“Overpriced”

[Frodebro]

The later Saturn Vue was a rebadged Opel Antara. The Sky was a rebadged Opel. The L series was also rebadged Opel. Not misconceptions.

The S series were manufactured in Spring Hill, TN. the L series were built in Saturns Wilmington, Delaware plant. The rebadging took place after 2008, when the writing was already on the wall that GM was no longer going to be supportive of the brand.

 

[paisleywookiee]

The S series were manufactured in Spring Hill, TN. the L series were built in Saturns Wilmington, Delaware plant. The rebadging took place after 2008, when the writing was already on the wall that GM was no longer going to be supportive of the brand.

Right. I had a second gen SC2. It was a great car.
With the Saturn Astra, they didn’t even bother renaming it from the Opel Astra.

 

[Frodebro]

Right. I had a second gen SC2. It was a great car.

I used to sell them in the late nineties. They really were good cars.

 

[Jarick]

So this term has been thrown around a lot lately in this section and for the record I don’t see this as something that’s objectively true for everyone. It’s opinion.

I’m curious what makes a digital unit overpriced to you? Is it how many features the unit offers for the price? Is it more about quality of the build of the unit and user interface? Does it sounding really good or bad play factor for you? All the above?

I’ll put my opinion here…. for me if it does the thing I like the most and is the best at doing that thing, also has a decent build quality, then the higher price tag usually isn’t a factor. The main thing that makes me say something is overpriced is where it’s overinflated due to market supply and demand excluding rare vintage gear.

Value is subjective, and it is relative to the market.

If the average digital modeler costs $500 and then a new model costs $1000, what is the reason? Is it higher quality, or does it have more features? If not, it's likely overpriced.

 

[Achilles]

Fender American Vintage Series Hand-wired Princeton.
Overpriced since it's only 20 watts.

Milkman Creamer - Princeton Clone
Ridiculously overpriced because it doesn't have a logo badge.

 

[timbuck3]

The S series were manufactured in Spring Hill, TN. the L series were built in Saturns Wilmington, Delaware plant. The rebadging took place after 2008, when the writing was already on the wall that GM was no longer going to be supportive of the brand.

saturn sky was a cool car

 

[timbuck3]

Value is subjective, and it is relative to the market.

If the average digital modeler costs $500 and then a new model costs $1000, what is the reason? Is it higher quality, or does it have more features? If not, it's likely overpriced.

the old $500 modeler went to 1500 when helix was released.Everyone thought the hd500 replacement would still be 500-700.00 but line6 set the trend asking 1500 and GETTING IT. So other companies got on the hype train like boss releasing the gt1000 at 1200.00..vs the last gt100 at $500...then zoom tried the whole $1000 is the new $500 thing with the gt11 and failed...as did headrush with the floorboard and now prime...The mx5 likely outsold them at $400. I think 2024 will see the new $k is now 2k hype train with the ampx and helix replacement when dropped.I just wonder where the ceiling is at? I mean the tmp at 1700 is a joke to me for what it offers. QC still years later isnt near where promised at launch. To me fractal is the leader overall in value and quality at the price.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Fender American Vintage Series Hand-wired Princeton.
Overpriced since it's only 20 watts.

View attachment 16383

Milkman Creamer - Princeton Clone
Ridiculously overpriced because it doesn't have a logo badge.

View attachment 16382

I think they’re both overpriced, but not for the reasons you stated.

 

[Achilles]

I think they’re both overpriced, but not for the reasons you stated.

I was mostly joking, but would love to hear your thoughts. You work in MI retail, right?

 

[Moondog Wily]

Well Opel origin or not, they should have named the US company Uranus! I mean, come on, I would have bought one just to be able to say "I drive Uranus"!! Huge missed market opportunity there!!! "I drive Sat(urn)" makes people think of death ;~(( And planet names are so last millennia, so I think the Uranus gas has passed ;~))

Oh, yeah, overpriced! It reminds me of the George Carlin observation where he quips "You ever notice that everyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a fucking maniac?" ;~)) YMMV!!

