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TC Electronics RebelHead 450 - Rebel with a Cause

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EDIT: The free footswitch with purchase of a head coupon really was an insult, though. Rejecting us and trying to sell us at the same time is never a good idea.

I don't think so. Not at all. If you buy the head you get a $150 footswitch for free and that's it. It's not spam. You didn't get picked so here's a consulation prize. No big deal. Lordy. :rolleyes:
 
That's no consolation prize. A T-shirt is a consolation prize. An offer for a free piece of gear on the condition that you buy a way more expensive piece of gear is a solicitation.
 
EDIT: The free footswitch with purchase of a head coupon really was an insult, though. Rejecting us and trying to sell us at the same time is never a good idea.

The letter went to everyone including people like myself who just entered the "guess what it is" contest. I'm guessing that a lot more people entered that contest than applied for the test pilot program. Maybe they could have sent a nice letter to everyone who applied for the Test Pilot program, but I wouldn't read too much into the free footswitch offer. They're looking for a variety of styles and most importantly, some exposure for the product. Honestly, not having a MySpace page would be a big negative if I was going through the applications. Don't read too much into it. At least you were in the running. The only way I'm in the running is if I pull out the plastic. ;)
 
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at
it.


They are in Denmark.

Very nice! That post made my day. :cool:
 
I dont really care if im not a pilot for tc, but i cant help it, when i think of rebelhead 450 now, it just gives me a bad taste in my mouth. Like they are not my friends anymore :) Well done Danske drenge.
 
That's no consolation prize. A T-shirt is a consolation prize. An offer for a free piece of gear on the condition that you buy a way more expensive piece of gear is a solicitation.

You are right there.
In the end it seems the whole thing was about "we need to push these out, but how? Ah, we can invent something to compile a huge database of bass players that want to try a new amp! So let's do something that will give away one amp to be tested, and in return we will have a huge database of players that want to try a new head! Then we send an offer where if they buy the new head, they get a footswitch, so we can push these things out!"

Really a shame. I hope no one falls for it.
 
The letter went to everyone including people like myself who just entered the "guess what it is" contest. I'm guessing that a lot more people entered that contest than applied for the test pilot program. Maybe they could have sent a nice letter to everyone who applied for the Test Pilot program, but I wouldn't read too much into the free footswitch offer. They're looking for a variety of styles and most importantly, some exposure for the product. Honestly, not having a MySpace page would be a big negative if I was going through the applications. Don't read too much into it. At least you were in the running. The only way I'm in the running is if I pull out the plastic. ;)

They are just trying to push these heads out. The whole contest and test drive program are tricks to collect info in the target market and then send a "promo" to push the amps out.
 
TC must be feeling a financial squeeze or something because their whole marketing strategy with this amp has been a string of fumbles. The I-phone for bass thing was weird and spastic, then the name change business. I think someone wasn't doing their homework.
As for the test pilot program, I think it had to come down to a drawing at some point. They must have had more suitable applicants than rigs that they wanted to loan out. Plus, I guess I just take it for granted that this sort of selection is based on the applicants utility in the market place. I would think they would try to identify various segments of the market (jazz, r&b, rock, etc.) and then have a drawing in each genre.

Anyway, IMO, TC had already made a somewhat questionable name for themselves over on the effects forum. Maybe their marketing department isn't quite big enough or up to speed for the 21st century.
 
They are just trying to push these heads out. The whole contest and test drive program are tricks to collect info in the target market and then send a "promo" to push the amps out.

Targeted marketing by a company??? Nah, couldn't be.

I've always thought that the hardest thing to do is give something away. I continue with that belief.
 
My view of the test pilot program was that the idea behind it was to get players to own the equipment, they would be so wowed by the amp that they would never want to part with it. Thus they have made a sale with little effort.

What they did was create bad feelings in their target market. If this single thread has so many unhappy people in it, multiply THAT across the entire world!! That is fact! In this present economic climate surely that is not a wise move and no cute quote from Hamlet is going to change that fact one iota!

Like most of us I know a few bass players. I use Acme speakers and I have seen no other local player use them. I have had folks who raved about my system after playing through it. Some of them bought Acme speakers. The same could have happened here.

Paul
 
Please forgive me if I missed the answer to my previous question in all this chatter about endorsements, but since I didn't see an answer, I'll ask again.

From the videos, it appears that the memory buttons save the EQ settings and "Tube Tone" settings, but not the compressor settings.

Is that right?

I hope not, because setting the compressor with the EQ settings would be a main reason for wanting a preset -- so you can instantly get your sound with the push of a button.
 
My view of the test pilot program was that the idea behind it was to get players to own the equipment, they would be so wowed by the amp that they would never want to part with it. Thus they have made a sale with little effort.

What they did was create bad feelings in their target market. If this single thread has so many unhappy people in it, multiply THAT across the entire world!! That is fact! In this present economic climate surely that is not a wise move and no cute quote from Hamlet is going to change that fact one iota!

Like most of us I know a few bass players. I use Acme speakers and I have seen no other local player use them. I have had folks who raved about my system after playing through it. Some of them bought Acme speakers. The same could have happened here.

Paul
Oh, I know for a fact that my raves have been directly responsible for many sales of Markbass heads and VT Bass pedals. Not enough to where I should get commissions ;) but a good handful of each.

Anyway, I fear I've beaten this subject to death, so I'll let you and others carry on with it and simply nod my head and agree 100%. However, synasthesia, who quoted Hamlet, is also kind of PO'd about it. I think he just quoted it because I said TC was from Sweden when they're from Denmark.

I will also leave you with one of my favorite quotes. It comes from George Steinbrenner, owner of the NY Yankees and one of the sorest losers in history:

"Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser."
 
However, synasthesia, who quoted Hamlet, is also kind of PO'd about it. I think he just quoted it because I said TC was from Sweden when they're from Denmark.

Yes that's right.

This is what I meant to convey via Hamlet:

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio:
I know of them JimmyM.

a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy:
they must be kidding/joking that I am not good enough to try their gear, these Danish makers of fine gear

he hath borne me on his back a thousand times;
I have used TC gear for years

and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is!
Their poor amp trial stunt has left a bad taste of TC electronics.


Sorry to have been cryptic.:D
 
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