The chip shortage. What has it effected most, your brand loyalty or your dealer loyalty?

[RABid]

Started thinking about this today as I waited for a package from Vintage King Audio, a store I had never purchased from before. My regular dealer is out of the item I purchased and I was not willing to buy an alternative from another brand, or wait who knows how long. My first thought is that I am getting stubborn in my old age and not willing to buy anything but the one item I want. Upon further thought I think what has happened for me is that over the past two years I have purchased the items that I am willing to substitute. Now I am left with items that are very specifically what I want, no substitutions. I'll look anywhere. Buy from anyone with a good rating.

 

So in short, at first it affected my brand loyalty. Now it affects my dealer loyalty.

[Anderton]

I'm the wrong guy to ask...when I want something specific, I want something specific. Then again, I don't buy much hardware. Software is my main thing these days. I'm just happy I got my computer before all hell broke loose in ChipWorld.

[RABid]

When I stopped by Toyota to check on getting a replacement for my missing key they told me that Toyota is now shipping Tacoma trucks with only one key with a promise to send a second when they get more chips.

[KuruPrionz]

Neither.

I've been buying used for a long time. Either local craigslist or thrift store, where I can try the item in question out, or from somebody with a ton of great feedback on eBay. 

One exception, quite a while ago I bought a Mac Mini M1 with 16gb ram and a 512gb hard drive from Apple Refurbished. It came with a solid warranty from a solid seller and I've had zero problems with it. 

 

I have no brand loyalty or dealer loyalty. I know a great foot surgeon who I trust but I only have 2 feet and only one of them needed surgery. So it goes...

[analogika]

I don't blame manufacturers for circumstances beyond their control, so the supply-chain issues haven't affected my loyalties. 

[Winston Psmith]

Much the same as the posts immediately above - I buy a lot of used gear, and my FLMS carries pretty much any new product I might be looking for.

 

The only hold-up on my very short GAS list is the Behringer Proton. (Yeah, I know . . .) I already have the Neutron, and thought it would be fun to pair them for an affordable, if not stellar, Modular rig.

 

IDK if there's any kind of "hierarchy of need" for chip distribution: does a manufacturer of medical equipment get first pick, over a company making music gear or gaming systems, if they both need the same kind of chips? If so, I can wait . . .

[RABid]

9 hours ago, analogika said:

I don't blame manufacturers for circumstances beyond their control

Does anyone? I don't blame Intellijel for not getting the chips needed to manufacture their Rainmaker Eurorack delay, but after two years of waiting I have to decide between buying something different, or seeking another source.

[Tusker]

On 11/8/2022 at 1:59 PM, Winston Psmith said:

The only hold-up on my very short GAS list is the Behringer Proton. (Yeah, I know . . .) I already have the Neutron, and thought it would be fun to pair them for an affordable, if not stellar, Modular rig.

First time I’m hearing of this very cool product. Thank you! 😎 

[Winston Psmith]

56 minutes ago, Tusker said:

First time I’m hearing of this very cool product. Thank you! 😎 

 

I've long been interested in Modular, but the cost of assembling a Modular rig always held me back. The Neutron was more than affordable, by comparison, and the Proton, if it ever materializes, seems like it would be an excellent companion piece. Not complaining, but not holding my breath, either . . .

[Theo Verelst]

The big chips are there: PC CPUs, memory, graphics chips, even phones seem to be in supply.

[Jeff Leites]

Chips are holding up the replacement of my CPAP machine.  I was eligible for a new one over a year ago.  I want a specific model and they are gone just about as soon as the suppliers receive them.  🙁

[David Emm]

I'm sure the investment is stout, but I keep waiting to hear that a domestic company has taken up chip manufacturing. The whole thing has been overseas for too long, so here we are. It'll be interesting to see such a place start prioritizing. I'm sure CPAPs and various cars will come first, but eventually, they'll come to a point where a few thousand of chip X will get a run and the music end of it will start creaking back to life. The Raspberry Pi may become more of a player, since its a proven platform. Its far cheaper to teach that to be your synth than it is to run a proprietary, synth-specific batch of custom CPUs.

 

Hey, look, I almost said Science stuff.  

[RABid]

Well, the US government is spending 52 billion to fun chip manufacturing in the US. Not that chip manufacturers need funding, but they are not about to turn it down. 

[Shamanzarek]

A bandmate went to turn in his leased Cadillac SUV for a new one and they couldn't get it because of a chip shortage. He switched to a Lincoln Aviator which he likes much better.

[analogika]

On 11/11/2022 at 2:46 AM, David Emm said:

I'm sure the investment is stout, but I keep waiting to hear that a domestic company has taken up chip manufacturing. The whole thing has been overseas for too long, so here we are. It'll be interesting to see such a place start prioritizing. I'm sure CPAPs and various cars will come first, but eventually, they'll come to a point where a few thousand of chip X will get a run and the music end of it will start creaking back to life. The Raspberry Pi may become more of a player, since its a proven platform. Its far cheaper to teach that to be your synth than it is to run a proprietary, synth-specific batch of custom CPUs.

 

Hey, look, I almost said Science stuff.  

How many synths actually run synth-specific custom CPUs? 

[Bill Heins]

Global Foundries is a half hour from here and Micron is coming soon. I've always argued that we should make things here but apparently no one wants to actually do anything...just have meetings about things other people do somewhere else

 

Bill

[KenElevenShadows]

It hasn't affected my brand or dealer loyalty. I have my go-to places/brands if it's certain things. If they don't have it or it's not available, then I start shopping around elsewhere.