Today I had a conversation with a business associate of mine, who has 'things' made in China all the time.
He travels to China from the U.S. once a month to oversee production of his many various products.
Often, he will see a need in any given market, get a sample of whatever it may be, send it to China, and say; 'Give me 100 of these by next month!'
Exact copies.
EXACT.
He has the system down... and while some of his 'ideas' might be blatant rip offs...
What he had made usually fills a void often left in the market place... or niche industry.
I could give examples, but most of it is automotive based.
I mention this, because of a funny story about a product he sent over. When he finally saw his inventory of copies. They were all slightly damaged. All of them! When he asked about it, the plant manager showed him the sample he had sent to China to be reproduced. It was damaged. So all the copies they made, had a dent in the same exact location. Perfectly ruined.
It occured to me that I could give him a Boombox. Any Boombox, and have however many made. Exact replicas.
It may sound expensive, but from what Ive seen of his investments and initial start up cost... not really.
Lets say I sent a BBX over through his company. He funds it. We have 50 made up. Everything original. Including cassette, controls, everything.
Change the name to some new BRAND. Sell them for a few hundred bucks each... and when they are gone, there gone.
Pick another old school BBX. Start all over again...
Not to be sold as vintage, but original reproductions.... sell them in hipster, youth clothing, skate shops, etc.
Anyone think there would be any legalities? Are 20+ year old designs still under some form of copyright?
If this was to happen... and this is the important question.
Which box first?
Conion C-100F is the obvious choice... but Im thinking more practical initially... Like a Sharp GF-8989. Or similar sized box.
Limited edition replicas... 2 or 3 new designs a year limited to 50 copies each.
Opinions?
Love it? Hate it?
What am I not considering that would make this a bad idea?
Thanks all!
I'd love to see a repro of an old school boombox!!! I'd personally would buy one... then again I'm NutZ!
Sounds like something that is so great and so cool, it'd probably wouldn't happen... but if it did!!! WoW
Johnny <-keep us psoted if this becomes a reality!!!
A few hundred dollars? Hmmmmmm, might not sell very well in this economy...
Vlad - A GE 6035B would sell good in this economy................. TO ME
Johnny <-empty void till I get my GE :[ lol
quote:
Originally posted by vladi123456:
A few hundred dollars? Hmmmmmm, might not sell very well in this economy...
Have a look at the prices for current boomboxes compared with the price relation back in the 80s.:
EXAMPLE:
(Average monthly worker income in Germany 1980:--DM2000)
(Average monthly earnings of nonsupervisory workers in the USA 1980:---US$1000)
price of the tpr950 in the 80s:---DM800/US$400
Imagine that nowadays a worker buys a boombox for nearly half of his income....
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd rather see an M90 reproduced than a Conion...
Lots of questions to consider here...
1) How much will these cost?
2) Tape drive mechanism quality?
3) Customs/Import duties?
4) Who would be willing to send their grail to China for disection??
How about doing the M90?
It seems to me that making copies like this would result in an enormous initial start up cost. Just the molds for the two halfs of the case would cost a ton. I'm assuming they use conventional injection molding machines like everyone else. Even 50 boxes at 300 each leaves us with 15k to make it all happen.
But... If they can do it, count me in!
As far as legalities go, If I'm correct, patent copyrights n the U.S. expire every 25 years for design as long as it's no longer produced and/or the patent is not renewed. (That's how kit car makers get over.) But, they would never be able t call it an M90 or even a 90M as it would bear to much of a resemblance to the original "name". Now, from this standpoint the only thing we would face is JVC protesting to the U.S. government to stop the imports.
Fact is, the Chinese reproduce what they want, whenever they want. Heck, go to Korea and the same people who work in the Nike plant over there backdoor the materials to family and they make the shoes and sell them on the street. The only thing you can do is try to keep it from being sold in your home country.
honestly i would only purchase a new boombox from a established manufactuer. for example jvc or panasonic. i have no interest in buying a old school boombox manufactured in the manner laid out here.
they might be able to churn out something that looks like a m90 feels like a m90 but there is no way they could make it last and sound as good as m90 without big money behind it.
thats just my opinion.
quote:
Originally posted by Prime:
But... If they can do it, count me in!
