Ampeg/China

[cavedweller]

Ampeg is doing what is in its best interest like we all do.It does'nt necessarily have to be american made gear for me,but i do try and stay away from companies who set up manufacturing in countries based on finding cheapest labor they can find and still charge you an arm and a leg for their product. It is amazing how much manufacturing has gone to China.....Sad! I agree that it is all of our faults "owners of companies,the stockholders,the workers and the customers" for being greedy,greed has brought this country to its knees and China is standing before us unbuttoning its trousers....open up and say aaaahhh America!

 

[B-string]

I refuse to buy gear with a "Made in China" tag on back, no way. No justification, NOPE.

You?

What gear do you use?

 

[Jazz Ad]

I refuse to buy gear with a "Made in China" tag on back, no way. No justification, NOPE.

You?

Which computer did you use to type this?

 

[seamonkey]

This is a great opportunity for Loud and Ampeg.
It's a great market that USA needs more opportunities to break into.
Profits go to USA

 

[Buster Brown]

This is a great opportunity for Loud and Ampeg.
It's a great market that USA needs more opportunities to break into.
Profits go to USA

And that was the jist of the post (originally). I say CONGRATULATIONS to AMPEG!!!

Now, if the rest of the world (including USA products) can be allowed there, perhaps we have a chance!!

 

[sonic 7]

I would be lying to say I know anything about the economic and political effects of manufacturing most of our consumer products in china, and as an "old timer" yes it really is hard for me to accept that our iconic American brands, ampeg,fender etc... Are coming from a country that dictates how many male or female children a family can have. But the writing is on the wall , if the quality is good and the price is right ,this is how it's going to be like it or not, if history holds anything, Japanese products were considered junk at first but now " made in japan means it's good stuff and the Japanese worker doesn't Work 80 hours a week for a bowl of rice. My hope is that inthe future the same will be said for china.

 

[B-string]

I would be lying to say I know anything about the economic and political effects of manufacturing most of our consumer products in china, and as an "old timer" yes it really is hard for me to accept that our iconic American brands, ampeg,fender etc... Are coming from a country that dictates how many male or female children a family can have. But the writing is on the wall , if the quality is good and the price is right ,this is how it's going to be like it or not, if history holds anything, Japanese products were considered junk at first but now " made in japan means it's good stuff and the Japanese worker doesn't Work 80 hours a week for a bowl of rice. My hope is that inthe future the same will be said for china.

Nice post

 

[steveinohio]

...based on demand from customers to have good stuff at low prices and demand from workers to have high wages and full benefits at no cost.

Truth is we're all guilty as sin. The owners of the companies, the stockholders, the workers, the customers...we've all created the situation. If we want manufacturing to return, we're all going to have to give up something along the line...less profit, less wages, higher costs...

But that's got about as much chance of happening as Paris Hilton winning the Nobel Peace Prize, so here we are.

I agree with this.

I have no problem buying stuff from other countries. I look for sound and price.

 

[JimmyM]

LAG, I own stuff made from all over the world, including China. And the US. I don't have a problem with people in other countries trying to put food on their tables in an honest manner just because their governments are oppressive.

I also don't see much of a difference between stuff made in foreign countries or stuff made in the US using mostly foreign parts, as almost all MI manufacturers, even ones with American manufacturing operations, do. You, of course, are free to vote with your dollars as you choose.

 

[rodl2005]

You oughta try finding ' Made in Aus' stuff - in Aus! Very hard.
I agree with Jimmy & Sonic 7

 

[Ric Vice]

I refuse to buy gear with a "Made in China" tag on back, no way. No justification, NOPE.

You?

I know for a fact that my both my Walter Woods MI-400-8 and Walter Woods Ultra amps were built in the United States. The pair of EA VL 108's I own, and my VL 208 were also built state side. The new Audio Kinesis Thunder Child 112 is also a US made cabinet.
However, if you go "under the hood" to the component level of these products, i.e. semiconductors, speaker magnets, and cabinet materials, I would just bet that some of the parts were manufactured off shore. Probably the only thing I own that was assembled from U.S. components and built exclusively in the U.S. is my Ampeg B15N (C) circa 1964. You?

 

[Buster Brown]

LAG, I own stuff made from all over the world, including China. And the US. I don't have a problem with people in other countries trying to put food on their tables in an honest manner just because their governments are oppressive.

I also don't see much of a difference between stuff made in foreign countries or stuff made in the US using mostly foreign parts, as almost all MI manufacturers, even ones with American manufacturing operations, do. You, of course, are free to vote with your dollars as you choose.

For the most part I agree with everything you said....my biggest problem is NOT with China building products or even their thievery of ALL intellectual property, my problem is that they REFUSE to allow other countries (especially the majority of AMERICAN products) to be sold in THEIR country.

