For various reasons, from time to time, a product that has some good buzz goes off the market. Sometimes the company is in trouble or is just dropping the product line. Sometimes the industry changes or parts dry up. I've missed the boat for buying into a couple of deceased products that spring to mind, including Electrix effects and the Alesis Mod-FX series.

The problem I have pulling the trigger is that it's kind of a pressure-buy situation, and I'm not sure that it's going to be rational spending. I would be buying more because it's a deal than on its own merit, where my usual hunting strategy is to look for gear on its own merit and pull the trigger when I find a sufficient deal. I haven't peered too carefully at the secondary market for this sort of thing, but it seems that sometimes you can more than make your money back if unhappy.

What do y'all do? Buy like a gearslut and let the credit-card interest be damned?

Bear

I used to, and still will for analog products (IE, easily fixable)....anything that is software driven though, in my opinion, is a gamble the moment it is scheduled for closeout - what company is gonna support a product they don't make anymore?

Witness: The d8b...

Again, my opinion only, but unless its too good to pass up price wise, or is a stupidly reliable piece with a solid repuation for longevity, then I would pass...anything Numark-Alesis doesn't fall into that category IMO...

Good points. I've found good kit from unlikely sources, though. I'm particularly fond of the Zoom Ultra-Fuzz pedal, and the built-in compressor in Fostex MN series mixers, which are cheap little plastic mono things that run on a 9 volt battery. Part of Funky & Uncommon is looking in unusual places and going against conventional thinking.

Bear

One of the funkiest (as pertaiing to both ends of the spectrum of funky) is a Mosvalve Tube Spring reverb unit...either stereo 6 springs or mono 12 spring....3 band EQ, mix, and mode switch...line level or instrument...

Absolutely NO predelay whatsoever...but a sound completely unto its own, one that has made its way onto a couple of releases...(My tech is gonna built a studier power supply) I don't think these have been out since the 80s....but MAN! For certain things, nothing else can even come close.

i tend to try and invest in gear that can easily be repaired, and i have tried to avoid sinking to much into digital based gear?




this is why i want a 500 format delay unit come to market!
yes this has a sound completely unto its own, and i like!