The Best Tube Audio and Musical Amplification

Service and Restoration Service in the USA!

NEW:

New VTV Audio Tech in the New York Area now on Board!

(see details below)

Skilled Vintage Equipment Restorations, Custom Component Modifications, High Performance Audio Upgrades, Precision Testing, Best Workmanship and Reliability!

NEWS FLASH!

We now have a new highly experienced electronics tech working with VTV Technical Services located in the New York Metro Area!   He will handle customers in the Tri-State Area of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York and other parts of the Eastern USA.  He is centrally located and works on all types of tube vintage hi-fi (Fisher, EICO, McIntosh, McIntosh, Scott, Sherwood, etc), pre-1970s Solid State hi-fi, all tube guitar amps from Fender, Gibson, HiWatt, Marshall, etc. His specialty is vintage restoration of Fisher, Scott, McIntosh, etc., amps, integrated amps, preamps, receivers and tuners. His lab is equipped with precision FM Multiplex alignment analyzer among other high quality test gear.  He is known for precision work and FAST TURNAROUND compared to other techs in the NY area.

NOTE: Contact Charlie Kittleson to get your gear worked on and or restored by our outstanding VTV NEW YORK AUDIO TECH. Charlie is your contact man for East and West Coast Service and Restoration.

email Charlie at: cathode99X@vacuumtube.com

Now we have 6 highly experienced techs in New York - Tri-State, Northern California and  Texas-Southwest states!!!

Fred Walker, in Dallas, Texas is now our  Technical Services Supervisor for the Middle USA and South.   He will cover the Central and Southern USA. Your equipment can be dropped off with Fred if you live in Texas, Oklahoma or Louisanna.  Or you can send it to him via FEDEX Ground.

Contact FRED or Sharon for Midwest and Southern located service only contact 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST Monday through Friday PM CST is Sharon or Fred Walker: 972-396-8499 - email:  vtv-service@comcast.net 

We work on both tube and solid-state gear

Buy a cool vintage tube amplifier on Ebay and can't find anyone to fix it?

Find a mint guitar amplifier or receiver at an estate sale?

Score on a tube tuner at a flea market?

Inherit a vintage tube system from grandpa?

We can fix it and make it perform like new!

NEW:  We now have (NEW!) New York, Dallas, Texas, Lakeport, and San Francisco locations.  Our Techs are located near customers in both of these metro areas. Now you don't have to ship it to us in Lakeport and can save on shipping and packing charges!

We offer professional tube audio service, repair and restoration for both current and vintage tube amplifiers, preamps, receivers and tuners, car radios, ham radio gear, vintage radios. VTV has master technicians with a passion for making electronic equipment perform to its fullest musical potential. We have comprehensive, hands-on experience in designing, diagnosing and repairing all types of tube audio gear from manufacturers including: Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Dynaco, EICO, Fisher, Harman-Kardon, Leak, Marantz, McIntosh, Quad, Radio Craftsmen, Sherwood, Scott, Stromberg-Carlson, and most other manufacturers.

We also work on all Ampeg, Fender, Gibson, Guild, HiWatt, Marshall, Peavey, VOX, etc guitar amps. We have personally repaired thousands of tube amplifiers. We only work on equipment that no longer covered by the original manufacturers warranty. If your equipment is still covered under manufacturers warranty, send it to the original manufacturer for repairs please.

We professionally diagnose and repair all types of electronic problems with modern and vintage tube and solid-state audio amplifiers, preamps, receivers and tuners, antique tube radios, tube ham radio gear, plus tube and solid state guitar amps and pro audio/studio equipment. Your equipment will be professionally diagnosed, repaired and serviced for best sonic performance and long-term reliability.

There are very few technicians that have the skill level and expertise to correctly trouble-shoot and diagnose complex vintage electronics. This can take time to do and can involve some expense, if done correctly. Some vintage restorations can be very time consuming, involving several hours of testing, diagnosis, repair, bench testing and burn-in. Labor costs are usually more than parts cost.

If a tech is too cheap, his work may suck (we have seen lots of poor examples of so-called "tech's" work). Plus, he may hold you up for months. Use us and avoid the hassle!! We are the best!! Ask around, we are the best.

VTV has one of the finest reputations in the world for highest quality service on all types of vintage and modern audio amps and guitar amps. We may cost a little more, but we deliver the best with no hassle!!!

