Re: JamMan Rumors (attempt 2!)

[pycraft@elec.gla.ac.uk (Dr M. P. Hughes)]

Jon writes, on building a commercial looper:
>The big issue is: is there a market out there? So far the returns on 
>Jam/Plex
>etc have indicated not. If someone asked me if I'd be involved in a 
>company
>that
>made *only* looping devices, I'd say no. Too risky. But a new 
>effect/processing
>company with a little bit of creative vision *is* a real option. Consider 
>how
>many people hate Digitech/Alesis/etc but still buy the stuff anyway. 
>Well, what
>if someone new came in and answered the issues, made the right products 
>at the
>right prices. Thought about the user for a change. Hmmm....

I've been thinking about this too.

I've had an idea in my head for a while on a vortex-type FX unit, ie
something which can be used creatively.  These's definitely a market for
that - eg the Lovetone company over here (you've probably read reviews in
GP) are heavily back-subscribed.  I've been looking into the possibility of
using a completely analogue signal path, digitally controlled;
unfortunately digital pots are quite expensive!  But a unit with only a few
parameters (eg Vortex, RP5 or whatever), where each could be set to a
value, assigned to a CC input or the onboard LFO (which could itself be
assigned to the CC), would be vastly cool.  If we could arrange to
distribute the effort and cost so that we could produce in batches of, say
100 or so we would be in a better position to do it as a sideline rather
than ditching our jobs in favour of this, esp. as we'd need to sink less
capital into it at a time, and we'd be better able to make only as many as
we sell.  Jon and Kim, out of interest, how many Plexes, Texes and JamMen
are out there? 

I realise I'm probably blathering here, and merely showing my complete
ignorance on matters big and businesslike, but hell, I think this would be
fun!  :)

Michael

Dr Michael Pycraft Hughes      Bioelectronic Research Centre, Rankine Bldg,
Tel: (+44) 141 330 5979        University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
        "Everything in moderation, including moderation" (Zen Proverb)