Eldon Tyrell

Finally some feedback from Thomann (after a friendly reminder). They mentioned that there will be fewer basses available with longer delivery times and higher prices. Well, looks like we are all in the same (EU-UK) boat. Looks like my theory is correct, EBMM is throttling international distribution and protecting its domestic market. Fair enough but I am definitely out now 😒

Just watched this video on YT. Cool dudes. They discuss interesting topics but clearly don't follow a script (or only a very loose one ;- ) Anyway, my main takeaways: "Be kind, for goodness' sake" and "Don't jump on the hate train" Nothing to add 😉

Cheers. Yes, I know, it will be different from the Stingray but that's ok as I can then still get the Stingray Classic for my Funk and Disco stuff. I am always surprising my wife with all these new music genres that I am somehow getting interested in (Motown, Funk, Disco, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Prog, Metal, Grunge) 😎 Anyway, I hope the L2K will be my Prog bass (esp. for Rush, Riverside, Karnivool and Tool. With regard to the latter, I've read somewhere that the L2K is the poor man's Wal. Well, there you go ; -). I also got this pedal to go with it. Hope to check it all out over the coming weekend:

yeah, either that or hoping for one to pop up on the used market!

Thank you, @drTStingray. Much appreciated! My next EBMM is hopefully the Stingray Classic for all my Chic/Bernard Edwards stuff. Would love to eventually get hold of a MM Sabre too. Hope EBMM relaunches them in the not too distant future (in natural finish of course ; -) One of my heroes, Louis Johnson (of course predominately known for his Stingray), played one as can be seen here:

BTW, @drTStingray, I actually did buy something else for a price that suited my pocket. Look what arrived today 😉

Wow, wow, wow, from a Dr to a Dr, can we please keep it civilised in my thread? Please watch your language. As far as I am concerned, I was just reporting facts. The EBMM Stingray Special 4 H I bought in October 2019 cost me £2099 (no discount, no reduction, no nothing. Full price!). The same bass (only difference: maple FB instead of ebony. BTW, isn't ebony even more expensive than maple?) costs now £2,749. So that is a whopping increase by £650. That's just a fact. The other issue I raised was the rather small price increase in the US vs the large one here in the UK. Again, not a misinformation but a fact. I have my theory why EBMM is doing it (protecting its home market, due to Covid restrictions) but I pointed out that this is my theory. Again, isn't that something BC is for? Come up with theories we can then discuss in a civilised manner?

and that's why I think it is more than appropriate to moan. Hate going backwards 😡

Uhh, well, better don't ask 🤪

Well, we are getting off topic now but so what. It is my thread and I am your host, so I can do whatever I want 😉 One of the best finishes ever is clearly this one 🤩

Yes, their recent history does not give us much hope. However, they may be forced to reconsider their strategy though. Let's see and hope for the best. I also agree that the Cutlass bass was amazing (the Caprice probably too but I have never tired one). I own one and it is really great (disclaimer: I bought mine used last year from a cool dude in Italy). However, as you said, I think they got the pricing wrong. They already started with a (too) high price and then, out of nowhere, increased it overnight even more, which killed off the model in 2018 after just tow years. Real shame. With the right price, it could still be around. EBMM is known for its active basses (esp. the Stingray), so launching a passive model was always an uphill battle in the first place. With the right price, lower than e.g. US Fender Standard/Pro Ps and the US G&L LB-100, they could have had a chance. People could have tried them out and then realised how good they really are. I am sure the high price put people off (why pay so much for a passive MM bass?) and then the sudden increase finished them off for good.

Yeah, looks like that's the road we are on 😞

Yes, they may have to "reconsider" their pricing strategy in a year or two. I don't see a fairness issue though. No one is forced to pay the new price. There are plenty of alternatives. As mentioned, I doubt anyone, apart from the fan brigade, will pay these crazy prices anyway. BTW, I just got myself a used G&L L2K instead of the Special. As it is used, I still have some money left to get myself a used P bass (my "Motown", old school bass) too. Happy days 😁

Good point. I have seen it so many times in my work place that "temporary" measures somehow turned into permanent ones. So, yes, I agree, there is a very high probability that the prices will stay like that or go up even more. Not sure if that will be good news for EBMM though.

I still think that EBMM, faced with a huge Covid related reduction in production capacity, is probably trying to protect its main market - the US. They want to make sure that they can make enough basses for them at an only slightly increased price. If people outside the US still want MM bass this year, well then they will have to cough up the big money. As @40hz rightly said, only the die-hards, the fanboys and fangirls, the hard-core loyals (buying only one brand) will do so. Looks like EBMM does not really need the regular EBMM buyers from Europe this year but they probably did not want to say: "we are not selling to markets outside the US this year". So, they came up with these ridiculous prices to achieve pretty much the same. I've seen something similar on reverb where some US retailers offer shipment to the UK but ask for ridiculous shipping fees. Again, they are probably not keen on shipping to the UK but instead of banning UK customers, they just charge stupid fees to put them off. Well, that's at least my suspicion.

Agree, it is a 70s rock machine. I am still on the hunt for a used P to put in the Fender pure vintage 63 pickup to have a more Motown-ish, 60s p to complement the Cutlass.

Exactly

Oh, slightly off-topic but reading about California and the crazy new prices I can only strongly recommend to anyone who is planning to buy a new Special or Bongo to watch this video 😎

or EBMM has indeed higher costs but tries to avoid charging significantly higher prices in the US by charging customers in the UK (and maybe in the EU, still waiting for Thomann's answer) much more instead

It really is totally bonkers for a standard production model. I mean, for that money I am getting a custom US Spector Forte 4 with EMG PJX pickups, the US Haz 9V (instead of the Aguilar OBP-2) and a gloss black finish (instead of the standard matte finish), so pretty much a NS-2 (minus the crown inlays).

Bongo 4HH Stealth Black £3249 Bongo 4HH Harvest Orange £3249 Bongo 5HH Stealth Black £3349 Bongo 5HH Harvest Orange £3349 Bongo 6HH Stealth Black £3549 Bongo 6HH Harvest Orange £3549