Markbass v Gallien-Krueger

[prestoj]

WHAMMMM !! Just got the wind knocked out of me. Lemme take a knee for a second or two.....OK coach, I’m ready to go back in.
Dane, I certainly don’t argue with any of the points you make, but I am driven to add a little further clarification to the previous post of mine that you chose to cite . I did state that I was generally okay with US managed overseas production. To me, that doesn't necessarily indicate an eagerness to do business with companies that move production off shore in order to duck labor and environmental regulations. That is a bit of a stride...........maybe just a l'il bit.
The experience I referred to regarding US managed overseas production involved setting up production facilities, in China and the UK, in order to produce product specifically to be sold in the China and UK markets. Won't say who my former employer was as this exercise is meant to pour water, not gas on this fire. Maybe a future discussion thread on brewing might be in order.
Any way, I actually agree with more of what you say than you might think. I, more often than not, pay a premium for items simply to buy American or to support my local businesses. I am also a pragmatist, so that’s why part of this thread is as much about what is made as it is about where/how it is made.
I drive a Ford. If you ever see me in a Wal-Mart, it is because I’ve been kidnapped and dragged in through the door.
Now, let us move on in peace and harmony, my friend.

[aceonbass]

Jack, my comment was not aimed directly at you, but at the sentiment expressed in your comment. Everyone here cringes at the thought of Chinese made budget Rickenbackers every time it's brought up, yet many seem to have no problem waxing poetic about the virtues of Chinese Ampegs (which aren't any cheaper than they were when they were made here), GK, or Hartke amps. Assuming the quality of Chinese Ampegs and GK's was equal to what was made here, my point is that people here lost their jobs so that these products could be made offshore. The issue of buying foreign made products that have never been made here, such as Marshall or MarkBass, is a little different. I've played Mark Bass amps before and don't find anything about them that a US made Gallien-Krueger couldn't do. The US has a massive trade deficit and the highest unemployment since the 30's, so I make every effort to buy things that are made here. There's a website called madeinusa.com, and it lists domestically made products by category. Kudos to you for not setting foot in a Wal-Mart. The list of US companies that have closed their domestic factories and moved production off-shore to continue meeting Wal-Mart's pricing points is long and getting longer.

[prestoj]

Dane, Not taken personally. My comments left room for a certain amount of interpretation, and you gave me an opportunity to expand on them. Now I know which GK cabs are US made. Nuff said.

[rickenbrother]

Everyone here cringes at the thought of Chinese made budget Rickenbackers every time it's brought up, yet many seem to have no problem waxing poetic about the virtues of Chinese Ampegs (which aren't any cheaper than they were when they were made here), GK, or Hartke amps.

Dane, I have to disagree with you. I haven't seen a whole lotta love posted on this forum for Ampeg, GK or Hartke amps that have had production moved away from the USA.

[aceonbass]

Dane, I have to disagree with you. I haven't seen a whole lotta love posted on this forum for Ampeg, GK or Hartke amps that have had production moved away from the USA.

True enough. I removed some other off-shore brands before I posted that some here do talk up to make my second point. The popular perception that there's some products that Americans can't build as well as people elsewhere or that they must make it cheaper, is a dangerous one economically. Sooner or later it may be your turn when your boss comes to you and says he's found a way help the company survive and maximize profits for stockholders, and that way doesn't involve you working there. Being out of regular work for 18 months tends to adjust your perspective.

[jps]

Regarding Markbass (MB), I don't have a problem owning it as MB never took away US jobs. Once I learned that the GK micro amps are made in China I lost interest in them. I think the only US made micro bass amp is the Carvin BX500, but I have owned Carvin gear in the past and am not overly impressed with some of the skimping on construction I have seen. I wait with hope that Mesa Engineering will eventually step up and produce one, since they now have the Transatlantic guitar amp available to those skinny stringed players. Wait, I play those things, too!

[aceonbass]

I recently had a GK MB500 and it was made in the USA. Don't kid yourself. Buying a foreign product when there is a domestic equivalent always costs jobs domestically. Why do you think there are no domestically produced TV's anymore?

[jps]

I am glad to hear some GK micro amps are/were made in the US; I don't think that is the case anymore, going by what Bob Gallien told me. Believe me, I'd rather have a USA made amp, I am still waiting for the right US micro amp to be made (are you listening, Mesa?).

[Tarrbot]

Jeff, Somebody, somewhere in the past (I'm old and tend to forget..........sometimes on purpose ) told me that with most electronic equipment, you plug it in, burn it in, and if nothing smokes or explodes, it probably will never smoke or explode.

In general, this is still a pretty good idea.

However, as environmental concerns have eaten into a lot of business considerations, soldering electrical components is one of the ones that has taken the most noticeable hit in the last few decades. Specifically the use of lead in soldering components.

Ever wonder why components fail more often nowadays? It's due to the lack of lead usage in these components. There are some other issues that lead to higher failure rates but lack of lead is one of the--if not the--biggest contributors.

And I'm firmly in the buy local camp but I'm from Detroit and we see the negative impact of not buying local probably in a bigger proportion than a lot of places.

[aceonbass]

While the Ampeg PortaBass 800 amps aren't exactly "micro" at 22 lbs, they're still much lighter than many 800 watt amps and still very portable. Early last year I found the last NOS one of these in the country at a music store in Seattle for $1050.00 shipped. Late last year I picked up a new GK MB500 for $421 shipped and a GK NEO 2x10 cab for about the same. Great little amp and cab, but I missed the two discreet channels my PB800 has. It was no longer that portable since it was racked with all my other gear. Then I picked up another PB800 on EBAY for $350.00 in great condition WITH the carrying bag! I sold the GK for $360.00 to pay for it and still had $10.00 left over. The bigger, heavier Ampeg isn't as light and portable as the little GK was, but now I have a backup that I can run through my main cab if I have to (the GK could only go down to 4 ohms while the Ampeg would go to 2 ohms). The Ampegs were among the last made here. These 5 pound micro amps are cool and all, but an 800 watt amp with two channels I can stuff in a bag and sling over my shoulder is micro enough for me...until another domestic manufacturer comes up with something with all of the same features and lighter. If Bob Gallien really did move production of this very cool and affordable amp over seas without even dropping the price in the process, than that tells me that his priorities haven't changed much since I met him and Rich Krueger at the Chicago NAMM shows in the early 80's.

[rickenbrother]

I am still waiting for the right US micro amp to be made

Have you checked out the Genz Benz Shuttle heads?

[jps]

I am still waiting for the right US micro amp to be made

Have you checked out the Genz Benz Shuttle heads?

They are not US built, the Shuttles are made in China.

[rickenbrother]

I am still waiting for the right US micro amp to be made

Have you checked out the Genz Benz Shuttle heads?

They are not US built, the Shuttles are made in China.

Glad I inquired to you about that!
Cross another potential mini amp off my list!
Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0

[jps]

As I mentioned above, I am pretty certain the only micro amps commercially made is the Carvin BX500; Walter Woods still makes his micro amps by hand in his home in So Cal. I am glad I have one.

[marc61]

When I bought my first Markbass and looked at the sales slip, while the total was what they told me, the price was broken down into the amp price, and warranty price. I then said that I didn't want the warranty. I was told tha because Markbass is an Italian made amp they could only be sold through GC with the warranty as Markbass cannot afford to have amps sent back to Italy for repairs. So for example, if you see the price of $899 on a Markbass amp, it includes the warranty.