I just noticed that the handle on my Mk 2 has quite a few small chips around the inside edge. I've treated the empeg with the tender-loving care it deserves, so I'm wondering if anyone else is seeing this. If nothing else, it might be something to look at for future design/materials revisions.

Oscar

Yes, I have a few too. I also get some sort of white substance where the handle pivots, maybe it's some sort of grease, but it just wipes off. Only a few nicks. The nicks mine has are on the sharp edges, only a couple, on the top front edge along the horizontal dimension.

The handle is machined out of some sort of metal (aluminum?) and then painted. If the plastic cover is painted, the plastic is also a dark color or the same color so small scratches don't show. you can't mold metal to be a particular color. I don't think you can even annodize it different colors. Maybe it could be powder painted, or the surface prepped better so the paint sticks better.

-gbeck

#080000480
18GB Red, Waiting for Amber screen...

Yeah, i reported this a long while ago. Mine has a rather large nick on top of the handle that's pretty visible... but i'm not loosing sleep over it. I'm not sure where it happens...after it leaves the factory or what, but the QA people need to get a smack in the ass for letting some of the handles through that are that messed up. maybe they are letting themthrough due to demand?


|| loren.cox
|| 080000446

Mine didn't arrive from the factory with the chips. Mine are relatively tiny. I think that they are due to the paint being very thin on the edge, and it wears off with little provocation. If the edge had a greater radius on it's edge, the paint might be thicker and stick better. I'm sure they didn't consider using plastic for this part due to strength, although you can do things to make plastic much stronger, not sure if it would work well with a piece this long and with this small cross sectional area.

Anyway,mine will probably get more as I pull it in and out and carry it back and forth from the garage. I may just touch it up with a black magic marker if it starts to bug me too much. Wonder if I can get a really dark grey marker...

-gbeck

#080000480
18GB Red, Waiting for Amber screen...

The nicks on mine have definitely happened *after* I received the unit, but I really don't know that I did anything to cause them. I have a large one at the top edge of the handle, too. Not a big deal, but definitely something to think about if empeg wants to start selling to a wider audience.

Oscar

On mine, the top edges around the pivot point develop the same white buildup. This is do to rubbing agaist the plastic. If I loosen the face screws and push the face up it no longer rubs but the buttons get stuck then. Everyone that has seen my empeg has commented on it and people can be very critical of things like that.

Alex Lear

I had the same problem with my unit, although the scratches were covered up with a marker at the factory.

I put a few more since I've gotten it and a sharpie seems to do a nice job of covering it up.

John

When I popped into Empeg last week, I mentioned this issue with the handles to Hugo.

He said that the coating has not turned out to be as resilient as expected, and certainly nowhere near as good as the contractor indicated it would be. It's a great shame, as the unpainted metalwork is of superb quality. It's just a pity that the metalworking company can't do the painting as well.

I believe that Empeg are now looking into alternative coatings for future production, but I'm sure that Rob can provide more accurate details on this.

Andy.

Hi,

Same thing here, two to three black marks, looks like they´re made with a marker pen. Also a scratch on the right side of the handle.

But I'm wondering why they painted it in the first place? It looks like aluminium to me, and thats neat as it is - without the paint.



Lars

It's not painted, it's chemically coated. The reason - when we asked for feedback, nobody wanted bare aluminium.

We have a new (much improved) coating process now anyway.

Rob

Mine has them too. They are like pits not scratches. Hope they replace them soon.

Do you(Empeg) have the new handles yet?

Proud Owner of MK2 080000558 - 18gb Blue

Edited by 94cobra on 26/9/00 03:14 PM.

Maaan...where was i when you guys asked for that I would order a bare aluminum handle right now if they were available. Shucks... does the paint brush off easy? (pictures taking the good ol' Dremmel to the handle.)


|| loren.cox
|| 080000446

Well, I just received my new MkII today. And I must say that my handle also has 3 pretty large chunks chipped out. NOTE EMPEG....these are not paint chips or scratches. These are chunks of missing metal.....in some cases creating sharp points which could easily snag a finger while carrying.

It also has plenty of scratches or paint marks that make the handle look very used. I noted the grey substance at the joint also, as some others did....that seems like no big deal..its probably rubbing off some paint or something somewhere...but hidden from view anyway...I think...

So far I'm in lust with this box, but I do have to say that for US$2000, I'm a quite dissappointed about the shitty handle. This thing is going into my car...and everything else about it looks totally cool....but the handle looks like my kid high school brother has been mishandling it for a few months... Very dissappointing. I hope Empeg makes replacement handles available soon.

Thanks
sjs@bstage.com

Like I said (a number of times) - we nolonger use the original handle manufacturer. We accept that the finish of the handles has been poor in many cases, and although we couldn't afford to sit on stock for the time it's taken to tool up a new contractor (about a month) we intend to make good any unsatisfactory handles that have already shipped.

The new coating process is a great improvement - it's not electrochemical so there won't be any scratches or chunks of metal lost to arcing. The finish is like a powder coat but with an almost plasticised feel to it - and it's VERY tough. I'm expecting the first shipment of handles next week, and I'll post details of the replacement scheme nearer the time. It will probably work on an advance exchange basis (we have to get the old handles back to try to recover our costs from the manufacturer - they cost a LOT more than screens or knobs).

Rob

Thanks for coming up with a solution for this, Rob. I'm looking forward to seeing the new handles.

-omf

Thanks again Rob!

Wohoo! Awesome. By advance eschange you mean you will be sending the new handles to us and we will send the old ones back once we have replaced them? Or am i misunderstanding that.

Thanks again. Do you guys ever sleep?!


|| loren.cox
|| 080000446

I thought he meant that we needed to send the old ones in first.

Sean

Empeg 12 gig green 080000078

Yeah, that's what i thought at first too....

Rob?


|| loren.cox
|| 080000446

Yes, we'll send the replacement first - we don't want players left in pieces for days on end, it's not dignified! It's then your responsibility to get the old handle back to us - if we don't get it, you get billed for the replacement (probably around $20). Sound reasonable?

We do, however, have to make the decision on whether this is really a user fittable part. It's a bit more involved than fitting a display panel - the screws, for example, are thread cutting and MUST be driven in straight otherwise the handle will be spoiled. Fitting the springs can be a little fiddly as well.

Rob

fidly, that sounds promising

But seriously, I think it can't be that bad. If you ask me, I don't think it would be too much problem to handle for me. As such I am more then willing to do it myself, unless Empeg does decide it is not something they want customers to do. One thing is sure, replacing it will mean breaking the warranty label.

Cheers,
Hans


Mk2 - Blue - 080000431

It shouldn't be necessary to open the player to replace the handle - only the front panel needs to be removed.

Rob

Oh ok, well you have seen it up close with lid off ...

I haven't.

P.S. Does that still work (not having to open the player) if mr. Murphy decides to pay us a visit to fiddle with those fidly springs ?

Cheers,
Hans


Mk2 - Blue - 080000431