Oh for Fuch's sake...

[kbp810]

I wasn't going to do it... I was going to resist using the obvious and cliched mis-use of the label for a Fuch's Audio product... but after seeing how the box looked upon arrival; it was just impossible to resist.

Well anyways, before we get to that... I have a tendency of sometimes going down youtube rabbit holes. I look something up or turn it on for music, then leave it playing in the background while doing work stuff. Usually it turns into just back ground noise, but had one that suddenly grabbed my attention. It was Mike Martin doing a demo of a Fuch's Audio Mantis Jr; and it just sort of stuck with me. 

I didn't plan on buying one, in fact I google searched for more info on it, but then amongst the search results was a used one priced at a steal. I flip flopped for a while, and then just went for it.

Imagine my sinking feeling when I come down stairs to find this on my porch - then sink even lower as I hear a clank, followed by the heartbreaking sound of broken glass. Flimsy box combined with insufficient packing material. The seller, MF, I should have known better. 

All in all; one broken power tube, separated front plate, and a missing power cable. 

 

 

[kbp810]

Part 2: My options presented to me by customer care was to return it for a refund or pound sand. I've opted, at least for now, to pound sand. 

Had a spare set of EL34's, spare power cable, and double sided tape; so figured to at least give it a shot... it lives; and it is a monster. The pots are a little scratchy, and while the channel switching works, the boost does not (though to be fair, it does not in any way need it). The controls are a little confusing, it's going take some fiddling to fully up to speed with it; but it was easy to dial in some great sounds. With gain cranked on the "clean" channel it was dumbly in nature; on the dirty channel, it gets pretty heavy and can chug. 

Going to at least spend the weekend entertaining the neighbors while I make up mind what to do with it. I almost want to return it out of spite, but I made the mistake of playing it, so conflicted. 

 

[Steiner]

So, what the Fuchs?  Are Happy NADs in order or not?

I'm confused, do you have the willpower to send it back in the same package or is the Dumblesque to haunting that you cannot release the source???

Please creator KBP810, do keep us abreast!

[ElChoad]

Another MF fail. What a bunch of Fuch-heads. But sounds like it may be a keeper, anyway. I have always wanted to try one out. 

[DetroitBlues]

Well, I say find a schematic and make your own.  Why the Fuch not, right? ?  

[kbp810]

1 hour ago, Steiner said:

So, what the Fuchs?  Are Happy NADs in order or not?

I'm confused, do you have the willpower to send it back in the same package or is the Dumblesque to haunting that you cannot release the source???

Please creator KBP810, do keep us abreast!

Still need some more time to confirm if it's love or just infatuation; but I think either way I won't be sending it back. If it doesn't find permanent residence here, then at the very least I can get it back to good health and find it a good home to send it to. As opposed to sending it back off to die in the hands of so called "friends of musicians".

 

10 minutes ago, DetroitBlues said:

Well, I say find a schematic and make your own.  Why the Fuch not, right? ?  

lol

There is a high gain project I'm working on... but it's fighting me tooth and nail. It's "working" but way too sensitive. Hopefully I'll find the magic formula for it soon; and perhaps be something worth replicating. 

[Steiner]

37 minutes ago, kbp810 said:

Still need some more time to confirm if it's love or just infatuation; but I think either way I won't be sending it back. If it doesn't find permanent residence here, then at the very least I can get it back to good health and find it a good home to send it to. As opposed to sending it back off to die in the hands of so called "friends of musicians".

 

lol

There is a high gain project I'm working on... but it's fighting me tooth and nail. It's "working" but way too sensitive. Hopefully I'll find the magic formula for it soon; and perhaps be something worth replicating. 

Love, infatuation, lust...  What's the difference?  Ask her if she has a friend.

[bolero]

That's nice!

How does it generate the blue light? And can you turn it off?

I wonder what it looks like with just the tubes glowing through the vents?

Congrats!

As Yngwie would say: "unleash the Fuch'ing fury!!"

[TalismanRich]

Man,  for the price of tubes these days,  the MFs could have at least sent you some new glass.   

Cool looking amp, tho!

[kbp810]

14 hours ago, bolero said:

That's nice!

How does it generate the blue light? And can you turn it off?

I wonder what it looks like with just the tubes glowing through the vents?

Congrats!

As Yngwie would say: "unleash the Fuch'ing fury!!"

A small strip of LED's taped to the chassis; looks like it can be unplugged. I like the blue light, but agree that playing in a dimly lit room, seeing the tubes glow would be way cooler. 

[greatmutah2112]

Always been wanting to try these.  A buddy of mine has a Blackjack 21 he adores. 

[HANGAR18]

I would think that any company who should act in such a disgraceful manner to send it to you that way would also attempt to screw you by charging you for shipping and a hefty restocking fee were you to return it. imho I think it would be better to keep it.

[gpuma]

On 9/17/2022 at 6:04 PM, kbp810 said:

A small strip of LED's taped to the chassis; looks like it can be unplugged. I like the blue light, but agree that playing in a dimly lit room, seeing the tubes glow would be way cooler. 

Real Fuchs have fuchsia led.

Just saying...

[kbp810]

2 hours ago, HANGAR18 said:

I would think that any company who should act in such a disgraceful manner to send it to you that way would also attempt to screw you by charging you for shipping and a hefty restocking fee were you to return it. imho I think it would be better to keep it.

I'm sure you're not wrong about any of that. Especially considering they couldn't even cover me for the missing cord or broken tube. That, and there's no way I could bring myself to send it back in the same manner, so I'd be out a heavy duty box and proper packing material too. 

So here it will stay. 

[kbp810]

Just now, gpuma said:

Real Fuchs have fuchsia led.

Just saying...

They for sure used blue in the mantis Jr. It's blue in all the demo videos I've seen as well. 

[gpuma]

 

2 minutes ago, kbp810 said:

They for sure used blue in the mantis Jr. It's blue in all the demo videos I've seen as well. 

Ok it was horrible, I know, but it was supposed to be a joke. 

Yes, I would ban me if I were an admin.

(Bad) Jokes aside, happy NAD!

[PunkKitty]

Gio! What a surprise! Hope all is okay with you and the family in Puerto Rico. 

[gpuma]

Hi Monika, damage is very little to none where I live and work. Thank you.

[kbp810]

11 hours ago, gpuma said:

 

Ok it was horrible, I know, but it was supposed to be a joke. 

Yes, I would ban me if I were an admin.

(Bad) Jokes aside, happy NAD!

Where's a moderator when you need one! ?

Sorry Gio, rough Monday yesterday, that one flew straight over my head; good to hear from you though! 

 

[DetroitBlues]

41 minutes ago, kbp810 said:

Where's a moderator when you need one! ?

Sorry Gio, rough Monday yesterday, that one flew straight over my head; good to hear from you though! 

 

Think they went on vacation... or maybe it apthay... who knows...?‍♂️

[TalismanRich]

13 hours ago, gpuma said:

Hi Monika, damage is very little to none where I live and work. Thank you.

Glad to hear you came through ok.   To watch the news,  the entire island was suffering the same fate as Atlantis!  

 

Oh yeah,  I got the joke, too!  ?

[gpuma]

Good to hear from you guys.

I do casually read thr forum. I play very little though