wycombe19 Posted September 10 Share Posted September 10 Hi, my Spider Jam 80 has started to shut down and restart repeatedly, especially when the FBV short board is plugged into it. Very annoying, I have read some issues with heat on a certain processor but it happens even when the amp is just turned on and appears components are cold. Any indication to the problem would be appreciated or maybe a repair centre in UK that could repair it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 https://line6.com/find/service_center/ E & M Electronics Unit 28, 56 Goulds Close Bletchley Milton Keynes, MK1 1EQ +441908375699 line6@eandm.co Conor Farren<br/>c/o XMUSIC 1 Red Cow Retail Centre Ballymount, Dublin, D22 EA25 00353 833687775 conorfarren@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wycombe19 Posted September 11 Author Share Posted September 11 Thanks psarkissian, I have contacted E&M as I had seen them mentioned on another thread. Unfortunately they weren't able to help. Maybe if your able to indicate what the problem is and with what P.C.B I could find a electronics guy locally that could fix it for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 11 Share Posted September 11 Could be several things. It needs to be taken in and checked out by an authorized service tech. It will not be a self repair sort of thing you can do. They would need to do it. If they need to, they can consult me further about it through our technician email channel if they want. Where in the UK are you? Is there a Virgin Express train to Milton Keynes where you are at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wycombe19 Posted September 12 Author Share Posted September 12 Ok, I can get to Milton Keynes if need be. I will call them again mentioning that you could help them diagnose and sort the problem and see what they say. To be honest though if it's and issue with components on a P.C.B you know about there are people closer to me who can change components on any P.C.B so why does this problem have to be so secretive. I have seen on many other posts about this and the answers always the same 'Line 6 service agent' as said when I spoke to E&M they really didn't want to know or help. I know it's an old amp now but really Line 6 should sort this out free of charge as a defect/recall due to an inherent fault. Please advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydox Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 Some consider normal forum users as if we're "Monkeys".. Being a electronics tech from the US Army , now with an MS in electrical engineering, a HAM op, and a bench with sig gen, oscope, logic analyzer, probes, solder gear, etc, I'm and others are more than capable of doing board analysis and repair. The only thing we really lack is proprietary service manuals which many companies offer to the public. Honestly, things reach a point especially on older gear where owners don't want to spend two or three times the cost of a good used amp to get one repaired. It would be a lot more helpful to respond with "here are the diagnostic steps WE would take to evaluate and repair this issue..." Just saying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 "... to an inherent fault." - I don't think it's an inherent fault, but there are a couple things to go over with the service tech to check. "... people closer to me who can change components on any P.C.B. ... " - They won't have access to service info or me. Your serial number number suggests it's an amp from 2008 or 2009. spydox,... unfortunately not everyone out there is as tech as you or I. Too many have tried self repairs on their own and have had poor results. Then it ends up on bench and ends up taking more time and money to get the job done than it would to use an authorized tech. I see this all to too often. "... we really lack is proprietary service manuals which many companies offer to the public. " - there are still intellectual property considerations, and we don't know, nor can we vouch for the ability of others to know what they are doing, when it comes to self repair. I see failed attempts come across my repair bench all to too often. Trying to prevent that, so people can spend their time making music and rocking and rolling. Proprietary service manuals offered to the public is, by definition, no longer proprietary. And usually when they are no longer proprietary do they do that. Not everything in these products are hardware. A lot of it is programming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydox Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 I appreciate your reply and everything you say makes sense. Also I would expect a company would not want to tell someone "open it up and mess with these hi voltage areas" because next thing ya know someone get shocked , injured, ruins test equipment, or burns up their studio! Then they blame you saying YOU TOLD ME TO MESS AROUND IN THERE! So you're spot on. The dilemma is what to do with some nice old spider IV amps that have flaws, when working used ones are like $100! Can I pull the amps out of the cabs and send them in for repair? Many thanks, S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 Yes, especially with the tube (valve) amps, as those are very high voltages. They tell me they have experience. I have 50+ years of it with tubes (Valves) and everything else, and I still slip and get