Rebellion of the Egnater Rebel 20

Lycanomics

New member
I'm sharing this because I'm about at my wits end trying to resolve this, so perhaps you guys may have advice. I bought a Rebel 20 over two years ago. It took a crap after about a month. After trying to find someone local to help repair it, and contacting Egnater who suggested I ship it off to their California facility which I really, really did not want to do (you'll see why soon), I ended up taking it to a shop in Sacramento. The tech explained the transistors had melted, his opinion was that they were terribly inferior parts. He replaced them with US made transistors. Nothing. Ordered factory spec transistors. Nothing. Last resort was to send it away...I begrudgingly agreed knowing I have a better chance passing legislation than getting the unit fixed in a timely manner at the "main facility". Last time I heard anything was September of last year. I'm slowly crossing the threshold from kind patience to reckless frustration. Listen, I worked for two years to save enough to get the amp setup in the first place, just so you understand how...I suppose..."gipped" I'm feeling to finally get the thing, then lose it. Its mad. Thus far Egnater customer service has been mute. If you can suggest another course of action I haven't thought of, I'd very much like to hear it. Thank you.
 
Lycanomics":2e4h14ls said:
I'm sharing this because I'm about at my wits end trying to resolve this, so perhaps you guys may have advice. I bought a Rebel 20 over two years ago. It took a crap after about a month. After trying to find someone local to help repair it, and contacting Egnater who suggested I ship it off to their California facility which I really, really did not want to do (you'll see why soon), I ended up taking it to a shop in Sacramento. The tech explained the transistors had melted, his opinion was that they were terribly inferior parts. He replaced them with US made transistors. Nothing. Ordered factory spec transistors. Nothing. Last resort was to send it away...I begrudgingly agreed knowing I have a better chance passing legislation than getting the unit fixed in a timely manner at the "main facility". Last time I heard anything was September of last year. I'm slowly crossing the threshold from kind patience to reckless frustration. Listen, I worked for two years to save enough to get the amp setup in the first place, just so you understand how...I suppose..."gipped" I'm feeling to finally get the thing, then lose it. Its mad. Thus far Egnater customer service has been mute. If you can suggest another course of action I haven't thought of, I'd very much like to hear it. Thank you.

You have EVERY right to be upset.
I see Bruce responded to you via email.
But honestly, why does it need to take an email on a website, with negative consequences towards Egnater's reputation, for someone at Egnater to respond? That's a rhetorical comment, as I'm not seeking an answer for that, as it's clear there is no good answer for that.

I will say this though, the tech you took it to the first should give you back any money he took from you.
He diagnosed what he thought is the problem, only to discover he was wrong.
Well, any tech worth his soldering iron and meter needs to own up to what they don't know and stop playing electronic technician, especially while having a negative opinion on parts quality.
Seems clear that he and his diagnosis was wrong.
Plus, he didn't fix it even after he replaced the parts that he told you were bad and of poor quality.

I hope you get a real and FAST solution to your amps problems from Bruce Egnater.
Egnater's reputation needs some serious repair, as do a number of amps sitting at their repair center.

As I've said before, my experience with Egnater has been both good and bad.
My first Egnater was the Rebel 30 and it has problems. I accept it though because any product can have a problem.
True quality and customer service is in how a company responds to customers product troubles and to customers inquiries.
A customer deserves a relatively quick response. Even if the product can't be fixed that minute or that day, a customer still needs the courtesy of a quick response. That goes a LONG way to making a customer feel better about the product and company they bought in to.

I returned the Rebel 30, luckily it was within the 30 day return with Guitar Center. I actually had 60 days because I had bought the extended warranty.
Still I really loved the tones from the Rebel 30 and really wanted an amp that can deliver those tones along with some high gain as well. That's why I gave Egnater another shot and bought the Vengeance.
It's a really great amp and it's been flawless in operation from day 1 with not even a single issue since then.

I hope your amp gets fixed and you get to enjoy the great tones that the Rebel can give.
Let us know how it turns out.
 
OK, update time! So, after getting in touch with the repair shop, because I had wanted to get any reference numbers, etc., before I contacted the CA facility again, they informed me that they got in touch with the CA Egnater facility and the missing amp has been located. So, I take it Valdmir Putin does not have my amp after all.

They are in the process of shipping it back to the shop in Sacramento, should arrive next week, and hopefully (fingers and toes crossed) this will be the end of it...and maybe I wont be charged...eh, probably will anyway. :|

Now, let us hope the UPS driver won't be having a bad day...
 
