New ampeg speculation - A true B15 Reissue?

[Classickbass]

let me ask you guys something...

so it looks like this amp will be priced out of most people's ranges. if ampeg decided to make a less deluxe but great sounding b-15n that looks just like it except it's made in s. korea with green pcb's, chinese transformers, regular eminence speaker like a beta or delta 15, etc.,

1. would you be interested?

2. what would you expect to pay for it?

also, harley says a hybrid b-15 from s. korea is in the cards. is there any interest in that? traditionally, ss portaflexes have stiffed. but ss technology is so good now that it may just be pretty satisfying in the same way the micro vr is satisfying. i don't know if i'd want to flip a lid for a hybrid, though, especially since they can make a micro head for it.

I would have to say 'pass'. I want, REALLY want, a B15 but if they make it unaffordable to me but offer me something less, I would consider that an insult. What they should do is make the B15 more affordable, lower the price point/profit margin so that everyday folks can afford to get one. Maybe they don't get rich off it but they prove to their customers that with them customers are priority number one, a publicity stunt. Which would be huge for Ampeg right about now.

 

[Chef]

"Loss Leader" is the word you're looking for.
A product that draws people into the brand, at a cost to the company, but positions the buyer to develop brand loyalty.

The problem with that scenario, with this product, is that Ampeg appear to be doing it right...You can't mechanize point to point wiring very easily. The parts cost on this is high-ish. The labor cost is high.
Losing money to gain loyalty is one thing, but losing a lot of money means it takes longer to break even in the long run.
Or, make actual money....

I'd be stunned if this product was priced at $1200, and I think they'd be losing fairly significantly at that price point. But, I think it would sell at that.
We already know the B15R did not sell well at it's pricepoint. While this might be a more accurate re-issue, it's also powered down.
That's gonna limit it's usefulness, and perhaps therefore it's potential buyers.

I know Jimmy is ok with that, but many won't be and the market for a "recording level" reissue is probably even smaller than the market for one with a more workable amount of watts would be.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Ok, this threads taken off again. Without reading through all the new stuff I'll say one thing Jimmy, what I quoted there is called "mojo" and assuming prices are similair, I'd gladly trade you a new one for yours any day.

The olds ones smell old too. I bet the new one doesn't smell old.

I liked the smell inside my (double baffle) cab.

But it sure is shiny.

 

[stiles72]

"Loss Leader" is the word you're looking for.
A product that draws people into the brand, at a cost to the company, but positions the buyer to develop brand loyalty.

The problem with that scenario, with this product, is that Ampeg appear to be doing it right...You can't mechanize point to point wiring very easily. The parts cost on this is high-ish. The labor cost is high.
Losing money to gain loyalty is one thing, but losing a lot of money means it takes longer to break even in the long run.
Or, make actual money....

.

Lesson learned from the SVT Skunkworks Project '87?

 

[Classickbass]

"Loss Leader" is the word you're looking for.
A product that draws people into the brand, at a cost to the company, but positions the buyer to develop brand loyalty.

The problem with that scenario, with this product, is that Ampeg appear to be doing it right...You can't mechanize point to point wiring very easily. The parts cost on this is high-ish. The labor cost is high.
Losing money to gain loyalty is one thing, but losing a lot of money means it takes longer to break even in the long run.
Or, make actual money....

I'd be stunned if this product was priced at $1200, and I think they'd be losing fairly significantly at that price point. But, I think it would sell at that.
We already know the B15R did not sell well at it's pricepoint. While this might be a more accurate re-issue, it's also powered down.
That's gonna limit it's usefulness, and perhaps therefore it's potential buyers.

I know Jimmy is ok with that, but many won't be and the market for a "recording level" reissue is probably even smaller than the market for one with a more workable amount of watts would be.

Chef, I wasn't talking about Ampeg taking a loss, just marginalizing the profit to bare bones in order to gain back some much needed respect from its former fans/owners. I know that the production costs of this amp are going to be steep. With that said, what I was driving at was if Ampeg were to offer this amp for $1500 USD I would gladly pay that. But the 2900-5000K range is out of my league. And for Ampeg to offer something less as a consolation prize is insulting in my opinion. Sorry if I was unclear before.