zapped. It still hurts when I do that. Sending in just the head,... sometimes, depends on the problem. Something to work out with Support, us techs here and/or the authorized service center. And always get a return authorization (RMA) before sending it here. In some cases, servicing is a parts issue, as some parts are no longer available. Check the list for limited servicing in the Knowledge Base for that info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydox Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 On 9/12/2024 at 1:05 PM, psarkissian said: Yes, especially with the tube (valve) amps, as those are very high voltages. They tell me they have experience. I have 50+ years of it with tubes (Valves) and everything else, and I still slip and get zapped. It still hurts when I do that. Sending in just the head,... sometimes, depends on the problem. Something to work out with Support, us techs here and/or the authorized service center. And always get a return authorization (RMA) before sending it here. In some cases, servicing is a parts issue, as some parts are no longer available. Check the list for limited servicing in the Knowledge Base for that info. TYVM its a privilege to have an expert on this forum who responds quickly! Ill do some more homework... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wycombe19 Posted September 12 Author Share Posted September 12 Thank you both for your input. The problem arises that of the two suggested 'Line 6 service agents' one is in a different country and the other as I've said wasn't any help last time I called. So I'm left with an amp that's not usable. There are many people 'out there' with the same expertise and equipment that you both possess to endeavour to fix my amp. In fact today I called into my local guitar shop and they put me in touch with one of those experts. He will charge a reasonable fee to evaluate the problem. If he can fix it he will deduct the evaluation cost of the final bill. Can't be fairer than that! So again please advise what are the likely issues so I can pass the information onto my expert. I'm sure if any expert in this field could have information from similar experts who have knowledge of the possible reasons then that should be shared. If there's a programming issue that may be another matter!!! but for now if any hardware faults can be repaired I would like to get them done. Many thanks w19 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydox Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 On 9/12/2024 at 2:38 PM, wycombe19 said: Thank you both for your input. The problem arises that of the two suggested 'Line 6 service agents' one is in a different country and the other as I've said wasn't any help last time I called. So I'm left with an amp that's not usable. There are many people 'out there' with the same expertise and equipment that you both possess to endeavour to fix my amp. In fact today I called into my local guitar shop and they put me in touch with one of those experts. He will charge a reasonable fee to evaluate the problem. If he can fix it he will deduct the evaluation cost of the final bill. Can't be fairer than that! So again please advise what are the likely issues so I can pass the information onto my expert. I'm sure if any expert in this field could have information from similar experts who have knowledge of the possible reasons then that should be shared. If there's a programming issue that may be another matter!!! but for now if any hardware faults can be repaired I would like to get them done. Many thanks w19 Sadly, just like motor vehicles and other consumer items, there is less and less that we, or small shops, can repair. In the 70s we had hand wired discretes. Now we have surface mount ICs, if we can even get to the boards.. Us dinosaurs gotta suck it up and do the best we can now to find economical fixes I guess. Tech was bound to outreach our abilities at some point, I just didn't think it would happen this soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 12 Share Posted September 12 I was hoping that if it went to E&M in Milton Keynes, Bletchley, that it might come up as a warranty repair if a service bulletin was involved. Your serial suggests it might be,... might be, a possibility. It's why I was hoping they would evaluate it. That would not occur at a non authorized service. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wycombe19 Posted September 13 Author Share Posted September 13 Thanks psarkissian. I will them call them again tomorrow and see what they say this time armed with the info you have just given me. If it's a 'warranty service bulletin' as you mention then I assume the evaluation and repair would be free of charge, please confirm. Also, if I did take it to E&M (should they agree to do it) I would like to have it confirmed beforehand from E&M/Line 6 that it will be a warranty matter and free of charge before travelling the 4 hrs to Milton Keynes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted Monday at 02:33 PM Share Posted Monday at 02:33 PM Log a support with them for those particulars. If It is related to the service bulletin, then it would be warranty. If it is something else, then it won't be. They would have to troubleshoot on their repair bench to determine that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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