LP reliability?

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PHC
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LP reliability?

Post by PHC » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:43 am

I often read about problems with the LP. People have all different kinds of hardware related problems.

I'm about to purchase the Stage Edition when it starts shipping, but I'm affraid that I'll have to send it back for repair once out of the box.

How often does hardware problems that can be fixed only by qualified personel occur?

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goldphinga
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Post by goldphinga » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:51 am

My LP is extremely reliable. Ive had it 4 months now and its never let me down.The sound is incredible. So much character!

There have bee a few software bugs reported by some but thats all. All the bugs have been minor and speedily solved by Moog.

The only hardware issue i can think of was problems with lights not working on some switches in a handful of LP's and that was sorted a while back.

Dont forget that Moog really care about their customers and are constantly and systematically trouble shooting any bugs and improving and updating the OS.

By the time the stage comes out there should be no issues at all.

Get one, you wont regret it!
Moog Gear: Voyager AE,LP Stage 2+CV outs (Blue LED's/Wheels, MF104SD, MF101 Filter, MF103 Phaser, Source, Memorymoog+, Minitaur.

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GregAE
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Re: LP reliability?

Post by GregAE » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:05 am

PHC wrote:I often read about problems with the LP. People have all different kinds of hardware related problems.

I'm about to purchase the Stage Edition when it starts shipping, but I'm affraid that I'll have to send it back for repair once out of the box.

How often does hardware problems that can be fixed only by qualified personel occur?
When it ships, the Stage Edition wil have the latest OS (all current bug fixes) as well as the most up-to-date circuitry (any refinements that make the instrument more reliable/serviceable). You should have no worries about buying the Little Phatty SE.

If you are purchasing the Stage through your local music dealer, take out a bit of insurance for yourself by asking if you can unbox it, set it up and try the unit before you hand over the cash (or your credit card). Spend some time playing with it; go through the presets, twist the knobs, feel the love. Take your time (if you can) and go over everything. Then make the buy when you're comfortable with it. And don't forget to check the store's return policy.

- G

electrical_engineer_gEEk
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Re: LP reliability?

Post by electrical_engineer_gEEk » Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:13 pm

GregAE wrote:
PHC wrote:I often read about problems with the LP. People have all different kinds of hardware related problems.

I'm about to purchase the Stage Edition when it starts shipping, but I'm affraid that I'll have to send it back for repair once out of the box.

How often does hardware problems that can be fixed only by qualified personel occur?
When it ships, the Stage Edition wil have the latest OS (all current bug fixes) as well as the most up-to-date circuitry (any refinements that make the instrument more reliable/serviceable). You should have no worries about buying the Little Phatty SE.

If you are purchasing the Stage through your local music dealer, take out a bit of insurance for yourself by asking if you can unbox it, set it up and try the unit before you hand over the cash (or your credit card). Spend some time playing with it; go through the presets, twist the knobs, feel the love. Take your time (if you can) and go over everything. Then make the buy when you're comfortable with it. And don't forget to check the store's return policy.

- G
A music store will let you open a brand new item before you hand over the cash? awesome! i'm gunna try that, then not buy it.....i do afterall buy new synths for the "unwrapping" adrenaline rush

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GregAE
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Re: LP reliability?

Post by GregAE » Fri Jan 05, 2007 1:44 pm

electrical_engineer_gEEk wrote:
GregAE wrote:
PHC wrote:I often read about problems with the LP. People have all different kinds of hardware related problems.

I'm about to purchase the Stage Edition when it starts shipping, but I'm affraid that I'll have to send it back for repair once out of the box.

How often does hardware problems that can be fixed only by qualified personel occur?
When it ships, the Stage Edition wil have the latest OS (all current bug fixes) as well as the most up-to-date circuitry (any refinements that make the instrument more reliable/serviceable). You should have no worries about buying the Little Phatty SE.

If you are purchasing the Stage through your local music dealer, take out a bit of insurance for yourself by asking if you can unbox it, set it up and try the unit before you hand over the cash (or your credit card). Spend some time playing with it; go through the presets, twist the knobs, feel the love. Take your time (if you can) and go over everything. Then make the buy when you're comfortable with it. And don't forget to check the store's return policy.

- G
A music store will let you open a brand new item before you hand over the cash? awesome! i'm gunna try that, then not buy it.....i do afterall buy new synths for the "unwrapping" adrenaline rush
I've done at my local music store. I've taken the time to foster a relationship with some key people there so that they know me, and as a result, they trust me when I say that I'm serious about buying a piece of gear. Now I know that a lot of music store personnel could care less about their customers, but if you can get to know the manager/assistant manager of the keyboard department (or guitar dept, drum dept, etc.) they will often take better care of you at purchase time than some part-time sales lackey.

- G

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Post by MarkM » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:50 pm

I agree with Greg. I have great releationships with several local music stores. There's no doubt they would open a new product for me to test. That is one of many reasons to buy locally and not at some internet or giant discount music store. The small locally owned music stores here will match any discount house's prices.
Mark Mahoney
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www.cdbaby.com/cd/markmahoney

thewaag
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Post by thewaag » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:42 pm

Back to the main question...the LP's reliability.

