MuddBass Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 I am currently running a WD800 head, paired with 2 x 210 mesa subway cabs. I'm going to try and find some time to do a full review (hopefully over Easter) but I'm happy to answer any questions in the meantime. If you're in Hampshire and want a quick try out I'm happy to oblige. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No. 8 Wire Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) I can go on eBay right now and buy a WD800 from the States at 999 USD list price with £50 postage and £230 UK taxes and import charges. Works out at approximately £1030 to the door. So that means the WD800 has at least a 20% markup in the UK in real terms. £200+ per unit is a lot to pay for in country support. That said, Mesa gear is so rock solid that I can't myself needing replacement for my old school Walkabout for some time! So it's probably better paying the premium in the long run. If Mesa brought the price down it might make used 1st Gen Walkabouts cheaper and I can scoop them up... Edited January 24, 2020 by No. 8 Wire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 Aguilar Th500 is $789 in guitar centre plus tax is $868 equivalent to £661 I don’t know what markups shops make on bass gear but I’m going to presume something like 20% = so wholesale price is somewhere around $630 or £480 in the uk - take that £480 add our 20% import duty= £576 add our shops 20% margin and then the VAT on the total and we get a retail price of £829 maybe our shops take a bigger margin of 25% because of higher costs and you get £868 which is what I would expect they are £699 in the high street music shops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eude Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 37 minutes ago, LukeFRC said: Aguilar Th500 is $789 in guitar centre plus tax is $868 equivalent to £661 I don’t know what markups shops make on bass gear but I’m going to presume something like 20% = so wholesale price is somewhere around $630 or £480 in the uk - take that £480 add our 20% import duty= £576 add our shops 20% margin and then the VAT on the total and we get a retail price of £829 maybe our shops take a bigger margin of 25% because of higher costs and you get £868 which is what I would expect they are £699 in the high street music shops I don't think there's much margin in instruments themselves, so I expect the shops need to claw a living back somewhere else, maybe amps and cabs are where it comes from? Having insider knowledge of the camera retail industry from a previous design agency role, there is little to no margin on the actual cameras themselves, shops tend to make a living from lenses, accessories etcs. Eude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 4 minutes ago, eude said: I don't think there's much margin in instruments themselves, so I expect the shops need to claw a living back somewhere else, maybe amps and cabs are where it comes from? Having insider knowledge of the camera retail industry from a previous design agency role, there is little to no margin on the actual cameras themselves, shops tend to make a living from lenses, accessories etcs. Eude You might be onto something there. Mesa is at the 'premium' level of gear, so some shops might take the position that those who can afford the 'premium' would be willing to pay additional 'premium' on top of that to establish a profit margin. I was going to say that still doesn't explain the bigger up-charge on Mesa relative to other premium amp brands (say Bergantino). However, once you factor in guitar amp sales, I would presume that Mesa sales would greatly exceed that of Bergantino etc, so that would maybe explain why there is a bigger up-charge on Mesa items. I dunno, I'm probably talking nonsense, morning coffee break thoughts and all that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 50 minutes ago, thodrik said: You might be onto something there. Mesa is at the 'premium' level of gear, so some shops might take the position that those who can afford the 'premium' would be willing to pay additional 'premium' on top of that to establish a profit margin. I was going to say that still doesn't explain the bigger up-charge on Mesa relative to other premium amp brands (say Bergantino). However, once you factor in guitar amp sales, I would presume that Mesa sales would greatly exceed that of Bergantino etc, so that would maybe explain why there is a bigger up-charge on Mesa items. I dunno, I'm probably talking nonsense, morning coffee break thoughts and all that. I'd actually expect the opposite: if Mesa sales >> Bergantino sales, then economies of scale kick in and they should need less margin per unit to recover their R&D and overheads etc. Obviously a broad brush approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 5 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I'd actually expect the opposite: if Mesa sales >> Bergantino sales, then economies of scale kick in and they should need less margin per unit to recover their R&D and overheads etc. Obviously a broad brush approach. You are correct, they should 'need' less margin per unit, however business being business, they will 'want' more margin per unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 As a retired marketing guy and Mesa fan, here's my tuppence-worth. There's an old marketing adage that says the 'right' price for any product is the highest price each market will pay for it. While that may at first sound glib, there's a lot in there when you start digging. I once went to a marketing seminar presented by the UK Marketing Director of BMW cars. His opening remark was: "People often tell me my cars are expensive. That's not true - they are EXTREMELY expensive!" Needless to say, he delivered these remarks with a self-satisfied smile and a wink. Everybody in the audience got it. So, the only question that Mesa need to ask themselves is: Is our UK pricing policy reducing our sales to an unacceptably low level? If the answer is 'no', they've got it right. If the answer is 'yes', they've got it wrong. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) Gotta agree with that. In relation to their bass products (obviously they have a BIG name and reputation in guitar amps also), I would observe that: It seems very few BC'ers are buying the WD-800 because of it's price point. From Wat's comments it seems that very few non BC'ers are buying any Mesa amps or cabs. QED? Edited January 24, 2020 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 3 minutes ago, Al Krow said: From Wat's comments it seems that very few non BC'ers are buying any Mesa amps or cabs. Disclaimer: I can only speak from my experience. Maybe other BC'ers regularly see Mesa heads at gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 20 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Disclaimer: I can only speak from my experience. Maybe other BC'ers regularly see Mesa heads at gigs. Only my own 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 21 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Disclaimer: I can only speak from my experience. Maybe other BC'ers regularly see Mesa heads at gigs. In terms of guitar amps, I have. I have seen lots of Dual/Triple/Single and Mini Rectifiers at local gigs over the years. Perhaps I have gone to too many 'hardcore/metal' gigs! Not as much as Marshall amps, or Peaveys, but a fair number of Mesas nonetheless. In terms of indie/rock gigs, the sighting of a Mesa has been really rare. In terms of bass gear, I have rarely seen other local bands using Mesa bass stuff. The odd Walkabout has cropped up. I lived in Glasgow for ten years though, where the Mesa UK distributor was based. At least one of the times I saw a local bassist using a Walkabout it was because he had been working at Westside and got a great deal. At 'pro touring level' (i.e. non UK bands), I have seen a few M6/M9s and the odd 400+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) I know three local bassists (four with me) who run/have run Mesa gear, tho the biggest brand out there in terms of actually gigged stuff IME is Ashdown... I don't think any of the Mesa users bought them new... Edited January 24, 2020 by Muzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 44 minutes ago, thodrik said: At 'pro touring level' (i.e. non UK bands), I have seen a few M6/M9s and the odd 400+. Good to know that my fav amp of all time (Mesa M6) is considered to be "pro touring level"! I'm clearly not just hearing things when I regularly feel that it blows away the D class competition! 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Following my recent M9 purchase, I'd really like to try the WD 800 to see how it compares. The price is what it is, Mesa bass gear is few and far between over here, the last time I can remember seeing one is at the Mayfair in Newcastle around the late 80s. I'm guessing the volume of bass product they produce isn't as large as people think, it's a limited market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 4 hours ago, 2elliot said: Following my recent M9 purchase, I'd really like to try the WD 800 to see how it compares. The price is what it is, Mesa bass gear is few and far between over here, the last time I can remember seeing one is at the Mayfair in Newcastle around the late 80s. I'm guessing the volume of bass product they produce isn't as large as people think, it's a limited market. How are you liking the M9? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 18 hours ago, Al Krow said: How are you liking the M9? It's very good. Sounds great and is very detailed in its reproduction of each instrument without having to fiddle with any of the knobs or graphic. Compressor is really good and doesn't colour the sound..... and it's very loud. Unfortunately, it hasn't left my house as I still need a case for it. At the moment...Highly recommended. Awaiting full band noise test. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 I was very tempted to upgrade my M6 for an M9 in the Jan sales, given the more detailed EQ etc. but managed to hesitate sufficiently for all the units to fly off the shelves. Not surprising given the ridiculously good prices they were selling for. I'll maybe keep an eye out for one at the same time next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 28 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I was very tempted to upgrade my M6 for an M9 in the Jan sales, given the more detailed EQ etc. but managed to hesitate sufficiently for all the units to fly off the shelves. Not surprising given the ridiculously good prices they were selling for. I'll maybe keep an eye out for one at the same time next year! I wouldn't bother mate. The M6 is just as powerful, I bought the M9 because it was only a couple of £££ more than the M6 and had a good compressor built in. They sound the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, 2elliot said: I wouldn't bother mate. The M6 is just as powerful, I bought the M9 because it was only a couple of £££ more than the M6 and had a good compressor built in. They sound the same. Cheers. I thought the more detailed EQ might be worth the extra ££. It would be very hard to pretend that I'm the world's biggest fan of compression so can't really justify the upgrade on the availability of an on-board compressor 😁 An on-board tuner on the other hand would have been super useful. But as you say they have same power unit and same core (superb) sound, so I guess I should just stick to being content with my M6! Edited January 26, 2020 by Al Krow 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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