UPDATE: Oy vey...the little amp that keeps on giving....headaches. So, my Rebel 20 amp is back at the shop, and it works. Great...except they are charging me $247 for repairs. The keyword is "repair", because they did not repair the unit, Egnater's CA facility did. So...I don't get it. They are going to charge me for a repair someone else did? I mean the tech at the shop could'nt fix it, that's why he had to send it off. *sigh* I don't know, I want to be fair but $247 is a decent amount more than I thought it was going to be. So, I suppose I'd like to know if I have a leg to stand on in arguing this fee. Any advice is appreciated. :)
 
Yes, when I bought my amp, it was new. I will say that I remember that when I prompted Guitar Center (where I bought my amp in July or August 2011) for any help, they would not allow a return as it was just past their return period (30 days), so it was working properly for around a month, I remember it wasn't very long. Shame, can't say I even got to play a gig with it. I really did like and enjoy the thing...while it was working. Even bought the matching 1x12 cab.
 
If your new Rebel amp broke down after a little more than a month ,it was still under warranty by GC and Egnater.Why didn't you use it ? If they lost a amp still under warranty,they had to replace it.
 
viking22":134juyhp said:
If your new Rebel amp broke down after a little more than a month ,it was still under warranty by GC and Egnater.Why didn't you use it ? If they lost a amp still under warranty,they had to replace it.

Allow me to explain the best I can, its been over two years since I bought the unit at GC, so my memory is not perfect. I did take it back to GC, and even though I could prove purchase, they would not take it back, nor exchange for another. They claimed their warranty (and I did not purchase their extended coverage) had expired so the best they could do was suggest a repair technician or use the manufacturer's warranty, which I tried to use first. I had attempted many times to contact Egnater customer service to use their warranty, and it took months before I got a response. When I was faced with the logical choice of either trying to find a local repairman or send my unit away, I chose to find a repairman based on what I still feel were legitimate concerns about sending it away considering how long it took to even get an e-mail response from Egnater. Please understand, and in all honesty, I was afraid the thing would be lost at their facility, sitting on a workbench indefinitely, and I might have a whale of a time in trying to find it again since I can't get a hold of anybody there, then I'm out both an amp and whatever I paid for it. Perhaps I was a bit paranoid, but I hope you understand why I felt that way.
 
Lycanomics":2rpdkwao said:
viking22":2rpdkwao said:
If your new Rebel amp broke down after a little more than a month ,it was still under warranty by GC and Egnater.Why didn't you use it ? If they lost a amp still under warranty,they had to replace it.

Allow me to explain the best I can, its been over two years since I bought the unit at GC, so my memory is not perfect. I did take it back to GC, and even though I could prove purchase, they would not take it back, nor exchange for another. They claimed their warranty (and I did not purchase their extended coverage) had expired so the best they could do was suggest a repair technician or use the manufacturer's warranty, which I tried to use first. I had attempted many times to contact Egnater customer service to use their warranty, and it took months before I got a response. When I was faced with the logical choice of either trying to find a local repairman or send my unit away, I chose to find a repairman based on what I still feel were legitimate concerns about sending it away considering how long it took to even get an e-mail response from Egnater. Please understand, and in all honesty, I was afraid the thing would be lost at their facility, sitting on a workbench indefinitely, and I might have a whale of a time in trying to find it again since I can't get a hold of anybody there, then I'm out both an amp and whatever I paid for it. Perhaps I was a bit paranoid, but I hope you understand why I felt that way.
Oh,yeah. Thanks for the clarification .I don't know GC's policies but Thomann ,for exemple,would not exchange the amp either but they have a 3 years warranty w/ free shipping .Anyway,i think you should ask the shop's justification for their fees and write a claim to Egnater.I'm 100% behind you ! Best of luck !
 
Lycanomics":audhjfkg said:
viking22":audhjfkg said:
If your new Rebel amp broke down after a little more than a month ,it was still under warranty by GC and Egnater.Why didn't you use it ? If they lost a amp still under warranty,they had to replace it.

Allow me to explain the best I can, its been over two years since I bought the unit at GC, so my memory is not perfect. I did take it back to GC, and even though I could prove purchase, they would not take it back, nor exchange for another. They claimed their warranty (and I did not purchase their extended coverage) had expired so the best they could do was suggest a repair technician or use the manufacturer's warranty, which I tried to use first. I had attempted many times to contact Egnater customer service to use their warranty, and it took months before I got a response. When I was faced with the logical choice of either trying to find a local repairman or send my unit away, I chose to find a repairman based on what I still feel were legitimate concerns about sending it away considering how long it took to even get an e-mail response from Egnater. Please understand, and in all honesty, I was afraid the thing would be lost at their facility, sitting on a workbench indefinitely, and I might have a whale of a time in trying to find it again since I can't get a hold of anybody there, then I'm out both an amp and whatever I paid for it. Perhaps I was a bit paranoid, but I hope you understand why I felt that way.

