Would Ampeg had gotten more repect if they moved to Mexico?

[fenderhutz]

In the essence of my other poll I started thinking. If Loud would have decided to move production of the low end stuff to Mexico and keep the higher end stuff in the US and pull a Fender would you have accepted their business decision better?

[fenderhutz]

Again, please follow the guidelines provided by the mods on this subject.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

It would have been even cooler if they had moved some production to japan and that was cheaper and surpassed the more expensive american models. Like Fender

In all honesty, it would not have made a difference to me, America, Mexico, Asia, has no effect on my buying of ampeg gear.

[fenderhutz]

I also think I posted this in the wrong area. Mods feel free to move it if so.

[fenderhutz]

Yeah, I could imagine custom CIJ SVT models in different colors and graphics.

[bmc]

Would it matter if they moved production from Illinois to Alaska? It's reasonable to assume that the quality would drop, right?

[fenderhutz]

I have noticed most (not all) of the people that question why we are discussing this are:

1. Not living in America. (don't understand walking into a music store and talking about an Ampeg growing up was like a gearhead talking about his muscle car). Knowing the local Ampeg rep by first name and finding out the "good" deal on factory seconds after a quick phone call. Getting a phone call within an hour from an engineer with a detailed question answered about a specific amp piece. All of those people are gone now and you have only an American corpoate contact that has nothing to do with building or designing the amps anymore.

2. Don't play an Ampeg amp.

For those that aren't in America, yes, Ampeg (SLM) was large company, but the guys making the amps were knowledgable and could be reached and willing to help. Again a great company that I will miss.

I work in the technology field and have lost my job to outsourcing. I understand why these types of business decisions are made and could care less if the Import model is 100% to spec with the USA stuff. I have lost my PERSONAL interest with the company. If it would have been Mesa, GK, or any other company it wouldn't hit home as hard. We are talking 50 years of American design and ingenuity that became an industry standard.

[bmc]

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

I have noticed most (not all) of the people that question why we are discussing this are:

1. Not living in America. (don't understand walking into a music store and talking about an Ampeg growing up was like a gearhead talking about his muscle car). Knowing the local Ampeg rep by first name and finding out the "good" deal on factory seconds after a quick phone call. Getting a phone call within an hour from an engineer with a detailed question answered about a specific amp piece. All of those people are gone now and you have only an American corpoate contact that has nothing to do with building or designing the amps anymore.

2. Don't play an Ampeg amp.

For those that aren't in America, yes, Ampeg (SLM) was large company, but the guys making the amps were knowledgable and could be reached and willing to help. Again a great company that I will miss.

I work in the technology field and have lost my job to outsourcing. I understand why these types of business decisions are made and could care less if the Import model is 100% to spec with the USA stuff. I have lost my PERSONAL interest with the company. If it would have been Mesa, GK, or any other company it wouldn't hit home as hard. We are talking 50 years of American design and ingenuity that became an industry standard.

1. I grew up in Montreal and started checking out Ampeg gear in 1975. Owned a B-15N for three years. Have used Ampegs in backlines.

2. I don't use Ampeg anymore. Very expensive here to justify ownership. No longer interested in moving heavy gear at 2am.
To me, the Ampeg SVT is THE benchmark of what a bass amp should sound like. It is perfection. It's also made up of a 90lb head and 120lb cab. I love those amps.

I think your last post drives home your issues a lot clearer to me and I can honestly appreciate where you're coming from. It would not be unlike Chevrolet moving the Corvette production line to Bulgaria. This is iconic stuff, like apple pie.

I get ya.

[Lost Drummer]

I try to buy American when possible, support the local economy and all that. If an American company isn't making what I want I will go to a forigen competitior.

It might make me a little sad that they moved production but that's life.

[alfredpunkjazz]

I am shure that if they had moved the production over here, Americans would still have an american made line... Plus, we do amps for other companies... Plus, it's eassier to comunicate with a country that it is so close to ther US and not in the other side of the world... And believe me, I understand what you're talking about american icons, we, mexicans, have adopted a lot of them, and have our own icons, which are, in a strange way, very close to yours...

I don't know, I might be biased because I live in México, but I think things would had gone better.

[davetakis]

I'M A "BE AMERICAN BUY AMERICAN" KIND OF GUY. i realize that 2 of my basses were made in japan, but at least ampeg was still bassed in the usa at that time they were built.

[The Penguin]

Originally Posted by alfredpunkjazz

I am shure that if they had moved the production over here, Americans would still have an american made line...

That's true as Mexico is part of America and Mexicans are Americans. A distinction often lost up here in the north.

If we want a US made amp we still have Gibson don't we?

[alfredpunkjazz]

In fact we're also north-americans... he he he he.

The thing is, it would be cool if Ampeg turned back to this side of the world.

[The Penguin]

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

I have noticed most (not all) of the people that question why we are discussing this are:

1. Not living in America.

I've noticed you seem to put great deal of importance on where people are from. But are we really supposed to be commenting on members personal origins or discussing bass gear? Do you only want opinions from valid U.S. folk?

