Genz Benz RIP...?

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1379484352' post='2213116']



Now your making stuff up.
The unit wasn't fixed under warranty, I had to pay for the parts and the labour. Same as anyone else whose unit is no longer under the warranty period.
[/quote]

Oh, OK. That's different.

You should have said earlier...

[Roland Rock]

I'm not making stuff up - I (as well as, it seems, WoT and MM20) read from your initial post that you got it fixed under warranty, and responded accordingly.
Now that you've been clear that you paid for the fix, your frustration makes a lot more sense.

[BassManGraham]

So very sad that Fender are discontinuing Genz Benz, I was just thinking of getting a GB amp too! I didn't realise that SWR has gone too.
The big corporates have always bought out smaller manufacturers that were in competition and offering better gear.
Gibson bought Trace Elliot and let them whither on the vine. To their credit Peavey relaunched Trace Elliot, but it doesn't seem if their designs have progressed much since the 80s.
They've retained classic Trace sound and look, but also still weigh a ton!

In the late 70s I bought a mighty Acoustic Control Corp 220/406 Bass Rig - wonderful. The gear produced under the Acoustic brand now is just not in the same league. Here's to progress!

Let's hope Markbass, Phil Jones Bass, Dingwall, Roscoe, Aguilar and all other quality bass specialists remain bouyant!

[eude]

Do you reckon this'll mean some cool new kit from Fender? I hope so.
They made some pretty nice combos a while back, this one in particular was VERY good >> http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/fender-bassman-150-bass-combo-amp As was the 10" version.

They didn't seem to produce anything particularly exciting after they acquired SWR though, and naff all since the bought Genz Benz, if anything it all got a bit worse.
Fender have always made nice guitar amps, but have always seemed to lag behind a bit with the bass stuff...

[Sibob]

I'd be interested to know how GB was purchased by Fender, was it a private sale? Or was it a floated company and an aggressive takeover?
The former, to me, smacks more of GB being the fulfillers of their own destiny, the directors/owners selling it down the river for financial gain (they're not stupid with regards to larger companies aquisition road-maps).
If it's the latter, then if the brand was making money, would Fender not have financially benifited more (if the sale is to it's reduce their debts) by simply selling the GB brand outright?

Si

[grenadilla]

This is old news, but Fender bought Sunn a while back and killed it off. Sunn had a nice 1200 watt head (@2 ohms) that Fender later copied.They did save Gretsch from extinction and I am glad of that. Maybe they could revive Mosrite and Travis Bean?

[mike257]

Fender killed Genz's guitar amp lines pretty much immediately after the acquisition. I use a GB Black Pearl 30 and its one of the nicest guitar amps I've had the pleasure to play, with great build quality too. They were £1500 amps that were killed stone dead and blown out at around £500 by dealers to clear them out. Guess it was only a matter of time.

I've seen talk on other forums suggesting that Jeff Genzler is working on stuff for Fender so it'll be interesting to see what comes from them in the near future. Would still love to get my hands on s Streamliner though!

[chris_b]

Steve Rabe, Dave Nordschow, Jeff Genzler, Stuart Spector, Michael Tobias and many others sold their thriving businesses to larger companies so they could get access to more funds. Sadly, that need to expand and the resultant loss of control eventually killed their companies.

Dan Lakin saved Lakland in the hard times by borrowing from his dad!

Looks like MTD, Aguilar, Lull, Sadowsky, Roscoe, Bergantino etc are doing the right thing for their brands by staying clear of corporate big business.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1380467876' post='2225696']
Steve Rabe, Dave Nordschow, Jeff Genzler, Stuart Spector, Michael Tobias and many others sold their thriving businesses to larger companies so they could get access to more funds. Sadly, that need to expand and the resultant loss of control eventually killed their companies.

Dan Lakin saved Lakland in the hard times by borrowing from his dad!

Looks like MTD, Aguilar, Lull, Sadowsky, Roscoe, Bergantino etc are doing the right thing for their brands by staying clear of corporate big business.
[/quote]

I honestly don't think Aguilar will stay as it is. I hope they do, but money talks.

[crez5150]

Not sure if anyone has posted this but read this earlier on one of the trade websites -



[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]Industry rumours suggest that two more Fender owned brands, bass amp specialist SWR and bass and acoustic amp maker Genz-Benz, could be closed following in the footsteps of Hamer Guitars, which ceased production late last year.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]Fender UK was unable to comment when asked what the company's plans were for the two amp brands, but a spokesman confirmed that no new models were under development for either.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]SWR, founded by former Acoustic Control Corporation engineer Steve W. Rabe, opened its doors in 1984 and rapidly became one of the leading names in the specialist bass amplification market. In 2003 Rabe sold the business to Fender for a reputed $8 million.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]Genz-Benz, founded by Geoff Genzler in 1984, was acquired by Fender when it purchased Kaman Music Corporation for a reputed $117 million in 2007.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]In December 2012, when Hamer closed, MI reported: "The question it does raise, however, is what fate awaits some of the other brands under the Fender ownership? The firm’s spokesman did seem to indicate that Hamer would not be the last name to disappear.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]“It’s too soon to tell but,” he said, “but I imagine, based on our 65-year history, that it would be the case, yes.”[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#4C4C4C][font=Arial, sans-serif][size=4]In March 2012 Fender announced a planned initial public offering with ten million shares to be sold at between $13 and $15 each but this was cancelled in July, with CEO Larry Thomas blaming "current market conditions and concerns about economic conditions in Europe". Some financial commentators, on the other hand, suggested the price was simply too high.[/size][/font][/color]

Edited October 2, 2013 by crez5150

[JTUK]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1380467876' post='2225696']
Steve Rabe, Dave Nordschow, Jeff Genzler, Stuart Spector, Michael Tobias and many others sold their thriving businesses to larger companies so they could get access to more funds. Sadly, that need to expand and the resultant loss of control eventually killed their companies.

Dan Lakin saved Lakland in the hard times by borrowing from his dad!

Looks like MTD, Aguilar, Lull, Sadowsky, Roscoe, Bergantino etc are doing the right thing for their brands by staying clear of corporate big business.
[/quote]

I like the smaller hands-on thing going on in companies like Aguilar..but they have come a LOOONNGG way from being a specialist studio pre amp ..
Still glad they have remained a smallish operation... and hope it continues

[Gust0o]

Public service announcement: If people want to sell things on Basschat, we have a lovely Marketplace for that very purpose

[Mark Dyer]

Hmm? Should I stock up on replacement valves for my Streamliner now?

[Merton]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1389787242' post='2337832']
Hmm? Should I stock up on replacement valves for my Streamliner now?
[/quote]
Why? The valves aren't made by GB so this has nothing to do with valve replacement

[Muzz]

Having spoken to a chap who works for Fender last night, apparently the corporate plan is to "integrate the Genz technology into a new range of Fender amps."

How well that'll work remains to be seen.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1390044204' post='2340779']
Having spoken to a chap who works for Fender last night, apparently the corporate plan is to "integrate the Genz technology into a new range of Fender amps."

How well that'll work remains to be seen.
[/quote]

If they've got any sense, they'll just rebadge 'em. They'll be on to a winner.

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1390051353' post='2340883']


If they've got any sense, they'll just rebadge 'em. They'll be on to a winner.
[/quote]

Definitely. If it isn't broken, don't fix it

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1390051353' post='2340883']
If they've got any sense, they'll just rebadge 'em. They'll be on to a winner.
[/quote]
We're talking Fender here...