VESTAX FOUNDER RESTARTING PRODUCTION OF TURNTABLES AFTER BANKRUPTCY
Release of new products due in March 2016
Vestax’s founder is planning to release new products later this year in a bid to relaunch the company.
The Japanese music manufacturer’s owner Hidesato Shiino announced on his blog that a new mixer, turntable, pre-amp and several other products will be released under the new name of STP/Vestax.
“I seriously considered restarting the VESTAX of 2002, but large-scale mass production of new units is not possible. However, I have decided to release and sell the first of a range of products from March 2016, as I have sourced the production talent of 2002 levels. I plan to produce limited quantities (10 ~ 20 per month) for direct sale to end-users,” writes Shiino.
He continues: “While my purpose is not commercial-level output, I will release a mixer rebranded as STP / VESTAX with our VESTAX image, in order to support and keep our global VESTAX fans, and I hope it will receive strong, warm encouragement.”
Vestax, long a favourite brand among DJs, filed for bankruptcy in December 2014. In his post, Shiino apologises to fans of company and suggests that its demise was down to a number of key individuals leaving the company and a focus on low-end, poor quality products.
“For some years the management position was: “We can not make something from scratch” as “new products can not be sold”. As a result, most people left the company and disappeared. Upon the company closing, a check was made on product-quality, and was found to be quite inferior when compared with the 2002 output,” he writes.
Technics also recently announced plans to launch a new version of its classic SL-1200 turntable.
[Via - Fact]