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Rescueing the SVT - Idea

#61
That would be a decent result, and I think it would be bad for the import brands, as well, which is a political issue I won't get into. Sure would help the "main street" music stores, which has to be a good thing. OTOH, GC got a lot of kids playing music, due to low cost of entry, so..........

I actually have some reasons for suspecting GC may go with "house branded" stuff for their lower end large volume products. I am pretty sure they have been considering it.

THAT would probably be not so good, as it would replace one overseas product set where the money at least supported well-known brands, with another set of overseas products that supports only GC. Probably not good for the well-known brands, on a number of levels.

And, we know that the house-brand stuff tends to creep upscale. Once that starts, it could nearly exterminate a number of brands that sell a lot at GC, some of which are Loud's.

The net result could be a lot less choice in the amp and instrument world. There could be a couple low-end house brand choices, a couple mid-priced house-brand choices, possibly one or two house brand "quality" choices and then a reduced number of lots pricier items from boutique makers. Period.

Hopefully this has stayed on the "quality of services" side of the debate.......
 
#62
Wow! What detailed information - Thanks Jerrold.
Gene must be in his late sixties now, right? Maybe that was the reason he had to sell? Probably noone of the family wanted to take it over? But Business wasnt running bad, was it? Ampeg always seemed a good selling product... Then they had the idea to reproduce the old twochannel SVT...

...and then Gene had to sell it all suddenly?

May I ask what YOU are doing now after SLM?
And what does the (unknown) ex-Skunkworks man who worked on the VR now?

I linked myself out when you guys start talking about "GC" or "MI" - :p I dont know anything what youre talking about...


So there is no more Patent Right Protection on the original SVT Circuit. Anybody could reproduce it 100% if he knows about the vendors of original parts, or where he can get the electrical winging transformers, the printed circuit boards and chassis.
Ohhhhh... That would need some starting capital and lots of soldering work.. :D

Probably the "SVT" and ofcourse the "Ampeg" name is owned, but who cares about Names if its the original Beast and properly marketed and exclusively sold via the Internet? :p
 
#64
"GC" = Guitar Center, a large chain of music stores. A sort of "WalMart" of the music business, and has much the same effect of putting smaller stores out of business.

Just as WalMart is the largest retail store chain in the world, I think Guitar center is the largest music store chain. At least it definitely is in the US.

"MI" = "musical instrument"..... the part of the music business NOT associated with sound systems, or other items, but just with instruments and their amplifiers.

As far as why SLM was sold, I do know some details, but I don't think it appropriate to discuss them, as they are really Mr Kornblum's private business.
 
#65
Jerrold Tiers said:
The power amp uses 12AU7 drivers, but if you wish nothing stops you from putting in the 12BH7.
Click to expand...

Psycho Bass Guy said:
While the VR has the capability to use them, it is factory equipped with 12AU7's...
Click to expand...

I'm pretty happy with my VR, but just for fun... does this require a mod or re-bais... or can I just put the BH tubes in and rock?
 
#66
brothernewt said:
I'm pretty happy with my VR, but just for fun... does this require a mod or re-bais... or can I just put the BH tubes in and rock?
Click to expand...

This is a good question I have wondered about myself. I dont think it needs a mod but I would suspect that replacing the driver may have an effect on bias but I really dont know for sure. This would be useful info because many people swap "preamp" tubes in their amps which could include driver and or phase splitter which are technically part of the power amp circuit. I wonder if either one can affect bias. Hopefully Jerrold and Psycho chime in.
 
#70
musicmansf said:
Not to be an ass here, but for what, selling out to the highest bidder? Sounds pretty damn american to me...
Click to expand...

Nope, actually he made an effort to sell to people who would keep the company together and were not known to immediately want to trash everything but the brand names, as some potential buyers would have.

The Loud folks did leave everything alone like that for some time. However, Loud, prior to being NASDAQ listed, was majority owned by Sun Capital. While they had to get below 50% ownership for the listing, they are the ones still calling the shots, IMO, and are pretty much straight bean counters, not music biz folks at all.

My understanding is that Loud was NOT the highest bidder. If you dig, you can find the actual terms of the deal, since the buyer is a public company (Loud). You can be sure we all looked them up at the time! While the records of SLM are NOT public, I can assure you that the price was NOT the highest, based on cash flow, revenue potential, etc.

So much for the business stuff behind the changes at Loud, Ampeg, etc. It probably is skating the edges of policy here, and I mention it merely to give the background, and because I think Mr Kornblum has gotten a bad rap about SLM and the "Crate" brand, which he obviously also owned.

As far as the 12BH7 swap, you do need to re-bias. The bias is virtually certain to change with the new type.

I'd CHECK it even if replacing the 12AU7.
 

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