a new one and check out all the voltages , just to be sure.

PC boards are more delicate then PtP wiring. The thin copper traces are subject to work hardening and stress fracture due to vibration. Yes, mounting systems can be devised so the board MTBF ( mean time between failures ) is equal to the passive parts , but not in a $100 amp. It is not reasonable to expect the mechanical design of a head or combo to be done by an engineer with a back ground in vibration control such as in high performance aircraft, so for a rugged " road worthy" product , PtP is just a better choice.

I see Rob's posts as saying " They have addressed enough of the issues that this is now a fun produce. If you have to rely on it , it is not a good choice , but if you just want a fun amp that you can stand to have break sometime in the future , then it might be for you". That seems like good , well considered advice to me.

All the best

[Garrison]

Edited

[Adub]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Yer first mistake is in taking the advice of others.

That's why I bought one.
Replaced speaker and tubes and still didn't sound very good. I blamed it on the puffy vinyl mojo!
Sold it to a friend and bought a Pro Jr. Did the speaker and tube replacement and just started laughing at how much better and closer to a real amp it sounded.

[Gee]

Originally Posted by celeste

I see Rob's posts as saying " They have addressed enough of the issues that this is now a fun produce. If you have to rely on it , it is not a good choice , but if you just want a fun amp that you can stand to have break sometime in the future , then it might be for you".

That is very well said and a good summary of what the the VJ is to many people.