Very good point Malcolm. Recommended retail price (RRP) of most electrical consumables is mainly just that. The manufacturer normally leaves some 'wriggle' room for negotiation. Where a price is marked Phone/Email, I think that it is difficult to justify that approach. Maybe Mark Dunn can explain why Dave Beaty uses this approach for some of his products on their web site, although to be fair there is a page for buyers outside of the USA where Mark's contact details are given along with a price for the TCA-500. Is anyone getting ripped off as a result of the Phone/Email approach? I would suggest not, as Telonics make a loss on some of their products that have incurred massive R&D costs. Dave B produces these products because he loves pedal steel. He is very much like Tommy Bradshaw in that respect, who also made 20 re-issue 614-E Webb amps at a loss. These guys are gold dust and I for one don't mind emptying my piggy bank and supporting them. Here is a page that highlight's Malcolm's point.
http://www.tpa-az.com/page3.htm
Malcolm wrote:
Edit, my reason for wanting US prices is that I would buy in US, normally Dallas, thus avoiding shipping charges etc.
Malcolm
Unless you would be prepared to pay separately for PAT tests of amps, pay the VAT, import duty, oversize baggage fees etc etc, you would not be allowed to import an amp. A pre-amp would possibly be different especially if it had variable and switchable mains input. I would not have considered bringing a TCA-500 into the UK in order to save a few quid in any shape or form. If my amp had a fault, I would have had to go through the rigmarole of sending it back to Arizona, when worst case scenario I could run it or courier it up to Mr Dunn. I know that one of our Kiwi mates bought one direct, but he has taken a bit of a gamble.
Statistics: Posted by Ken Byng — Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:46 pm