If you aren't aware of the story; the first 15 LP's had some real hardware problems and were basically recalled. I have LP Tribute number 245 and I haven't had a whisper of trouble except for the noted software bugs, and these haven't really been a problem for me. In fact, even though there is new software available to fix the bugs, I have not downloaded and installed it.

Off and on this forum has had reports of problems on new LP's--mostly filckering lights. These reports have been fewer and farther between as more and more LPs have been produced.

By the time they make 2500 Tributes and start on the Studio version, I would expect that you could drop the LP off a truck and it would still work fine. I have only seen something like #800 checked in on this forum. They have a lot more Tributes to go!

Remember that they had similar problems with the Voyager when they first came out. Nobody claims that the Voyager is not reliable--in fact they have just the opposite reputation. Well built and reliable is what people call the Voyager.

I would have ABSOLUTELY NO QUALMS about buying an Studio LP. And if you do happen to purchase that inevitable lemon, you know that Moog will back it up and take care of it. The shipping back and forth is a pain, but you are not likely to have problems by the time they start delivering the Studio.

The only persistant problems that I have heard about on the LP have been when dealing with a music store, and not after the LP was sent back for corrections.

Buy the thing and don't worry about it!!
Thanks Bob!!

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Post by Brian G » Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:51 pm

As Greg and others have said, build a relationship with your local music store(s) once they know you and your interests, they'll more than likely go out of their way to look out for you.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Stage Edition, it's a well made instrument and you should not have any problems. That being said, there is always a chance that something slipped by or has failed since it left Moog, it happens, sure it's a disappointment, but it happens :). In my experience Moog is a great company to work with, they really are concerned for their customers.

Get some sleep now 'cause when you get your Little Phatty you'll want to stay up all hours playing with it :).



“By the time they make 2500 Tributes and start on the Studio version, I would expect that you could drop the LP off a truck and it would still work fine. I have only seen something like #800 checked in on this forum. They have a lot more Tributes to go! “



:) Unless they made an additional 1,300 Tribute Editions there were only 1,200 made :)

Brian

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Post by eframp » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:26 pm

I had an early one, and I did have a couple of hardware issues with it (I was torture-testing it, though), but they were addressed and fixed very promptly by the folks at Moog. I've taken my LP out on lots of gigs in lots of varied environments since then and have no complaints.

Go buy one, then get back to us when you've finally taken a break from playing with it. :-)
Eric Frampton, keyboards | Atlanta, Georgia, USA
http://www.ericframpton.com

CTRLSHFT
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Post by CTRLSHFT » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:38 pm

the only problems with mine are 1 dying LED and a key that makes an annoying "SPRING!" noise when you depress the key. serial 613.

They have been in production for a long time now; reports of hardware problems are few and far between. you shouldn't worry. :)
www.ctrlshft.com

thewaag
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Post by thewaag » Mon Jan 08, 2007 4:20 pm

Brian G wrote: “By the time they make 2500 Tributes and start on the Studio version, I would expect that you could drop the LP off a truck and it would still work fine. I have only seen something like #800 checked in on this forum. They have a lot more Tributes to go! “



:) Unless they made an additional 1,300 Tribute Editions there were only 1,200 made :)

Brian
What, so I was off by 208%??!! Big Deal!

Thanks for the correction. I knew that they made 1200. I don't know where the 2500 number came from. Maybe because I have been itching for my old ARP 2600....
Thanks Bob!!

Brian G
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Post by Brian G » Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:45 pm

Works for me :). The 2600 would make a nice support for the LP :).

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Post by MarkM » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:15 am

If you aren't aware of the story; the first 15 LP's had some real hardware problems and were basically recalled.



I've got 0007. No problems at all.
Mark Mahoney
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www.cdbaby.com/cd/mmahoneympeck
www.cdbaby.com/cd/markmahoney

thewaag
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Post by thewaag » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:24 pm

MarkM wrote:
If you aren't aware of the story; the first 15 LP's had some real hardware problems and were basically recalled.



I've got 0007. No problems at all.
Yeah, that is kind of weird that you got such an incredibly low serial number so late in the game. It is also kind of strange that you don't have any problems with it, as it was common knowledge that the first few had some bugs.

I wonder if they took back #7 at some date, scrapped it, and then made a new one and placed that serial number on it. Or maybe they re-worked the original #7 with new parts to fix the original problems.

I don't know how they manage such things at Moog, but it is surprising to see #7 appear so late in the game and work with no problems.

Hey, as long as it is working properly, it is all good! :lol:
Thanks Bob!!

rg
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buttons..

Post by rg » Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:03 pm

I dunno why but I get the feeling that in 20 years rubber buttons will begin to rot or harden and lose elasticity like old rubber usually does... am I alone on this? 20 years down the line it may be unusable... and I cant see how there will be replacement switchmats... its not like a knob or switch... It's an elaborate thing to have manufactured...

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