Greetings, everyone -

Since I almost started World War III in Joe's Mains Lead post and I have been given a stay of execution by Nigel, (Nigel, are you listening?) I thought I would tell you my conversation I had with a Panasonic representative.

I called 4 different numbers to Panasonic and left a message for someone to call me about the necessary changes required for converting a UK KN7000 to a US power conversion. Finally, 4 days later someone called and said that they were not in the tech department but referred me to their authorized service in my area. As it is, this authorized service place is 100 miles from where I live. This post is not about this but about what followed.

I mentioned that it was a shame that the company went out of the keyboard business and he said it was a money thing, which we all know. As we spoke, I gained his confidence and he said that he guessed it was OK to "talk about it now" since it is a well established fact that they no longer are making keyboards. He stated that the company gave strict orders not to talk about their decision. He then told me the Technics keyboard history from the beginning to its demise. He said that the company hired a "most unusual marketing director." The tone of his voice told me that he thought the marketing director was a total moron. This marketing director laid down the rules as to how the Technics keyboards were to be marketed. They are as follows:

They were to be marketed as keyboards for the home and for the nonprofessional player. (That ought to incense a few of us who do well on gigs.)

They would not be sold in professional gear music shops and there would be no hard cases made for the road, i.e., for traveling gigs.

They would be sold ONLY to their loyal piano and organ dealers and absolutely, no Internet sales.

They would not be discounted and no company employee was to give a retail price because this was reserved for their "loyal" longtime piano and organ dealers to give their customers a 'suggested manufacturer's retail price' and if they so desired, give a discount.

One dealer ONLY was allowed to sell the keyboards within a 150-mile radius. This leaves out well established piano and organ dealers to sell their keyboards. Should a dealer have more than one store in a city, they could sell the keyboards in all their stores, which at least would be a bit more exposure.

Sales, over the years were dismal due to this INGENIOUS marketing. The company was losing interest and it was considered a very small market for them. In later years, the keyboards were pushed in the direction of large department chains, such as Sears in the US. They were to be sold (get ready) in the department that sold small appliances, including sewing machines and washers and dryers. I can vouch for this as a fact. About 4 years ago, I was in a Sears store and in their appliance department, I saw Technics keyboards for sale. I was shocked! Out of interest, I spoke to a person working in that department and asked if he or someone could help me with questions I had about the keyboards. He replied that no one knew much about how to operate the keyboards but gave me the owner's manual to look at and left.

IS THE ABOVE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SCREAM AND PULL YOU HAIR OUT?!!!

You have to wonder where the brains are with people in charge of huge companies.

it's been well known for years that marketing in the States was useless. Other areas like the UK and Germany were exactly the opposite, for example in the UK at the time of the KN6500 launch the Technics market share of all keyboards over £1000 month on month was 60-70%. Read that sentence again - that was not just against psr9000 and 9000pro but ALL keyboards over £1000. Likewise Germany was a big market, amazingly I was told one of the biggest markets was Indonesia or Malaysia - maybe they are all Hammond fans over there? The US distribution was so poor that most Americans had never heard a Technics and never knew what they were missing all those years.


[This message has been edited by technicsplayer (edited 10-31-2005).]

How ironic that some technics keyboard now work for Korg who of course do a great deal of business through professional outlets and the back up from Korg appears to be very improved of late.
Peter B

I bought my KN6000 from a dealer that also sold Technic's pianos. When I first looked at it, I was really awed.....it was a Saturday. The salemen said no one knew anything about it, their "expert" would be their Monday. I went back Monday morning. Their "expert" knew how to push the demo button. She could not answer any questions I had. So I sat with the manual and answered my questions that way. I bought it and loved it. I can see why they didn't sell too many keyboards around here. What a shame!

Marilyn

It is also interesting to note that Yamaha Clavinova and Roland CK divisions also do not allow their products to be sold outside the stores radius set up by these two companys and that internet sales are not permited. It seems this is the usual way these two large keybaord companys see their business. The only difference is that both companys do have a retail price which can be found out if you call the company if the dealer will not tell you.
Also, Korg is coming out with a new stage piano which will have a technics keybed inside!
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Thanks so much nsr007 for providing some insight on what transpired with Technics keyboards. It's really sad that products like these weren't able to be financially successful. Obviously poor marketing can kill even the best product. It was only recently that BEBOP made us aware that the KN-7000 could actually act as not just a MIDI device with a computer but would also play digital audio over the USB connection. That is very innovative and unheard of in other arranger keyboard.

I'm so glad I didn't execute you after all nsr007 Thanks once again for the information.

If the US market was so small[and I agree],and the non US markets were so strong...why was the decision internationally, to close shop?
Apparently, even though the profit margin[especially home piano dealers] is large..Technics did not do a big enough volume to warrant a continuance of the line..Maybe they had insight to a competitive market on the horizon..

the real reason for closure which was made a long time before it was public (rather than uninformed speculation) was in my answers here: http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum25/HTML/003498.html