Johnny <-good for $300 don't tell the wifey tho...
quote:
Originally posted by johnnygto:
Vlad - A GE 6035B would sell good in this economy................. TO ME
Johnny <-empty void till I get my GE :[ lol
Johnny, ok, you got me there
JLF --the concept is spectacular -especially if the final product quality and dependability were exactly what buyers expect /hope for.
you asked what you are not considering ??
i think you and you friend are not considering that 50 units --after the enormous start up expenses -- is just plain nothing --
i will predict --that to make all the molds , tooling, etc it will require to set up for a worthwhile $200 or $300 M90 re-make-
AT LEAST 5,000 units need to be sold.
quote:
Originally posted by *TPR*:
Have a look at the prices for current boomboxes compared with the price relation back in the 80s.:
EXAMPLE:
(Average monthly worker income in Germany 1980:--DM2000)
(Average monthly earnings of nonsupervisory workers in the USA 1980:---US$1000)
price of the tpr950 in the 80s:---DM800/US$400
Imagine that nowadays a worker buys a boombox for nearly half of his income....
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, but back in the 1980 the workers didn't have to spend so much on healthcare. Or home loans. Or food. Cars didn't cost as much as now. Daycare was cheaper. They also didn't have flat screen TVs, ebay and broadband Internet. What I'm trying to say is - in 1980 people had more disposable income - so they could afford spending half of their monthly income on a new boombox. Personally, I don't even have $100 left after I pay my bills - and I'd rather spend those $100 dollars on girls - not Chinese boomboxes
how bout' Chineese Girls!
Yeah thats the tickect
Johnny
quote:
Yes, but back in the 1980 the workers didn't have to spend so much on healthcare. Or home loans. Or food. Cars didn't cost as much as now. Daycare was cheaper. They also didn't have flat screen TVs, ebay and broadband Internet. What I'm trying to say is - in 1980 people had more disposable income - so they could afford spending half of their monthly income on a new boombox. Personally, I don't even have $100 left after I pay my bills - and I'd rather spend those $100 dollars on girls - not Chinese boomboxes
Dude, your wife IS a boombox!
chinese girl + chinese food = $100
quote:
Originally posted by JT:
Dude, your wife IS a boombox!
And I'm proud if it!
quote:
Originally posted by redbenjoe:
JLF --the concept is spectacular -especially if the final product quality and dependability were exactly what buyers expect /hope for.
you asked what you are not considering ??
i think you and you friend are not considering that 50 units --after the enormous start up expenses -- is just plain nothing --
i will predict --that to make all the molds , tooling, etc it will require to set up for a worthwhile $200 or $300 M90 re-make-
AT LEAST 5,000 units need to be sold.
I'll just add that creating the circuits and the gear mechs are going to be nearly impossible to get right. How many revs does it take? Many of those IC's are no longer available......sounds like a good idea, but we don't even have 5000 members to sell something like this too.
But I'd like to see a perspectus on the big picture before I'd say no.
Well, here's my conservative thinking...
If they make an M90 replica - none of the younger people will buy it - not without an Ipod dock built-in.
If they add an Ipod dock - well, we already have the Lasonic that sells for around $200.
And last but not least - if we have five thousand M90s all of the sudden - it will be enough for all of us to get two of those each - and we won't feel so special anymore. We'll be regretting not making Panasonic 5350 replicas instead
vladi wheres your wife?
really what i would like is parts made for every box especially deck parts knobs thing like that to replace old worn out parts off of box that sometimes that do not have them like the famous conion door m90 door stuff like that
also i would say anyone thinking of cashing in on hipster kids buying this at this point is a bit late.
once the lasonic old school boombox showed up at wal mart and places like that. the hipster scenester asymetrical haircut kids pretty much peaked.
you can get boombox tshirts at old navy and wal mart now. its the tail end of the whole eighties revival thing.
i would also say the current trend is moving towards a nineties revival. as much as i hate to say it and as hard as it might seem to believe its the truth. i mean even cds are going to be retro in a couple more years.
so selling a old school boombox is going to be a very very very niche market thing.
