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LOUD..going...going....GONE
- Thread starter Tony Gray
- Start date
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How do some companies compete? Look at GK, Peavey (i think). they are not made overseas and they are priced competitively with other brands that have shipped production.
GK, although not my cup of tea make great amps and in some respects are priced lower than Ampeg, GenzBenz, now Eden is leaving.
GK, although not my cup of tea make great amps and in some respects are priced lower than Ampeg, GenzBenz, now Eden is leaving.
Maybe Fender will buy Ampeg. 
Say what you want about Fender as a company, in this world of choosing "the lesser of two evils" at least Fender still makes good quality amps and basses, IMO.
In a crazy mixed-up roundabout way, they could be what saves Ampeg, and get's the QC back up where it should be.
Flame on.
Say what you want about Fender as a company, in this world of choosing "the lesser of two evils" at least Fender still makes good quality amps and basses, IMO.
In a crazy mixed-up roundabout way, they could be what saves Ampeg, and get's the QC back up where it should be.
Flame on.
I'm not sure, at this point, if LOUD is gone - or is merely on life support. It is DIRE, however.
Their latest line of combo amps that were "unveiled" at NAMM seemed, at least to me, to be a hour late and a dollar short. Everyone is coming out with smaller, lighter and more powerful combos (re: MarkBass); so it's nothing new - yesterday's news.
I predict that LOUD will "re-organize" itself privately and die a slow, lingering death (like it isn't already...)
Again, as I have posted in numerous threads - I am sad to see them in this condition. I use Ampeg products. However, their corporate structure being what it is (basically non-existent), I'm not sure what other outcome they could realistically expect to achieve...
However, I'm sure that there many of us old farts out there who recall Fender coming terribly close to the abyss back in the late 70s, early 80s and fighting their way back. Can it be done? Sure! However, there has to be a dogged determination on the part of the company (Ampeg) and, frankly, I don't think that the commitment is there...
Sad day.
Their latest line of combo amps that were "unveiled" at NAMM seemed, at least to me, to be a hour late and a dollar short. Everyone is coming out with smaller, lighter and more powerful combos (re: MarkBass); so it's nothing new - yesterday's news.
I predict that LOUD will "re-organize" itself privately and die a slow, lingering death (like it isn't already...)
Again, as I have posted in numerous threads - I am sad to see them in this condition. I use Ampeg products. However, their corporate structure being what it is (basically non-existent), I'm not sure what other outcome they could realistically expect to achieve...
However, I'm sure that there many of us old farts out there who recall Fender coming terribly close to the abyss back in the late 70s, early 80s and fighting their way back. Can it be done? Sure! However, there has to be a dogged determination on the part of the company (Ampeg) and, frankly, I don't think that the commitment is there...
Sad day.
Maybe Fender will buy Ampeg.
There could be worse things that could happen like....
GIBSON buying Ampeg.
Won't flame you for Fender as I've had no desire to touch any offering from their amp line for decades.
Wish we could say G-K was all US but the BackLine series and some cabs are off-shore now.
We could see the end of an era, another bad chapter distroying whats left of it's fallowing, or rebirth from the LOUD's ashes? Would be nice to see a phoenix, but for right now....burn baby burn! IMHO
Wish we could say G-K was all US but the BackLine series and some cabs are off-shore now.
We could see the end of an era, another bad chapter distroying whats left of it's fallowing, or rebirth from the LOUD's ashes? Would be nice to see a phoenix, but for right now....burn baby burn! IMHO
This is a message I posted in a different thread on the 30th of December 2008. I started to look for it when the 22nd post was made on this thread ...
I think it is highly relevant with the current discussion.
"To shoot-r (post 11): I wouldn't go and put a WAS by the 8x10E yet.
