NZGuitars.com

I think most of the time when someone has a decent amp, they'll look after it fairly well. Then when they sell it, since it still is decent, they'll go on TradeMe and get a decent price for it. No doubt to get another, different amp. But if it's a bit screwed, you can go to Cash Converters, get a little bit and then forget about it.

You don't feel so bad selling crap to Cash Converters because it isn't automatically going into the hands of a poor, unlucky guitarist.

If you buy locally at a store turn the thing up full volume and hear all the rattles good and bad etc,a different rattle means different things.
If you buy new or 2nd hand from overseas expect to do work on it(transformer etc) and there is no come back on warranty.
Buying new locally is good for warranty/repair but it is more costly to buy usually than from o/s. Buying 2nd hand,don't buy from Cash converters as they don't know what they're doing as your mate found out, go 2nd hand off of Trademe get a good deal and get the amp worked on if needed.
New doesn't always equal PERFECT.

Or if I might rephrase the previous suggestions - go for a 2nd hand valve amp of a reputable make that is cheap enough to leave say $150 from your budget for repair/fixing after it lands in NZ and AFTER you've paid GST shipping etc.

Trouble is, if you are anything like me, the budget then becomes very elastic (up to the max credit card/wife will allow!) but it can be worth spending the extra, getting the amp you want NOW and not having to trade in/loose money on the 'ideal amp' a year or so later.

Just one thought for people on US amps generally - they mostly have 115volts at 60 cycles - presumably their power supply filtering system is geared for that frequency while we have 240 volts 50 cycles. In the older amp power supply chains which only used a pi smoothing filter (cap, choke, cap) I presume this would not make much difference although less cycles would mean theoretically less 'reserve' power stored in the smoothing caps - how about the new ones, though, with their 'chopper' HT circuits?? if they try taking their operating frequency off the mains, the HT voltage will be down a bit (due to the lower 50 hz frequency) even if the xformer is correct.

The main thing is the different mains voltage, does not affect the size/ratings of the filter caps, though theoretically this could be possible, larger caps needed for 50Hz mains...in practice does not happen or need to happen.
With "chopper" or "switch mode" power supplies, they can easily be made to accomodate a wide swing in mains voltage - don't know about audio (does any make/use this sort of power supply?) , but a lot of stuff that I use with switch mode supplies, eg cameras, TV etc, works OK on anything 100-240Volt AC 50-60Hz.
FWIW

DC4 wrote:The main thing is the different mains voltage, does not affect the size/ratings of the filter caps, though theoretically this could be possible, larger caps needed for 50Hz mains...in practice does not happen or need to happen.
With "chopper" or "switch mode" power supplies, they can easily be made to accomodate a wide swing in mains voltage - don't know about audio (does any make/use this sort of power supply?) , but a lot of stuff that I use with switch mode supplies, eg cameras, TV etc, works OK on anything 100-240Volt AC 50-60Hz.
FWIW

Presumably the chopper PS that accomodate such wide voltage inputs as you quote must detect the voltage/frequency input then generate the neccessary frequency itself to give the required output voltage.

Trouble is I wonder about the guitar amp builders, given the frequent cost cutting attitude - for example the old style PS - when rectifier valves became unobtainable for radios and amps existing designs were often modified with silicon diodes and very few took into account that the resulting voltage, because of the higher efficiency etc., was about 20-30% higher thna with valves. Hence a lot of caps went 'bang' a few years later after the new designs came out.

I can just see some designer thinking ' heck if we leave out the comparator and frequency chip, simply take the frequency from the mains via a buffer we can save $1.20- they'll only be used in the US so what does it matter'.

Might also be worth retrofitting larger mains caps in US amps just to see - I reckon it's simply that no one has tried it. On the other hand, half the time you could/cannot get the exact replacement values in mains caps so you fitted the next nearest value up ie 20 mf instad of 16 mf and most older 'vintage' amps will probably have had them replaced by now. So it's probably a moot point.

So not being very "electrically minded" does that mean that A US amp will work fine over here?

I'm now considering getting something from the Marshall JCM line, I guess off ebay. Would anyone be able to tell me what sort of prices these sort of amps go for second hand in NZ so I don't end up spending more on an import than what I would buying locally?

unless you're getting like a slash signature JCM from the prices i've seen in NZ, avaerage prices are about $1800 for a head and a cab..

also i had a JCM900 i purchased for $800 and a cab that goes with it for $700 so eventually you'll find a great deal if you're patient..

I'm contemplating selling mine. Mesa combos are starting to look really hot. I was thinking about $2000, completely retubed, brand new tubes. & Dunedin -> Christchurch shipping won't be too horrible.

PM me if you do decide to sell it I'd definitely be interested.

Ok. I'll talk to some people and let you know for sure sometime this week.

Here is a picture (or two)

JamesW wrote:So not being very "electrically minded" does that mean that A US amp will work fine over here?

Yeah sure James (so long as you use the right voltage adaptors) - these thoughts are just me and DC4 musing out aloud over the finer points which at best would probably only improve things marginally and probably have no real effect.

Yup. Technosqueak I mean speak.
Hey, nice unit Gregtarr.

Anyway... changing caps wouldn't do anything, elctrolytics generally are about 20% tolerance for value.
The main thing with USA amps would be the 110 Volt requirement.
Plus I have found that a lot of the exporters won't ship "big name" amps, or they are out of the weight limits they set for freight overseas. (I started to look at a Fender Twin, but had real trouble getting an exporter to quote as they are samick heavy)