the eighties was a cool time for sure no doubt about it. but its rehash has peaked two years ago.
i think it was a missed opportunity in many ways but at least lasonic went for it. people can bash the new lasonic box all they want but its the closest to a old school box anyone is going to bring to the masses at this point.
as someone who collects and loves old school boomboxes. i can say i am very excited for the coming downturn in its popularity again. then it can kind of go back to being a cool underground collectors item like it was before its image was being emblazoned all over this that and everything else.
so yeah right from when i first joined up here i said that the old school boombox would be making a comeback. people laughed at me when i did say that and said it would never happen.
well i would say it did happen. i will also say now that the interest in old school boomboxes is going to go down now. not so much with the collectors here,but with the fashionistas and hipsters.
some decades get lucky the eighties was one of them it got two goes around.
however as we draw close to 2009 theres a lot of kids who are becoming tired of it being 1984 all over again. they want to move on.
so yeah i think there might be some chance of one last great old school boombox but it wouldnt be cheap. it would have to be amazingly good and it would for sure need to incorporate some degree of new technology.
people are just not going to listen to cassettes on mass any more. thats over done goodbye.
i mean wheather mp3s sound better or worse dosent matter the fact is being able to carry a entire library of music in the palm of your hand is going to appeal to more people than lugging a box of tapes around.
i also think that to bring something like this to market would cost way more than most people might think. i mean you could source out everything amp chips tuners ect ect,but if it dosent sound amazing no one is going to buy one.
the window of opportunity was pretty wide open for a while with this. i mean lots of vintage boomboxes sold for big bucks and i am willing to bet alot of them didnt go to memebers here.
i think lasonic must have taken a peak at ebay and stuff to see what was going on with all that. it is clever marketing on their behalf.
well if you do decide to do it,be careful i mean i would love to see it be very success but i have my doubts.
i think boomboxes are cool and i am glad to own some very nice ones. i think tho that its run its course in terms of a tangebile new product. i mean people want ipod docks with the sound quality and the looks of a m90.
the only people still playing tapes are guys like us here who like them for whatever reasons we do.
to the average person tho a cassette deck has no value or holds any interest to them.
i am glad for that honestly. it enables me to head down to the sally ann or value village and walk out with a dozen albums for six bux.
so yeah tape is only alive because collectors keep it going.
to the average person tho its dead.
with ramon
JEFF --it could/would be so much easier and more lucrative -- to concentrate on making a few key hard-to-find parts
------------------------
but -- going back to your good original topic -
you have read some of our advice -- but please dont translate them -- into a negative total reception.
in fact -- IF you could possibly find a viable way to make 50 brand new M90 aka/clones --
then YES, of course its a GO !!!
count me IN --and i bet you can round up the other 49 of us
quote:
Originally posted by redbenjoe:
with ramon
JEFF --it could/would be so much easier and more lucrative -- to concentrate on making a few key hard-to-find parts
------------------------
but -- going back to your good original topic -
you have read some of our advice -- but please dont translate them -- into a negative total reception.
in fact -- IF you could possibly find a viable way to make 50 brand new M90 aka/clones --
then YES, of course its a GO !!!
count me IN --and i bet you can round up the other 49 of us
now there is a idea i think is really good.
making good parts for out of production classic boomboxes.
it is something a company in hong kong does for vintage synths and they do very well with it.
sliders knobs buttons ect.
as good parts boxes dwindle i am sure there will be people with a rapidly shrinking source of parts needing to keep their kit going.
so yeah i could see making parts being a good idea.
Bill, I would agree with you based on the truth that one day people will look back at 00's and remember how awesome there mp3 player was and that will be dawn of a new collection.
If it is all possible right now.... lets dream this little dream.. that boomboxes will be readily available in the future and people will love our collections as much as we do....
the sad truth.. no one will probably ever care as much for your collection as you do...
people look at me all the time and say "why?"......... My honest anwser.. I just do...
Johnny <-lucky to have lived when he did.
I AM IN TOO.
It's a very interesting idea JLF. Very interesting.
Due to the massive degree of difficulty in producing tape mechs of quality and the other things noted, I'd be more inclined to kit bash a box that's a classic design, then power it with car stereo style amps, a'la JVC Floyd's creations, and then put quality speakers in it and make it a universal digital format player.
