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Fender closing Genz Benz and SWR??

#43
will33 said:
I still maintain Genz isn't anywhere near as well known in the real world as it is on TB. Makes me wonder what the financials really looked like/how much product really moved.
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This is probably true, If you talk to an average bass player that's not a TB member, most will have probably never heard of GB, fEarful, or any other brand that's not sold in GC
 
#45
SWR has been down the tubes for a long, long time now. I'm actually surprised the rumours of Fender closing them down took this long to surface. Without a decent global distribution and strong marketing plan, the SWR brand simply died. Massive shame because even the post-Fender amps weren't all that bad despite the stick they get.
 
#49
Hopkins said:
This is probably true, If you talk to an average bass player that's not a TB member, most will have probably never heard of GB, fEarful, or any other brand that's not sold in GC
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I've been playing bass now for ~18 years. Up until a few months ago, when I started getting seriously interested in bass again, I'd mainly browse stuff at GC, or on MF or w/e.

Personally, I had no idea GB even existed until I started spending time here. Their brand is simply not widely known.

Sort of wish I did as I would have happily bought a 9.2 for $495 instead of the used WT-800 I picked up recently for the same price.

Also, as others have pointed out Fender probably bought them thinking:

Q: "is this profitable".

After trying to "Fender-ize" them and bring them into the corporate umbrella they've realized:

A: "Yes, but it is a boutique business so it is only profitable if you run it without massive corporate overhead and pay the folks at the top a reasonable rate. We don't do that here."

Hence them being shut down.

Personally, I'd table any sort of "they shut them down because they make better gear" conspiracy theories. We all know the real reason why they shut GB down:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#51
tbz said:
I've been playing bass now for ~18 years. Up until a few months ago, when I started getting seriously interested in bass again, I'd mainly browse stuff at GC, or on MF or w/e.

Personally, I had no idea GB even existed until I started spending time here. Their brand is simply not widely known.

Sort of wish I did as I would have happily bought a 9.2 for $495 instead of the used WT-800 I picked up recently for the same price.

Also, as others have pointed out Fender probably bought them thinking:

Q: "is this profitable".

After trying to "Fender-ize" them and bring them into the corporate umbrella they've realized:

A: "Yes, but it is a boutique business so it is only profitable if you run it without massive corporate overhead and pay the folks at the top a reasonable rate. We don't do that here."

Hence them being shut down.

Personally, I'd table any sort of "they shut them down because they make better gear" conspiracy theories. We all know the real reason why they shut GB down:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
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I still wouldn't be surprised to see the GB gear rebranded under the Fender name. They have no part of the Class D, super light weight amp market, and this would be a good way to get a "Fender" product into that market. It would also be much easier to distribute and market under a name like Fender.
 
#52
Hopkins said:
I still wouldn't be surprised to see the GB gear rebranded under the Fender name. They have no part of the Class D, super light weight amp market, and this would be a good way to get a "Fender" product into that market. It would also be much easier to distribute and market under a name like Fender.
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Actually Fender sells more Class D amps than GB, SWR, Aguilar, combined. The rumble series of heads sells internationally through the Fender distribution network as well as many others. The rumble series is the most popular selling bass line in the world. Every store that wants to sell a fender guitar that will make them money will buy a bass pack or dozen with the little guys in them, a few combo's and a few stacks with 3 heads for inventory 4-7 times a year, times thousands of dealers - selling to the starting bassist, first time upgrade, intermediate, etc... They are very popular, just not to TB members.
 
#54
Hapa said:
Actually Fender sells more Class D amps than GB, SWR, Aguilar, combined. The rumble series of heads sells internationally through the Fender distribution network as well as many others. The rumble series is the most popular selling bass line in the world. Every store that wants to sell a fender guitar that will make them money will buy a bass pack or dozen with the little guys in them, a few combo's and a few stacks with 3 heads for inventory 4-7 times a year, times thousands of dealers - selling to the starting bassist, first time upgrade, intermediate, etc... They are very popular, just not to TB members.
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Probably so true... I own the 350 and the 100t. The 350 gets played thru a cn212 with a vt bass or BDDI in front and the 100t with the 610 fender neo. Such a reliable class d amp. God I've slammed that amp.
 
#56
Hapa said:
Actually Fender sells more Class D amps than GB, SWR, Aguilar, combined. The rumble series of heads sells internationally through the Fender distribution network as well as many others. The rumble series is the most popular selling bass line in the world. Every store that wants to sell a fender guitar that will make them money will buy a bass pack or dozen with the little guys in them, a few combo's and a few stacks with 3 heads for inventory 4-7 times a year, times thousands of dealers - selling to the starting bassist, first time upgrade, intermediate, etc... They are very popular, just not to TB members.
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True but they don't have anything to compete with the higher powered, mid to higher end class D amps like Markbass or the GK MB line. The 350w Rumble is no world beater, the GB stuff marketed under a name as big as Fender could put a serious dent in that market.
 
#58
two fingers said:
Yeah when I used to carry a GB Shuttle 6.0 around in my gear box as a spare head, even sound guys would say "Who?" Not many people other than regulars here know who they are/were.
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I often find it amazing how the most popular brands on TB, like GB, fEarful, Bergantino, ect. are almost completely unknown in the world outside of this forum. All I ever see in my local music scene is Ampeg, GK, Fender, and Peavey
 

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