I know it's too late for your purchase now, but I bought the GC extended warranty cause it really is a good deal.
Just paying for shipping to the manufacturer and back could cost half the cost of the warranty, but the warranty covers shipping.
Plus it even covers accidental damage like if you spill a beer on it. :)

Now your amp.
So, your independent shop sent the amp to Egnater and Egnater actually fixed it right?
To be fair I'd offer the shop only 50% of that charge, because they did NOT fix it, they used YOUR purchased warranty to get it repaired.
The most they should be compensated for is for looking at it, which they couldn't find the problem, and then to send it to Egnater.
If they paid to ship to Egnater, then they are owed that cost.
If they paid return shipping, then they are entitled that too.
But, before paying for shipping I would want to see the shipping billing receipts.

If shipping is legit, then shipping charges and about $80 for the initial diagnosis.
As for the transistor replacement, that was his call and it was WRONG, so that's on him. I wouldn't pay for a repair that didn't work.

Most tech's will still charge even if they won't or can't repair the problem, as their time is still taken up.
But not what they are asking for.

As for guitar center, your store is full of BS. My GC will still return a purchase if it's within a few days to a week of the 30 days, especially if the item is broken.
I just returned a pedal that worked just fine, I just didn't want it. It was about 3-4 days over 30 days and they refunded it no problem.
You GC store sucks you know what.
 
Look, Bruce seems like a really nice guy and I really like Egnater's USA stuff. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see all the issues the import line has had just by scrolling through these pages.

I don't see why the whole gaggle of the Rebel folks don't just start a class action based on breach of warranty of (1) merchantability and (2) fitness for a particular purpose.

Implied Warranty of Merchantability

Implied warranties come in two general types: merchantability and fitness. An implied warranty of merchantability is an unwritten and unspoken guarantee to the buyer that goods purchased conform to ordinary standards of care and that they are of the same average grade, quality, and value as similar goods sold under similar circumstances. In other words, merchantable goods are goods fit for the ordinary purposes for which they are to be used. The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), adopted by most states, provides that courts may imply a Warranty of merchantability when (1) the seller is the merchant of such goods, and (2) the buyer uses the goods for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are sold (§ 2-314). Thus, a buyer can sue a seller for breaching the implied warranty by selling goods unfit for their ordinary purpose.

There is rarely any question as to whether the seller is the merchant of the goods sold. Nevertheless, in Huprich v. Bitto, 667 So.2d 685 (Ala. 1995), a farmer who sold defective horse feed was found not to be a merchant of horse feed. The court stated that the farmer did not hold himself out as having knowledge or skill peculiar to the sale of corn as horse feed, and therefore was not a merchant of horse feed for purposes of determining a breach of implied warranty of merchantability.

The question of whether goods are fit for their ordinary purpose is much more frequently litigated. Thomas Coffer sued the manufacturer of a jar of mixed nuts after he bit down on an unshelled filbert, believing it to have been shelled, and damaged a tooth. Coffer argued in part that the presence of the unshelled nut among shelled nuts was a breach of the implied warranty of merchantability. Unquestionably, Coffer was using the nuts for their ordinary purpose when he ate them, and unquestionably, he suffered a dental injury when he bit the filbert's hard shell. But the North Carolina appellate court held that the jar of mixed nuts was nonetheless fit for the ordinary purpose for which jars of mixed nuts are used (Coffer v. Standard Brands, 30 N.C. App. 134, 226 S.E.2d 534 [1976]). The court consulted the state agriculture board's regulations and noted that the peanut industry allows a small amount of unshelled nuts to be included with shelled nuts without rendering the shelled nuts inedible or adulterated. The court also noted that shells are a natural incident to nuts.

The policy behind the implied warranty of merchantability is basic: sellers are generally better suited than buyers to determine whether a product will perform properly. Holding the seller liable for a product that is not fit for its ordinary purpose shifts the costs of nonperformance from the buyer to the seller. This motivates the seller to ensure the product's proper performance before placing it on the market. The seller is better able to absorb the costs of a product's nonperformance, usually by spreading the risk to consumers in the form of increased prices.

The policy behind limiting the implied warranty of merchantability to the goods' ordinary use is also straightforward: a seller may not have sufficient expertise or control over a product to ensure that it will perform properly when used for nonstandard purposes.

Implied Warranty of Fitness

When a buyer wishes to use goods for a particular, nonordinary purpose, the UCC provides a distinct implied warranty of fitness (§ 2-315). Unlike the implied warranty of merchantability, the implied warranty of fitness does not contain a requirement that the seller be a merchant with respect to the goods sold. It merely requires that the seller possess knowledge and expertise on which the buyer may rely.

