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LOUD..going...going....GONE

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#141
Powdered Toast said:
Everyone is making a big deal about whether the move to asia killed Ampeg.

A previous poster said that it's about value. Now, for example, if Fender decided to close up shop in Corona CA and move their entire production line to Mexico what would you say? I'm sure the Mexican Fender plant could make the current MIA line to the exact same specs. If they were to chop 40% off their prices then I think you wouldn't hear too much complaining. However, if they wanted to continue to charge $1600 for a Mexican made 57 P-Bass reissue, I think you'd see Fender tank.

This is what LOUD did with Ampeg. Moved the production line to Asia, but kept prices the same. Heck, with all the cost-cutting that accomplished, net profit should have been WAAAY up! No, the Asia move, to me, reeks of reaction. I think the company was already headed for the toilet before they axed the USA plant. It was a bold cost-cutting move to save them from disaster. Tons of gear is made overseas and those companies are doing fine. LOUD was a victim of financial mismanagement and corporate incompetence. It just took a while before the **** really hit the fan.
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it's not just about perceived values..

it's that the prices stayed the same, the product's QC went into the crapper..

if even if fender moved to mexico and dropped their prices 40%, but the quality of the product dropped dramatically.. there would be alot of complaints.. and they would fold..

this is the problem.. if the quality of the product was the same as USA built and the prices were the same, there would be some complaints about the marquee being moved over-seas.. but, the product would still sell..

it's all about how the QC fell off dramatically when they moved to Vietnam and how they stiffed all the SLM workers..

all in all, it's a horrible situation for Ampeg to be in..

because, even if someone bought Ampeg.. what would they be able to do with it?? move it back to the USA?? keep it in Vietnam?? move it to China?? and then, they would have to repair the damage that LOUD has done to the name..
 
#146
anderbass said:
I hereby nominate you and Jimmy M to run the corporation.

(I'm just pretty much going by avatars here, but I think you two would be the hardest working guys in rock and roll... ;)
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Well, in all seriousness, it's not at all that "far-fetched".....

There is another bass amp company that is poised to make a comeback after all these years, so it's not at all out of the realm of the "possible" for it to happen. However, I would caution any of those who might be "dreaming"......

The economic climate ain't what it used to be!!

That being said.....I'll be happy to contribute a buck or two!! :D
 
#152
jsingles said:
anyone else? im sure if we all pitch in a few dollars, talkbass can collectively own ampeg, and make it everything we want it to be!
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All they need to do is make 3 heads! That's it! The B-15, the V4, and the SVT-VR... A small USA staff, no overseas staff... Simple. Just crank out the same thing forever. Like Harley, Fender, Gibson, the Chevy 350, and Coca Cola. Messing up that formula is like being unable to walk and chew gum at the same time.

How much do you want to bet that the decision makers DON'T play bass?
 
#153
troyus said:
All they need to do is make 3 heads! That's it! The B-15, the V4, and the SVT-VR... A small USA staff, no overseas staff... Simple. Just crank out the same thing forever. Like Harley, Fender, Gibson, the Chevy 350, and Coca Cola. Messing up that formula is like being unable to walk and chew gum at the same time.

How much do you want to bet that the decision makers DON'T play bass?
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I can see that we're already going to have trouble. The SVT 3 and 4 Pros are big sellers, as are the BA115 and B100R. We would have to keep them.

But honestly, the first order of business would be to do something about these awful sounding cabs Ampeg has been making for the past few years. They used to be great. But now they handle all sorts of ridiculous power but sound boomy and nasty.
 
#157
troyus said:
All they need to do is make 3 heads! That's it! The B-15, the V4, and the SVT-VR... A small USA staff, no overseas staff... Simple. Just crank out the same thing forever. Like Harley, Fender, Gibson, the Chevy 350, and Coca Cola. Messing up that formula is like being unable to walk and chew gum at the same time.
There it is, right there. No what color, no tube or SS, no old school or modern hifi. When ask, "Is it a tube or SS sound?", you simply say, "It's the Ampeg sound." If they don't know what that is, then they haven't done their homework and you educate them.

And for JimmyM, reengineer those cabs. Glued and screwed 3/4 plywood(for the most part), reliable speakers, and good solid wiring. BTW, we only make 115's, 215's, and 810's. Which would you like?

If you run into an issue, you can call our customer service at 1-800-fix-amps. If it's after hours leave a voicemail and we'll call you tomorrow morning.

And bring that customer service and manufacturing back onshore where it can be QA'd and QC'd to death. Then those QC people can truly be held accountable for it(and get paid for it). That way, if there's an issue and I call CS, I don't get some guy that answers the phone, "Hewo." or something else I can't understand.

That's it. Only 6 products that have been proven by time. You might want to add more in the future but only do it 1 piece at a time instead of mass changes.

Some of you will say, "But I want a 210?" The only response can be, "We may try that in the future but right now, we don't make one." This way all of your effort is put into reengineering and quality of proven products. That will help get the name back. Bringing everything onshore will help restore the loyalty.

Ok, rant over.

But wait, one last thing. Fire those idiots who ran the company into the ground. There's no sense throwing good money after bad and they'll likely just run it into the ground again(like some automobile companies I could name). You want performers running the show, not politicians.
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#158
jsingles said:
anyone else? im sure if we all pitch in a few dollars, talkbass can collectively own ampeg, and make it everything we want it to be!
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It already is :D

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Funny thing is Ampeg might have dug their own hole by re-releasing the SVT-VR into production, they should have only made 40 of them. Then concentrate on the new stuff. Then they'd have a reason to keep an engineering staff around to innovate new products.
 
#159
seamonkey said:
It already is :D

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Funny thing is Ampeg might have dug their own hole by re-releasing the SVT-VR into production, they should have only made 40 of them. Then concentrate on the new stuff. Then they'd have a reason to keep an engineering staff around to innovate new products.
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This ought to be good:

How is it digging their own hole by re-releasing the most popular bass amp ever made in its original format?

(and yes, I know that it's not an identical recreation of the original amp but 12DW7's are half 12AX7 and half 12AU7 so it's more or less the same signal path)
 
#160
iammr2 said:
troyus said:
But wait, one last thing. Fire those idiots who ran the company into the ground. There's no sense throwing good money after bad and they'll likely just run it into the ground again(like some automobile companies I could name). You want performers running the show, not politicians.
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Though it is little consolation at this point, every single senior executive that was in place at LOUD when Ampeg (ala SLM) was acquired is no longer with the company. There were basically six key guys who ran the place and they have all left, been forced out or replaced in one way or another.:smug:

The new CEO, CFO and COO seem to have very little if any industry experience, but the CEO ran a business products company which he sold.:D

Just be patient. One would think Ampeg is far too valuable to not catch the attention of someone recognizing the potential and bringing it back to it's former glory.:bassist:

Only my personal opinion.:ninja:
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