Comment by fuzzfactor

>I'd wager learning the basics

Very good bet.

You still have to beat the odds a lot of times beyond that, since some things are just plain fubar and can't be fixed :\

Others which can just barely be fixed often rely on equal parts luck and skill, I'm the first to admit.

I like the idea of learning how to build for a bit, before migrating more seriously toward teardown & repair.

A really good start is to build a few simple hobbyist kits that run on 9 volt batteries.

You may just get blinking LED's or a buzzing speaker but everything is in the kit and you get the experience with individual components.

You can gain a lot that way without even trying to understand theory, but one of the best ways to develop understanding is to go back to a project you have built from the ground up, and then research each of the elements that you have already been successfully working with until you reach full understanding or at least a satisfactory plateau at that point. Simple discrete components are probably best to develop great confidence with, before trying to deeply study the internals of integrated circuit "chips". It can also be a lot more meaningful when it's your own project you are learning basic theory about, or even the most advanced equations. If you concentrate on a limited area, it sure is more within reach than learning everything you need for a degree.

The main "academic" thing that you can not skip is constantly learning how to better read & draw schematics.

You will definitely be more quickly able to "turn something that doesn't work" (never even was working!) into something that works if your success rate is nominal.

Every project like this is helpful as long as you are continuing to learn, Once you have built a simple kit you may later want to revisit the device and construct a "duplicate" from entirely recycled components that you must first remove from scrap circuit boards. If you do the math these can be some of the most affordable components :) Also flexes your un-soldering ability. All without electronic theory, but it's there for the asking any time you want to dig deeper.

You will use all that experience to better repair things when they need it, especially the simpler problems which may not be the most abundant but it's nice to have them under control. Gaining more intuition about electron flow in general through experience will be more rewarding through time.

While escalating your abilities when your ambition moves beyond 9 volts.

More care than needed will get you a lot further than less care.