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Another Red Flag On The Ampeg PF-500.....
- Thread starter shoot-r
- Start date
Are we talking about the same company that moved production from the USA to Vietnam, then to China - with no drop in prices???
- georgestrings
You're right. I meant that to be directed more towards the "public at large" and not specifically toward you, but I can see reading back now it didn't come off that way. For that, I am sorry.
Matter of fact, I feel I owe a lot of folks in this thread an apology. I kind of took over the thing there and made it my own soapbox. This stuff gets under my skin. Folks shouldn't have to worry about all this type of failure stuff in new products or even ones that are only a couple/few years old. I don't think someone's anything, whether it's an amplifier, washing machine, automobile, stereo system, or whatever, should be considered "reliable" if it lasts a few months. I expect better, but my name is not Webster and I don't get to define "reliable" for everyone else. I just see people really liking something, having high hopes for it, and then getting left hanging out to dry.
So, if I took the discussion in a wrong, or unproductive direction, or if anyone took it to mean any sort of personal insult, or thought I comandeered their problem to rant about my own...I apologize and I really am sorry. I wouldn't appreciate anyone doing stuff like that to me, and I should not do that to any of you all.
Sorry,
-Will
I was very intrigued by these amps. Seemed like a lot of amp for the money and it had cool looks but it seems like a real risk to get one. I was going to get one and all but clicked the 'Place Order' button and thought twice as a result of the stories/nightmares I've heard about on here.
I am impressed by the stories I hear from other manufacturer's like Hartke and GK. Both of these companies sent their manufacturing overseas but they still stand behind their products and work to make sure the customer is satisfied.
Anyone dealt with Aguilar on warranty work? I assume they treat you well but I haven't seen any stories on here.
I am impressed by the stories I hear from other manufacturer's like Hartke and GK. Both of these companies sent their manufacturing overseas but they still stand behind their products and work to make sure the customer is satisfied.
Anyone dealt with Aguilar on warranty work? I assume they treat you well but I haven't seen any stories on here.
Just to be clear, G-K staffed a factory in China for a while for the MB series, cabs and export only version of some RB series but moved all manufacture back to California January 1, 2012. 
Just to be clear, G-K staffed a factory in China for a while for the MB series, cabs and export only version of some RB series but moved all manufacture back to California January 1, 2012.
I think this is great, and I wish more company's would do this. The only problem is, I don't like GK tone. I have tried various heads and none of them sounded like what i hear in my head. I did try really hard to like them though. I bought a MBfusion and a Neo 4104ohm. I had that rig about a month and sent it back. Not because it wasn't a good product, but because me and the eq knobs just couldn't work together.
I do think the GK stuff is some of the best stuff out there for the value myself, I just wish i could get into the tone. I don't want to sound like Flea all the time.. And trust me, I turned the knobs..
No problem there. If everyone liked the same things there would only be one amp maker
.
They've done it before. Remember their cabs from the '90s/'00s?
I actually owned a pair of the BXT 410HLF's designed in part by Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey. I ran them with a SVT 4pro, to date those were some of the best sounding 410s i have owned. (We will see if I still think that when my Heritage 410hlf arrives this week =P) They just weighed about a 100 lbs a piece. Not all of it was bad in that time frame.. Those cabs were actually cheaper then the PN410hlf by about half the price too. I dont know that, that helps my point any but hey its true.
My svt4PRO was SLM as well, i owned it for 5 years without as much as a hiccup. I regret selling that rig to this day.
Hey, we could start a non-profit bass amp company. Anyone interested? Let me know if you like to invest, and you can make the check out to me.
I'm just kidding obviously, but can we please get off the whole Loud is out to get us nonsense? SLM wasn't out to get us either.
My post was in response to a guy saying they couldn't imagine Ampeg giving up quality for profit when they have in the past. I couldn't tell you where the Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey cabs were made, but I'd place my money on them being some of the few models that were produced in America (though someone would need to verify this for me).
Also, I don't think anyone here thinks Ampeg is out to get us. They're a company that operates in a manner that's similar to many other companies. That said, I think a lot of us in this thread see their business model (at least in regards to customer service) as being outdated and unsustainable in the modern world.
Yep, same company, but those were decisions to reduce costs, not a plan to reduce quality, even if that was the unintended outcome. If you disagree with their decisions, you can vote against that company by spending your dollars with their competitors. That was my decision.
I can't believe how the people that gave the world warnings on takeaway coffee "Contents Hot" can put up with Ampeg's shenanigans.
I guess no one has spilled a hot cup of Ampeg on their lap yet and sued?
'Who put the top on ?, did you put the top on ?'
Those cabs were indeed USA made, and I believe all the cabs were at that time. Even the OSB cabs. I think the phrase "profit over quality" perfectly defines a stab at Loud trying to take their customers by the goats...
From what I have read in this thread specifically there has been a lot of complaining that Loud hasn't stepped up and repaired amps that were out of waranty (for w/e reason) and people were down right upset about it, because they purchased a PF500 used and it failed. OR it was past the 2 year factory coverage, which i am much more sympathetic to mind you.
I recall another comment about the price of the board to fix it.
I am not arguing these points. Just voicing my opinion on how i feel complaining about it on this forum isn't going to do any good. If you believe there is a disparity within that statement, then please feel free to enlighten me.
I stand behind my previous statement "Voice your opinions with your dollars and buy another product." If sales start to slump, I am sure they will think there is an issue a foot. Selling 12k units in the first 2 years they were made, isn't helping them to realize that the product has failed. Well, that is because it hasn't.
Don't underestimate the power of google to measure internet traffic. When the most popular page on the web, after Ampeg's own, is about faulty pf500 failed failure of a design the failures will come home to roost.
The sad part and reality is if you could stick a couple jacks in a cow pie and get it to make noise just slap the name Ampeg on it and you'll sell a bunch. That is why MTI. SLM and LOUD Tech bought the name and rights, the brand recognition will make money. How much you make on the name depends on how you conduct your business.