This kind of thing doesn't exist and the power of it would appeal to more people, more so than it just looking like a old ghetto blaster. I think new technology would need to go into just so that it can be accurately reproduced.
Take that new Lasonic one, it had lots of the connectivity but it didn't have the audio quality to sell it and was relying 100% on the cache of their old design to sell the low quality internals. The idea would be to reverse that idea with a classic ghetto design that isn't too over the top, combined with high powered amps and speakers that provide loud and quality audio.
This would then appeal to people that aren't the 80s wannabe hipsters, and instead appeal to people who want their digital music portable and at volume.
It'd be pretty interesting to see what you could come up with, that is then a whole new entity that doesn't require patent problems.
If you do think of going the cloning boombox route then I'd be choosing something like that Nippon with the lightning bolts on the grills or some other radio that didn't have big brand name attachment, just to avoid any legal hassles all together.
It's a great idea and you could really get something awesome together that would definitely sell, if only to members on here we'd probably snap em all up.
But while you're considering it, get some C-100F tape deck doors and spare tape trays made to earn some quick deniro. Can add me to the list for both now!
Rock On.
This sounds like a good idea.Personally I would start with a light cheaper all plastic AKA black box style baster.The legendary "Bolt Box" would be a natural!With very simple internal construction,it would be the PERFECT BOX for this purpose!The "Bolt" was powerful,had large woofers,nice loud tweeters,a simple line-in and was not made by any of the more obvious companies.Though I really don't think any of the companies would actually care at this point it might be better to start with a model that's "under the radar" just "to test the waters".Don't update it in any way to speed it along into production.New media types could be fed into it's line-in.Here is a picture of Rambo's with the blue grills repainted silver:
As tempting as it may sound to start with the likes of an M90,we'll get quicker results and a more affordable box to start with if we choose something less complicated.The "Bolt Box" was bassy,had highs that screamed,and usually gets high bid prices on Ebay.There would be no issue finding buyers for that one even if buyers weren't secured before it was reproduced!
We should seriously think about designing our own new blaster...
Imagine a retro-looking boombox, Size should be in the M70 / GF-9696 range. Not too big, not too small. I think it should maybe be a bit deeper to accomodate enclosing the speakers.
It should have:
1) 6" woofers, ideally enclosed. Good two-way speakers with some punch. Like some of the technology in small self-powered studio monitors available nowadays. It should put out a good 50 or 60 clean watts.
2) A handle up top that goes almost end to end, not a short one like M90, or long that extents to the outsides like the big Panasonics.
3) At minimum, a real 7-band eq with sliders.
4) RCA Line-in, RCA line out, Maybe a digital in/out.
5) An ipod dock for sure. Two thoughts about that. You could do it so the iPod goes into the box and you control it from a screen on the front or do it so you can to mount it into the front either horizontically or vertically, for using the iPod screen to view video files
6) Small screen between the speakers. Maybe a decent 5.6" or 7" like the ones you can get as picture frames now. Or maybe a touch screen if money no object.
7) Analog VU meters to give it a bit of a retro look. If not analog, they should at least be 11-element jobs with green and red lights that let you know when you're pushing the box close to the max.
8) Although analog would look cooler, a digital tuner would work. Plus, make it HD Radio capable to accomodate the eventual move to Digial radio broadcast.
9) It should also read from SD, CF or external hard drive.
10) Why not put a hard drive into it and an interface that lets you record radio, line-in or what's playing on the ipod?
We could call it the "Stereo2Go"
Man, that thing would cost at least a grand. But It would be worth it!
if they knock them up for you at a run of 50 a time i expect that another 500 would be produced and sold on,.not such a limited run. Thats how the cost is so low to start up they use the design for there own purpose.. Look at everything china makes...
The bolt box is so simple they could probably be cranking them out within a few weeks.It would be great to see a classic AKA going into new production so quickly!
if they made it with the original wild purple grills and bolts --
that box is so outstanding looking (hate it or love it)
so it might well attract the needed volume of buyers
Excellent!
Thank you everyone for your input!