 

[stiles72]

Just to change the subject slightly, I switched out the light in my '02 B-15R to a green LED. I like the results a lot. Here are a few pictures for your viewing enjoyment....

Sorry, but this is in the wrong thread. Feel free to move into the B-15 thread.

Cool pics... Surprised the B15R only had one bulb. The old ones had two

 

[JimmyM]

Lesson learned from the SVT Skunkworks Project '87?

different times, different situation. in 87, ampeg had lost a lot of market ground to trace elliot, hartke and gk. skunkworks was a hail mary pass to get ampeg to regain the ground they had lost because of mti not having their act together. and in that sense, it worked.

 

[Spencer!]

No interest in Chinese parts.

Every amp has Chinese parts.

 

[JimmyM]

tru dat, spencer. i don't think it's even possible to build an amp these days without using chinese parts. however, they do make it sound like it's got way more american parts than most. i'd like to find out what is and what isn't. i imagine the tubes won't be american

 

[BassmanPaul]

Every amp has Chinese parts.

Not true at all. There are still US made components of every kind.

Jimmy, I too think that offering a new amp at one price and a stripped down version for we folk who have to work really hard for every penny or have homes and families to support would do more harm than good. I surely wouldn't buy in that scenario. As I said way back in the thread, it's the price point that's going to make or break this release.

 

[Classickbass]

Not true at all. There are still US made components of every kind.

Jimmy, I too think that offering a new amp at one price and a stripped down version for we folk who have to work really hard for every penny or have homes and families to support would do more harm than good. I surely wouldn't buy in that scenario. As I said way back in the thread, it's the price point that's going to make or break this release.

I missed it earlier in the thread Paul but you are spot on...

"it's the price point that's going to make or break this release."

 

[Andrew Jones]

let's see,,, we want American made,, and not expensive..

Hmmmnnnn..

 

[Classickbass]

I don't mind expensive but won't do unreasonable.

 

[JimmyM]

Not true at all. There are still US made components of every kind.

tubes, too? and i thought all the little parts were now made in china because it was too expensive in the us and nobody was interested in doing it. you would know better than me, but i was under the impression that it had all moved offshore.

Jimmy, I too think that offering a new amp at one price and a stripped down version for we folk who have to work really hard for every penny or have homes and families to support would do more harm than good. I surely wouldn't buy in that scenario. As I said way back in the thread, it's the price point that's going to make or break this release.

that strategy hasn't seemed to affect fender in a negative way. as a matter of fact, i think it saved their asses.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Every amp has Chinese parts.

Yep. Most of the electronic components are made in Asia these days. These are often made for US companies. But they out source manufacturing. They have cheaper labor in Asia. When you are buying thousands of parts, that all adds up.

Not only that, but every neodymium magnet, or the raw material to make one, comes from China. They have the largest neodymium mining. So you can't have a neo speaker without a Chinese part.

You have to source parts where you can get them for a fair price to stop your product from being priced out of people's grasps.

 

[TheWolf]

Way better photo From FACEBOOK

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Ampeg Were you a Bass Player Live yesterday? If not, here is what you missed. More details weekly leading up to official launch at Winter NAMM in January.

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[Chef]

yessir, i believe they were at bpl...

 

[Classickbass]

Way better photo From FACEBOOK

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Ampeg Were you a Bass Player Live yesterday? If not, here is what you missed. More details weekly leading up to official launch at Winter NAMM in January.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Thanks for the link. Now excuse me whilst I clean the drool off of my keyboard.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Ampegs old VT series gutiar amps were some of the best amps I have ever played guitar through. If they skipped past all of the mis-steps they made in the 80's and 90's and brought those back? Awesome.
And yeah I double!

 

[Jazz Ad]

Way better photo From FACEBOOK

Any spec so far?
I hope the custom front plate will be back.