I think LOUD is going to just be a blip on the radar of the great history of Ampeg ... Someone seriously needs to buy Ampeg and make them with quality as they once were, their owner manuals might even be able to say "Proudly Made in the U. S. of A." again. That will be poetic justice to people who buy companies with the mentality that we can do whatever we want to them because people aren't going to notice, we will make more money, and they still have an A on the front, LOL. I can't for the life of me figure out why LOUD did what they did, Ampeg did Ampeg better than anyone else in the world for a very long time ... they had their place in the world of music, it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, lots of lighter gear out there, but for those that didn't mind the weight and wanted tones of tone, they got what they wanted. LOUD sacrificed quality with the intent to make more money, it backfired, and now they aren't selling their product to faithful Ampeg users and with their reputation, aren't attracting very many new users either. Not even mentioning mismanagement, no new R&D, drop in stock prices, and the inability to get components that are required to make 1/3 of all their products. 2009, is going to be the worst year in the history of Ampeg, and LOUD has no one to blame but themselves. But I for one still believe that there is hope for the future of Ampeg, and LOUD isn't included in it. Cheers all!
P.S. I hope someone like fender doesn't buy them, just the thought of that causes me to puke a little in my mouth."
Enjoy!
I think it is highly relevant with the current discussion.
"To shoot-r (post 11): I wouldn't go and put a WAS by the 8x10E yet.
I think LOUD is going to just be a blip on the radar of the great history of Ampeg ... Someone seriously needs to buy Ampeg and make them with quality as they once were, their owner manuals might even be able to say "Proudly Made in the U. S. of A." again. That will be poetic justice to people who buy companies with the mentality that we can do whatever we want to them because people aren't going to notice, we will make more money, and they still have an A on the front, LOL. I can't for the life of me figure out why LOUD did what they did, Ampeg did Ampeg better than anyone else in the world for a very long time ... they had their place in the world of music, it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, lots of lighter gear out there, but for those that didn't mind the weight and wanted tones of tone, they got what they wanted. LOUD sacrificed quality with the intent to make more money, it backfired, and now they aren't selling their product to faithful Ampeg users and with their reputation, aren't attracting very many new users either. Not even mentioning mismanagement, no new R&D, drop in stock prices, and the inability to get components that are required to make 1/3 of all their products. 2009, is going to be the worst year in the history of Ampeg, and LOUD has no one to blame but themselves. But I for one still believe that there is hope for the future of Ampeg, and LOUD isn't included in it. Cheers all!
P.S. I hope someone like fender doesn't buy them, just the thought of that causes me to puke a little in my mouth."
Enjoy!
I think Fender and Ampeg go hand in hand.
Therefore I believe Fender should buy Ampeg.
as for the rest of louds stuff......
FLUSH....
Therefore I believe Fender should buy Ampeg.
as for the rest of louds stuff......
FLUSH....
Nah, brands like EAW and Mackie made respectable stuff that the utilitarian musician could afford at one time. And since my first decent acoustic guitar was an Alvarez, I'd be a little bummed to see them go, too.
But I would love it if Fender owned Ampeg. Fender has proven themselves to be run by people who really know what they're doing. They make quality stuff in all departments now and they know how to operate at a profit, and still keep a strong American-made presence despite farming out their lower priced gear to foreign companies. Everett Hull would turn over in his grave, but hey, he's dead...what can he do now?
Does Ernie Ball Have the capitol to buy Ampeg? Sterling Ball would definately build Ampeg at top quality and they have no amp division.
Markbass and EBMM have a pretty close relationship. Sterling Ball was instrumental in getting them in the states from what I hear. I think it would be a good match, though. Sterling's competent
I love old ampeg gear, and I almost bought an ampeg when I was shopping for a new head this spring/summer. What turned me off was when they moved production offshore (lowering manufacturing costs), but they raised the price. I thought that took some cajones, and it was enough to get me to run for the hills.
I'm glad I did.
I'm glad I did.
Well, Loud Technologies is majority owned by "Sun capital Partners", a holding company that tries to buy undervalued and struggling companies. The come in with hatchets and cut off stuff until the company looks profitable, and then they get out of their stock position, "selling" the company at a profit.
Now the "Sun/Mackie" was evidently a creation of Sun capital. Don't be fooled. The suspicion is that it was a way of sucking the value into a new name, and potentially leaving the bad stuff behind.
