I just got a price of 85 bucks each from the sign-shop guy on ebay for the 4345 foilcals......Wagner is correct in his description! That is a totally out in left field price.
I know! I had the same offer for my L300 project. I know he does good work. But its kind of like the Wall Street guy who recently raised the price on a long-existing drug called Daraprim from $13.50 a pill to $750 overnight because he was the only manufacturer. Merry Christmas Scrooge!
Tom
I wonder what kind of printer he's using. He told me that it would take a week to make them and two days later they were in the mail.
They are very nice looking but this crazy expensive! $205 CAD! They cost me more than my 2405s! Crazy!
C
My cabinets and grilles were built by Rick of Kenrick for Dave of Katzass Audio who populated them with JBL OE drivers and later sold them to a member here who sold them to me. I don't know where the badges came in but when I got them the grilles were still in bags never having been used and the badges in wrappers.
". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers
I don't have a problem with someone asking stupid high prices for foilcals or even screws you can pick up at the local hardware store, but I personally think it's unethical (and kind of creepy) to sell (and buy) fake red driver seals. It's not like they're needed to make a pair of speakers look right; they're not visible after the drivers are installed after all. The only purpose I can see is to mislead a potential buyer into thinking the diaphragm is original and the driver unmolested when that probably isn't the case. It's helping someone commit fraud IMO.
With a very special driver, that I KNEW had simply lost a couple of theirs from old age shrinkage, I MIGHT consider them, MAYBE........................but even then, how many of those plugs do you think are actually sold with that motive in mind, and with full disclosure?
If you are lucky enough to have seen or owned enough of the real deals, you can spot his fakes a mile away anyway
And gain with his bull shit pricing.........................fugedaboudit
85 apiece is inline with what I paid almost 10 years ago. I do not think oem-quality printed aluminum badges fall out of trees. You need the equipment, materials, research, talent and time. And some volume expectation to spread the cost over to justify making them.
Maybe 10 years ago, but today? With the printing, materials and format programs available today to over the counter end users, even for "desk top" operations? It's a gouge, I don't give a shit whether they "fall out of trees" or not
I do agree though, value is in the eye of the beholder, so carry on, more power to you
All I know is it'll be a cold day in hell before I pay that guy (or anyone, it's NOT personal) that kind of money for a foilcal, no matter how nice his work (or personality) may be
Especially with consideration of the fact that he is either unable or unwilling to serialize the things (something that actually requires more than just computer skills); that tells me pretty much all I need to know about just how difficult the process has to be (once you've invested in the hardware/software to make it all happen) That and the fact that the hardware/software isn't exclusive to just making JBL foilcals, I am quite certain it translates to any number of production capabilities/applications he could engage to amortize his costs............plus, the guy has been around for what seems like ages now?
If he wants to limit is activities to milking that one cow then that's his business and fine with me, more power to him and I wish him well; he just won't get any of mine no matter how badly I may want any of his goods. Good quality diaphragms can be had for the same sort of money, hell, even a decent Mackenzie recone kit (good enough for EV on some of their classic drivers, good enough for me in a pinch)
And they don't "fall out of trees" either
Would not adding serial numbers be akin to counterfeiting? That seems a bridge too far for a replica. Otherwise you are entitled to your opinions. However I do not note a bunch of opportunists rushing to do what you describe so you may be unrealistic in your expectations. And why do you come across as so angry about this? Have you had a nasty experience here that I missed the telling of?
I made my own and no one's complained!
At least when they are adjusted to zero (using my proprietary measurement technique ) l know the whole mess is flat and l dont have to wait for an anxiety attack...lol.
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