Well since I had an interest in the Genesys when I bought my Tyros last year I'll put in my .02.

First I would prefer to do business with a mom & pop having spent my life in one, but this is really more about the Genesys and availability.

I doubt all those big stars you mentioned above are playing a Genysis Arranger, perhaps one of you other boards.

The availabilty despite your analogies is ludicrious. Paul you were supposed to arrange when you were in Sacramento "all the time" to get with me on a Genesys. That was August or September of last year you told me that.....if the national sales manager can't put a demo together......hmmmm. That does not instill allot of confidence in me that if I can't even get the board demoed that if I have a problem I will have any better luck.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, just pointing out some consumer realities. I have bought probably 95% of my gear locally, one a major chain and the other two mom & pops. While great and should be in theory that the M&P's know their stuff, that's certainly not true here. Neither know anymore than the catalogs either. As has been said before George and DanO are the exceptions to the rule.

Regardless of General Music's sales strategy, this consumer's reality is no see,play, feel no sale.

I bought my Tyros sight unseen based on their reputatuon and that it was like the 9000 but better (and I had a 9k) by those that had played it and a 45 day money back guarantee.

Regardless of General's sales strategy, they need to approach one of the M&P's and say here, put one of these demo units in your store free and take orders and we'll come around every few months and put on demo day for your customers...IMO.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

[This message has been edited by trtjazz (edited 07-24-2003).]

Not a single musical instrument company will put demo units in stores free o charge. It is something that has always bugged me because most customers do not want to buy floor samples unless they are going to be sold at greatly reduced prices and we have to pay the same price for our on the floor demo models as the brand new ones sold in the box. Knowing this, I would doubt if any large or small company would ever place their expensive gear in a retail store and not get paid for it. Although the benefits could mean more sales, often time the store that has no investment in their gear might not try to sell this "free" stuff at all because they would have to sell what they've already paid or been billed for.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Such are the perils of doing business in a free market economy I reckon.

Although I think a Demo day is actually a good idea. It would have to be done at a Store that already carries the GEM, etc., line of products. It could even be held at a 'free' public facility like a Park, etc. Word could get out by either mass mailings, email, or even on Keyboard BBS's. Those in the surrounding area[s] could gather on a specified day and time and really have a good time and some down home fun not only by learning about and hearing the Keyboard[s] but by gathering with fellow Arranger and possibly some non-Arranger Keyboardists and discuss our passion of music with each other and make new aquantinces in process.

And don't forget about the chips and salsa, soft drinks and burgers and hotdogs that could also be on the venue!

Best regards,
Mike

For all the catalog or discount buyers, I can only say that, in my experience, it's been much better to deal with an established dealer. I drive across two states to reach his store. There, I've purchased a number of Technics over the years. I know it must be rare, but I was wowed by the demonstrations provided of every minute detail of the keyboard, examples provided, all questions answered, lots of free software thrown in and more. Hence, I keep going back. I've bought a ton of stuff from catalog stores, but never a keyboard.

Many years ago, I purchased a keyboard from Wersi. They were sort-of like General Music in that they have very few dealers (actually none), a niche product, were considered advanced for the times, were very expensive, etc.

I sorely regret ever purchasing a Wersi. The reasons were simple, not enough users were using the product in the states and could not share their experiences. There weren't enough documents, files, voices, etc. in the public domain to help support the product. The support was also very bad.

Additionally, Wersi advertised the product was expandable and will never be obsolete, but I found in a few years, it was downright cheezy compared with new keyboards appearing on the market. I noticed other keyboard manufacturers at the time selling their keyboards in the retail stream with great success. Those users were getting great support from both the company and the user community surrounding the keyboard.

So at the end of the day, there is a stigma with boutique type products; especially musical instruments. If i'm going to spend $6000.00 on a keyboard, I'm going to be damn sure it's going to be supported by the retail system, will have a large following, user groups and user forums will sprout up and support it's usage, and most importantly, there will be a healthy aftermarket and re-sale market. I hope companies like GeneralMusic take this to heart and try to bridge the gap between mainstream and eclectic so that creativity and competition will not be stifled.