Sun cut off capital infusions to Loud some time ago. The recent problems with chinese suppliers may be more an issue of payments than they were of financial problems at Amoi, the supplier involved. Amoi seems to be under a cloud, but not out of business, so there is a certain suspicion that there is more to it on the Loud side.
Going private is nothing new....... but it takes the visibility off, and as mentioned, it obscures the perceived value of the company.... the "test of market" is not a daily news item.
it also may allow much more freedom of the majority owner to do things without the same oversight and needed agreement of minority shareholders. Listing under SEC rules makes for a lot of legal nonsense, as well as liability to penalties for skullduggery, or perceived skullduggery. It is very doubtful that it is otherwise advantageous to Sun, since a private company is harder to sell out of than a public one.
As for brands....
EAW was a biggie, lots and lots of installs all over, including the old St Louis baseball stadium, and other such. Loud seems to have ruined it, gutting the very parts that made it worthwhile, like a US factory that could respond to orders immediately, not to mention stocking to supply smaller orders.
Mackie is universal, but has suffered.... I understand there are some "issues" with certain products as well.
martin is so far almost independent, who knows where that is going.
Crate was quite profitable, and despite the focus of most folks on the low end, Crate actually had a lot of higher end stuff that was quite good. I suspect there is almost nothing left now. A good brand for Behringer, but they probably want Ampeg.
Blackheart... may be that was viable, and maybe not........... It seems to have been good, but there were many issues.....
Alvarez..... they don't make it, they NEVER made it, and all they can do is mess up the selling of it. it has always been import.
Tapco.. Probably best forgotten in its present form. An interesting historical name.
Ampeg.... certainly saleable, but a question who would buy it and what they would do. The business model of "make it cheaply and sell it high" has only worked so well..... Maybe Behringer will buy it and try a new model of sell everything under Ampeg.....????
or Fender could buy it and "do an SWR" to it.
Now the "Sun/Mackie" was evidently a creation of Sun capital. Don't be fooled. The suspicion is that it was a way of sucking the value into a new name, and potentially leaving the bad stuff behind.
Sun cut off capital infusions to Loud some time ago. The recent problems with chinese suppliers may be more an issue of payments than they were of financial problems at Amoi, the supplier involved. Amoi seems to be under a cloud, but not out of business, so there is a certain suspicion that there is more to it on the Loud side.
Going private is nothing new....... but it takes the visibility off, and as mentioned, it obscures the perceived value of the company.... the "test of market" is not a daily news item.
it also may allow much more freedom of the majority owner to do things without the same oversight and needed agreement of minority shareholders. Listing under SEC rules makes for a lot of legal nonsense, as well as liability to penalties for skullduggery, or perceived skullduggery. It is very doubtful that it is otherwise advantageous to Sun, since a private company is harder to sell out of than a public one.
As for brands....
EAW was a biggie, lots and lots of installs all over, including the old St Louis baseball stadium, and other such. Loud seems to have ruined it, gutting the very parts that made it worthwhile, like a US factory that could respond to orders immediately, not to mention stocking to supply smaller orders.
Mackie is universal, but has suffered.... I understand there are some "issues" with certain products as well.
martin is so far almost independent, who knows where that is going.
Crate was quite profitable, and despite the focus of most folks on the low end, Crate actually had a lot of higher end stuff that was quite good. I suspect there is almost nothing left now. A good brand for Behringer, but they probably want Ampeg.
Blackheart... may be that was viable, and maybe not........... It seems to have been good, but there were many issues.....
Alvarez..... they don't make it, they NEVER made it, and all they can do is mess up the selling of it. it has always been import.
Tapco.. Probably best forgotten in its present form. An interesting historical name.
Ampeg.... certainly saleable, but a question who would buy it and what they would do. The business model of "make it cheaply and sell it high" has only worked so well..... Maybe Behringer will buy it and try a new model of sell everything under Ampeg.....????
or Fender could buy it and "do an SWR" to it.
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