It's nearly impossible to have a level playing field when the field is stacked against you......

 

[77PBass]

.....and yes, it is STILL RED CHINA - STILL a communist country

You have mentioned this in two posts. Clearly you have no clue about China.

I have lived in China. China is many things but it is not communist.

As far as selling quality "western" musical instruments and amplifiers there, it is a hard slog. I know pro musicians that paid >$5k for Fender custom shop strats. They really like the single builder ones and can name all the builders.

I have surveyed the music retail scene in Beijing and while you can find some good pro stuff, it is few and far between. People usually have friends go to Hong Kong and buy things and bring them back.

There is a lot of cash under mattresses there but the average rocker uses low end or chinese brand stuff.

Here are some pix I took while there:

 

[sonic 7]

But it would have been unthinkable 40 years ago that there would even be " rockers " in china these guys are gonna change things big time and it will all have come from us.

 

[Buster Brown]

You have mentioned this is two posts. Clearly you have no clue about China.

I have lived in China. China is many things but it is not communist.

As far as selling quality "western" musical instruments and amplifiers there, it is a hard slog. I know pro musicians that paid >$5k for Fender custom shop strats. They really like the single builder ones and can name all the builders.

I have surveyed the music retail scene in Beijing and while you can find some good pro stuff, it is few and far between. People usually have friends go to Hong Kong and buy things and bring them back.

There is a lot of cash under mattresses there but the average rocker uses low end or chinese brand stuff.

Here are some pix I took while there:

Really? Are you serious?? When the hell was the last time they had free and open elections? Are they not called the "Peoples Republic of China"?? Do they not still KILL female babies? Do they not KILL protestors who disagree with the state? Do not Heads of households disappear in the middle of the night if they disagree? Does the government NOT refer to their "style" of communism as "Government controlled Capitalism"???

I don't have to live in Red China to know a dictatorship when I see it......the only difference between 2011 and 1952 is that Mao isn't still alive and butchering millions of his own people.

And yes, you are right. It IS a "hard slog" for "Western" makers to sell their products there. Why? Because ALL intellectual property rights belong to the government. NOT the individual.

The idea that Ampeg has been able to work a deal whereby they can sell their products (through a Chinese, government controlled company) is a great start....let's see where it goes from here.

 

[77PBass]

But it would have been unthinkable 40 years ago that there would even be " rockers " in china these guys are gonna change things big time and it will all have come from us.

Yeah, well that is good and bad. There are an awful lot of bands cranking out 80's power pop inclusive of cheesey synth sounds. I did see some hardcore punk/metal that was good and about as angry as you will ever see.

Here are some pix... these guys rocked hard and were spewing some political sh*t.If you notice the equipment in the photos, clearly having ampeg available will improve things!:

 

[77PBass]

Really? Are you serious?? When the hell was the last time they had free and open elections? Are they not called the "Peoples Republic of China"?? Do they not still KILL female babies? Do they not KILL protestors who disagree with the state? Do not Heads of households disappear in the middle of the night if they disagree? Does the government NOT refer to their "style" of communism as "Government controlled Capitalism"???

I don't have to live in Red China to know a dictatorship when I see it......the only difference between 2011 and 1952 is that Mao isn't still alive and butchering millions of his own people.

Talkbass is not a forum for you to express your xenophobic views.

 

[cableguy]

What gear do you use?

Lets see......G&L L1000, G&L L1505, GK 700RB-II, Tech21 BDDI & VTD, EHX bass micro synth, fEARful 12/6-12sub and I drive a GMC Safari. Now to be honest my 6" mid is an 18 sound that I think comes from Europe and my tuner is a boss TU-2. I try to by made in the USA when ever possible and semi-competitive pricewise. I know I will have to pay a little more for this. If Ampeg had a Heritage PF-500 I might have bought it. But I also don't have a problem with somebody buying a product made somewhere else. It's their money to spend. I just wish there was a more level playing field, but that's something our politicians have put in place.

 

[f.vega]

I was bored


Spongebob in china - YouTube

 

[77PBass]

....my biggest problem is NOT with China building products or even their thievery of ALL intellectual property, my problem is that they REFUSE to allow other countries (especially the majority of AMERICAN products) to be sold in THEIR country.

It's nearly impossible to have a level playing field when the field is stacked against you......

If you knew anything about economic history, you would know America did exactly that, steal intellectual property and industrial technology from Britain during the industrial revolution. It happens all the time and is a kind of leveling of the playing field between the have's and the have not's.

May I suggest watching the free lectures available on iTunes U from Yale professor Doug Rae to get a broad foundation of economic theory and history.