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

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by BuffaloBob4343

This is not entirely true. While he may not have been the owner since 2003, he was allowed to run the company as if he was still the boss under Kaman.

That's the marketing spin. And, so long has he made enough money for them, they were ok with it. But, let's not pretend for a second that Jeff was autonomous under Kaman. Life doesn't work that way.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by Limeman

+1.

I can't say I've seen any panic going on here, merely talk and discussion (and a lot of sarcasm and joking... all good!) about what may/may not happen. All we can do is wait and see what transpires - hopefully it will be even better designs from Jeff and Andy in the near future. Time will tell.

I must me looking at a different thread.......

[gregbackstrom]

Originally Posted by BuffaloBob4343

This is not entirely true. While he may not have been the owner since 2003, he was allowed to run the company as if he was still the boss under Kaman. So he may not have been "the boss" de jure, but he was still certainly the de facto boss. He continued to develop products and run the business free of any meaningful interference.

This is really not very much different from going public. For a publicly traded company, you are no longer "the boss" in an ownership sense either. It is the shareholders as a group who are the owner and you still have to answer to them or possibly lose your job. Nevertheless, you are afforded the position of running the company as you see fit, at least as long as the Board of Directors, as representative of the shareholders, permits you.

So why would anyone panic? He and we had the best of both worlds. He was able to cash in his chips, and he now had the kind of cash behind him that could fund the development of some really nice products of his and Andy's own creation. He saw to the day-to-day of the business pretty much as he had before the sale to Kamen.

Apparently, this was the case until quite recently. So why the panic now? Because apparently the new boss ain't the same as the old boss.

Many of us who followed Genz from the beginning knew they were bought out and took comfort that they were allowed to run themselves. For those who came along later, they knew the Genz Benz that was allowed to operate as they have for the past 8-9 years, pretty much independently of "ownership.".

So I think it is quite understandable while some are torqued a bit by this change, given the history of the company to this point.

I find it interesting there are so many folks in this thread that appear to have detailed, inside information about agreements made by the principals of Genz Benz, Kaman and Fender with respect to GB's short-term and long-term operations. I've been a GB customer for years -- I'm on my 7th GB amp. And yet, amazingly, Jeff hasn't consulted me regarding his previous or future GB involvement. Am I the only one who's been left out of the loop?

Or is it possible that some of us are assuming we know what's going on when we actually don't?

BTW, for those of you WHO TRULY KNOW what's going on (i.e. GB or Fender employees, Jeff's relatives, etc.), please don't take offense at this!

[60bass]

Originally Posted by gregbackstrom

Or is it possible that some of us are assuming we know what's going on when we actually don't?

For sure but that's one reason I can't stay away from this thread

[Not yet]

It's a business, no matter how involved we all are into the mythology here.... In an era of reorgs and downsizing and then more resource repurposing I hope only the best for the Genz folks regardless of what is good for us

[AllFourths]

Why has no one from Genz Benz posted on this thread to put this all to rest?

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by AllFourths

Why has no one from Genz Benz posted on this thread to put this all to rest?

It seems clear that the GB employees that typically post in these forums aren't at liberty to discuss. Even if they did, you would be given the same answer that's been given now MULTIPLE times........

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by AllFourths

Why has no one from Genz Benz posted on this thread to put this all to rest?

While we are all just speculating here, there are countless post on that very topic in this thread. More than likely, they have been told by "the boss" to keep quiet until the details of whatever is next are announced. That may or may not be the case here, but that practice is quite common in larger corporations. I have seen news stories where people showed up to factories and stores to go to work only to find gates/doors locked. None of the employees saw it coming. Surely someone high up in those companies knew something, but they were told to keep it under their hats.

Just guessing, but it's an educated guess. This is most likely what is going on.

[steve_rolfeca]

Or, there's nothing going on. And therefore nothing to discuss...

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by two fingers

While we are all just speculating here, there are countless post on that very topic in this thread. More than likely, they have been told by "the boss" to keep quiet until the details of whatever is next are announced. That may or may not be the case here, but that practice is quite common in larger corporations. I have seen news stories where people showed up to factories and stores to go to work only to find gates/doors locked. None of the employees saw it coming. Surely someone high up in those companies knew something, but they were told to keep it under their hats.

Just guessing, but it's an educated guess. This is most likely what is going on.

Large corporations have very strict policies about public and media relations, so that their message is consistent and properly delivered. As such, they typically discourage employees that aren't engaged in customer or media relations from speaking on behalf of the company. These types of policies aren't just enforced when the company is going under, but rather all the time........

I work for a bank. If I saw someone discussing my bank's management decisions in a public forum, I would put my job at risk for engaging in the conversation. Despite the fact that I am an "executive" in the bank, I am not authorized to speak publicly many issues.

