All Genz Benz products on "standby" by Fender ??

[dDaddybass]

I cant believe this thread hasn't been shut down yet.

[will33]

Originally Posted by dDaddybass

I cant believe this thread hasn't been shut down yet.

Why?



Oh yeah, wait.......FMIC potential advertising budget.......yeah, you're right.

[arai]

Originally Posted by will33

...The deafening silence from Genz ...

I would have thought this a whole heap of BS, but the silence is concerning. Genz have a big voice on here and to not say anything in an 12 page thread. Worrying

[two fingers]

Just doing what they are told. They are literally ON HOLD. That means "everybody shut up for a few weeks until we figure out what's next". It's smart thinking. No need to feed the hounds at this point. We're all just speculating here. But if they release something before all the loose ends get tied up, that would be nothing but bad. Be patient. All will be revealed in due time.

[will33]

Originally Posted by arai

I would have thought this a whole heap of BS, but the silence is concerning. Genz have a big voice on here and to not say anything in an 12 page thread. Worrying

It would be coming from corporate higherups, likely with the threat of losing employment. It's not as if agedhorse and the rest of the Genz guys enjoy this. They likely think worse of it than we do.

[arai]

Originally Posted by will33

It would be coming from corporate higherups, likely with the threat of losing employment. It's not as if agedhorse and the rest of the Genz guys enjoy this. They likely think worse of it than we do.

True. I wonder if the "higher ups" see the great customer service as eating into profits. It would be pretty typical of short sighted big business

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

Dude, yer movin' in on my turf!

ok, I tell you what. I'll throw in SWR. And a cookie.

[will33]

Originally Posted by arai

True. I wonder if the "higher ups" see the great customer service has eaten into profits. It would be pretty typical short sighted big business

Probably the same reason Dell computer customer service phone was answered by "steve" in India. They like to treat you as bad as they can, but just before the point you stop sending your money there.

The guys that are really calling the shots in this musical equipment business probably "couldn't carry a tune in a bushel basket" as my Dad would say. They don't care if they're selling guitars, amps, toasters, toothbrushes or toiletries. As long as they can take a maximum amount of your money while costing the least amount of theirs.

Things like good customer service, products that will last decades thus negating the need to buy more, and genuinely giving a damn don't seem to be up there on the list of priorities.

[IPYF]

Originally Posted by will33

It would be coming from corporate higherups, likely with the threat of losing employment. It's not as if agedhorse and the rest of the Genz guys enjoy this. They likely think worse of it than we do.

I thought it was established very early that some announcements with regard to SWR and Genz were going to be made at NAMM?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure I read that somewhere in one of the many threads on this same subject. If this is in fact the case this perceived 'silence' from the Genz employees is not a legitimate thing. They've already told the community what they need to know.

Maybe they should have made a "We'll tell you what's happening at NAMM!" music video, or spelled out the same message in semaphore, or sent the message out to every TB member on a gilded cart via carrier pigeon. What more can you ask from these people?

[arai]

Originally Posted by will33

Probably the same reason Dell computer customer service phone was answered by "steve" in India. They like to treat you as bad as they can, but just before the point you stop sending your money there.

The guys that are really calling the shots in this musical equipment business probably "couldn't carry a tune in a bushel basket" as my Dad would say. They don't care if they're selling guitars, amps, toasters, toothbrushes or toiletries. As long as they can take a maximum amount of your money while costing the least amount of theirs.

Things like good customer service, products that will last decades thus negating the need to buy more, and genuinely giving a damn don't seem to be up there on the list of priorities.

Indeed.
You can look at spread sheets all day but, for an example, it cost the company time and money to address a problem with someone's amp then send a replacement speaker at a cost to GB. You can see that on paper but what you don't see is that customer raving to his mates about it. Best advertising is word of mouth

[nostatic]

And how many posts/threads on TB are about grinding down stores on price, endless gyrations to get "the best deal", demoing local then buying online, etc.

Reap what you sow.

