Never2Late Posted November 1, 2018 Posted November 1, 2018 .....and the Amp company goes with him. No more Soldano Amps....get them while you can!
Steve Haynie Posted November 1, 2018 Posted November 1, 2018 There is nothing about that on the official Soldano web site. Where did you read the bad news?
Never2Late Posted November 1, 2018 Author Posted November 1, 2018 TGP has been discussing it since August. Blues City Music is down to their LAST amp on their webpage, and responded to TGP that once Mike wires his last SLO and ships it, that's it. All five in the pipeline have been spoken-for. BCM has a notice on their website from July 24th, indicating that Soldano has put his building up for sale and will only build amps from what parts inventory he currently has....
Never2Late Posted November 1, 2018 Author Posted November 1, 2018 Found this who called Mike to confirm: "Talked to Mike today, heard it with my own ears. He owns the facility, and property taxes are starting to fade the ability to make a living. With all the usual gentrification, he cannot keep the doors open in the long run. So, with a very heavy heart, Mike Soldano is selling his production facility, and retiring early. As far as the "get em now" hype, Mike said his dealers will be overstocked if he produces extra, and it might also effect the sale if he has back orders to fill. As a result, he is finishing existing orders and not taking any new SLO orders. The future of Soldano itself is uncertain, and Mike is not sure if he is going to sell or sub, or what. When I asked, he guardedly and candidly shared that he has not had any offers that interested him yet. Who knows... But yeah, I can confirm this much. In the next month or two, I am planning to visit Mike and fill one last order we have been talking about for a minute. An SLO-25 with a DeYoung trannie he has been sitting on for me. It'll be bittersweet, but I'm happy for him. An unexpected end, but still very positive. Bon voyage, Mike! Thanks for changing Rock and Roll forever! My SLO is still my favorite top shelf hard Rock amp. You have made your mark in history, and going out on top!!! "
HAMERMAN Posted November 1, 2018 Posted November 1, 2018 5 minutes ago, gtrdaddy said: Then again, perhaps Gibson will acquire the name and you will be able to buy Soldano amps at Music-Yo for $99 Let's hope not - it would be sad to see another good name tarnished.
RobB Posted November 1, 2018 Posted November 1, 2018 Aw, man, that's a shame. I got the most crushing live sound with treble booster/HR50 head. I still own an Astroverb16 head, and that ain't going anywhere! It's a tough world when property owners can't afford the taxes imposed on them by their state overlords. Living on the west coast has gotten so dicey...I gotta get the fuk outta here.
Tortious Posted November 1, 2018 Posted November 1, 2018 Sounds like it would be something very difficult for him to restart. If he has the money to retire, why not. I think what everyone really wants to know is the fate of Jet City amps. 🙃
bruce919 Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 Hamer gone... Soldano… gone, ugh My Lucky 13 is been my #1 amp for 10+ years.
DBraz Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 17 hours ago, gtrdaddy said: Then again, perhaps Gibson will acquire the name and you will be able to buy Soldano amps at Music-Yo for $99
Never2Late Posted November 2, 2018 Author Posted November 2, 2018 4 hours ago, bruce919 said: Hamer gone... Soldano… gone, ugh My Lucky 13 is been my #1 amp for 10+ years. I've heard REALLY good things about those....
shankyboy Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 18 hours ago, RobB said: It's a tough world when property owners can't afford the taxes imposed on them by their state overlords. Living on the west coast has gotten so dicey...I gotta get the fuk outta here. It ain't just a West Coast thing. The gentrification that is happening in Austin has killed off so many landmark businesses it a shame. The historic East Side is almost non-existent.
tobereeno Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 that's an interesting quandry, if you're Mike Soldano. You wouldn't want your company and amps to just die off because they're fucking awesome, but then...if you sell it off, who can you trust to keep making them in the exact same manner they always have? It is his name on the amps after all. It would be HORRID to be in your retirement, only to see your name on $99 amps sold next to "Kramers" and "Steinbergers"....
Devnor Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 If Mike doesn't retire outright, you'll see amps designed by Mike built by others. Dave Friedman or John Suhr could build a totally bad ass Soldano. I don't see Suhr doing that but there are plenty of other opportunities if Mike still wants to work.
Steve Haynie Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 There are always Kemper and Axe FX models...
RobB Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 He did some design and consulting for Yamaha in the 90’s. I’m sure he’d be able to find work.
Devnor Posted November 2, 2018 Posted November 2, 2018 19 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said: There are always Kemper and Axe FX models...