It's just corporate policy.....

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

Or, there's nothing going on. And therefore nothing to discuss...

I would argue that if nothing were going on, and nobody had been ordered to shut up, then they would be leaping at the chance to put this to rest. This thread wouldn't have lasted a dozen posts. Don't you think?

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by two fingers

I would argue that if nothing were going on, and nobody had been ordered to shut up, then they would be leaping at the chance to put this to rest. This thread wouldn't have lasted a dozen posts. Don't you think?

No, as I said above.

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

Large corporations have very strict policies about public and media relations, so that their message is consistent and properly delivered. As such, they typically discourage employees that aren't engaged in customer or media relations from speaking on behalf of the company. These types of policies aren't just enforced when the company is going under, but rather all the time........

I work for a bank. If I saw someone discussing my bank's management decisions in a public forum, I would put my job at risk for engaging in the conversation. Despite the fact that I am an "executive" in the bank, I am not authorized to speak publicly many issues.

It's just corporate policy.....

And here are the responses:

Originally Posted by rapidfirerob

Here is the response I got this morning from the same Fender rep I quoted earlier, regarding GB continuing and the fact that Jeff Genzler used to answer the phone himself:

Absolutely Rob. Jeff is actually in our R&D department working with all of our lines now; so although he does not answer the phones anymore he is still very much part of the company and now part of our other brands as well.

Best Regards,

Eric Molinari
Consumer Relations Representative

Originally Posted by rapidfirerob

Here is the response I just got from my question to GB regarding the possible demise of Genz Benz and why no booth at NAMM:

Hey Rob,



We're part of the Fender organization now and are focusing at the NAMM show on new products we're bringing to market now. We currently don’t have anything new from Genz Benz to share as we transition into the organization; that’s why we didn’t have a booth this weekend.



Best Regards,



Eric Molinari

Consumer Relations Representative



Fender Musical Instruments Corp.

17600 N. Perimeter Dr., Suite 100

Scottsdale, AZ 85255

480-596-7195

emolinari@fender.com

[eyeballkid]

just wondering.. as this may shed some light... what was the Genz Benz presence @ NAMM?
any new products?

[nostatic]

Ha - that is just corporate double talk. I know the real story. It turns out that Jeff and Andy.....

no...wait...dammit...not again...

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by AllFourths

Why has no one from Genz Benz posted on this thread to put this all to rest?

As I mentioned above, it is Fender corporate policy for their employees not to comment in public forums.

[60bass]

Originally Posted by two fingers

I would argue that if nothing were going on, and nobody had been ordered to shut up, then they would be leaping at the chance to put this to rest. This thread wouldn't have lasted a dozen posts. Don't you think?

^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^

If You look at postings about anything with mention of Genz Benz in the past on TB they almost always responded to threads very early on. The silence from them on this thread has been worrisome to say the least and no doubt is one of the reasons this thread is still continued. IMO Seems a lot of people are waiting for some kind of reply from them which so far has not been seen.

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by eyeballkid

just wondering.. as this may shed some light... what was the Genz Benz presence @ NAMM?
any new products?

I know it's a long thread, but to cut to the chase, there were no Genz-Benz products on display at NAMM. According to the guys at the Fender booth, it was because Genz had nothing new to show. No SWR products, either.

This made it kind of hard to give Jeff or Roger the Bass Gear Magazine Best of Show Award from the 2012 Winter NAMM Show for their Focus line of cabs...

[bucephylus]

That's pathetic (Molinari responses).

Typical marketing tripe.

If nothing else, a relatively large shift in culture has occurred.

Sadly, Fender could learn something useful from JG and crew rather than the clearly prevailing vice-versa.

IMO.

Now, that I've vented my spleen, I also have a rule. it is called "the parents' house rule." That rule states that when you are in your parents house, it is irrelevant whether they are right or wrong; it is their house.

[wvbass]

Originally Posted by 60bass

^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^

If You look at postings about anything with mention of Genz Benz in the past on TB they almost always responded to threads very early on. The silence from them on this thread has been worrisome to say the least and no doubt is one of the reasons this thread is still continued. IMO Seems a lot of people are waiting for some kind of reply from them which so far has not been seen.

Nope. This is not accurate. AgedHorse has been quick to respond and have been very helpful in threads where there have been product questions or issues. He still is active in this way. This is just not one of those threads. Lack of participation in this thread is an indication of nothing, except maybe having a clue, a life, or better things to do.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by 60bass

^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^

If You look at postings about anything with mention of Genz Benz in the past on TB they almost always responded to threads very early on. The silence from them on this thread has been worrisome to say the least and no doubt is one of the reasons this thread is still continued. IMO Seems a lot of people are waiting for some kind of reply from them which so far has not been seen.

Technical issues, not corporate issues. Certainly you understand the difference?