Re: crystal balls, software development, product reps & repeater

[Matthias Grob <matthias@grob.org>]

>At 12:09 AM 1/20/01 -0300, Matthias wrote:
>>>...my guess is that the cost to produce EDPs once the Trace
>>>Elliot folks get into full production is pretty minimal, and the only 
>way
>>>for them to compete w/ Repeater will be to sell EDPs at about half what
>>>Repeater will cost.
>>
>>Impossible. I hope the price drops a bit once production is
>>established and the find cheaper parts, but to reduce it more than
>>10-20%, we would have to redesign it, which we did not start yet...
>
>Matthias,
>
>thanks for this feedback.  can you tell us a bit more?  haven't the parts
>gotten quite a bit cheaper over the years since the original design?

The memory did, thats why they put a lot into it now. But the other 
parts are rather getting rare than cheaper. And GB is one of the most 
expensive places!

To be honest I have no idea how they manage to make all the Repeaters 
functions for that price. SMD technology probably helps, external 
supply...
I hope they dont run into problem with that. It happend once to us at 
PARADIS:
Our then representative got so enthusiastic at the fair that he 
negociated a low price for a big quantity of AVALON guitars, saying 
that we would find ways to make it cheaper but we did not. So for 
over a year we had to produce without earning, that was HORRIBLE, 
expecially because all the friends thought: "wow, they made it!"
Well, I guess Electrix is too experienced to fall into such a trap.

>if this is the case, & with no criticism intended, i expect that the plex
>will become a 2nd, "gourmet" looper for the hardcore folks when (& if)
>repeater ships in quantity.  i wonder if sales will be sufficient for
>Gibson to keep it alive?

No idea. So far I did not recognize the logic of their actions. :-(
-- 


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