Never2Late Posted January 28, 2019 Author Posted January 28, 2019 Soldano LIVES!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTGPRa_y4v0
Studio Custom Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 Like anything, true profit is found in economies of scale. $3,000+ amp market is flooded with guys operating our of their homes, how a guy like Mike an still make money with real overhead is a mystery.
Steve Haynie Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 A pedal maker had to move out of the house into a building in the past year. Business grew beyond the space he had at home.
Thundersteel Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 Better hurry up and get these--complete with Mudflap Girls! Only $13,000 + $300 shipping! SLO100 pair
tbonesullivan Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 3 minutes ago, Thundersteel said: Better hurry up and get these--complete with Mudflap Girls! Only $13,000 + $300 shipping! SLO100 pair Uggghh.. They mention Dumble in the writeup. You can't compare the pricing of ANY amplifiers to dumble amps, because of just about every reason I can think of. So, they can try to sell those at that price, but they will never get anywhere near it. Now, I just wish THD would decide to resurrect itself.
Studio Custom Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Steve Haynie said: A pedal maker had to move out of the house into a building in the past year. Business grew beyond the space he had at home. Is he still making money now?
LucSulla Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 On 11/2/2018 at 10:44 AM, shankyboy said: It ain't just a West Coast thing. The gentrification that is happening in Austin has killed off so many landmark businesses it a shame. The historic East Side is almost non-existent. I pretty much left over a lot of that. I left to go to UF in 2010 and couldn't wait to be back after finishing my PhD. Moved back in 2014, got the obligatory job in tech, and realized that the city I left, which was already heading that way very much when I moved, simply didn't exist anymore. Plus, rents had gone through the roof. When I moved out there in the first half of the 00s, it was pretty damn cheap. No more. Between everywhere I liked to go turning into a Condo, paying $1200 for a shoebox all the way up at the Arboretum, and the traffic, I finally threw in the towel in 2016.
Studio Custom Posted January 28, 2019 Posted January 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Ed Rechts said: As most of you know I have been Mike Soldano's largest dealer for almost 15 years. I really enjoyed this period and had a great time putting fabulous customers into some of the coolest guitar amplifier rigs ever seen. Wonderful friendships also blossomed with this arrangement, and I will surely miss seeing Mike, Russ, Don, and Bill, but for now, it's time for me to move on. Mike recently entered into an agreement with Boutique Amps Distribution in Los Angeles, California, and this won't work for me. BAD already handles my Diezel and Friedman dealerships, and I haven't been very happy with these results since coming on board with them. So as of today, 26 January 2019, I'm terminating my Soldano, Diezel, and Friedman dealerships with Boutique Amps Distribution and wish them all well. It's been a great ride, but I'm moving in another direction not so heavily involved with just guitar amplification, but don't forget I'm still one of Mesa Boogie's largest dealers and still stock 6 amplifier lines. We aren't going anywhere, Blues City Music is alive and well having just finished our best year since we started, so keep in touch. I'll be adding a high end boutique guitar, bass, and acoustic line ASAP. Thanks for your understanding. Turn It Up. Lynn Burke / Blues City Music, LLC. Hi Everyone! Since founding Soldano Custom Amplification 32 years ago, I’ve had to split my time between developing new products and operating a small business. I have reached a place in my life where I no longer wish to handle the business side of things and focus on what I enjoy most – designing and developing awesome amps and related products. So, I’m excited to announce that I have teamed up with Boutique Amps Distribution to take Soldano to the next level. For many months now I have been seeking a company that can carry on my brand and Boutique Amps Distribution was the clear choice. They have the resources, talent, and passion to manufacture Soldano amps to the standard of quality both I and my customers expect, right here in California, USA. Together we will be bringing to life some of the products I have been wanting to make for a long time. Many thanks for honoring me all these years with your loyal support and I hope you continue to do so as I transition to this exciting new chapter of my life. Stay tuned - Soldano is about to get better than ever! If you’re attending the NAMM show, please stop by booth # 5238 to say hi! I’ll be there Thursday – Saturday. Best wishes for a Happy 2019, Michael Soldano My Friedman SS can came two screws missing in a speaker that resulted in the speaker bending in transit. Boutique sent a new speaker and a set of four screws overnight after I showed photos. So while was not happy with the initial QC, they were quick to resolve. The guy from Boutique was at the Friedman clinic in Detroit a few months ago and talked a good game.
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