neo
Odyssey
Posts: 94
|
Post by neo on Apr 2, 2009 19:56:04 GMT
Hi
Have been trying to get in touch with RL Music re purchasing a Macbeth M5N semi-modular - saw the demo on VSE and fell in love. Neither Ken Macbeth nor RL music, the authorized UK distributor have been back in touch. Is it me, or if someone rang/emailed and said "please sell me a £2,700 synth" you'd appreciate the business?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dubsounds on Apr 2, 2009 22:51:44 GMT
No, it's not you.
I can't say anything about RL Music because I haven't used them but I can make a general comment on the state of music businesses in the UK from my own experience.
I contacted four different companies recently who offered custom built flight cases with a request (and completed design layout) and didn't get a single reply from any of them. That was £500 worth of business.
I then contacted three UK businesses offering bespoke mobile laptop solutions for mobile recording and heard fuck all too. That requirement included a full pro tools installation and a Digi 003 firewire interface. Potential of £3,000 of business.
I finally heard back from one of those three with an email apologising for being out of the office... (for three weeks).
Basically, unless you buy point and shoot "off the shelf" items in the UK, (in other words, not something that requires any thought) then I'm left with the impression that very few businesses have the will or the means to stay in business. No wonder so many come and then go. Nobody can turn down work in this current climate!
The best way, (it seems) to get anything done is to go on word of mouth recommendations and a telephone call. Emails in general largely go ignored.
I had a technical query with Turnkey recently and was told after making several phone calls that I was wasting my time emailing as their system was over-run and they weren't even looking at them...
Says it all really!
|
|
|
|
Post by vortex on Apr 3, 2009 0:57:03 GMT
Hi Have been trying to get in touch with RL Music re purchasing a Macbeth M5N semi-modular - saw the demo on VSE and fell in love. Neither Ken Macbeth nor RL music, the authorized UK distributor have been back in touch. Is it me, or if someone rang/emailed and said "please sell me a £2,700 synth" you'd appreciate the business? Yeah I love the video where he's banging the case and making the spring reverb modulate. Physical electronics, v cool |
|
|
|
Post by vortex on Apr 3, 2009 1:09:58 GMT
No, it's not you. I can't say anything about RL Music because I haven't used them but I can make a general comment on the state of music businesses in the UK from my own experience. I contacted four different companies recently who offered custom built flight cases with a request (and completed design layout) and didn't get a single reply from any of them. That was £500 worth of business. I then contacted three UK businesses offering bespoke mobile laptop solutions for mobile recording and heard fuck all too. That requirement included a full pro tools installation and a Digi 003 firewire interface. Potential of £3,000 of business. I finally heard back from one of those three with an email apologising for being out of the office... (for three weeks). Basically, unless you buy point and shoot "off the shelf" items in the UK, (in other words, not something that requires any thought) then I'm left with the impression that very few businesses have the will or the means to stay in business. No wonder so many come and then go. Nobody can turn down work in this current climate! The best way, (it seems) to get anything done is to go on word of mouth recommendations and a telephone call. Emails in general largely go ignored. I had a technical query with Turnkey recently and was told after making several phone calls that I was wasting my time emailing as their system was over-run and they weren't even looking at them... Says it all really! Fucking worldwide mate. I recently ordered some quiklok monitor stands from a chain of music shops in NZ called Rockshop. I didn't mind that they had been on display but I was rather pissed off that during their disassembly for shipping they had snapped or bent back the locking lugs that seat the legs into the baseplate. It must have taken all the guy's force to actually break or bend the steel. Not something he could have failed to notice but the twat still shipped them!!!! The website description also said you could fill the legs with sand or lead shot. Well thats bollocks. Two of the legs are closed rectangular in cross section but are open at the ends. I guess you could block the lower end with epoxy. The 3rd leg of the stand actually has 2 factory cut holes cut into one of its sides, each 14x 4 cms With regard to recession; to be honest I think some people (in particular the NZ govt) are hyping this up for their own purposes. Standard fucking answer now for anything. |
|
|
|
Post by secretagent on Apr 3, 2009 5:55:11 GMT
Agreed, I'm looking for a new synth repairer(long story)but despite a couple of emails to james walker at synth repair services just to ask if he'd be interested,i've not had the decency of a reply  I have bought off RL music and i was dissapointed with the speed of service considering the synths are advertised as ready to buy,i had to phone a couple of times and was told that the synth had been lying around a while and needed a new service then i was told a family member was ill etc. But the synth(sh-2000)was in excellent condition ;D Come to think of it,almost everyone i'm involved with musically is very elusive and frustrating...maybe it's me!!!  |
|
neo
Odyssey
Posts: 94
|
Post by neo on Apr 3, 2009 20:19:13 GMT
Update - finally got a response from RL Music after i rang them again. Seemingly Ken Macbeth isn't making any more of these, and will absolutely not be persuaded otherwise. RL were pretty helpful to be fair (particularly when i asked how much a restored ARP 2600 might cost). but still begs a question, why are both the developer and distributor advertising a discontinued product?
PS, anyone own, or used an Analog Solutions Vostok? Might be the next best alternative.
PPS. Hope you bought your copy of the new Classic Rock Prog quarterly mag thats just come out, Sean (snigger)
|
|
|
|
Post by vortex on Apr 15, 2009 23:42:57 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Minimoog on Apr 16, 2009 13:31:05 GMT
but still begs a question, why are both the developer and distributor advertising a discontinued product? Can't speak for RLM, but Ken's website states in the update section that the M5 is being run-out to leave room for him to work on the X Factor (yet another Mini clone by the looks of it...). Looks like you'll be looking for a used model or something else  |
|
|
|
Post by gneuman on May 16, 2009 8:35:43 GMT
I would call Ken directly, if I were you, I think he would make you an M5 to order...I've spoken to him loads of times over the years, when I was ordering my M3X's, he's a real wild man but also a decent fella... I also spoke to Richard at RLMusic when I was casting around for a Minimoog, he was very helpful and friendly on the phone, though I ended up buying my Mini from some dealer in Japan  |
|