I would love to respond to each and every idea in this thread, but dont have the time at the moment.
I also thought of starting off with a smaller, simple box. I mentioned the Sharp GF-8989 as an example, but I like the other examples given.
It would be a small step into this process.
I spoke to my friend yesterday about this in more detail... He is in China now for another project.
Here is some new info from last nights phone call, these are quotes from my friend:
'Why not start off with the highest Grail ever made? If we are going to do it, might as well start at the top! I wouldnt do a mid range box first.'
'Initial start up order would be 500 boxes. From that point on, you could have any amount made you wanted.'
'Tooling cost on the first 500 boxes would be $50 each. On every order from that point on, the price would drop to $10 each.'
'Will they need a cassette? If you want them to have a cassette, it would be an ultra cheap unit, nothing high end. How many people would want that anyway?'
'When Im back in the U.S., bring me in a box your thinking would be a good start and we'll discuss it in further detail.'
'What name would be on the box? Our own?'
Ok, so yes it would have to have a cassette. I have no interest, or ability to turn an old box into an IPOD ready new Lasonic type of product.
Would 500 of anything sell? I assume members here would want one at a heavily discounted, non retail rate... but maybe two dozen of us tops? The rest would be sold I think with out any trouble. Walk into a store like 'Urban Outfitters' and they have every BBX trinket they can get their hands on. Including a dozen of the new Lasonics.
The initial start up cost makes my 'limited run' of 2 or 3 different boxes impossible. I think that my friend would pony up the funds for one, see how it went... and decide from there.
I believe the fears expressed in this thread of it not being quality are founded. I feel the same way... but it would depend on several factors that I am not totally clear on yet. How well they could replicate the box isnt a concern, but the internals? Id need to ask more questions.
Making an all new design is a great idea too, but would be much more involved than handing them a box and saying, 'send me 500 of these in 30 days. I wish it could happen though!
I also thought about the same Stereo2Go! Ha!
Im in a bit of a hurry at the moment, so sorry for a scattered post...
Im really excited at the prospects. Economys not the best I know...
Oh... and the box Im going to take in to his office? My Sharp GF-9696. I fear it may be too complex though?
Who would be willing to put up the money for this venture.
EDIT*
Whoa! you state that tooling would be $25,000! damn, you might want to consider another source, thats too much.
I am an importer and we deal with plastics, injection molding, extrusions, etc.
Tooling for the cases alone should probably be around $5000-7000 alone, depending on how intricate the box is.
Thats would be the 'all in' price... boxed and out the door, not just tooling. I should have made that more clear.
As far as the idea of just making key components... that certainly is an interesting topic!
Problem with that, for me; would be finding good, working examples of whatever it is I was going to make... Such as a Conion Cassette Door!
I wouldnt be putting up the funds for this project, it would be my friends business, as he already does that. He is always looking for something fun/cool and not always serious ventures. Id have my work cut out for me, but certainly not have to pay for the set up.
It may work, it could work... but will it. We will be looking at all angles carefully before Christmas.
there is of course one way this could be marketed to be a success beyond what anyone is thinking. i mean despite my doomsaying of the previous posting here. there is one way you could hedge your bets to it selling.
maybe even for more than you might think. it would tho have to be very loud. and built to take the odd knock.
but if you were to make a boombox shapped instrument amp. that could run on batteries. with a casette deck but also at least a good holder recessed for a ipod.
you could have a seriously cool winner. it would have to have phono inputs. for mc djs.
even cooler if you could put two decks in it and a cross fader between the two.
it gets a bit complicated.
but i tell you what. if you could come up with something as loud as lets say a kaboom.
that could take line in from keyboards drum machines or guitars.
they would fly off the shelves of music shops.
even if you didnt sell them to the fashionistas wich are currently headed to urban outfitters. i am pretty sure that musicians would buy them.
most musicians think boomboxes are cool.
i mean most people that really love music think they are cool.
good luck with your endeavor. no one ever did anything truly great or cool listening to someone saying dont do it at all.