 

[Achilles]

Every high end Dumble clone fits the overpriced tag, even if you worship A.D. and
think the amp is an exact clone of his work. This is flat out nuts. Starting at nearly $6K!?!?

If you ever want a Dumble clone, support Nik and buy a Ceriatone!
He does it as good as anyone else imo.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I was mostly joking, but would love to hear your thoughts. You work in MI retail, right?

Just my opinion, but at a certain point there’s diminishing returns for simplistic designs that cost so much money.

American labor obviously matters, but when it gets to the point of something like Milkman, it’s just unfathomable to me that it’d be worth that. Yes, I get that point to point adds man-hours, but JFC, $3000+ for a single channel, 20 watt amp seems excessive.

But to someone, those tones are their life, and it’s only obtainable (in their view) with those amps.

 

[James Freeman]

Marshall prices in america are idiotic, but people are willing to pay that.
Does that mean Marshall has more value in america, or is it that there are more used Marshalls in europe for 'normal' prices and no one would pay 3k+ for a handful of passive components?

 

[paisleywookiee]

Marshall prices in america are idiotic, but people are willing to pay that.
Does that mean Marshall has more value in america, or is it that there are more used Marshalls in europe for 'normal' prices and no one would pay 3k+ for a handful of passive components?

You can extend that to nearly anything. Why pay $26K for a Harley, when a Honda uses more modern technology for less money? Some of its name brand. Some of its “lifestyle”.

 

[timbuck3]

You can extend that to nearly anything. Why pay $26K for a Harley, when a Honda uses more modern technology for less money? Some of its name brand. Some of its “lifestyle”.

YOU HAVE a point

 

[Calaban]

So, something costing $1600 with only four amp models, only one of which you like, and just a couple effects, wouldn't be overpriced to you?

At the moment it would be unaffordable for me.

It’s a moot point anyway because that item doesn’t exist.

And it’s neither here nor there because I find the concept of things being “overpriced” to be nonsensical economically speaking, just as “overrated” is nonsensical when it comes to musicians.

 

[Foxmeister]

So, something costing $1600 with only four amp models, only one of which you like, and just a couple effects, wouldn't be overpriced to you?

The Bluguitar AmpX says hi...

Or at least it will do, eventually...

 

[laxu]

The Bluguitar AmpX says hi...

Or at least it will do, eventually...

It's said to ship with what is in the Amp 1 series, so at minimum 8. The 4 in my Mercury Edition can already do about 95% of what I would ever want from a guitar tone so anything on top of that is gravy to me.

Bears reiterating: it won't satisfy people who want every amp ever made in one box. Axe-Fx 3 or capture devices are a better fit for those.

 

[Foxmeister]

It's said to ship with what is in the Amp 1 series, so at minimum 8. The 4 in my Mercury Edition can already do about 95% of what I would ever want from a guitar tone so anything on top of that is gravy to me.

I know - it was a joke...

However, if we are going to be picky, it is is also allegedly going to cost upwards of $2000, and it you want more BlugPRINTs, you are going to have to pay for them.

At this point in time, it doesn't look like good value to me, but I'm prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt until it is actually available

 

[laxu]

I know - it was a joke...

However, if we are going to be picky, it is is also allegedly going to cost upwards of $2000, and it you want more BlugPRINTs, you are going to have to pay for them.

At this point in time, it doesn't look like good value to me, but I'm prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt until it is actually available

That's fair, and definitely could make it a worthy contender for this thread depending on how you look at it. The pricing is in line with what a good, versatile, small company amp costs, but not favorable against modelers.

I see the whole Blugprints as "don't really need to engage with it at all" because I know the base features will most likely do what I want. Classic Fender and Marshall tones will be already there, with variety of high gain from the Iridium models. I am constantly surprised how close to whatever amp the Amp 1 can be dialed just with its 4 channels and EQ.

My expectation is that it will sound great as an amp, but might not compare favorably in the fx department to modelers or it has a bunch of weird impracticalities in how it operates.