The Death of the DJ's Favorite

[emaidel]

In February of 2010, Technics will cease production of the DJ's all-time favorite turntable - the SL-1200. I'm sure that's good news for compeitors in the DJ business, and it's something that's been bounced around for quite a few years. While Technics SL-1200's outsold virtually all other DJ turntables, the total number sold worldwide never came close to the amount sold during the heyday of the audio business, before CD's were invented. Given the manufacturing cost of the SL-1200, I'm surprised Technics didn't do this much sooner.

And now, it would appear, the price gouging begins. Pro Sound & Stage Lighting, one of the largest mail-order/online DJ retailers is now selling the SL-1200 for a whopping $799.95! Perhaps a DJ may be willing to shell out that much for this product (few other DJ turntables ever stood up to the abuse a DJ gives a turntable than the SL-1200 did), but anyone interested in a turntable for Hi-Fi use now has good reason to look elsewhere. For $800, one can do a LOT better.

Still, it's a bit sad that such a landmark product will soon be history.

[atomicAdam]

That is too bad. Wonder why they would cut it? Even if it isn't as good as yesteryears if it is still number 1 it is still number 1.

[emaidel]

[QUOTE Wonder why they would cut it? [/QUOTE]

Japanese manufacturers have long been interested in volume sales, which translates not to hundreds of units sold each month, but thousands. While the SL-1200 may have reached thousands of units a month to DJ retailers worldwide, the individual orders likely were too small for Technics to handle profitably. It's a lot cheaper for them to absorb freight costs to a large distributor who purchases many thousands of units a month, than to absorb shipping costs to hundreds of smaller retailers across the country. That's only a guess, but it makes sense.

[dean_martin]

That's sad. For a young person on a budget just getting into vinyl, the SL-1210Mk2 which can be found for $400 (or less at times) is a better investment than Pro-Ject's or Music Hall's entry-level tables, IMO.

I need to make plans to snag one of these for my son's college graduation.

[whell]

From KABUSA.com's web site:

NOV 30, 2009

Technics 1200 Discontinued? Simple word: no! Read Here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=191977045775

[emaidel]

That's interesting. I can remember many instances during the 90's when Technics threatened to discontinue the SL-1200, and then proceeded to continue not only manufacturing it, but adding additional models to the lineup. I guess this was another marketing ploy on the part of Technics, and a not-too-dumb one at that.

[emaidel]

Depending on where one looks, the SL-1200 is, or isn't, going to be discontinued. Panasonic stated that they have no intention of discontinuing the Technics brand, and many DJ loyalists have misquoted that as Panasonic having no intention of discontinuing the SL-1200.

As I've stated before, this isn't the first time Technics has claimed to be discontinuing the SL-1200, and may again be a marketing ploy to create additional demand for the product. There's nothing wrong with that really, but once they eventually do decide to discontinue the turntable, no one will believe them. That is, until dealers no longer can purchase it.

This is remarkably similar to a marketing ploy done in the 60's with a toothpaste called, "Plus White." There was a late night talk show called "The Les Crane Show," in which the host, Les Crane, used a "shotgun" microphone in a theatre in the round to get questions from his audience. Crane was one of the then popular "confrontational" type hosts, who were arrogant, and generally quite unpleasant.

One night, Crane spoke directly into the camera, seemingly very candidly, stating that he had sworn never to endorse a product on his show, but that he came across one that was so remarkably good, and that worked so wonderfully well, that he just "had" to say something about it. That product was Plus White toothpaste - a highly abrasive toothpaste that did remove stains very well, but did a pretty nasty job on teeth enamel too.

The next day, I went to a local drugstore to purchase a tube, and found that there was only one left in the store. The pharmacist said that he had no idea why the product simply sat on the shelves for so long, and then suddenly, sold out in only a few hours one morning.

The whole point of course, was to judge whether or not there was an audience for the Les Crane show, and whether or not whatever he had to say was taken seriously by the general population. Plus White toothpaste sold out all over the place, but eventually the Les Crane show was cancelled due to low ratings. The show, and Les Crane himself, were both simply awful.

So, maybe Pansonic is doing a similar thing with repeatedly leaking reports that the SL-1200 is going to be discontinued. We'll all see whether that's true or not, once March passes, as that's the time at which the turntable is supposedly no longer going to be available.

Any bets from anyone?

[MillionairL]

That's sad. For a young person on a budget just getting into vinyl, the SL-1210Mk2 which can be found for $400 (or less at times) is a better investment than Pro-Ject's or Music Hall's entry-level tables, IMO.

I need to make plans to snag one of these for my son's college graduation.

You can still *If your lucky* find them in local pawn shops. I dont know what franchises there are in the USA and Canada but in the UK you can sometimes find rare gems among all the garbage at place like 'Cash Converters'.

I speak of experience as I have been in two different shops and found a pair at both, yet being a DJ who prefers digital i decided to give it a skip... which was a awful mistake but too late