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PCB lifetime ?

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 08:03
by Armann
Yes another noob question but since this is Amp 101 I don't feel to bad. :lol:

Both my other amps are handwired except my VM, I have a Fargen and a Germino.

Since I like my VM so much I'm worried about what happens in X amount of years
when they don't make them anymore and something happens to my pcb, is it not fixable ?
Is it like a motherboard on computers, when it's shot it's gone ?
I work in IT so I'm a bit paranoid of pcb...

I hope you know what I'm talking about.

Thanks.

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 11:58
by LivewireBlanco
I know there are some 70s Marshalls with PCB that are still going strong. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 13:19
by spikei
on this model the valve is fitted into the pcb and i have seen them burn out on other amps.

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 15:28
by Armann
Maybe Steve will comment on this..

Thanks for the replys guys.

Re: PCB lifetime ?

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 18:16
by slowpokerhino
Armann wrote: I have a Fargen and a Germino.

Nice!!

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 20:17
by LivewireBlanco
What Fargen do you have?

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 22:11
by coldsteal2
I manufactured PCB's for 10 years, a good tech can fix them
if they have a good qulity of Solder Mask on them they should
last a long time.

The differnce with an amp and Motherboard's PCB is that the Motherboards
PCB is multilayer and if an internal circuit shorts out and leaves an open circut
you cant repair that. but a two sided PCB is easy to fix
As far as i know the Amps PCB's two sided

worse comes to worse you can pull the board and get a new one
but it would be expensive i guess because all the componenets are on it

Re: PCB lifetime ?

Posted: 28 Apr 2008, 23:51
by SteveD
Armann wrote:Yes another noob question but since this is Amp 101 I don't feel to bad. :lol:

Both my other amps are handwired except my VM, I have a Fargen and a Germino.

Since I like my VM so much I'm worried about what happens in X amount of years
when they don't make them anymore and something happens to my pcb, is it not fixable ?
Is it like a motherboard on computers, when it's shot it's gone ?
I work in IT so I'm a bit paranoid of pcb...

I hope you know what I'm talking about.

Thanks.
The PCBs in the Vintage Modern are of good quality and should last 'forever' really, certainly a very very long time providing it isn't subjected to any abuse and butchery. :)

Posted: 29 Apr 2008, 00:07
by SteveD
spikei wrote:on this model the valve is fitted into the pcb and i have seen them burn out on other amps.
The output valve bases on the Vintage Modern are mounted to the chassis, not the PCB, the preamp valve bases are mounted on the PCB.

I have seen many 'burnt out' output valve bases on old handwired amps.

I have rarely seen burnt out preamp valve bases and when I have it's usually due to them being messed with by people who don't know what they are doing.

Posted: 29 Apr 2008, 06:06
by Tnjpekar
Then whats your opinion on the 600 series. power tubes mounted perpendicular to the main board, and that one is OVER, NOT UNDER the tubes?
just curious

Posted: 20 Aug 2008, 07:51
by Armann
LivewireBlanco wrote:What Fargen do you have?
The Blackbird 6v6.

Posted: 20 Aug 2008, 13:00
by slowpokerhino
Armann wrote: The Blackbird 6v6.
Those are great sounding amps!