Could we hope for the new owners of Marshall will sell off the guitar amp department

[pleximaster]

Can we hope fore the new owners of Marshall will sell off the guitar amp department as me an I guess others dont feel confidence in the new owner structure to keep the development of guitar amps as a priority. Its like the when Norlin (a brewer company took over Gibson guitars in late 60´s early 70´s)

I rather see Marshall Guitar amps as a smaller boutique brand then an over exploited mass producing brand.

I have even lost a lot of interest in the vintage Marshall segment as the development of Marshall as a lifestyle brand and now even more so. Who needs a Marshall smartphone...

You could have a lifestyle Headphone producing and bluetooth amp making company called Marshall and a separate company building real guitar amps.

plexi

 

[Georgiatec]

Can we hope fore the new owners of Marshall will sell off the guitar amp department as me an I guess others dont feel confidence in the new owner structure to keep the development of guitar amps as a priority. Its like the when Norlin (a brewer company took over Gibson guitars in late 60´s early 70´s)

I rather see Marshall Guitar amps as a smaller boutique brand then an over exploited mass producing brand.

I have even lost a lot of interest in the vintage Marshall segment as the development of Marshall as a lifestyle brand and now even more so. Who needs a Marshall smartphone...

You could have a lifestyle Headphone producing and bluetooth amp making company called Marshall and a separate company building real guitar amps.

plexi

To be fair, that's how Blackstar got started. A few Marshall staff dis-enchanted with the direction Marshall were heading, decided to up sticks and start their own company.
Wouldn't it be ironic if those guys ended up buying Marshall's guitar amp business?

 

[playloud]

Forum buyout? Now that's a management strategy I'd like to see!

 

[johan.b]

Forum buyout? Now that's a management strategy I'd like to see!

Nae.. the forum solution would only result in a new line of amps, "on paper only", so we get something new to talk about and trash every now and then... and "limited number" reissues of everything, since there is always a forumite who want whatever obscure product that was once sold...
... oh.. and the reissiu I'd like to see is the pin packed quads of matched Tesla EL34's from late 80's...
J

 

[PelliX]

You could have a lifestyle Headphone producing and bluetooth amp making company called Marshall and a separate company building real guitar amps.

Well, that's roughly how it is working or will work, right. The Bluetooth speakers, headphones, etc are all pretty much OEM with some custom design. The amps are done by a totally different set of teams. Is that a different company? Well, maybe, maybe not - on paper. Effectively, the guys deciding on the curvy shape of the next BT speaker aren't the ones designing the circuit of the next valve amp offering.

 

[playloud]

Nae.. the forum solution would only result in a new line of amps, "on paper only", so we get something new to talk about and trash every now and then... and "limited number" reissues of everything, since there is always a forumite who want whatever obscure product that was once sold...
... oh.. and the reissiu I'd like to see is the pin packed quads of matched Tesla EL34's from late 80's...
J

There'd be about 20 different Super Lead reissues for a start...

 

[BlueX]

I fail to see the synergies between Urbanears, adidas, Marshall, and Natan (and maybe more?). One problem with conglomerates is where/how to use limited resources. Another problem is if top management understands the different parts, to make the right decisions. Focused companies are usually valued higher than conglomerates on the stock market (also because of lack of transparency in big complex structures).

Don't know how successful Marshall Amplification is nowadays, in terms of growth and profitability, but there should still be a good market in the area of amplified music. Signal processing (modeling and other gear for stage and studio) is a related segment that could be relevant for Marshall. Any company needs to look ahead, while building on its legacy. I think a separate company, under competent leadership, would be the best way.

The reason why Marshall is a cool brand is because pro musicians use it, particularly guitar heroes. If they stop using Marshall amps, the brand will probably become empty very fast. Seems like an expensive way to buy a brand image if Zounds just lets the company deteriorate.

 

[Ronquest]

Marshall needs a change!
Marshall change sucks!
Why doesn't Marshall develop new amps?
Marshall's new amps suck!
Marshall is releasing more reissues!
Reissues suck!

 

[clutch71]

We love their amplifiers because we grew up watching our iconic heroes play them. Kids today don't care about iconic. They are interested in likes and shares on social media brodcast on 10 sec videos.

