Genz Benz - do you consider them MIA?

scowboy · #1 08-22-2010, 09:45 AM

So I have been slowly trying to migrate as much of my gear as I can to be made (or mostly) made in America and assembled for sure. I know that probably very few mfg's of any type source all components 100% on shore.

So do you consider Genz Benz to be MIA, Shuttle Max 12 is the current object of my desire.

chicago_mike · #2 08-22-2010, 09:54 AM

You're not going to find anything truly and only made in America except crippling depression and unemployment. Anyhoo...

The back of my GB amp says Designed and Inspected in America. So, unless I am wrong, its prolly built in China.

Edit: My shuttle 9.0 is my baby.

SteveC · #3 08-22-2010, 09:56 AM

I consider Genz Benz to be one the best companies out there and their products are second to none. I have owned several heads, cabs and combos and all have been top notch - including the Max 12.

I don't know how much is American made, but I do know they produce a great product and stand behind it 110%.

naturalkinds · #4 08-22-2010, 10:50 AM

Apple computers aren't MIA.

JimmyM · #5 08-22-2010, 10:58 AM

i consider the genz benz team to be great people. that should be way more important to you than if they use a few foreign made components.

**mikeddd** · #6 08-22-2010, 11:02 AM

As Chicago Mike said, very few things (electronics in particular) are wholly made in America today. I look at customer service first and foremost. Genz-Benz excells at CS; I have had two very postitive experiences with them as have many others here on TB. Secondly, and if I'm looking for the "MIA Factor" I look at where the ownership of the company is. For many years now, many "big electronics manufacturers" have been quietly bought up by huge conglomerates and most times, the quality of the product and customer service suffers, big time.

For example, Harman Inc. owns many well known "American" companies like JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. I am not sure but I think today, Harman Inc. is owned by a Chinese company. If so, most profits eventually wind up there.

GB may have some products built overseas, but the quality control is done here in the states and most importantly, the majority of the profits stays here. My two, red, Amercian cents.

Thornton Davis · #7 08-22-2010, 11:03 AM

My ShuttleMAX 12.0 clearly states on the back of it that it was Designed & Inspected in the USA. Assembled in Taiwan.

It's a great amp, don't hesitate to buy yourself one.

TD

mccartneyman · #8 08-22-2010, 11:08 AM

+1 on GB customer service and quality, wherever it's made. Same for the Lakland Korean-Indonesian basses. I agree that's extremely hard to find anything made wholly in America. Even American flags are made overseas these days.

pin_head_47 · #9 08-22-2010, 11:16 AM

I don't think you can find ANY electronic component that's completely made in the USA. Even if you built the whole thing yourself, good luck finding all the pieces from nothing but USA made parts.

scowboy · #10 08-22-2010, 11:21 AM

I agree with most of you. American ownership is important. My point of view comes from selling into China having had a couple of very bad experiences. For the most part in my particular experiences their word means nothing contract or not. I'd have rather not done the deal there and the less of my money that goes there the better.

My current main amp is made in China and it's something that does bother me - My #2 amp is a GB Shuttle 3.0 10-T combo and I really like it so far. Taiwan, though still in Asia is a slightly different story.

will33 · #11 08-22-2010, 12:00 PM

About as close as you can get nowdays, with the exception of possibly a very few high end brands or specific items, is designed here, built there, inspected here before it hits the shelf. Even if something is wholly manufactured here, the little electronics parts inside likely came from somewhere else. Genz has a good rep. for quality, reliability and customer service as do a few other companies. As far as I know, GK's RB series is still built here, the rest of the line follows more of the Genz model.

KsPiNeSh · #12 08-22-2010, 12:03 PM

Genz cabs are made in their shop in Arizona.

agedhorse · #13 08-22-2010, 12:04 PM

Just to add a little here for factual purposes...

All of our products are designed here in the states. We do not subcontract any of our design work out of the country.

All of our speaker products are manufactured in the states, almost 100% from domestic parts and materials.

Our electronics are manufactured in Taiwan, in a shop that builds products only for us (other than some industrial electronics). They do not build for anybody else in this industry.

Taiwan is VERY different than mainland China. Due to years of colonial rule, Taiwan (and Hong Kong) have had intimate access to western education, business and financial procedures, and perhaps even more importantly they have had access to western people and have worked side by side learning the western ways. English is also taught in their schools and depending on the region, may be started as mandatory as early as the second grade.

We QC inspect, test all functions and burn in all products at various points in the manufacturing and supply process. We also build a lot of QC into the product starting from the basic design and layout of the product. That's why a 3 year transferrable warranty is "no big deal" from our end.

Hope this helps clarify.

Kwesi · #14 08-22-2010, 12:08 PM

American made doesn't mean anything besides the parts being in a different geological location when it comes to dealing with a high quality stuff like Genz-Benz. Location is not something you should be concerned about, customer service and track record are. Genz-Benz has proven excellent in both.

Agedhorse pretty much ended the thread but I thought I'd throw a lil sumthin in there.

deekay911 · #15 08-22-2010, 12:14 PM

The GB Shuttles (and others) use the Bang and Olufsen proprietary ICE Class D power modules, which I believe are made in Europe somewhere - they are certainyl designed in Denmark. Not sure if that makes them more or less acceptable than fare east

Medford Bassman · #16 08-22-2010, 01:08 PM

Great products and great customer service. I cannot recommend GB any higher. You would do yourself a favor by owning their stuff.

The times I had to contact to company Jeff was the guy responding and problem solved so quickly it made my head spin.

Keep up the good work.

retardedpossum · #17 08-22-2010, 01:13 PM

I have a GB shuttle 6 and uber 410. In the next few weeks I plan on adding a uber212 and shuttle max12. I love love love GB

**bassybill** · #18 08-22-2010, 01:31 PM

Thanks for keeping the discussion civil, guys. I just had to delete one post for political content - let's keep the talk about amps and leave politics for elsewhere, please.

hrgiger · #19 08-22-2010, 01:59 PM

I don't think the OP main concern was whether the Taiwanese are nice people (they are) or what language they speak, and he knows that they build great amps...

scowboy · #20 08-22-2010, 02:06 PM

This is a lot about amps and something about preference based on my personal experience.

Bummer you deleted that post, the guy nailed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

Thanks for keeping the discussion civil, guys. I just had to delete one post for political content - let's keep the talk about amps and leave politics for elsewhere, please.