Very exciting! If you could sell through the initial 500 units then you're (your friend) is almost risk free at $10.00 a unit but I'm sure there are expenses that aren't being accounted for here. You'd be going up against the Lasonic directly (if Urban Outfitters is a target retailer) so you've got to be more impressive than the i931 which really isn't that bad even though I was down on it when I first got mine. It just has its own idosyncracies like every other boombox. Does anyone know how the i931 is doing for Lasonic? Is there really a market beyond the boom freaks like us? Would a major retailer carry a retro-box without MP3 functionality? I'm positive that an EBAY only e-store approach would work just as well with more profit for you and less hassels. Please don't give up on this.
Many of the boxes from the major manufacturers built from the late '70s to (maybe) '82/'83 are probably going to have a complicated internal layouts.Personally as I said I'd like to see what they could come up with fairly quickly.The glitzy large all plastic types bring a lot of interest from collectors.Despite their larger size (and in some cases busy graphics)they are basically hollow boxes inside and constructed of very few pieces.You could disassemble a bolt box in perhaps 20 to 30 minutes with the right tools on hand.This is what you would want at first.Few pieces,all plastic,large woofers,lots of (plastic) chrome,etc..Just make sure it has a decent amp output,decent transformer,and woofers with heavier magnets.Like the bolt series,those are the only thing that weighed ANYTHING inside these boxes.With the bolt,you could get rattle free sound despite the lightweight materials if all the screws are in place
in the cabinet and tightly torqued down.If its large,glitzy,and puts out a lot of sound it will sell like hot cakes.
Hey Fatdog, is this the right time?
quote:
Originally posted by beatbox:
Hey Fatdog, is this the right time?
Release the hounds!!!
Hi JLF,
Personally, while I own the 9696 and love that box, you are right... it is too complex.
You would have to drop the pitch control and echo... they are practically useless and add to that complexity problem.
Also, from a practicality point, I would also drop the phono input and have a line-in instead. 9696 will only do phono-in. That would require redesign, not straight up copy.
I think you're better off with the Conion or M90 if you are going to go for a grail... otherwise that Bolt box is pretty cool, too.
Continued thanks to all for the input!
I was wrong... I dont have a 9696, Ha! I have a 9494 and I love it.
This is the box Im going to show as a possibility.
Perhaps... A bigger box could be used, with less complexity. Remove features that arnt exactly necessary or applicable to our era.
Just have Line In, big amp, quality speakers.
Really, it wouldnt NEED a cassette motor and all that, but I think it would be best to include one.
To add a feeling of value, I could have them install a brick in the bottom of each box to add weight.
Love the idea. Can they do a RX-A2 or an A5 for 20 bucks?
I've been sitting on the sidelines here and I believe the boombox is alot closer than we realize.
Now I know there are those here who say components sets aren't this or aren't that. I've posted this before and will say again, battery powered portables (especially record players) started out as basically a component set or something you swung the speakers out on.
Moving on...
Lets look at some of the existing "executive" shelf systems for a start. They are powerful, sound great, and quite compact. Then we have the shelf system complete with built in subs that look loopy with he shapes and colors they come in but are about the size of my RX-C300. Also quite powerful. Now they could be battery powered but you'd be in a situation much like the FH series or others where you have to sacrifice some watts for D cells.
Now a great many of the come with cassette players, some good, some bad.
This tells us that "we have existing quality internals available".
The real question is the packaging.
For the sake of cost, let's give on having a good 'ol string pulled analog tuner. My CP-7 is from '83 and has a quartz PLL synthesized tuner. And there were a number of others even in the late 70's that had digital display tuners as well.
For the cassette, not full logic, not full mechanical. Soft touch microswitch controlled as most now are in the modern systems I mentioned. No auto reverse. Normal and CrO2 only. Metal...forget it. Dolby...nope, licensing fees. And would it really be needed given todays grade of equipment and manufacturing processes?
A seven band EQ, all bands adjustable but processor controlled. Vacuum flourescent displays are a dime a dozen these days and it'll cost you more for sliders in the assembly labor factor alone.
Must support MP3 sing the following: Smart Media Reader (will read from various cards), USB and iPod. CD not required. And it must be able to dock the media flush into the unit.
All this would be in a single housing. Let's say that my RX-C300 reciever and center sections are melded together to give a visual. Better yet, the RX-DT680 center section for a visual.
