nuno wrote:Well, you may be right, but the modular line you brought as an example is not really a fitting landmark for future product development. It's beyond being a very niche product, with a mostly symbolic meaning, as it's limited edition and priced as a collector's item, and a complete clone of something that, were it to appear as a new product would most likely be redesigned. To put mildly, the exhorbitantly-priced regurgitated modular line is, so far, more like an ornament than a serious part of the Moog product line.
No statement was made absolutely in this thread that Moog would never make a poly. Unlike you though, I don't believe that Moog will do whatever it wants. The synth and fx markets do not exist in a vacuum. Even the setting of prices for their gear is quite obviously the result of careful consideration, otherwise they would have sunk already.
Hi, I don't believe we have corresponded before.
Correct, no one in this thread has written they would never make a poly, but there are countless threads where this was brought up by many members with numerous justifications for their positions.
If you listen to the various interviews that Gene Stopp gave, and considering their close relationship with STG Soundlabs, it is clear they are well aware of the market opportunities for modulars beyond the 10K entry fee. They would be foolish not to ride the pony as far as they could. Euro is a cash cow.
Their modular line is priced cheaper than those same systems when they were being manufactured by Modusonics ($13,830 for a 15 in 2007) and they are cutting in on the vintage market. Forgive me for being incredulous, but it doesn't make sense to me for them to limit their modular offerings to those with at least 10k to blow. Their product release history is consistent with this pattern, at least if you take into consideration their Vo guitars (6K on initial release down to 3k for the models not containing the AAAAA wood tops) and their Moogerfoogers-minifoogers. They opened with a 150K Emerson system then offered 10K system 15s. They very well may not want to go the custom order route, but who knows? Gene said that there "is no limit" to the amount they can produce. I'm trying to be optimistic because I want the 907a.
But when I wrote that they have demonstrated that they can and will do whatever they want at any price point, consider the following:
They released a Voyager XL at about 1400 dollars higher than the Voyager with the CP and VX boxes and all you get extra is a few more octaves, a ribbon, and an LFO.
They released a 6k guitar. Then they released a Lap Steel guitar. Then offered custom guitar modifications.
Then they made a $14,000 gold plated Voyager. <--- This more than anything, I contend, makes my point.
I already mentioned the $150,000 EMMS modular system.
I've been following Moog Music Asheville for awhile and some of these product offerings have blown my mind.They developed these products over the last five or so years, when we had some really rough economic times, and they managed to stay afloat. They know exactly what they can do or you are surely right to argue they would have gone under. I stand by my contention that they can and will do whatever they want at any price point they want.
So a polysynth, if they had the inclination to make one that is a discrete monster priced like the Schmidt yet as big as the Oberheim 8, they certainly would. They would probably sell plenty of them as well.
What is going to be interesting is to observe over the next 6-10 years is to see if they continue as they have now that the employees have been given ownership.
Will they do a AAAAA wood Theremin with diamond encrusted pot caps and platinum antennae to celebrate its centennial? Dare I say it isn't irrational to argue it is possible?
