Metasonix' Eric Barbour is one of the cleverest, most original people I've come across since starting Music Thing. He knows everything there is to know about tubes. Now, finally, instead of making absurd things like four-voice polyphonic all-tube synths, he's made the Fucking Fucker, a two-channel guitar amp stuffed with things like "remote-cutoff pentodes". It's hideous, it's yellow, it will be pixellated every time a rich rockstar puts one in his video, and I'm sure it sounds incredible. Now that most tube amps are built on Chinese production lines, this is a truly wonderful thing.
Posted by Tom Whitwell.
Comments:
The Butt Probe? The Fucking Fucker?
Yeah, Eric's a genius at tubes, but doesn't know much about marketing. Here he's removed the possibility to advertise his products on Ebay, in many trade magazines and online sites, offended many potential buyers and continued his belief that having potty-mouthed products is hip and cool. The guy has probably never even had sex! With a name like this, many people won't see that he's clever and original. They'll just walk away and that's not very clever if you're a business.
Maybe his products are so good, cause he spends his time designing and building them well instead of figuring out how to market them effectivly? Who knows tho. I'm sure he makes plenty of money...I mean the market for nasty sounding all tube music gear isn't exactly a massive one, and if you happen to be int he market for that kind of gear, figuring out that the most interesting and unique gear comes from Metasonix takes roughly 1 google search. Why woud he waste his time trying to be Roland or Nord or something when he can be Metasonix???
"The guy has probably never even had sex!" His girlfriend actually helps him solder together the Metasonix stuff... I met her at last year's NAMM. Really nice people!
"Here he's removed the possibility to advertise his products on Ebay"
Why would he want to? He seems to deal direct mostly, so why devalue his brand name by flogging it alongside 'genuine chinese antiquity saxophone, beautiful' and other cheap tat. I take my hat off to him.
Is it good marketing? Well, I'm writing about it, but I'm not writing about this: http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM08/Content/Overloud/PR/TH1-Guitar-Amp-Software.html or this: http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM08/Content/Overloud/PR/TH1-Guitar-Amp-Software.html
People who criticize his poor marketing decisions are completely missing the point of his products. Metasonix does not look for mass appeal. Despite that, this amp will probably gain attention regardless, simply by the merit of how over-the-top it is.
Personally I've never wanted an amp more in my life. Hope clips pop up soon! :)
There's always the rich teenager demographic. That being said, If I were looking for such a massive amp, the name on the tubes and how its built is about a billion times more important than a little swearing in the name.
Isn't that name descriptive though? Kinda like the BFG-9000 of the amp world.
I don't think he wants to sell a bunch of these. He has been working on this for a while, can you imagine how long it would take to build that thing BY HAND as well as keep up with all the other TM box orders? A LONG TIME:)
The people who deserve it may get one, but I don't get the impression he wants someone to pick it up then bug the hell out of him asking how to use it,demanding refunds,etc.etc..... The beauty is the design of unique obscure components.
There are a lot of people who hate his products without even trying them, in addition to that there even more people who hate him who havent met him, I have had dinner with him in addition to owning 3 of his products in my studio and have nothing but good things to say.
Consider there's a small nitch for this type of amp and that small nitch lives on tone - not the 'name' of the amp. Otherwise they'd buy "Marshall" or "Mesa" (also great amps...but different). But, don't worry, guys, the poster also probably believes a big bang accidentally created the universe and an accident is creating and marketing the awesome FF!!
Consider there's a small nitch for this type of amp and that small nitch lives on tone - not the 'name' of the amp. Otherwise they'd buy "Marshall" or "Mesa" (also great amps...but different). But, don't worry, guys, the poster also probably believes a big bang accidentally created the universe and an accident is creating and marketing the awesome FF!!
: 7:56 pm