SL-1200GAE sells out in 30minutes

From Resident Advisor: https://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=34321

The 50th anniversary edition went on sale in Japan this morning for $3,300 each.
https://www.residentadvisor.net/imag...0_sold_out.jpg

The new Technics turntables went on sale today in Japan and sold out in 30 minutes.

Panasonic announced the SL-1200GAE model in time for the Technics brand's 50th anniversary. The improved, limited-edition turntable—with its redesigned motor and tonearm, as well as extra pitch-shifting controls—was expected to have a $4,000 price tag, Technics said in January. The first run of 300 units went on sale in Japan this morning for 356,400 yen (or about $3,300) each, the Tokyo Reporter says. They were sold out by 10:30 AM. "I didn't think the price was too high as we have confidence in our brand, but I didn't expect them to sell out so quickly," a representative of Panasonic told the Sankei Shimbun. Another 900 turntables will be made available for international sales, though it's unclear when.

Intentionally small initial run to generate PR? Even the follow up run of 900 units doesn't feel mass produced for an international product.

They said they are only making 1200 of the anniversary model. Will be followed by as many as they can sell of the standard one.

It would seem to me that maybe Panasonic are playing some sort of obscure marketing gambit.
Or maybe the people at the top are still not sure whether to commit to full production.

Technics in undersupply shocker, whoda thunk it?

I wonder if they will jack the price up for the remaining 900 units.

I bet someone bought hundreds of them in one go to resell at yet again jacked up prices on eBay.

Jacked up from 4 grand? (that's before 2 grand on the mods!!)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnB

Jacked up from 4 grand? (that's before 2 grand on the mods!!)

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If they bought a joblot of them and resold individual ones there'll be someone who must have one. Just look at some of the eBay prices for stuff these days.

Some more details here.

http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2016/04...in-30-minutes/

Seems the vinyl revival is also occurring in Japan.

I'd assumed the decks were on sale in retailers but it appears not, you order direct from Panasonic. So quite possible that some folk bought ten or twenty each.