The rumours who have been going on for some time now
seems to be true. Sad news
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum25/HTML/002319.html

GJ

Another one bites the dust. Too bad because we just lost a part of the competition that makes it better on the consumer. We still have the big three, ie., Yamaha, Korg, and Roland which is comforting. And a couple nitche makers like GEM and Ketron. Will Keyboards be like Cars in that your choices basically are limited to "3" makers? Let's hope not!

Technics/Panasonic has other electronic and other stuff they sell so Matsushita is still in business just not their Musical instrument division. And they will still make the parts for the Technics for 6 to 7 years. That is good news too.

Well UD, it looks like you'll have a rare classic on your hands in a few years if you decide to keep your KN7000. It may eventually become a collectors item that you could possibly double or triple your original investment if and when you decide to finally sell it. Although look for the existing stock of the Technics Keyboards to be rock bottomed out in price. If they do drastically slash the prices, that may be the time to snatch one up.

Best regards,
Mike

Will this include the closing of all Technics dealer stores also?

Probably depending of what else there are to
sell in the shops?
The good thing is that the Technics keyboards are just
as good, and will last for many years to come
GJ

You think the reason is low sales do to competive features vs consumer wants & needs/low profits, bad advertising, or other things ?

Where they had good distribution they were top sellers. In the UK when KN6000 ran it had 50-60% market share at its price level of the whole market, not just against PSR9000 alone for instance. 6500 and 7000 also did very well there, Germany another good market. Where the distribution was useless they did poorly, US distribution was always poor. UK trade figures show keyboards are a declining market year on year.

At the end of the day Music Instrument Division was a tiny part of Panasonic/Matsushita, and probably had a fraction of a percent of the turnover of the battery division for example. Japan has been in stagnation for over a decade and the accountants have spoken. Thus is our Brave New World.

Yes, among some other reasons as i.e. technicsplayer mention here.
I can't remember last time I saw a advert for Technics keyboards here
in my country.
Also the swinging trends, remeber 20 - 25 years ago?
Big 2 manual organs was the big thing, so the arranger keyboards came
and made a "revolution".
Now I can see it's a kind of back to basic. The young ones buy pianos,
the old fashion acoustic type.
It's good, because if you can handle and play a ordinary piano, then you
really have what needed........
Well, my personal meaning, of course
GJ

Fascinating! I wonder if that is the scenario in different Countries as well. If the U.S. market and also the German market are declining too, then we may well see the "big 3" and others quit making Keyboards altogether!! Although I find that highly unlikely. I mean; there will always be Musicians that require a Keyboard (as apposed to a 'Piano'). Keyboards are so portable and they're getting better and better all the time technology and sound wise. Let's hope they don't stop making them any time soon anyway.

I think there will be an evolving of the current Keyboard technology though. Look for it to integrate seamlessly into Computer based Soft Synth technology. And the current Keyboard physical design and looks will be radically changed too IMO.

Best regards,
Mike

Anthony