Roland

Phase Ghost · Post by **Phase Ghost** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 5:11 am

Why don't they come out with the 909, 808 and 303 again (among their other classic machines) ? They would obviously make tons of money as the prices for this gear just goes higher and higher. Most of the sh!t they make is pretty much crap compared to their old gear. Seems like an obvious move to me.

widdly · Post by **widdly** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 5:25 am

You could just get a Acidlab Miami and a x0xb0x.

If it was profitable for Roland to make reissues of analog gear then I'm sure they would. My guess is the manufacturing costs for an 808 would be very high compared with a low parts count digital gear. You would end up with a high cost/low volume product which is not really the way they do business.

I'd keep an eye on Korg though. They seem to be going in the right direction with the monotron ( all analog, released complete schematic).

NomadSpectrum · Post by **NomadSpectrum** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:26 am

I read somewhere that the start up production costs for Roland to re-issue those would simply make the units too pricey. I am sure Roland have thought about it but then they should know their market

patrick bateman · Post by **patrick bateman** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:58 am

NomadSpectrum wrote: I am sure Roland have thought about it but then they should know their market

x100.000

Stomper · Post by **Stomper** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:43 pm

I think roland holding their name from those vintage units.
If the new units wont live to their expections, the vintage units will lose their value and so will roland.

dont forget that roland were always producing for the masses. their products were always cheaper and what was the hype.
when most people look for digital "do it all" synth, that what they will make. not an analogue ones.

thefunnel · Post by **thefunnel** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 2:30 pm

This has been discussed before, and the consensus is usually that it would cost too much for Roland to recreate these machines.

However.

With the price of a x0xb0x as low as it is, I can't help but think that if Roland used its superior manufacturing capability, it could easily manufacture a 303 with a couple modern features like MIDI, for $250-300 and sell them for $600-700, easily. I mean, people get x0x kits, put them together, and sell them on ebay for $550-600 and make a profit by doing so...so I don't really buy the argument that Roland couldn't make them for cheaper and still sell them, too.

And considering what an 808 or 909 goes for on ebay--and the price of some of the clones like a Jomox 888--I also don't buy the argument that they couldn't use their mass production capabilities to make a $1000 808 or 909, with a few modern features.

Now whether the market is there or not is debatable. But could they do it for cheaper than what they currently sell for? fck yeah they could.

tone-def · Post by **tone-def** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:41 pm

the market for analogue drum machines is too small. electronic music is as big as it's been since the 80's but most people are happy working ITB.

AK · Post by AK » Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:09 am

I wondered about this before, the whole concept is arbitrary though I guess. Roland, at that time of releasing said machines couldnt have forseen them becoming future classics and them changing hands for such money. Seems a poor marketing technique to recreate instruments on the back of that. Wasnt at least the 303 a production faliure? Only later did it achieve 'street cred' and got used in a way that wasnt intended. All sorts of variables are possible.

Lets not forget the purists too. I can see a hypothetical situation whereby the purists claim the recreated units do not sound as good as their 'classic' counterparts. Lol