Please Note:   We do not perform any cosmetic restoration of any electronic equipment. 

We do not repair any TVs, TV cameras, Video Cameras or any Television Equipment.

We do repair American antique tube radios and communications/ham radio equipment

Please ship or include any special order custom parts, capacitors, resistors along with your equipment.

Our Highly Qualified and Experienced Master Audio Technical staff includes:

Charlie, has over 25 years of experience in restoration and repair of musical instrument and guitar amps,  tube audio equipment of all types and vintages. Charlie has personally rebuilt thousands of vintage amps, tuners and receivers for customers all over the world. He is a world authority on vintage hi-fi, speakers, tubes and hi-fi history. Charlie is based in Lakeport, CA

Fred, has almost 30 years of electronics and technical experience in consumer and military electronics. He served in the United States Air Force and Texas Air National Guard for about 22 years cumulatively. He has an extensive RF and Radio background with FM tuners, FM receivers, including German radios, Ham Radio Gear, car radios and communications receivers. In addition, he has thorough knowledge of both home hifi equipment and guitar amps, both tube and solid-state. He is our newest technical affiliate located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, serving North and Central Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and surrounding states. Phone: 469 450 3441

John, has over 35 years experience in repair and restoration of all types of vintage radios, tuners, receivers and vacuum tube amplification. John is  fully approved by VTV for all types of electronics repair including FM alignment, antique radio repair and all types of tube and solid state hi-fi equipment. John is located in Palo Alto, near San Francisco. Now you can drop off your gear and get it precision repaired in the Bay Area. 

Ray, experienced audio and electronics tech. He owns and operates an all analog recording studio, specializes in microphone repair, tube amp repair, guitar amp repair, pro-audio equipment and tape recorder repair/restoration. Located in Portola Valley, CA, near Bay Area. Ray specializes in AMPEX and other tape recorder repairs.

Eric, has over 30 years experience as a super tech, designer and can fix almost anything with wire in it. He is the tech of last result and we get disasters in here that only Eric can fix. He has designed almost one-hundred audio devices. He is also owner of Metasonix, Senior Editor of VTV Magazine and has written hundreds of articles on tube electronics over the last 18 years. Eric is located in Lakeport, CA

NEW:  We now have an experienced electronics tech located in the New York Metro Area. He will handle the Tri-State and Eastern States as a VTV Technician. His specialty is vintage tube hi-fi restorations, FM tuner and receiver alignment, tube guitar amp repair and restoration, pre-1970s solid state audio gear restoration and some current high-end tube audio amps and preamps. 

Avoid the headaches. Get your tube gear fixed by experienced and reliable  tube technicians who know vacuum tube electronics.

Our audio service labs utilize precision test equipment including: digital and analog voltmeters, dual trace oscilloscopes, signal function generators, FM Multiplex alignment generators, distortion analyzers, capacitor testers, regulated power supplies and several types of specialty audio tube testers.

We are professionals who care about your equipment as much as you do.

Customer is billed on a TIME and MATERIALS basis only. Old electronic equipment has lots of hidden problems that reveal themselves when the equipment is being repaired, new problems pop up that need attention. This cannot be predicted accurately with a fixed estimate. We get stuck with putting in extra time and not getting paid for it. Estimates are estimates and not a guaranteed price. When we get into one problem, others pop up. Estimates are not a final price, only an estimate.

NOTE:  We will no longer do any service or restoration work to a customer's fixed price point.

We strive for perfection, reliability and long service life, not cheap shortcuts to save money.

Turnaround Time: Your gear will be service/restored and back on its way to you typically in 30 days or less. Sometimes due to heavy technician work loads this can be longer.

Please read the following for more information on our specialty audio services.

VINTAGE TUBE HI FI EQUIPMENT RESTORATION

We perform complete electronic restoration and rebuilding of vacuum tube audio electronics. This typically includes cleaning and lubricating all switches and controls, checking all tubes, checking and replacing electrolytic and signal capacitors, replacing and/or rebuilding power supplies and diodes. FM tuners and receivers are precision aligned with the latest test equipment.

FM tuners are very tricky and difficult to repair and can be expensive. Contact us first for pricing estimates before sending your tuner in to us.

The equipment is checked electrically and brought up to top specifications. We restore vintage tube amps, preamps, receivers and FM tuners of all makes and models. Note:  Sometimes this is not possible to bring equipment up to EXACT original manufacturers specifications due to aging of parts, tubes and FM coils.

