"
No Clue wrote:
But hey, that's how you learn. I have a resistor that completely broke
off
the circuit board in a guitar amp that I have. I located exactly where
it
came off but it was loose in the chassis. Here's the dumb question.
Does
it matter which way it goes back in or does a resistor work the same in
either direction?

They work the same in either direction. The important thing
to know is why this resistor came lose. It may have
overheated enough to unsolder itself, and that is a symptom
of some other problem that may need repair.


Or the result of a very poor design.

Or lead-free solder - that would be a very plausible cause of components
falling out. Don't laugh, it does actually happen!


Not when you solder it right in the first place....