Korg ARP 2600 Reissue

Yeah. VCS3 MkII with a DK2 keyboard in the pull-out shelf underneath.

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Yep I Was just trying to make the comparison between a boutique seller such as the TTSH guys and one of the big companies with access to cheaper parts, components etc. Maybe the pcb argument want the best one; if the TTSH is through hole it will always be more labour intensive to produce that a pick and place system on a production line. Only trying to make the point that Korgs economies of scale must make manufacturing cheaper than the boutique guys. Or are the new 2600’s hand built through hole instruments that clearly take a lot of time and labour to produce (honest question).

Edit- when I say cheaper parts I mean Korg cab surely source parts for a lower price as they must buy in the basics like resistors and caps in huge amounts and benefit form the price breaks that come with that. I didn’t mean they’d use sub par components!

[quote=“Bunker, post:192, topic:117240, full:true”]
I mean Korg cab surely source parts for a lower price as they must buy in the basics like resistors and caps in huge amounts and benefit form the price breaks that come with that. I didn’t mean they’d use sub par components!
[/quote]333

So when you mention this about buying components in huge quantities you do realize that this is a 400 unit limited edition and that components price is not the main factor when it comes to cost of a product?

There has to be a large number of shared components with their Oddy tho? Like specific res values and cap types in the oscillators and elsewhere? Isn’t it the case that by limiting the run it pushes the final price up? Therefore a bigger run will bring the price down? Again an honest question. I think Chiasticon had it right. This is possibly a precursor for a cheaper smaller version.

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Yeah I really don’t understand why they would limit it if they’re experiencing huge demand? Why not make it a run of 2,000 and set the price a little lower? Or, do what Behringer does and assess demand by selling quantities to retailers, negotiate with component suppliers based on that, begin taking preorders, and then set the final price? Why limit the quantity if you have buyers knocking down your door? I love Korg products and they killed it on this remake, but this seems like a misstep. Why not just say that this is an initial limited run, and leave the door open for yourself to announce another run? The person at Korg who decided to announce it as a one time run definitely made a mistake.

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I had a similar thought in terms of this vs. a shared system in terms of depth and functionality

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I think the price would be at least double the $3900 asking price if the 2600 FS were 100% hand-made and 100% through-hole - much closer the Moog Modular reissues. By making it partially “hand-crafted” and through-hole, the cost was cut a bit - my wild guess anyway.

The price in 1975 was around $3500 which in today’s dollars is fairly close to the Moog Model 15.

I’m guessing the “FS” limited-run model is a test of the market. Perhaps there will be a 2600 Mini. Maybe they really underestimated the demand for the FS model.

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Good points. The only part that they screwed up in my opinion are those two little words, “one time.” Everything else, the look, the size, the sound, the price, not a problem! Good job Korg! Why though, one time only, ahhhhhh!!!

Yeah, although I feel like they have put enough budget into the PR side of it that it wouldn’t make much sense not to come out with a mini version. There is something of a backhanded gesture of goodwill with these wonderfully built reissues only being available in a tiny quantity as for your average musician it might take some time to have the money for it. It’s cool that it exists but I do wish for a less limited run even at that cost I think a lot of people would prefer that option than to a mini version.

I think that the production of it is so different from what they are doing for other products, that they cannot and don’t want to set up a complete production for it.

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it’s totally possible that Korg are testing the waters, and that given how popular this was, are going to do a version with the “halloween” graphics, or the Blue Marvin scheme, etc… in addition to possibly doing a mini version.

also, regarding price (yet again)… the 2600 was $3300 in 1975 (without the additional road case!). that’s $16k today. I get it that it’s out of some people’s reach (imagine looking at its price back in 1975!), but overpriced it ain’t.

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I never said if was overpriced, I think the price is very fair.

first paragraph was directed at you, second not. that’s why I noted I was changing subject :+1:

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I agree with Ujia

Maybe they really can only do one time - in other words I don’t think they’re lying.

Turned out that way with the full size MS-20 kit and the M version.

Oh I’m sure. With the quick sellout numbers they need to know if they can sell through the next batch too.

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When you’re building a brand it’s better to stay surprising (with a constant flow of new products) than risk having slow selling products distributors want out of their stockrooms. A special project like this FS ARP is planned to sell out, it’s as much a marketing exercise as anything. Korg aren’t likely to take a huge margin on this because 400 (or whatever) is both a known and a low number of units. Production facilities are free to move on and (more important) exposure to reputation and return costs is low if it’s unsuccessful. The conservative run of units ensures this. I expect the lines critical to Korg’s profits are the high volume sellers.

Korg know what they’re doing. I think they pay more attention to innovation and value than maybe any other synth brand. Ask any monologue owner :slight_smile:

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No…but it a sick setup!

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Korg isn’t selling them for 4000. It’s the retailers selling them for that price. I’m guessing KORG sells them for around 1500-2000. Then different distributors sells them to retailers. I guess in a lot of markers KORG is distributing directly to retailers.

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Korg is the smallest of the “big” Japanese synth manufacturers.

Yamaha is a huge, sprawling company that also makes and sells motorcycles and stuff.

Roland has a printer division which, by all reports, is more profitable for them than synths.

Thus Korg has to utilize different strategies than their bigger Japanese peers.

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