Yamaha GA-10

Yes, Happy new year 2018,
This is a guitar amplifier. It's a Yamaha GA10. From the model you might have already guess that it's a ten watt-er.Cute little thing isn't it. It has some crackle in the controls. Definitely from accumulated dirt and hopefully it is just a blow off job.

 The internal built is quiet amusing as most of the small caps leaned to one side. They all looked to be either shoved in the PCB by force or had moved a bit during wave soldering. A quick fix to straight things up with one hand with the iron and the other on the components. The power transformer shows some heat sign at both on primary and secondary insulation. A sign that this tiny bugger is a work horse to its owner. My respect to you sir for utilizing the tools you have. I will take note of it specification (if I don't forget and I did). Who knows this amp might come back in future with a blown transformer. Any possible breakdown is there for aged electronics.

What happen to the original knobs you asked? Your guess is as good as mine. I can't let it leave like that. I did look on ebay for replacement knob. Price is currently steep if not cut throat. A set of used knobs could set you from USD30+ excluding shipping. You'll get the complete GA-10 with it. It can be a good thing if you're a parts hoarder (speculator and manipulator). So can you now see how Yamaha cares for their customers? Thumbs up! What a great parts support policy.

It boggles me why other companies isn't following Yamaha (Line 6,Behringer and RAP too) business formula. The unmentioned don't care about their user/paymaster at all. They would only sell what you need not what you want. For example when you need a pot, they'll sell one. Nothing more except for shipping which would always be three fold more. Some of the bad ones even put up product schematics in their website. It's as if they're trying to tell you "We built it, we sell it, but we’re busy so here's the schematic. Fix it yourself or find someone like Vlad the Gvitarlogistky to do it. Flex!"

How outrages of them to have us look at a schematic when we can't even point out where Anson Gulf is on a 3D globe. The schematic doesn't even look like the bloody green/red/black PCB at all and they have been doing it for over a long while. Click-bait son of an insult rifle. I think it was much more worst 50 to 60 years ago. Companies would stick schematic inside or on the back of their products. I'm curious, were every new born an engineer back then? It's time to put a stop to this. Instead of sharing schematics or selling the needed pots, knobs or switches, they should be selling the whole board or whatever else are attach to the faulty/missing component. We millennials don't want to un fasten screws, de-solder wires, flip around pcb to replace broken pot or switch cause it too hard to do. As for Strat parts, we don't need new pot or switch.  We want complete pickguard electronics outfit with solderless connector. The soldering iron is too dangerous to our baby skin plus the fumed and dirt is toxic to the mosquitoes. Save earth! Stop the pollution! Play mobile legend now! New boards. Snap out, snap in like a USB pendrive.

What a generation soon to replace us ei? Anyway the GA-10 sounds more honest than the 5 in 1 Roland MicroCube. Both clean and drive of the GA-10 gives realistic tone response to the guitar electronics and my fingers/ears. The MicroCube may have five channel but the rotary switch in those breaks sooner than dajjal minions could introduce himself, then you'll be left with only clean channel. Bummer right? I have seen and heard about Roland Cube family breaking down locally since 2012. No wonder there's positive growth in the Jazz community. For the rebellious heart whom still depends on a lot of gain, well now the more reason to get the greatest pedal of all time, anywhere, anytime, all the time. Boss Metal Zone!

I think I use to have a Yamaha GA-15 from a trade in 2010. I lent it to someone, can't remember to who or where. Wherever it's at now, I hope its pots and switch still works otherwise I may have to buy a GA-15II for spare. Mmm such a long esay for a small amp, I live in the tropics so when it rains, it pours. See you in the next post.

Niamah'a

Yustech