Question Hey BP: Musicman Amps?

[whitestrat]

Hey BP, are there any possible plans to relaunch the MM name in amplifiers? I would like to see someone in the industry come up with a range of affordable small wattage tube amplifiers with 2 or 3 switchable channels using 1x 6v6 tubes and 1x12" speakers with built-in effects loops and a GOOD reverb. The range for such amps on the market are a bit limited at this point. You can only get stuff like that from boutique makers like the Blackstar HT5, Egnater Rebel 20, so on, so forth. Otherwise, stuff like the Vox AC4TV comes pretty bare. Even Laney only has one or 2 models left in this range that are worth looking at.

Maybe this could be a good chance for the relaunch of the MM name in amps? Looking at the sheer number of bedroom players around the world, we could use an amp that works great at low volume levels.

The market today seems to be aimed at the gigging guitarist with their 30 to 50 to 100w amps with the smaller amps as a "by-the-way" product. Maybe a business model of the reverse could work? Catering to the hobbyist rather than the professional?

Any thoughts?

 

[David Corrales]

I have a Blackstar HT5 and it's not really boutique. It's crafted in Korea (although it looks great ) and cost me like $300 brand new. Killer killer bedroom/even rehearsal amp.

 

[francric]

He found a bunch in some area of the factory a while back. I was wondering if he was going to release any of those for sale...........

 

[TNT]

New Musicman amps - boy does that bring back memories!!

However, considering the current music industry climate, do you really want to throw your hat in "that" ring?!

 

[azazael]

He found a bunch in some area of the factory a while back. I was wondering if he was going to release any of those for sale...........

Ye that was odd I was wondering how you can be in the factory for such a long time and then just stumble across a pallet of amps.

I don't see amplifiers being a good area for MM anyway and it is just more hassle than it is worth.

BP knows what he is doing.

 

[azazael]

All these little amps are severely limited anyway and really want you to use pedals all the time to get tones. I personally hate pedals with a vengeance, i've never met an OD/Distortion box I liked and I would rather have a versatile amp and these amps just don't have the features to cut it. It is a niche novelty market and I don't see it lasting very long. The only one that I liked and possibly the catalyst of it all was the THD stuff. Those were heads and shoulders above any of the stuff you can buy today in similar vein though.

 

[whitestrat]

All these little amps are severely limited anyway and really want you to use pedals all the time to get tones. I personally hate pedals with a vengeance, i've never met an OD/Distortion box I liked and I would rather have a versatile amp and these amps just don't have the features to cut it.

That's you. If the majority of guitarists out there were like you, then the pedal makers would have been out of business long ago. Pedals have their uses and fans, as do straight to amp applications.

What I was trying to get across is that a market for small tube amps (1w to 5ws) with at least 2 or 3 channels with decent drive would be good for the market. Especially in cities where people live in high-rise flats rather than single housed large compounds.

 

[Jimmyb]

I love pedals!

If BP thinks it's a viable proposition, then I'm sure he'll look into it, but didn't they move out of the bass amp market? I might be wrong (which is not that rare..) but I thought Marco from MarkBass used to build the Audiophile amps for EBMM?

I think the current market trend for the low wattage amps seems to centre around getting a good single channel sound, as opposed to the extra switching etc that would be required for a 2 or 3 channel one.

Still, it doesn't mean it's not a good idea.

 

[telemike]

If MM amps were made in SLO they would be on the higher end of pricing due to USA labor costs and parts cost. I'm not sure MM wants to source thier amps from China, India or Vietnam to achieve a $500 point of sale price point. Look at VOX, they moved the AC30 to China.

 

[Big Poppa]

Ok I wanted to see how many people once again answered before me in a thread that specifically asked ME a question.

THe first issue affordable....doesnt look like that will happen....I dont want to make cheap stuff.

I never said that I stumbled across these I said that when I bought the company we stashed them away.

I will always consider doing an amp but only if there is something that would make Tommy Walker proud. (rip tommy)

It isnt on the near horizon if at all

 

[whitestrat]

THe first issue affordable....doesnt look like that will happen....I dont want to make cheap stuff.

I understand it's not possible to make it in the couple of hundreds ranges. But how about high hundreds?

I keep on wondering, how on earth does Laney do it? The VC15-110 is affordable, a good amp, and it's still made in the UK! What's their cost saving secret?

 

[telemike]

I'll waget the circuit boards and components are outsourced. My USA Crate Palomino V32 certainly has imported parts but was assembled in St. Louis.

 

[Smellybum]

Ok I wanted to see how many people once again answered before me in a thread that specifically asked ME a question.

THe first issue affordable....doesnt look like that will happen....I dont want to make cheap stuff.

I never said that I stumbled across these I said that when I bought the company we stashed them away.

I will always consider doing an amp but only if there is something that would make Tommy Walker proud. (rip tommy)

It isnt on the near horizon if at all

Cool -

it would be easy to make a cheap buck and setup production in the far east, as a lot of traditional companies have done to compete, glad your sticking to your guns BP.

 

[jamminjim]

Lionel - take a look at this link - I just love the Douglas DB5A

Low wattage guitar amplifiers, amps 1, 2,3, 5, 6, 7 , 10 watts.

 

[Big Poppa]

MOst would say that I'm stupied that it is a global deal..If I could get the quality I would consider outsourcing in asia

 

[telemike]

The only way would be to OWN the factory in China and run it the way Big Poppa would an SLO plant.

 

[skerwo]

BP, I think it´s the best way to stay in the US with your high class products. I also like german companys which produce their things at home and not in the asian area. You can get good quality from there but it´s always the risk that the asian copy is faster on the market than your own product .

Chinese people are very good copying people, especially when they get the chance to have a look on high quality products.



Rainer