And speaking of the RX-DT680, those speakers should be the model. Not necessarily bi-amped, but they have to be the best sounding speakers in a plastic cabinet with no damping I've heard for their size.
And I know that some will scream about them being detachable, but if you want the heavy hitting sound without disturbing the guts or having to deal with resonance from the middle part, it's the way to go.
And it can still look classic with chrome rings and all as my C-9 does. And those who don't know better think it's all in one unit.
My C-9(for reference)at Fatdog's house below:
Excellent Knowledge OldSchool!!!
Your right.. I mean any electronics store has on the shelf all the needed components sitting in a box none of us would ever consider buying.
Now, put all of that into a shell that is a direct rip off of a Grail, or a reasonable update redesign... and we find ourselves on to something!
I'm digging this idea. I'm in NYC and I know a few folks who run "urban" clothing stores. They are mostly Dj's and graffiti artists with access to international Dj's and artists. IF this idea were to be done I'm sure these guys would put up a few boxes in the stores and perhaps buy a few for themselves. If you can make in NYC you can make it anywhere no? Aint that what Blue Eyes said?
We all love loud music in public places.
quote:
Originally posted by billpc55:
...people can bash the new lasonic box all they want but its the closest to a old school box anyone is going to bring to the masses at this point...
agreed.
With companies like Sony & Honda cutting back, who's going to have the money to risk on something like this?
quote:
Originally posted by redbenjoe:
...it could/would be so much easier and more lucrative -- to concentrate on making a few key hard-to-find parts...
I'll bet they'd do a great Conion tape door & bottom tray...
How about we copy a Rising. The design is simple and classic. We can even put LED's in like they should have from the factory.
Yeah Rising... that type and size of box would be great!
As far as the Conion door and tray... yeah, I bet thats a cinch! Problem is I dont have either! Even when I had a C-100F!
Honestly I have personally watched reproduction crap ruin great hobbies
Careful what you wish for
While I too would love being able to stroll into the nearest hotspot and pick up a brand spankin new M90 I also know what it would do to this hobby.
It's funny that this stuff follows me where ever I go too, in fact I was remarking to a friend from the BMX hobby about how I was really enjoying this hobby due to the fact that none of that stuff was being done. It just leads to dishonesty and questions about authenticity. One of the things that makes us individuals and unique in our own way is the fact that we collect stuff that is/was important to us. Not only for bragging rights but to preserve where we come from instead of exploiting it for everything it's worth and saturating the scene with folks who have no idea what it's really about or where it comes from.
I think the best idea in this thread is the one to take all the greatest aspects from all of the different grail boxes and come up with a better than anything we've seen before NEW BOX
Maybe a new JVC I.90X2.... essentially an M90 with dual ipod docks and an ipod line fader for mixing. Digital display with all the new bells and whistles while retaining a 100% classic design. Still use chrome switches and brush guards, still have dual antennas, and a nice handle with chrome sides... the whole deal. Just New not a reproduction or rip off
Just sayin...
On a side note I have a seat post on one of my bikes that is 1 of 2 known to exist, I'm very proud to own this piece of Freestyle history and paid a substantial amount to have it in my collection but now I can't even take the bike to shows and let people enjoy it. Last year I had to chase two guys away from my bike who were taking pictures and trying to get measurements off of my seat post in order to make a reproduction. Had this happened and they made the reproduction not only would the authenticity of my post be up for questioning but the value of it would decrease drastically due to supply and demand
Make this happen and soon enough you will be reading replies on the site that go something like
Remember when the JVC M90 used to pull down like a cool thousand or even two... What happened to the market I can't give this thing away ! No one wants it for $200 shipped ? It only needs belts and a Top trim ?
Common reply:
Dude with all the new M90 copies out there people would rather fill a void then fix problems and the new one sounds better. I' can do $100 shipped LMK
Sorry but I've seen it happen
with big parts
small parts
and even whole Frame and Fork sets
It genuinely is a major contributor to the demise of all things Vintage
Patience is a virtue and perseverance always pays in the end
just my thoughts on the matter I hope I don't come across like the rain cloud on the 4th of July