Parts and Tubes:

We use standard grade capacitors, resistors and related parts. We have certain high-grade capacitors, jacks, resistors and tubes available at extra cost. Note: Vintage equipment sometimes requires parts that are no longer available and cannot be substituted. VTV has a stock of transformers, knobs, faceplates, dials, controls, switches, etc. for vintage hi-fi. However, we cannot guarantee that we will have the part your equipment needs in stock.

Rates

$100 Required Estimate and 1st hour of Labor FEE for each item to be repaired:

Please send a check or paypal (fearlessleader999@yahoo.com) with your equipment to be repaired for $100 made out to Vacuum Tube Valley for the initial analysis. This fee is required before we take a look at your equipment, even though you may not choose to have us perform the work required. This fee is non-refundable.

TIME and Material Only - Estimates are not Final - They are just Estimates and can be exceeded upon your approval.

No work will be done until we receive verbal and/or written OK from customer.

Labor is estimated in number of hours to repair, burn in and qualify the specifications of  the equipment. Labor rate varies on the type of equipment being repaired and what level tech is doing the work. Parts and supplies are billed as needed.

Customer pays for shipping both ways. Or, you can drop it off at any one of our three locations in Lakeport, San Francisco area or New York area.

Payment & Terms

1. We must obtain $100 for analysis of problems or work to be performed as initial deposit when you ship us or drop off the the equipment. You can either use your PayPal, credit card, personal check or money order. This fee is non-refundable, and applies to our labor to unpack, check the equipment and repack the box.

If you are using PayPal, send the deposit to: fearlessleader999@yahoo.com

NOTE: Repaired items not paid for over 60 days after we invoice you will become our property. Prompt payment is required!!!

2. Paypal, Credit cards, Personal checks or money orders are preferred method of payment.

3. After your job is completed, you will be contacted by phone of email with the final amount of invoice. At that time, we will request a check or money order for the balance.

4. You will be responsible for shipping and packing charges BOTH WAYS.

Careful Packaging is Required!!!

(Please read the following very carefully)

All electronic equipment sent to us for service or restoration must be shipped exactly as follows or we will not accept it:

1. Use NEW cardboard boxes, not crappy ones you found in the dumpster please!

2. All equipment must be DOUBLE-BOXED with at least 4 inches of cushion or foam between the inside box and the outside box.

3. Tubes must be removed from amplifiers and either shipped in a separate box or packed with the equipment wrapped in foam, bubble pack and highly insulated from the equipment chassis

4. Please use "Fragile" or "Handle with Care" stickers on the box.

5. Please insure the shipment for maximum value of your equipment.

6. Use at least 3 Day UPS or Economy FedEx or better. It is acceptable to use the Post Office on lighter items. Avoid UPS ground shipment due to past experience with poor handling and damage claims.

Warranty

All repair and restoration work is warranted for a period of 30 days.

All tubes and replacement parts are warranted for a period of 30 days.

No express warranty on custom or modification work.

We cannot guarantee cosmetic appearance. The customer is responsible for proper packing of their equipment to avoid any cosmetic damage.

Please contact us before you ship any warranty repairs for a written return authorization. We will pay for return shipping to your location.

Scheduling

Our VTV service only contact 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST Monday through Friday PM CST is Sharon or Fred Walker: 972-396-8499 - email:  vtv-service@comcast.net 

Please do not send us any equipment unless you talk to us first. Typical turn-around time is 3-4 weeks, unless we have to wait for special parts.

All equipment sent to VTV Service Dept by courier should be sent to the following physical address.

Use only DHL, UPS or FedEx:

_______________________________________

CONTACT INFORMATION

For New York, East Coast, California, Oregon &  Washington State service or restorations.

Contact:  email at cathode99x@vacuumtube.com

  _____________________________

For Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Southern and Midwest State Restorations or Service.

Contact Fred or Sharon Walker for VTV service only in the Midwest and South contact 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST Monday through Friday PM CST is Sharon or Fred Walker: 972-396-8499 - email:  vtv-service@comcast.net 

VACUUM TUBE VALLEY  

P.O. Box 1499,  Lakeport, CA 95453  USA

Telephone ORDER Line: 707-349-3009

EMAIL for product questions or technical support

Please use our secure, fast and convenient On-Line Order Form

Check out our NEW VTV WEB STORE with Shopping Cart

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