Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

[JOLLY]

It couldn't cost that much more really. I just get so sick and tired of seeing black cabinets and heads all of the time. I love the look of heads and cabinets that are white, red, purple, snakeskin, or whatever. They just look so classy to me. I know there's some "boutique" makers out there that do it. I also know that Marshall has done a few white and red ones as well.

Why do you think Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Peavey, Fender, Laney, etc.. doesn't do this with all of their heads and cabinets?

These just look killer to me;

http://www.fjamods.com/Tolex.html

http://www.fjamods.com/5150.html

 

[Gamera]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

For the same reason auto makers only offer gray and tan interiors now. Every little corner cut just fattens their pockets.

 

[lpmarshall]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I'd imagine they don't want to buy too much of certain colors that don't sell well. That is what I like about Splawn, you can choose the colors you want. Most of the big name amp companies are going to sell amps with plain old black tolex.

 

[Gamera]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Although I wonder if some of it is a calculated marketing strategy sometimes.

It's kind of like the "why doesn't Fender just offer all their guitars in any color" arguement. I suppose if they did they'd just become Carvin. Too much variety might dilute your product identity, desirability and resale value.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I totally see both of your points, but I just look at it from a different angle. To me it would be an even bigger selling point, but that's just me.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I totally see both of your points, but I just look at it from a different angle. To me it would be an even bigger selling point, but that's just me.

Well, the US is a BIG market, but I know for certain that in my country dealers have a really hard time shifting custom-coloured amps and even slightly unusual-coloured guitars. The majority of buyers just don't want to know. I wouldn't be surprised if that was a worldwide trend. I know it's the same in the UK and Australia.

There's also another factor for UK makers: the main supplier of custom tolex to UK amp manufacturers went bust recently. I know that Matamp have radically revised their covering options as a result, and are buying tolex off marshall, who have decent stocks of certn colours like red.

 

[lpmarshall]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I totally see both of your points, but I just look at it from a different angle. To me it would be an even bigger selling point, but that's just me.

And I would agree with you, I was looking at it from the corporate side. If they have 10 colors of tolex, I'd imagine they have to keep 10 different stocks of tolex on hand. They might fly through black and white, but have a bunch of surplus purple and orange. The purple and orange sit there and eat into their profits, as to where they could sell the black and white tolexed amps quicker and recoup costs. Most of the bigger companies (Marshall, Fender, etc ....) are assembly line amp builders. They sell classics for the most part, and if they build 100 snakeskin tolexed amps and send them to stores, there is a chance they will sit there and not get sold.

I personally like the option to have different colored tolex. This is why some of the smaller custom amp builders are around and can give you these options. They can order smaller runs of tolex so it doesn't eat into their costs. Its a supply and demand thing.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I glad that I could get a white Splawn, I love it, although I'm starting to get some discoloration where the head sits on the cab...

Mesa offers just about anything you want as a custom option. That's how I think it should be... The GC near me had a beautiful Maple Lonestar that sat for like 2 years because no one wanted to pay the upcharge for something they didn't exactly want. You should be able to order a custom color from any dealer, go in, order an orange JVM, and have it come in in a month or whatever...

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Well, the US is a BIG market, but I know for certain that in my country dealers have a really hard time shifting custom-coloured amps and even slightly unusual-coloured guitars. The majority of buyers just don't want to know. I wouldn't be surprised if that was a worldwide trend. I know it's the same in the UK and Australia.

There's also another factor for UK makers: the main supplier of custom tolex to UK amp manufacturers went bust recently. I know that Matamp have radically revised their covering options as a result, and are buying tolex off marshall, who have decent stocks of certn colours like red.

Interesting, I wandered what was up with Matamp changing all that.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Mesa offers just about anything you want as a custom option.

I didn't know they did that. I just looked on their site and those are some fantastic options they allow one to do.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I glad that I could get a white Splawn, I love it, although I'm starting to get some discoloration where the head sits on the cab...

Mesa offers just about anything you want as a custom option. That's how I think it should be... The GC near me had a beautiful Maple Lonestar that sat for like 2 years because no one wanted to pay the upcharge for something they didn't exactly want. You should be able to order a custom color from any dealer, go in, order an orange JVM, and have it come in in a month or whatever...

Yeah, the white Splawns are outtasight. A friend has a snakeskin one and it's pretty killer.

Quite often amp smaller manufacturers offer any option but don't advertise it. I found out after I'd ordered that I could have had any tolex option I wanted on my Victoria double Deluxe...

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Interesting, I wandered what was up with Matamp changing all that.

They'll still do anything you ant, it's just that a lot of options are classed as custom due the extra expense and effort involved. That's what my Matamp importer friend told me...

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

I think every amp I get from now on has to be covered in Tweed because it looks so dayum sick! I saw SRVs Tweed Soldano in a guitar mag and I was drooling over it for a while.

Anyway more on topic. I agree with Jolly on this one for the most part. Look at Fender. They have a TON of lines of amps and all of them have different cosmetics. You name it: knobs, tolex, faceplates etc etc. It's not like the late 50s where you can get an amp in any color you want as long as it was Tweed. So if they have all those different cosmetics now why can't they sorta like "share" them amongst all the amp models? Even if they made it as a widely regarded custom option it would be cool too.

 

[barbarianbrute]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

that would be cool, but i prefer good tone. if it raises the price up to use different colored tolex, then i prefer black.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Colours are indeed in need here!
We sell our stuff in lotsa colours!
From purple to white and inbetween!

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Marshall VintageModern is kinda purple.

But, I'd love a purple/red amp, although black is cool also (but it's boring cause it's in every amp)

 

[barbarianbrute]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

well look at marshall's red mg stack. would you pay extra to get that piece of solid state junk?

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

well look at marshall's red mg stack. would you pay extra to get that piece of solid state junk?

I wouldn't buy that amp. However, I would love to have a 1960AV cabinet and my JVM410H head in either red, white, or purple..

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

Red Marshall.....but only an old one

 

[i love everyone]

Re: Why Don't Big Name Amp Makers Offer More Choices In Tolex Colors?

this is why i love the Electric Amp company.