As for the "silence is telling", if you've worked in management for a medium to large organization, you'd know that no matter what decision may or may not have been made, employees of said organization can do more harm than good by making a comment here. They are in a lose-lose situation. If GB is going under, saying that prior to official announcements would have negative consequences. If GB is not going under but instead is reorganizing distribution channels, saying that could have negative consequences. For all we know FMIC could be in negotiations to spin GB back out as an independent company. Any comment from people could affect those negotiations.

This isn't the same as Jule or Duke or Roger B. posting. Those are small, independent companies that live or die in the social space. Large corporations are a different beast, and once you are part of the borg everything changes.

[arai]

Originally Posted by nostatic

And how many posts/threads on TB are about grinding down stores on price, endless gyrations to get "the best deal", demoing local then buying online, etc.

Reap what you sow.

won't there be a whole heap of bitching and moaning when the only way to try out gear is to buy it first

Originally Posted by nostatic

As for the "silence is telling", if you've worked in management for a medium to large organization, you'd know that no matter what decision may or may not have been made, employees of said organization can do more harm than good by making a comment here. They are in a lose-lose situation. If GB is going under, saying that prior to official announcements would have negative consequences. If GB is not going under but instead is reorganizing distribution channels, saying that could have negative consequences. For all we know FMIC could be in negotiations to spin GB back out as an independent company. Any comment from people could affect those negotiations.

This isn't the same as Jule or Duke or Roger B. posting. Those are small, independent companies that live or die in the social space. Large corporations are a different beast, and once you are part of the borg everything changes.

It will all come out in the wash we just have to wait and see.

[SteveC]

It is interesting that NAMM is soon and usually the GB guys "leak" a few clues as to new product. I haven't seen anything.

Companies come and go. Sometimes really good ones. It would be sad but not a surprise. Is anyone surprised by anything any more?

[will33]

Originally Posted by nostatic

And how many posts/threads on TB are about grinding down stores on price, endless gyrations to get "the best deal", demoing local then buying online, etc.

Reap what you sow.

As for the "silence is telling", if you've worked in management for a medium to large organization, you'd know that no matter what decision may or may not have been made, employees of said organization can do more harm than good by making a comment here. They are in a lose-lose situation. If GB is going under, saying that prior to official announcements would have negative consequences. If GB is not going under but instead is reorganizing distribution channels, saying that could have negative consequences. For all we know FMIC could be in negotiations to spin GB back out as an independent company. Any comment from people could affect those negotiations.

This isn't the same as Jule or Duke or Roger B. posting. Those are small, independent companies that live or die in the social space. Large corporations are a different beast, and once you are part of the borg everything changes.

Originally Posted by IPYF

I thought it was established very early that some announcements with regard to SWR and Genz were going to be made at NAMM?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure I read that somewhere in one of the many threads on this same subject. If this is in fact the case this perceived 'silence' from the Genz employees is not a legitimate thing. They've already told the community what they need to know.

Maybe they should have made a "We'll tell you what's happening at NAMM!" music video, or spelled out the same message in semaphore, or sent the message out to every TB member on a gilded cart via carrier pigeon. What more can you ask from these people?

This is all very true and it's kind of "the way it is".

By the same token, anybody who's been around for just a little while can read between the lines and listen to the silence.

I don't need to wait for some "official announcement" from some "PR specialist" who's only function in life is to blow what they percieve to be quality smoke up our collective hindends to know something's amiss and it's probably not good. The cards have been dealt. The only purpose of waiting for some "official announcement" is to give them time to come up with a smoother line of BS....that's all.


Yes...you may call me a cynic....others may call me a realist....and you're probably both right.

[IPYF]

Originally Posted by will33

This is all very true and it's kind of "the way it is".

By the same token, anybody who's been around for just a little while can read between the lines and listen to the silence.

I don't need to wait for some "official announcement" from some "PR specialist" who's only function in life is to blow what they percieve to be quality smoke up our collective hindends to know something's amiss and it's probably not good.

And if it turns out you're wrong and everything is ok there might be some silence from your end.

Speculation and assumption are the mother and father of all f*ckups.

[60bass]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Large corporations are a different beast, and once you are part of the borg everything changes.

