Welcome to Tertiary Tone. My name is Blake Eliasson, and I offer maintenance, repair, and modification services for vacuum tube guitar amplifiers in Boulder, Colorado. A longtime tube amp enthusiast, I've spent years keeping my own amps — and those of friends — sounding their best.

As your guitar amp tech, I believe in faithful servicing. Vintage components that are still functional stay in your amp - and any that must be replaced go home with you. Whether your vintage amp needs careful servicing to bring it back to its best or you're looking for a modification to unlock new tones from a modern amp, I'm here to help.

I have a background in electrical engineering and have been an IEEE member for 33 years. My career in research labs was spent designing and developing solid-state devices — but at home, I always preferred my vacuum tube amps.

In 2007, I started a small commercial winery with the goal of producing elegant, cellar-worthy wines from Colorado-grown grapes. Many of those early wines continue to develop beautifully, revealing exquisite tertiary aromas. The name Tertiary Tone is a nod to that chapter: wine evolves from the aromas of the grape (primary), through fermentation and the barrel (secondary), and finally into the stage where the real magic happens — the tertiary.

Now returning to my electrical roots, I bring that same devotion and attention to detail to vacuum tube amplifiers. I look forward to getting your amp back on its feet, running reliably, and sounding its very best — and perhaps reveal a little of its own magical tertiary tone.

Pricing

Every project starts with a $100 bench fee. It's non-refundable, but it's not a separate charge - it applies towards your amps evaluation and any service performed. For simple guitar amp repair & maintenance the bench fee often covers the whole job.

Most service stays modest in cost though some repairs call for more extensive work. I don't bill by the hour; I price by the project, so the cost reflects the work your amp needs, not the clock.

Here's how it works: I first evaluate your amp, then send you a firm quote before doing anything further. If the repair estimate turns out to be more than you expected, you're not obligated to proceed and you're free to pick up your amp after the evaluation.

Parts are billed separately from labor. For anything I don't stock, you're welcome to order it and ship it directly to me, which usually saves you money over me sourcing it.

Inquiries

Tertiary Tone is by appointment only. Use this form to get in touch and let me know how I can help you out.

Though my passion is guitar tube amplifiers, I welcome related electronics inquiries too — I've done my share of swapping pickups, modding tone pots, repairing pedals, and even reviving solid-state amplifiers and studio monitors. Reach out and let's see what we can do.

Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to helping you with your vacuum tube guitar amp maintenance and repair needs.

Blake's small workbench setup for amp repair and testing.