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Billy Sheehan parts ways with Ampeg?

#61
First, I welcome Billy to my Hartke family. Sorry JimmyM!

I don't think the issue is really just the quality, nor one particular person. You cannot blame all of a companies issues on one person (although Henry J. at Gibson was significant in reviving Gibson). What has happened to AMPEG is what has happened to other brands.

Case in point, the Evets Corp. purchased the Danelectro trademark. Now, Dano had been completely out of business since 1969. In the early 1990's they buy the name and reissue Dano clones. All from Korea. Quality, not so good. Ingenuity, not so good. And to top it all off, they have the gaul to say "since '47". What? They are NOT THE Daniel Electric Co. (original name for Dano) and they have NOT been in business since 1947. However, they trade on the name and that, and the educated music instrument buyer knows that and of course we all talk about how crappy it really is.

Ampeg is the same. Ampeg long ago was purchased by SLM and left my beautiful Garden State. After that, it was never really Ampeg again. And with the purchase by Loud, the move to the Left Coast and then moving all production to China, well, you get it. They could make the best stuff on the planet, and just that sequence would doom them. Add to that the fact that the quality was inconsistent for years (yes JimmyM, it might be all good now with the Heritage but still) and the designs had changed enough to completely change the sound, and there you have it.

Like 'em or not, Larry Hartke has kept the product the same, the quality the same. And to the other poster, Hartke is a top of the line company and name. They have just figured out how to meet price points and still keep quality, and therefore make their products available in more locations.

Either way, welcom Billy. And it is a shame that Ampeg has gotten to this point.
 
#62
TRichardsbass said:
First, I welcome Billy to my Hartke family. Sorry JimmyM!

I don't think the issue is really just the quality, nor one particular person. You cannot blame all of a companies issues on one person (although Henry J. at Gibson was significant in reviving Gibson). What has happened to AMPEG is what has happened to other brands.

Case in point, the Evets Corp. purchased the Danelectro trademark. Now, Dano had been completely out of business since 1969. In the early 1990's they buy the name and reissue Dano clones. All from Korea. Quality, not so good. Ingenuity, not so good. And to top it all off, they have the gaul to say "since '47". What? They are NOT THE Daniel Electric Co. (original name for Dano) and they have NOT been in business since 1947. However, they trade on the name and that, and the educated music instrument buyer knows that and of course we all talk about how crappy it really is.

Ampeg is the same. Ampeg long ago was purchased by SLM and left my beautiful Garden State. After that, it was never really Ampeg again. And with the purchase by Loud, the move to the Left Coast and then moving all production to China, well, you get it. They could make the best stuff on the planet, and just that sequence would doom them. Add to that the fact that the quality was inconsistent for years (yes JimmyM, it might be all good now with the Heritage but still) and the designs had changed enough to completely change the sound, and there you have it.

Like 'em or not, Larry Hartke has kept the product the same, the quality the same. And to the other poster, Hartke is a top of the line company and name. They have just figured out how to meet price points and still keep quality, and therefore make their products available in more locations.

Either way, welcom Billy. And it is a shame that Ampeg has gotten to this point.
Click to expand...

Is Billy "officially" endorsing Hartke or is that supposition? I haven't seen any press releases or announcements from either party.

As far as "the sound", every company changes to some degree to keep up with market demand. Modern Hartke Hydrive cabs sound differently than the aluminum cone cabs of the 90's.

However I agree with admiring Larry for keeping production here in the US.

LOUD may have made poor decisions with Ampeg, but that doesn't indicate that Billy would leave Ampeg for any specific reason unless he discloses such.

God Bless, Ray
 
#68
LilRay said:
Is Billy "officially" endorsing Hartke or is that supposition? I haven't seen any press releases or announcements from either party.

As far as "the sound", every company changes to some degree to keep up with market demand. Modern Hartke Hydrive cabs sound differently than the aluminum cone cabs of the 90's.

However I agree with admiring Larry for keeping production here in the US.

LOUD may have made poor decisions with Ampeg, but that doesn't indicate that Billy would leave Ampeg for any specific reason unless he discloses such.

God Bless, Ray
Click to expand...

I'm not sure Larry would even announce it. Many of the EAs don't appear until they do a clinic or he features them in an ad. I agree, don't know for sure if Billy is in the stable, but every picture that I see recently has him with Hartke gear along side. Either way, Billy is no longer with Ampeg.
 
#70
TRichardsbass said:
I'm not sure Larry would even announce it. Many of the EAs don't appear until they do a clinic or he features them in an ad. I agree, don't know for sure if Billy is in the stable, but every picture that I see recently has him with Hartke gear along side. Either way, Billy is no longer with Ampeg.
Click to expand...

TR, I know nothing about EA deals or Hartke's handling of artists. I just hadn't seen anything on a new company yet.

line6man said:
But seriously, this is not a place to discuss religion.
Lets leave Scientology out of this thread.
Click to expand...

+1

The thread is about Billy and his departure from Ampeg, and our supposition on what might have caused such;)

I suppose Billy might've felt unimportant with Loud compared to the AR crew that was there before. Yhat seems yo be the consensus.

God Bless, Ray
 
#72
line6man said:
See, any time I discuss music, Jaco has to be mentioned.:hiding::hiding::hiding:

I just mentioned that no one can ever top Jaco for me, but that he's my favorite living bassist.
Click to expand...

Hey the day I took the picture of Billy I posted playing through Hartke cabs, I got to the clinic early. Billy was just hanging out on the floor, not too many people were there. He ripped through Birdland. I learned most of the song from watching him. One of the coolest bass experiences of my life.

I told him "Hey I stole your 3-finger techniques, really helped to even out my playing" he responded with something awesome like "Cool, steal away! Everything I've learned is ripped off from watching someone else."
 
#73
BillyIVbass said:
Hey the day I took the picture of Billy I posted playing through Hartke cabs, I got to the clinic early. Billy was just hanging out on the floor, not too many people were there. He ripped through Birdland. I learned most of the song from watching him. One of the coolest bass experiences of my life.

I told him "Hey I stole your 3-finger techniques, really helped to even out my playing" he responded with something awesome like "Cool, steal away! Everything I've learned is ripped off from watching someone else."
Click to expand...

Jaco has been quoted many times that he "stole" everything he knew...
 
#76
BillyIVbass said:
He's definitely the player to mug. hah

It's impressive he claims to know very little theory and can't read music...and managed to record with Chick Corea.

He plays all by ear. "The notes have to be somewhere" Man he must have the patience of a saint!
Click to expand...

I don't know how he does it...but he does it!:D
 
#78
JimmyM said:
...just don't go all tom cruise insane and think you know everything about everything. jeez, what a complete nutcase he's become!
Click to expand...
I think that Tom C is a long-time Scientologist . . . and I've always thought that he was a bit odd . . . :cool: . . .


EDIT: But I HAVE liked most of the movies that he's in . . .
 
#79
okcrum said:
Taken to PM.
Click to expand...

What I meant is that TalkBass is a place that I come to to discuss music, and I do not want people arguing about religion here, whether it be in a thread, or directed straight at me in a PM. No religion period.

I'll make it clear that I'm not a fan of Scientology by any means, but I'm not going to let Billy Sheehan's personal beliefs stand in the way of me enjoying good music.
 

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