Members amaleelake Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Has anyone here ever sent an EHX pedal in for repair? I have a Misrtess that needs some work. I contacted Howard Davis about it and I know for sure that he could take care of it. But I also went to the EHX website and got in touch with a guy named Chip Scooter Dougan who told me that $15 would cover all repair work unless there is water damage. He also said that he would cover the shipping on the return. This seems too good to be true, but I did get his address from the EHX website so.......it seems legit. Has anyone had any experience with this guy or sending their EHX pedals in for repair? Thanks guys...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 I've had good experiences in sending repairs to Howard and to Ron at ronsound.com, but I've never heard of Mr. Dougan. For $15, it would certainly be worth it just to find out. What are the symptoms of your Mistress? It might be something easy enough for you to fix on your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amaleelake Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Hey, thanks for responding. Yeah, for $15 it is worth it, but I am slightly worried about it possibly being a scam and not getting my pedal back or something....but he is the contact on the site so unless he hacked into their system I guess it couldn't be a scam right? Anyway, there are two problems: When the effect is engaged there is a terrible hissing that moves with the rate of the flanging. And The rate knob doesn't stop turning, you can spin it around and around. It does change the rate of the flanging still, but it is getting looser and looser and not catching where it is supposed to stop. I opened the unit to clean it thinking that I could figure it out but I quickly realized that I had no idea what I was looking at and that it would be better not to mess with it...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ming Chow Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Scooter is alright. He sent me a few EHX schematics over the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Is this a vintage unit? Is it a Deluxe or an original? The rate pot should be replaced. If it's a vintage unit, it will have a D shaped stem, which can be problematic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amaleelake Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Awesome. Thanks Ming Chow for the reference, that definitely makes me feel better.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amaleelake Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Is this a vintage unit? Is it a Deluxe or an original? The rate pot should be replaced. If it's a vintage unit, it will have a D shaped stem, which can be problematic. It is a Deluxe. I am not sure if it is vintage or not. It fits the characteristics of the vintage units, so I belive that it is but I am not 100% sure. So I guess the knobs just wear out after a while huh? That figures, taking into account how much I tweak them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 It is a Deluxe. I am not sure if it is vintage or not. It fits the characteristics of the vintage units, so I belive that it is but I am not 100% sure. So I guess the knobs just wear out after a while huh? That figures, taking into account how much I tweak them.... Yep. Pots go bad after awhile, even on the most expensive guitars and pedals. If you have a vintage, and the stems are D-shaped, you will have trouble finding replacement pots that will fit the original knobs. What you can do is buy a new standard knurled stem pot, disassemble it (using a very small flat head screwdriver to pry back the tabs), and try replacing the knurled stem with the original stem from the broken pot. I've done this before successfully with a DMM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spaceshot Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Chip's a good dude, he works for EH. Legit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amaleelake Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Yep. Pots go bad after awhile, even on the most expensive guitars and pedals. If you have a vintage, and the stems are D-shaped, you will have trouble finding replacement pots that will fit the original knobs. What you can do is buy a new standard knurled stem pot, disassemble it (using a very small flat head screwdriver to pry back the tabs), and try replacing the knurled stem with the original stem from the broken pot. I've done this before successfully with a DMM. O.K. I will have to investigate and see if it is a vintage unit or not. Is think that you can find out based in the serial number.... Thanks for the instruction. That is something that I could tinker with without having to worry about messing the unit up too much..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amaleelake Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Chip's a good dude, he works for EH. Legit. Awesome, another good reference.....I will definitely send it out to him for the noise issue....thanks spaceshot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howard Davis Posted June 8, 2008 Members Share Posted June 8, 2008 Hey, thanks for responding. Yeah, for $15 it is worth it, but I am slightly worried about it possibly being a scam and not getting my pedal back or something....but he is the contact on the site so unless he hacked into their system I guess it couldn't be a scam right?Anyway, there are two problems: When the effect is engaged there is a terrible hissing that moves with the rate of the flanging. AndThe rate knob doesn't stop turning, you can spin it around and around. It does change the rate of the flanging still, but it is getting looser and looser and not catching where it is supposed to stop. I opened the unit to clean it thinking that I could figure it out but I quickly realized that I had no idea what I was looking at and that it would be better not to mess with it...... There is NO WAY these problems can be repaired, plus the return shipping be covered, for a mere $15! Shipping alone would cost more than half that amount. The first problem is probably due to a bad IC. If it's the delay chip, the chip alone would probably cost more than $15. The second problem is a mechanical defect in the RATE pot. Again, parts and labor would exceed $15. Maybe this guy can fix your Electric Mistress, maybe he can't - but he would LOSE money in doing so if he only charged you $15. Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CHOUTMUSIC Posted June 8, 2008 Members Share Posted June 8, 2008 Chip Scooter Dougan is a righteous name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BHz_econo Posted June 8, 2008 Members Share Posted June 8, 2008 I sent my LPB2ube that didn't work to EHX and it was like $15 for them to fix and send back to me and it didn't take long at all. Also when I got in touch with them they quoted me the price BEFORE I sent it to them and that's what I paid. Great company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members josh27 Posted June 8, 2008 Members Share Posted June 8, 2008 There is NO WAY these problems can be repaired, plus the return shipping be covered, for a mere $15! Shipping alone would cost more than half that amount.The first problem is probably due to a bad IC. If it's the delay chip, the chip alone would probably cost more than $15.The second problem is a mechanical defect in the RATE pot. Again, parts and labor would exceed $15.Maybe this guy can fix your Electric Mistress, maybe he can't - but he would LOSE money in doing so if he only charged you $15.Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/ Then I guess thats damn good customer service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BHz_econo Posted June 8, 2008 Members Share Posted June 8, 2008 Then I guess thats damn good customer service True story and I'm not the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howard Davis Posted June 9, 2008 Members Share Posted June 9, 2008 Then I guess thats damn good customer service Customer service, or WARRANTY service? If the pedal is under warranty, the repair should be free. The $15 more than covers return shipping cost within the USA. If anyone is privately doing non-warranty repairs for $15 shipping included, seize the opportunity, as they will not be economically able to continue doing so for long. This is simply like giving away free money. Perhaps it is someone's on-the-job sideline, done with parts and equipment the host company provides - knowingly or unknowingly! In such a case, they could be fired when the private work on company time is discovered by management. Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods: http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BHz_econo Posted June 9, 2008 Members Share Posted June 9, 2008 Here is what happened with me- I bought an LPB2ube from a guy on the internet(not here) and it was broken when I got it. I tried to resolve it with the guy but the guy just laughed and said it must have been damage in transit. A friend of mine on the diystompboxes board told me that I should contract EHX directly because he had returned a Delay he found in the trash and it cost him under $20 to have several sliders replaced and it fixed. I called and spoke with Chip. I explained everything and he said they could fix it and gave me a price(less than $15.00). He of course told me that this wouldn't have happened if I bought my pedal from a licensed dealer, etc. This was not side-work and I received an emailed receipt from New Sensor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tommyld Posted June 10, 2008 Members Share Posted June 10, 2008 EHX repairs (at least most) out-of-warranty devices for a mere $15 last I knew. This past December, I had a totally silent Octave Multiplexer. I emailed EHX and was told that "Electro-Harmonix repairs out-of-warranty devices for $15." I mailed the unit to them with a money order. Pretty fast turn around (2 weeks or so), and I had a perfectly working Multiplexer returned to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shooto Posted June 10, 2008 Members Share Posted June 10, 2008 I sent in a Nano Small Stone- $15 bucks and they took care of it- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howard Davis Posted June 10, 2008 Members Share Posted June 10, 2008 The practice of repairing pedals for less than the actual cost of parts, labor, and return shipping is strange indeed! Businesswise, it is slow suicide and makes no sense. Mike Matthews did not become so successful by giving things away, so I must be suspicious here. They say "never look a gift horse in the mouth," but also "if it's too good to be true, WATCH OUT!" This practice could be a "loss leader," but given the size and success of the company, I see no need for it. Who would knowingly operate their repair department at a loss? I suspect that one or more employees may be running their own on-the-job repair sideline, and can afford to charge so little because they get the parts free, use company tools and equipment, and use the company's shipping department. With all such costs paid, I could afford to work for peanuts too. Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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