Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

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.

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.

aceonbass wrote: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.

rickenbrother wrote: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.

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!

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?).

prestoj wrote: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.

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

Have you checked out the Genz Benz Shuttle heads?

rickenbrother wrote:

jps wrote: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.

jps wrote:

rickenbrother wrote:

jps wrote: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

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.

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.