Ampeg to assemble some models in US again

[Dave W]

Heritage series

Note the MSRPs.

I still wouldn't buy anything from LOUD Technologies.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

It's a ploy to try and do two things: give Loud credibility and try and make it look as though they have some sort of domestic manufacturing investment and then justify their decision to manufacture overseas when nobody buys their exhorbitantly priced, shoddy Chinese parts amps. Funny that SLM managed to make a respectable profit for over a decade selling those same amps made in the USA for the prices that Loud wants for Asian-made amps of questionable quality and Loud is bankrupt.

[Pilgrim]

Having just invested in a Genz-Benz shuttle (and nearly blowing myself off the stage with it yesterday) I am immune!!!!

NYAH - AH - AH!!   

[Denis]

I like how they say "designed and assembled in the U.S.A". I bet all the parts are still manufactured in China. When did Ampeg cease US production?

[jmcgliss]

FWIW, the owner of local independent music store is fond of saying he won't carry any amps or guitars made in a communist country with a poor human rights record. (not meant as a political statememt...just passing along there's one dealer out there who tells everyone this who comes in his store).

[TBird1958]

It's a ploy to try and do two things: give Loud credibility and try and make it look as though they have some sort of domestic manufacturing investment and then justify their decision to manufacture overseas when nobody buys their exhorbitantly priced, shoddy Chinese parts amps. Funny that SLM managed to make a respectable profit for over a decade selling those same amps made in the USA for the prices that Loud wants for Asian-made amps of questionable quality and Loud is bankrupt.

P.B.G.

Thanks for joining us here!  I don't know much about amps and am trying to weigh options on a new (possibly old) slighty smaller secong rig. Just wanted to say thanks, yours is a valued opinion.   

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I had another reply to this thread. Was it removed for some violation or I did I accidentally delete it? 

[Dave W]

I had another reply to this thread. Was it removed for some violation or I did I accidentally delete it? 

I sure didn't delete anything, and I don't see anything else in my RSS feed.

I think you're right about Loud's strategy.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I've has three hours' sleep in the past two days combined, so I probably nuked it myself. It wasn't anything earth-shattering.

I just talked about how Loud put that same label language of "designed and assembled in the U.S.A" on the first overseas-made Mackie mixers after they shut down the plant in Woodinville, WA. They say "designed and tested by Mackoids in the U.S.A." I was no fan of SLM, especially from a service angle, but they were light years beyond the example that Loud now sets.

As to answer the question of how long Ampeg has been foreign made, SLM ceased to exist about four years ago when Loud bought them.  A few months later, Loud shut down production in St. Louis and moved it to Arkansas, where it stayed for about a year or two before they laid off their entire US production workforce and shut down their service network, despite assurances as late as a month before the change that they never would do so.

Most of the problems with Asian Ampegs have been poor quality control and shoddy parts. I expect the "Heritage Series" to be decently assembled out of cherrypicked parts from the foreign lines, so they ought to at least work. And for all those who think I'm being racist or xenophobic about Asian origins, I'm quite fond of my MTI SVT, which was made in Japan and has far superior assembly to 70's SVT's.

[Dave W]

I heard about the service network. Is it true that there was no local service under warranty any more? If so, they better get that fixed. I don't think they'll be selling many big tube heads and heavy cabs if shipping is necessary to get warranty service.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

They have a contract service referral to a business of old SLM engineers, but I don't know if they provide warranty work.  AFAIK Loud has tried to re-establish a partial service network of "hubs," but getting parts from them is next to impossible.