True if they tell you your company is done ......... resistance is futile!

[will33]

Originally Posted by IPYF

And if it turns out you're wrong and everything is ok there might be some silence from your end.

Speculation and assumption are the mother and father of all f*ckups.

Also true. Though my gut feelings on stuff like this have been right more than wrong in the past, if it doesn't work out that way on this one, you won't hear silence. You will hear "well, I didn't get that one right". It doesn't hurt all that much for one to admit they're wrong sometimes....rather liberating really.

Here's hoping FMIC gets behind Genz and pushes them out there as a flagship line. I really would like to see that, though I'm not holding my breath.

Again, as far as the suits in the corporate headquarters, they don't care whether they're making tasers, transvestites or trampolines, as long as the bottom line looks good. And I still maintain most of them couldn't carry a tune in a bushel basket.....they don't have to.

[Rockin Mike]

Originally Posted by AMp'D.2play

What's the best metal for bridge?

win.

[PurpleDrank]

Originally Posted by nostatic

...If GB is going under, saying that prior to official announcements would have negative consequences. If GB is not going under but instead is reorganizing distribution channels, saying that could have negative consequences. For all we know FMIC could be in negotiations to spin GB back out as an independent company...

As much as I would like to see GB as an independent again, I don't think Fender would like to unleash a competitor that has superior products. I hope it's just a distribution modification.

Personally, I love Genz-Benz stuff for many reasons and hope to buy more in the future. I'm hoping what is happening here is that Fender is trying to position Genz in between their starter junk and Rumble series on the low end and their all-tube amps on the high end. Kind of slot them in as their high-end solid-state/hybrid amps and lightweight cabs (a position they currently occupy in the market anyway). I think they were trying to do the same with SWR, but, unlike Genz, SWR failed to continue to innovate for whatever reason, and fell by the wayside in the Fender pecking order. It would be really short sighted for Fender to be thinking about killing off the strongest line of bass amplification (and acoustic amps for that matter) in their portfolio, so I kind of doubt that they are.

I'm just really hoping that the news is about getting more GB products into the North American Fender dealer networks, and that's why they have to throttle the European deliveries until production ramps up.

A guy can be optimistic, right?

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by will33

Also true. Though my gut feelings on stuff like this have been right more than wrong in the past, if it doesn't work out that way on this one, you won't hear silence. You will hear "well, I didn't get that one right". It doesn't hurt all that much for one to admit they're wrong sometimes....rather liberating really.

Here's hoping FMIC gets behind Genz and pushes them out there as a flagship line. I really would like to see that, though I'm not holding my breath.

Again, as far as the suits in the corporate headquarters, they don't care whether they're making tasers, transvestites or trampolines, as long as the bottom line looks good. And I still maintain most of them couldn't carry a tune in a bushel basket.....they don't have to.

You seem to be pretty jaded when it comes to corporate affairs. However, I would offer this. Sometimes it is BEST not to be too involved with your product if you are a CEO. I knew a man who ran 12 piano stores. He took the company from almost bankrupt to making tons of money per year in only a few short years. He improved everything about the company. He neither played nor wanted a piano. The man who had almost run the company into the ground was a very accomplished pianist, but couldn't sell his way out of a wet paper bag.

Bosses aren't evil. Corporations OWE their shareholders the BEST bottom line. It's not ugly or evil. It's actually beautiful in its simplicity and mutual benefit. There will always smaller shops you can buy from if you like your hand held through the process. If you want to be able to call Mr.Widget on the phone to ask a question about your Widget 2000, then Fender or GB is not the company for you. There are plenty out there who will build you a bass, a rig, or even a pedal and paint it whatever color you like and chat you up on the phone 15 times before, during, and after your purchase. Doing that on a grand scale is neither profitable nor practical. And even attempting to do those personal touches for thousands and thousands of customers is both unrealistic and a waste of time/resources. Mass markets have a place in this world. They keep costs down for everyone. They make quality goods available to the masses in a way that is convenient and affordable. The "cost" of that is not so many touchy feely warm fuzzy frills in the process.