Business practices [compilation topic]

The Lounge General Discussion
#108

Investing in Elektron devices can be done for three objectives:
a) for having fun making music on them, you invest in a joyful life. Your mk1s still make music, you can still have fun with them, so no disinvestment from the mk2 announcement;
b) for making money through stage performances or releasing songs using the devices, you invest in your career. Your mk1s still make music, you can still have fun with them, so no disinvestment from the mk2 announcement;
c) selling your gear at a higher price than what you bought it for. Either become an Elektron retailer or regional distributor, or buy cheap second hand. Or consider not selling but renting them to customers.

All fine!
But please stop whining about how Elektron misled you into losing money, because they have not. That is complete and utter nonsense.

4 Likes
#109

There’s also the time factor - you could wait for the newest technical advancements from your suppliers forever, or you could use existing, stable parts that you know will work and release something now. Same thing happens in software all the time.

So whether or not any technical advances happened, in the last 4 years… 4 years of time has passed, which means 4 years of feedback from users to think over.

1 Like
#111

haha, I’d happily have paid the 10€ extra that make the price difference between the old display and an OLED plus four jacks. i don’t hold a grudge against anyone for their business practices, I don’t have time for that. but I certainly don’t applaud them (or anyone) for their business practices either. a little more soberness here wouldn’t hurt…

#112

There will always be more features that are possible to add. A line has to be drawn somewhere, and this happens to be where they drew theirs. You were saying they had to be either lacking in competence or cynical schemers. Pointing out that there are other (imo much more likely) explanations is not applauding them, and certainly not a lack of soberness.

Edit: actually, considering it is Friday evening I might be wrong on that last bit. :wink:

2 Likes
#113

< temporarily redacted reply >

1 Like
#114

heh, I assume you’re talking to me?

I never said anyone misled me.

That’s whats funny about all of these ‘arguments’ there has to be something added for you guys to get your feelers hurt.

All I have ever said was that it would be cooler if they made new things rather than repainting the old ones, adding a button, and an output and re-releasing it.

I didn’t say I was trying to make money, I said the opposite. I didn’t say that I was mad about it, or hurt. I simply said that when they do this the resale value goes down on the current gear and that sucks. I never said I was selling my gear or that I don’t make music. Or any of the things that keep getting added on to my statements.

I said it’s business, it is what it is, so be it. The only statement that I made was this does deter me from wanting to buy one of their machines the moment it drops because in a year or two there will be another one that’s just a little better than the last which will drop the value on the one I bought.

It doesn’t change anything about how useful I think the gear that I have is. It doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy my gear to the fullest it just means exactly what I wrote.

#115

I thought this was a music forum, what the hells been going on lately? Can we get a business section of the forum so I can block it? Let’s make music peoples, please… :sweat_smile:

10 Likes
#116

HA!!!
No way, things are getting nutty around here.

4 Likes
#117

oh, that’s nuthin’

stuff like this can get murky wrt the marketplace

1 Like
#118

I guess I’ll put my blast goggles on and learn how to navigate better and try not get drawn into things I don’t wanna be a part of… :sweat_smile: haha!

#119

Nope, I didn’t address you personally. My post is geared to everyone who feels being misled or feels their investment was devalued.

PS: I listened to your latest techno track, totally awesome tune!

1 Like
#120

:no_mouth:

1 Like
#121

Sorry.

Didn’t mean to take offense; I wish I would of never gotten myself into this discussion.
Sad part is that I love my black boxes and never meant to belittle them in the slightest.

Thanks for listening, I appreciate the kind words.

2 Likes
#122

You’re welcome

2 Likes
#123

I have an idea (although I don’t applaud it myself because I for one love the “Elektron mystery hyping”). The idea is this:

Organize a petition and present it to Elektron HQ stating “Elektron should organize yearly Keynote Events and those events are the only time Elektron is to announce product updates and / or new products”.

This way everybody can anticipate on devaluation of their current gear.

#124

Those sick bastards. I can’t believe they had the gall to go ahead and enhance an existing product line without my permission and approval. No other company ever does this, certainly not in recent memory.

2 Likes
#125

Thanks to prove my points:

  1. These are new devices with significant enhancements and new features, not an old synth in a new packaging
  2. With every release the Electribes became less an less popular
  3. Elektron is giving up its sympathetic, underdog, boutique position with a loyal customer base and ambitions/pretends to be one of the big boys like Roland, Korg, Yamaha, who seem to get away with this
#126

Only difference (“ONLY”) is that those early electribes sucked donkey ballz. Hell, the new one still get criticized.
A4/OT are badass as is. Didn’t try RT so can’t say about it.

#127

So if the changes on the mkII devices is nothing more than cosmetic, is there really much risk in cratering value of the mkI devices?

Let’s see, for grins I just went to look for the original product, the Sidstation, and lo and behold it is selling for nearly the same price it was upon release. Same can be said for the MD.

Does it occur to you that perhaps the mkII releases could have something to do with supplier changes or to try to better utilize economies of scale? Nah, that couldn’t be possible, could it? They just did this because they hate you.

#128

Buying gear right before newer gear is released can be a bit of a bummer. Sure.
Seeing your purchase depreciate so quickly also doesnt feel particularly nice. Agreed.

Lets assume you find a house youve been eyeing for a year. You know its expensive and youre takig leverage to purchase this. You pull the trigger, its yours. The market crashes and the mark to market value of your property has taken a 40% hit. It doesnt feel nice. But you live in it, its yours. It puts a roof over your head and unless you need the money what do you do? Let me tell you:

You shrug your shoulders and carry on with your life.

3 points/lessons to be learned perhaps (food for thought):

  1. Your instruments worked before these new products were released. My MD is still my favourite box and considerably less sophisticated.

  2. You should never buy gear as an investment for monetary gain. Adjusted for inflation most vintage gear selling in the thousands is worth considerably less than what it cost new at the time.

  3. Most important of all. When buying instruments you are investing in yourself, to make music for you, for your sanity and your soul . Your older gear isnt the problem… your GAS is.

Really a shame to see the forum like this…

11 Likes