For example, one court found that horse buyers who indicated to the sellers their intention to use the horse for breeding were using the horse for a particular, nonordinary purpose (Whitehouse v. Lange, 128 Idaho 129, 910 P.2d 801 [1996]). The buyers soon discovered that the horse they purchased was incapable of reproducing. Because the court found this use of the horse to be nonordinary, the buyers were entitled to an implied warranty of fitness.

Before a court will imply a warranty of fitness, three requirements must be met: (1) the seller must have reason to know of the buyer's particular purpose for the goods; (2) the seller must have reason to know of the buyer's reliance on the seller's skill and knowledge in furnishing the appropriate goods; and (3) the buyer must, in fact, rely on the seller's skill and knowledge. Even when these requirements are met, courts will not imply a warranty of fitness under certain circumstances. A buyer who specifies a particular brand of goods is not entitled to an implied warranty of fitness. Also, a buyer who has greater expertise than the seller regarding the goods generally is precluded from asserting an implied warranty of fitness, as is a buyer who provides the seller with specifications, such as a blueprint or design plan, detailing the types of material to be used in the goods.
 
Whoa....its been four years since my issues with Egnater. I had nearly forgotten about it, except being almost literally four years to the day since I got my amp back from the shop, and while going through gear I will be selling off today, I was reminded about how I never mentioned the conclusion to my story.

So here's what happened.

I got the amp back from the shop, paid the bill, decided to just move on with life and not fight the cost...then it finally, it irrevocably died. Not two weeks later, it plain died. I know why it died, because its a "mess of an amp", to quote my amp repair tech. I could repair it, but you know what? Egnater, you broke me. I dont care anymore, I dont care to fix it again. I have spent $700 on what is basically a Chinese paperweight with Egnater's big honkin' logo on it. I have not bought any Egnater products since, and never will. I bought a Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 to replace the Rebel 20, and its been a tank. It actually works. Fancy that. I'm never going to see my money back for this, and I've made peace with that. I would like that my problems with Egnater serve as caution for anyone who wants to buy their wares. Of course there are always going to be those special situations where everything goes wrong for a customer no matter what company you're dealing with, but man when it happens to you and the company just goes deaf all of a sudden...that sucks. Anyway, I'm done. Done with this thread, done with that stupid amp, and most of all I'm done with Egnater.

Never again. :thumbsdown:
 
FINAL UPDATE

I know I said Im done, but ah, there is a small pot of gold at the the end of my Egnater turd tolex colored rainbow.

I sold my it! I found a buyer in Virginia, got maybe....$225 for it or so, and its gone. I honestly feel like a weight has been lifted off. Every blasted time I looked at that obscene paperweight (not even calling it an amp anymore, I dont care), memories I'd like to forget flood my mind. Anyways, hope my buyer can get something out of it. Good luck to him and good riddance.

So here's what I want to get at...if you are considering buying one of these, please do your homework. Being 2020, there are alot of alternatives in the compact tube amp market (H&K Tubemeister FTW) that, having used them, in my opinion are better products and have superior quality control. For what its worth, I did like the Rebel 20, that is when it worked. You might think I'm just being a complainer, but...here's a recap: Brand new amp, dies two months later. Contact Egnater CS, nada. The only time anybody from Egnater EVER talked to me was when I posted here. Not kidding. Professional amp tech thinks its junk. Fully repaired by Egnater techs A FULL YEAR after sending it to them, dies two weeks later, total brick. Seriously...WTF? This was a perfect storm of bad QC, poor amp design, bad customer service, and a total "whatever" attitude on Egnater's part to stand by their products. I hope since then Egnater has polished their support and QC up a notch or two....not gonna test that myself.

BTW, if by some miracle Bruce reads this...I'm sure you're a good guy and want to make a good amp, but give a thought to poor kids who save to buy your amp, only for things to go pear shaped and suffer the indifference mire of bad customer service reps who clearly dont give a damn unless you're a big name. The no-name working class musician is who really supports you...don't forget it.

That's it. Draco out.
 
I had a very similar experience with my Rebel 30 Mk2, bought, smoked a tube first time I powered it on, went back to Blad at BAD (Boutique Amps Distribution) three times, went dead again after 3rd time so I took it up with Bruce E., who is not part of Egnater support or involved with them any more and has no responsibility to the brand but he does have integrity and is helping me get a working amp I can sell and be done with Egnator forever.

My experience with BAD leads me to believe that they bought the name, outsourced it, whittled costs, sacrificed quality, ignored complaints, provided ineffectual support and basically took a great design/brand and left it violated and bleeding in a ditch.
 
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