[The Penguin]

Originally Posted by alfredpunkjazz

In fact we're also north-americans... he he he he.

I'm a Californian, we used to be Mexico

Just goes to show how malleable and ever changing these distinctions are and how foolish it can be to assign human traits to political boundaries.

IMHO of course.

[Hawaii Islander]

Change my vote from "no" to "yes". I voted on the intial poll question, which is not worded the same as when the thread is opened. If Ampeg kept its top of the line production in the USA and only moved part of their production to Mexico (or anywhere else), they would have had less problems in the public relations side of things.

Moving ALL its production to Mexico would be just as bad as their move to China. Either way Ampeg, as an American brand, is lost.

[A9X]

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

I have noticed most (not all) of the people that question why we are discussing this are:

1. Not living in America. (don't understand walking into a music store and talking about an Ampeg growing up was like a gearhead talking about his muscle car). Knowing the local Ampeg rep by first name and finding out the "good" deal on factory seconds after a quick phone call. Getting a phone call within an hour from an engineer with a detailed question answered about a specific amp piece. All of those people are gone now and you have only an American corpoate contact that has nothing to do with building or designing the amps anymore.

2. Don't play an Ampeg amp.

For those that aren't in America, yes, Ampeg (SLM) was large company, but the guys making the amps were knowledgable and could be reached and willing to help. Again a great company that I will miss.

I work in the technology field and have lost my job to outsourcing. I understand why these types of business decisions are made and could care less if the Import model is 100% to spec with the USA stuff. I have lost my PERSONAL interest with the company. If it would have been Mesa, GK, or any other company it wouldn't hit home as hard. We are talking 50 years of American design and ingenuity that became an industry standard.

Being in Australia, there isn't any particular attachment to the brand and company as some of you Yanks seem to have. Unitl the net and cheap international phone calls, tech questions were slow to get answered if at all for overseas brands.

Ampeg is seen to be 'it' by a number of players here, and respected by them, but is by no means universal or even prevalent IME. Persoanlly, I'm not a fan of the sound.

I do understand your sadness at the loss of an icon.
Perhaps with this sending manufacturing overseas, then smaller boutique companies can fill the specialist needs locally the same way luthiers do. When I get set up better, I'd like to do some more tube amps. I have a winder and I think I have a local source for cores so the iron might be affordable, and a direct sale product possible at some sort of affordable price. I can't see why the same can't happen in the US. We got out winder from a guy who's company went under after his clients outsourced to China, so the hardware is available for others if they chose to look.

[Hawaii Islander]

Originally Posted by A9X

Being in Australia, there isn't any particular attachment to the brand and company as some of you Yanks seem to have. Unitl the net and cheap international phone calls, tech questions were slow to get answered if at all for overseas brands.

Ampeg is seen to be 'it' by a number of players here, and respected by them, but is by no means universal or even prevalent IME. Persoanlly, I'm not a fan of the sound.

I do understand your sadness at the loss of an icon.
Perhaps with this sending manufacturing overseas, then smaller boutique companies can fill the specialist needs locally the same way luthiers do. When I get set up better, I'd like to do some more tube amps. I have a winder and I think I have a local source for cores so the iron might be affordable, and a direct sale product possible at some sort of affordable price. I can't see why the same can't happen in the US. We got out winder from a guy who's company went under after his clients outsourced to China, so the hardware is available for others if they chose to look.

I think your point about smaller boutique companies filling a niche has merit. In the US, I think it would be more likely that a new major brand would move to take the place of Ampeg and others who bailed out of the American production arena. Fender, in keeping its Flagship line produced in the USA, has in effect protected its foothold as an American Guitar and Amp manufacturer. By leaving the USA completely, Ampeg opened themselves up to being replaced by another USA bass amp brand (maybe even a better amp brand).

[fenderhutz]

I have already asked the mods to keep an eye on certain TB'ers due always pulling the race card in these threads. Honestly I am seeing this as a troll now and bringing it to the mods attention.

Honestly, you aren't getting the point of this thread and just want to point fingers. Fender is still respected in most groups while having some production in the US and worldwide, the discussion was if Ampeg should have done the same.

As the originator I am asking nicely to please stop hijacking these threads.

[A9X]

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

I think your point about smaller boutique companies filling a niche has merit. In the US, I think it would be more likely that a new major brand would move to take the place of Ampeg and others who bailed out of the American production arena. Fender, in keeping its Flagship line produced in the USA, has in effect protected its foothold as an American Guitar and Amp manufacturer. By leaving the USA completely, Ampeg opened themselves up to being replaced by another USA bass amp brand (maybe even a better amp brand).

Good point too. Perhaps Mesa or some other brand will introduce new lines for bass tube gear. Or a company like GB may see the potential for stepping into this arena. There is a lot of potential for improving the older tube product.