Gibson buys 54% stakes of Teac

[Muziekschuur]

Gibson buys Teac. Teac is the mothercompany behind Tascam. So some major changes will be right around the corner.

 

[cmaffia]

Hmmmmm I don't know. Not too excited about this. I'd much rather read that it was purchased by someone like Yamaha or Roland where there could be some synergy.

Gibson??.....What do they bring to the table exactly when it comes to audio/recording engineering hardware or software?

To me it sounds like there are going to be more changes on the Gibson side than the Teac/Tascam side. Looks like a one way street to me.

 

[captdan]

Gibson - once a beacon of guitar innovation and technology - has de-evolved into a conglomerate of strange intent. They recently (just two weeks ago) sold off their German/Wurlitzer jukebox holdings (gitarz & jukeboxes?). So, I'm not surprised at this announcement.

I hate to predict anything, but if there are going to be changes, they'll likely take place in the TEAC 'consumer' end of things.

Oh - and That rumbling you hear is Orville Gibson turning over in his crypt.

CaptDan

 

[cmaffia]

I can see it now.... an SG that has a built in Tascam Guitar Trainer......

Only to be followed up by the deluxe model:

The "Les Portastudio"

 

[Muziekschuur]

The "synergy" in this ....... still has to be seen...

 

[captdan]

"SG that has a built in Tascam Guitar Trainer......Only to be followed up by the deluxe model: The "Les Portastudio"

Yep. Too bad; the days of Ted McCarty, Seth Lover - Lloyd Loar, et al - are long in the past. Today's Gibson has become a bastion of dumb-down.

I've owned many Gibby gtrz; my '65 L5CES is a wonderful axe. But - just 4 years after it was made, Norlin purchased Gibson, and it's been a rollercoaster ride ever since.

"Son! Put a blindfold on me and I couldn't tell the difference!" - Les Paul - when being asked if his stock (new at the time) Les Paul he was playing was any worse than the expensive 'vintage' LPs.

 

[waterstrum]

Remember when Gibson bought Opcode? (Studio Vision DAW software)
They promptly killed it.
I fear for the DM series.
Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Gravity Jim]

I don't think this is good news for Tascam, given Henry's track record.

But I don't think Gibson "killed" Opcode. I think Opcode was dying, sold out to anybody who had the cash and Gibson failed to pull it out of the nosedive. Just a bad purchase, not a hatchet job.

And I also don't think that Gibson bought a controlling interest in TEAC to start screwing around with product lines... I think they want to put TEAC engineers to work on Gibson digital stuff. It will take them years to even notice the pro lines, let alone screw them up.

If you want to feel good about our consoles' collective future, I have it on good authority (a Tascam field rep) that the DM4800 is about to be discontinued but the DM3200 will remain in production for the foreseeable future, which is good news for all of us (continued driver and firmware support, etc.).

If you want to feel bad about Tascam's future, just think about how little it cost Gibson to buy more than half the stock. That wouldn't even be a decent budget for one summer movie. "Angry Birds" is a more valuable brand.

 

[captdan]

I'd say your predictions are accurate, Jim. Gibby's looking to expand their instrument tech development in newer directions, and Tascam's pro line product isn't in their sights. At least in the near future.

Seems strange Tascam would discontinue their 'flagship' and keep the slightly smaller console in production. Probably sales/marketing related, but I'm not equipped to make those guesses.

CapDan

 

[Muziekschuur]

The Fender Mustang amps are incredibbly popular. They probably even outsell the line 6 practice amps. Tascam made a nice (but too big and expensive) practice amp.
So I would not be surprised to see a new cheap line of amps wich are named Epiphone and have a USB connection and a software suite. Something along those lines.

Gibson has no production line for these types of products. I assume Teac has some solid understanding of producing stuff in the far east for competitive prices.

 

[captdan]

Back in the good ol' days, Gibson (or - as I prefer to call 'em now: 'gRipson') had no problems manufacturing amps. They made some great ones too (which, actually were built by their contractor in Chicago.) For example 'The Skylark' - a fine little 15 watt Class A toobie. Fetches some good prices in the collectors market these days. And the 'Lab-Series' - solid state wonders that still honk for discerning gtr-slingers 'round the globe.

When 'gRipson' was helmed by the late Ted McCarty, the company thrived - innovating the humbucking pickup, the Thinline gtr series. And - in tandem with Lester Polfus (Les Paul), introducing the legendary LP planks. In 1956, Ted bought the bankrupt Epiphone Company for a meager 100,000 dollars. He didn't want the gtrz; he wanted the upright basses. Still - he continued making Epis - right alongside the gRipson gtrz in Kalamazoo. They were NOT the budget line; they were the exact same gtrz. However - Ted being the marketing genius he was - managed to get competing music stores - in the same towns - to sell BOTH of his brands. The results were enormous.

But - as I said - the 'gRipson' of today - is but a shadow of the 'Gibson' of yore.

Thanks for reading this highly off-topic digression.

CaptDan

 

[cmaffia]

I'd like to see Tascam innovate their budget line but be more aggressive with their professional offerings. Right now it seems like the DM Series, the X48 and the DVRA100HD (and some broadcasting equipment) are the only high-end products Tascam is producing (and as Jim Gravity reported, it sounds like the DM4800 will be discontinued shortly). This Gibson share grab doesn't excite me at all unless they have plans to channel huge amounts of capital towards R&D and the production of professional audio hardware (which I doubt).

 

[Muziekschuur]

All firewire and USB2 audio products are currently phased out. And it is the quiet for the storm. New products will follow. USB3 will revolutionize the industry. Thunderbolt is now quietly revised for the third time. It was connected to a PCI-E 1 slot then they moved to PCI-E4 and currently they are in the process going towards PCI-E 16. But it isn't going well to find a suitable chip to get this going. AIM is to be able to sell outboard graphic modules. And to be able to use more than two graphic modules at the same time. Wich is currently not working as desired.

When this will work we will see loads of small computers and a whole new generation of audio interfaces. What they will look like.... who knows... Maybe Tascam is in. Maybe not. But to be able to match current Behringer X32 is going to be hard. But the X32 does NOT have the wonderfull preamps the Tascam has. So if they are not up to snuff they will not be integrated in all the broadcast invironments currently in use. And I think there is a good chance the X32 will be abandoned like a dead fish in the water..

When that happens the whole marketplace will get a reality check. Good electronics cost money. It allways has been that way...

 

[captdan]

Interesting you mention Behr****r. According to a member of another forum I'm on, Behr****r teamed up with Midas (C/Teknik) to create - in his words - allegedly the most fabulous preamps human ears have ever experienced. The guy said:

"My mate is a professional engineer with years of experience; he uses nothing but Midas preamps, and if he says they're great - they're great!"

Hyperbole aside, that X32 doesn't strike me as something I expect to see in wide operation in 5 years. Perhaps it'll join the graveyard of previous devices heralded as The Next Best Thing!

Like, 'Paris,' for example.

But there will ALWAYS be something new and thrilling. Faster, smoother; more beguiling, powerful and attractive. Because when science is on the march, nothing stands in its way!*

*With apologies to the producers of 'Amazon Women On The Moon."

CaptDan