Don't forget something here: the "world" happened over the time that both of you have been working on this project, independently.
Thomas was actually unaware that you were working on your version. When I spoke to him only a week or so back, he was quite bothered by the fact that two people have put a lot of effort into doing something that is essentially the same, but with a limited market. There isn't a hell of a lot of room for two fascia projects - but I sure hope so: what I hope is that they complement each other, and find their own independent niches and sell to different people.
No doubts here: having watched Patrick hatch two "sure fire winners" for the empeg, he has lost money, suffered agonies getting it out the door, been messed about on "definite" orders that weren't, all sorts of problems that we shouldn't really go into, I know for certain that there is no money in this at all. My minor contributions to the empeg player are trivial compared to what this guy - and others - have done.
So to cut to the chase - if you are thinking of doing anything relating to empeg as an add on, or (in mine, and possibly Stuart's experience) repair work, then you are not in it for the money/profit/fame - bollocks to that! You are going to
make a loss, it's that simple. You have to do it out of sheer altruism for the community here.
Each year, I agonise over running the empeg owner's meet. Each year, I sweat, panic, palpitate, work hard, grind, panic, panic, panic, sweat. Why? Because in the end, no matter how much hassle the event was, I end up with a great feeling that I have
done something good for my friends. I see people come over from the states, from GNW*, and they go home with a grin in spite of the fact that I have spent the weekend worrying about how much it will cost them for what is in the end, a glorified pissup.
Every time I get in a repair from someone whose power supply has released "the blue smoke of life" I panic because if I can't fix it, then the owner is going to have such a big hole in their lives that it won't be easy to fill it again (luckily I have not had a failure yet - but the chance is there
).
So, after all this rambling, what's the point of the story?
If you are going to do this fascia, then you have 100% encouragement from me. I can't guarantee that I am going to buy one: I can't promise you will make a profit: but I certainly think that if you come over to a user meet to show off your wares, then you will get my personal support and promotion: you will have the chance of selling some of the babies you have spent so much time working on: maybe you will even make some money. You won't get your costs back: you won't be famous and win an Oscar - but guess what: you will be known inside this community, and respected for what you have done.
So, in no particular order:
Darkstorm lenses - prized by their owners, even if Steve isn't around to know it.
Mach - lenses, ultra-violet LEDs and a beautiful front panel, plus mini models in clay.
Patrick - the tuner module and the memory expansion board - plus he DESIGNED the bloody thing in the first place!
Stuart - the SPDIF boards, cables, repairs, parts - the works
Tim Linke - the original NewFace
Thomas (speedy67) - picked up the colour and ran with it
Yourself (webroach) - for having done something similar
Mark Lord - for the HiJack kernel, and the Docks
Frank van Gestel - for the original remote control app for empeg
Paul Harrington - for setting up this BBS
Tom (drakino) - for taking over the board and putting up with death threats!
Tony Fabris - for the Logo editor and for the BEST EVER FAQ IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE
Hugo Fiennes - for coming up with the idea in the first place
Mike Crowe - for sitting up sending me updates for my Mk 1 at 2AM, for goodness sakes!
Toby Duckworth - for producing the visible face of the empeg, the visuals (and he still won't accept that it was good work!)
Peter - oh, Peter - for all those good builds!
Dave English - for producing the last ever software build we are going to see
John Graley - too numerous to mention - but the Auto EQ just blows me away
Rob Voisey - for holding the whole thing together in the face of insanity
Paul Grzelak - for sheer generosity
Rob Riccardeli - for just being cool
skunknumber1 - animated logos
- aw, hell, the lot of you!
You lot, you idiots - for making this place a worthwhile place to visit. You are all my friends, even though I've not met you yet. There's always next year's meet
I am missing a lot of people here, I know: it is late at night. Do me a favour people, and complete this honour roll yourselves because my memory is not infallible - there are other people who need their names here. Maybe we should have "empegs" each year, like the Oscars (TM)). If I have missed your name, it is because I have a bad memory, not because I am slighting you.
At the empeg meet this year I lost my temper for reasons we do not need to go into. The primary drive behind what I said at the meeting was a sense of frustration, and also sadness at what I perceived was happening here on this board: the gradual dwindling of support and enthusiasm.
Sure, we've said everything we can say. We've made all the things we can make - for the empeg. But who knows? And why stop? My message was - since this is a group of friends, then we should
all make the strongest effort to ensure that this community continues. To do this, we must *all*, regardless of the pain and effort, continue to make this community grow. Without goals and without enthusiasm, the future of this board, and the empeg player, is in the end - oblivion. Without growth, an organism dies. Without a sense of what the future can bring, there is no expectation, or motivation, to continue. My message at the meet was: All of you who attend - I want you to go away and spread the message of enthusiasm and comradeship. I want you to inspire. I want you to drive on. I want you to - dammit, make front panels, moulded buttons, new handles, illumination kits, SPDIF boards - whatever! But keep
doing it. If there remains passion, then there will remain a community.
This summer, I am committing to setting up the very
BEST ever empeg owner's meet. I want
YOU to be there. I want
YOU to put in the effort to bring the Best Install. I want
YOU to bring along your cool project, no matter how much it cost you in money and effort. I want
YOU to put in the effort, because this community is worth it.
Go for it!
* GNW: God Knows Where.
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