Ampeg moving production to Vietnam

[Aaron Smith]

I'm having trouble finding an article confirming details, but I was informed by a friend today of this. I heard from him that their entire line, even their high-end stuff, is being moved overseas. I suppose if the quality control is still high, then it could be an acceptable change, but I have very, very little trust that the quality won't suffer. My friend also tells me that he was at Guitar Center, where he was shown a US Ampeg 4x10 compared to a new Vietnamese model of the same thing, and the Vietnamese model was quite obviously inferior...like the encasing just seemed cheap and the wood was half as thick

The good news I guess, is that pretty soon all the stores will be marking down the USA stuff to get it out the door to make room for the Vietnamese product.

 

[musickey]

Yeah i heard the same shit. A friend of mine just bought two USA 8x10 cabs for that very reason, well that and he's a rich prick lol

 

[JeffTD]

I can imagine shifting production to like... Japan, or maybe even Korea, since they're fairly respected countries for craftsmanship and whatnot...

but Vietnam? Are they TRYING to lose customers?

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I dunno this could be good thing in a price way (usa stuff goes up in value and all the cheap bastards get there apeg stuff).

I dunno, seems like it was a good thing for Vox (with there AC stuff).

 

[Radd]

Hmm. I wonder if I should hold onto my V4 cab.

 

[Seizure.]

GOD DAMNIT!

Now i'm buying traynor for sure.

 

[Razorjack]

The higher end valve heads will stay in the USA for the near future at least.

They have been producing in Vietnam for the last 6mths at least. It's just the way of Loud Technologies, they did the same to Crate and Mackie. It's good for price in the end but not great for quality.

 

[vespiz]

Our bassplayer bought an Ampeg SVT-2 Pro from Thomann.
It was made in USA but after two weeks (just as we were recording our album!)
it said "crack!" and back to Thomann it went. Apparently nobody could figure
out what the problem was and it went back to the factory. So far so good,
but it was supposed to come back at the end of June... :zombie:
Well that didn't happen and the next shipments were supposed to come in
by august-september and after that some time during 2009!!
Needles to say, he ordered a Mesa-Boogie 400+ instead.
They also told him that apparently Ampeg is having some major problems and
that's why they're relocating to Vietnam...
Looks like the old blue-haired ladies in Florida aren't getting enough return for
their invests.

 

[Seizure.]

is the vietnam made stuff btw?
http://www.thomann.de/de/ampeg_bxt410hl4.htm

 

[wishtheend]

Interesting. I just bought an SVT-4Pro and 810E cab direct from Loud Tech and both were from the states and are of perfect craftmanship. I'm sure the B series might suffer, but those are cheap to begin with.

 

[Seizure.]

They fucking suck dude, i own a B2 right know i use for rehearsing but i am getiing something full tube rreeaaaallll soon

 

[trym^^]

don't underestimate the vietnamese industry.

 

[discordless]

uhm if they re moving everything to vietnam it would be a bad marketing decision. look at fender they have mexico AND usa. separating the market with high end , medium priced and low entry is the natural way to go. if they ll do only vietnam stuff all of their rep and image will be fucked.

 

[egan.]

This makes me sort of sad. When I lived in STL the Ampeg "factory" was a mile from my house and I drove me head over there when it needed work. It felt like a local biz in a lot of ways.
On the other hand I doubt it will have an impact on sales b/c the average Joe won't know the difference or give a shit.

 

[discordless]

maybe behringer style affected many manufactuirers )