Can you throw away an amp? How to dispose of a guitar amp? Are there any different ways to throw away different types of guitar amps? Can all guitar amps be sold for parts? Are there any dangers in disposing of a guitar amplifier? If you have an old guitar amplifier that is not working and you want to dispose of it, then maybe you are in the right place. I believe that disposing of old guitar amps is a problem for many, and not just for a few; I will try to give some ways you can do it for your old guitar amplifier.
With time, appliances and audio equipment like guitar amplifiers also have a lifespan of their own, and if it reaches to that, there is the possibility that it will not work anymore. Dilapidated guitar amplifiers also take up space in your room or garage, so you need to get rid of them, so you can also replace some of your things in that space.
There are many ways you can do it if you decide to dispose of your old guitar amplifier. But the question is, what type of guitar amplifier do you have? Is it a solid-state amplifier, a digital modeling amplifier, a tube amplifier, or a hybrid amplifier? These four types of guitar amplifiers differ in ways when it comes to disposing of them, so it is crucial that you can identify what type your guitar amplifier is.
Can You Throw Away An Amp?
So, can you throw away an amp? It would be better not to if you throw it immediately in a garbage area, as it is not the safest way of getting rid of a guitar amplifier. Although there are laws in some places that restrict you from throwing your guitar amp immediately into your trash, there are still many people who do this as a habit of theirs. Remember that throwing your old guitar amp into the garbage area is dangerous, as it is not for everyone.
Electronic waste has become one of the main problems for our environment in recent years. Based on statistics, there are 12.9 million women and more than 18 million children and adolescents working in the informal waste sector, and they are highly exposed to electronic waste every day. Letting your old guitar amplifier rot with its capacitors and resistors still attached will not only endanger people’s health but also can be detrimental to the environment.
Electronic waste from improper disposal of electronic appliances like guitar amplifiers is scientifically known to have some adverse impacts, which include changes in lung function, DNA damage, respiratory effects, impaired thyroid function, and there is also some risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer in later life. This is why proper electronic waste management is a habit that every musician must learn.
How To Dispose A Solid-State Guitar Amplifier
So, what is a solid-state guitar amplifier, and how to get rid of it? A solid-state guitar amplifier is a type of amplifier that uses transistor circuits to produce an audio wave as it is converted from being an electric signal. This type of amplifier has two stages of amplification: the preamp stage, which happens at the beginning of the circuit; while the second is the power amp stage, which happens at the end of it.
So, how long do solid-state guitar amps last? Although there is no exact number of how long a solid-state guitar amp can work, some can go up to 30 years, while others can work from 10 to 20 years, while some are less. As guitar amps wear out in due time, you also have the option to dispose of them. The question is how you can do it safely.
One way to dispose of it is to bring it into an electronic recycling center. Electronic recycling centers are made so that you can place the burden of disposing of electrical appliances like guitar amplifiers on them, as they have better knowledge on how to dispose of or recycle them. As guitar amplifiers have capacitors and resistors on them, recycling centers have ways that can still make use of them for other purposes.
When they recycle capacitors, they can usually recover 96 percent of the aluminum and 98 percent of their iron, especially if the capacitors are still in working condition. This is really a proven environmentally friendly way of disposing of your guitar amp.
Another way to get rid of your guitar amplifier is to donate it to some music and electronic stores. Many stores accept donations of old guitar amplifiers, especially if it still works or can still be repaired. Some music stores also offer trade-in options if you are planning to buy a piece of new music equipment, so it allows you to get new gear at a discounted price. Other music stores also offer gift cards or in-store credit when you donate an old guitar amplifier.
The third way you can do with your old guitar amplifier is to sell it on online markets. Many online sites still sell old guitar amps, even if they are not working. One of the reasons why many still buy old guitar amps even if they don’t work anymore is that they can still recover their working parts. They can recycle the parts and use them on their other guitar amps.
How To Dispose A Modeling And A Hybrid Guitar Amplifier
So, what do modeling and a hybrid guitar amplifier mean? A modeling amp is a type of amplifier that comes with processors that can emulate other guitar amplifiers and effects. On the other hand, a hybrid guitar amp is another type of amplifier that combines different technologies. A great example of this is a guitar amplifier with a modeling preamp section but uses a tube for its power amp section.
These types of guitar amplifiers can also be brought into an electronic recycling center. You can also donate them or trade them in stores offering such deals, so you can also have some discounts if you plan to buy one.
You can also sell your guitar amp so that other people can disassemble their parts and use it for other guitar amps, but if you have other guitar amps, you can disassemble them on your own so that you can use the parts for repair if something happens to them.
How To Dispose A Tube Guitar Amplifier
A tube guitar amp is a type of amp that uses vacuum valves or tubes to amplify electrical signals produced by a musical instrument. They require a different level of maintenance, so disposing of them also is a little bit different from other guitar amps.
Similar to other guitar amps, you can bring them to an electronic recycling center. You can also donate or trade them to music stores, but as they have more value as tube amps are more expensive, you can get more significant discounts if you plan to trade them in and get new gear.
You can also sell it or disassemble its parts and use it in the future. It’s only difference is that it has tubes in it. For the tubes to be safely disposed of, bring them to recycling centers. Tubes have hazardous metals on them, such as Mercury, especially for older ones, so it is better if you let them get rid of it than do it on your own.
So, how to dispose of a guitar amp? You can bring them to recycle centers, donate, trade, sell, or disassemble their parts and recycle them on your own. There are many ways to do it; the important thing is not to allow it to rot in garbage areas, as it can be dangerous to the environment and other people.
