In most cases, unfortunately, not.

I love helping people – I was a science teacher for 15 years – but remotely guiding people I don’t know through complex technical work that I’m not formally engaged to undertake is not a service I offer.

There are four main reasons:

1. I don’t want to guide anyone into a situation where they hurt themselves or their equipment. Attempting to describe concepts/processes, assess/measure parts, and use test and measurement equipment and soldering tools while keeping someone who likely doesn’t understand the dangers of electronics safe is simply not sensible.
2. Most equipment owners (not all) lack the equipment, knowledge, parts and experience needed to undertake electronic work, guided or otherwise. Better to take it to a specialist.
3. People often don’t realise that electronics repair can be time-consuming and expensive. It will almost certainly be MORE time-consuming and possibly expensive using the guided DIY approach, especially if there are issues created by this approach, which there usually are.
4. The equipment owner has to pay for the guidance/time, but may not be capable of repairing their equipment. What then?
5. I need to safeguard my IP and proprietary solutions, many of which I’ve developed from scratch, for maintaining hi-fi equipment. My work is already copied, without attribution or remuneration, and often for commercial gain and I often receive requests like this from/for other commercial repairers. I like helping people, but my competitors, not so much!

I encourage local, hands-on specialist assistance as the best option in most cases, where such individuals exist. For those needing assistance who cannot bring equipment to me and cannot find any local specialist help, our paid advisory service may be able to help. I make no promises, but you are welcome to ask.

Note that I am unable to provide service data, more on that here.