I am afraid everything we love from a gear perspective is doomed. It's all being sold to younger people who will liquidate it and "grow the brand" in a different direction.

The writing is on the wall.

 

[Ronquest]

You could have a lifestyle Headphone producing and bluetooth amp making company called Marshall and a separate company building real guitar amps.

plexi

And who is going to run this separate company?, You? Now, I'm interested!

If we could go back in time and grab some new/vintage amps, we'd get back home and mod them!

 

[giblesp]

I wont be buying any Swedish Marshall nonsense.
That's what we do in the UK with our ingenuity, sell it out and be left with nothing.

Fortunately, there's enough proper British amps in circulation to last a few lifetimes.

 

[Georgiatec]

We love their amplifiers because we grew up watching our iconic heroes play them. Kids today don't care about iconic. They are interested in likes and shares on social media brodcast on 10 sec videos.

I am afraid everything we love from a gear perspective is doomed. It's all being sold to younger people who will liquidate it and "grow the brand" in a different direction.

The writing is on the wall.

Sadly, I think you are correct.

 

[tallcoolone]

We love their amplifiers because we grew up watching our iconic heroes play them. Kids today don't care about iconic. They are interested in likes and shares on social media brodcast on 10 sec videos.

I am afraid everything we love from a gear perspective is doomed. It's all being sold to younger people who will liquidate it and "grow the brand" in a different direction.

The writing is on the wall.

True but by then we will all be dead so who cares lol?

 

[chocol8]

The pure amp business is walking dead. It needs to stay with the lifestyle piece to survive and remain relevant. Separate, they are both worthless.

 

[WillyW]

I just hope I can still get the Marshall refrigerator.

 

[Adrian R]

Look at the bright side..Your old Marshall amps will be worth even more! IDGAF what anyone says ...analog will ALWAYS be revered highly. The laws of physics with respect to sound ...the kinetic aspect of it ..will NEVER change as long our human sensory stays the same.

 

[Rokinroller]

Big old heavy bulky one trick pony guitar tube amps are now just WAY overpriced dinosaurs of the past . Today's high performance affordable modelers are what is in . Even at that , demand has dwindled greatly . The new gen is not very interested in playing guitars .

 

[PelliX]

I fail to see the synergies between Urbanears, adidas, Marshall, and Natan (and maybe more?). One problem with conglomerates is where/how to use limited resources. Another problem is if top management understands the different parts, to make the right decisions. Focused companies are usually valued higher than conglomerates on the stock market (also because of lack of transparency in big complex structures).

I'm not an expert, but basically, if a company wants investors to throw money at them, they have to show *growth*. Not profitability, excellent products, outstanding reputation, skilled leadership, brilliant ideas or anything. It's all about growth - because that way investors get more back than they invested in the long term - or such is the premise.

Let's say you're running BlueX's Shoe Shop and I'm an investor. I invest 1000 Martian Pounds (keeping it abstract here) in your business. After 2 years, your shoe shop has an even better reputation, higher customer satisfaction because you've used that money to expand your catalogue, offer better coffee while people wait and peruse your collection, hired nicer personell, whatever. Still, I'm not seeing increased returns. If you however turn it into a chain and now have BlueX's Shoe Shops in five different towns, there's more revenue...

 

[Gene Ballzz]

I can just imagine "Uli Behringer" salivating at the prospect of absorbing Marshall amps!
Stranger Things Have Happened!
Gene

 

[Adrian R]

Big old heavy bulky one trick pony guitar tube amps are now just WAY overpriced dinosaurs of the past . Today's high performance affordable modelers are what is in . Even at that , demand has dwindled greatly . The new gen is not very interested in playing guitars .

Well I'll agree on overpricing, but that's what happens when posterity is reached. I don't * collect* things for the sake of collecting, but that's just me. But, I have yet to experience any modelling amps that move air the way a traditional tube amp does, especially pushing a 2 or 4x12 cabinet. And as far as a*one trick pony* is concerned, I completely disagree..Since when is more then one required, and who decides what a 'one trick' is? I can cite all the greats everyone knows over the past 50 years whom created incredible musical *idioms* with these apparently dimunitive, (by those whom view as such) simple guitar amps.