Al

[This message has been edited by kbrkr (edited 07-24-2003).]

Those Demos that you speak of, are being done all over the place by dealers. Companies such as Generalmusic will bring in an artist to do a clinic/workshop with a concert at the end. This has been an industry standard for years. Unfotunatly of late the attendance to these types of events are not what they use to be (not just Generalmusic demos, but other brands as well). The main reason is, people don't like the sales people there wanting to sell you something after you have been wowed. This is another catch twenty-two for dealers and manufactures to make the effort and expence to put these thing on, they need results to pay for them. I personally love these show, as it is amazing to see the excitment in the room, as an artist really uses an instrument to its limits, where as most use less than 50% of the instrument (this is every brand). But hey, I love infomercials too.

If I knew nothing about keyboards and wanted one, I would have to have a demo.

I'm not the greatest keyboard player. However I won't buy any keyboard from anyone because of a demostration.

I want one in my house for 30 or 40 days to try out the sequencer etc. In my town no saleman I've met yet knows very much about sequencing with any keyboard.

No demo is going to show me everything I want to know about a keyboard. I want the 30 40 day opportunity to use it myself in my home with my own hands. I know what I want and need not a salesman. Don't mean to offend anyone. That's just the way it is with me. Everyone is different.

Terry,

I have been in Sac area several times and emailed you a couple times letting you know that I was going to be in the area, with no responce. I can look at my sent file and search thru them to tell you exactly when that was, but it was a long time ago. I have been there recently and should be in that area again in about a month. If you would like to email me again (so that I am sure I have your email address), we will hook up, so that you can see the genesys.

This is the second time that you have brought up service question with Gernalmusic. We have a 5 year warranty, the warranty centers that do Yamaha, Korg, Roland, also repair Generalmusic products. Our instruments don't have many problems, but when they do, they are taken care of, in a timly manner. Unlike some of these "Big" brand names that you throw around, we have a warehouse full of parts ready to ship if a problem does happen. I speak from experience when I tell you, other manufactures do not have a lot of parts instock here in the US, so you have to wait. I have waited 3-6 months for parts for customers when I worked retail selling those other brands. Now, don't get me wrong, some manufacutures stock some things, but ask any of the guys in retail, about how long parts take to get in. Generalmusic parts are for the most part shipped that same day. Honestly that is rare in this "right now" wharehousing. I am very happy with the level of service we give our customers, and I am very happy with the level of service our dealers give to their customers.

We are clearly a smaller company here in the US, but that isn't a bad thing. We can respond quickier to a problem, and we can listen easier to our customers. Let me point out that you are engaged in a conversation with an RSM. You will find that it is easier to get things done with a personal smaller company than with a large gaint company. Both have there good points, but as far as service, a small company can normally run circles around a large one.

Al,

I am sorry that you feel you made a mistake with the Wersi. Wersi made/makes great instruments. Unfortunatly several things happened to Wersi, first the Organ market crashed which was a great sorce of there sales, and the wall came crumbling down, which drove prices through the roof, making them from expensive to outragously expensive.

That all being said, has little bearing on Generalmusic, as our distrubution is vastly better than Wersi ever was. We have a fair amount of dealers across the country and user all over the world. Generalmusic has it's on Websites to support our products as well as fan based websites inculding Gem-club.com as well as others. We currently have more dealers than companies such as Stienway & Sons, but as I say, distribution could be better there are some holes that we have that still need dealers.

Don't foget, a little over a year ago, we were in every Baldwin and Peavey dealers store.

paul,most of the people on this site are experienced keyboardists,who have spent the time on the learning curve,these people would know a top rate keyboard from, the middle of the road boards,and not liking the idea of buying blind,by offering a 30 or40 day return your sales will rise because very few boards would be returned,brick boos idea makes sense,maybe this is the right direction for genysys to go,mike