MOTM

> Instead of kits, how about a new classification called 'Unassembled'?
> Instead of individual bags, just throw everything in as few bags as 
> possible
> with nothing labeled. (with the only reason for a separate bag or two is 
> to
> keep parts from being damaged/scratched) No prepping wires, just cut off a
> long enough length to get the job done. No warranty or guaranteed support,
> just that the designs are correct, all the parts are there and "if"
> assembled correctly it will work as indicated. Builders are left to their
> own abilities and the DIY community for support. The only upfront work 
> might
> be making minor changes to the 'kit' manuals so new customers aren't
> confused looking for a particular bag etc (or maybe just a single cover
> letter added explaining the transition from 'kits' to 'unassembled')

a) very few kits get send back that are built, then not work. MOTM customers
tend to be solid in that area. The majority of modules that are returned 
are:

1 - power cable plugged in backwards (hard to do but possible)
2 - mechanical damage (modules/case dropped face-first onto concrete floor, 
etc)
3 - random chip died

Although I don't keep records for that, I would guess about 30 modules out 
of 8300
have been sent to me for repair. In all of 2008, only 5 have been sent in. 1 
had a
bad Vactrol, 1 had a bad dual FET, 2 had the power cords in backwards (blows 
up
most op amps). Working on #5 now (I also suspect bad FET or LT1013).
0.4% is pretty good :) There have been several years where not one module 
came back.

b) The business landscape from when MOTM started to today has drastically 
evolved.
MOTM modules were designed from the outset to be a kit, and not just any kit 
but
a "no holds barred" design where performance and sonic quality were #1. The 
intent
at the outset was to sell around 1200 kits over a 2 year span so I could get 
a
nice stereo (Mark Levinson 383 with B&W 803 speakers). The physical design
of the panel wiring was intentionally set up to be easy for kit-builders, 
not any
sort of "mass production". The parts chosen were not the easiest or cheapest 
to get, they were the *correct* part
for the job for each module.

If I knew at the outset that over 8000 kits were going out over 10 years, 
the
entire interconnect scheme AND the parts used would have been quite 
different. Not
necessarily an audible difference, but more suited for shipping 8,000 versus 
1,200.

This is why there are so many different resistor values: every module was 
optimized
for performance without regard to where the resistors (or caps) values 
happened to
be. This is why you will see, on the same pc board, a 10K, a 12K a 15K and a 
18K
resistor. If I did this in my 'regular' designs, people would think I had 
lost my mind.
You make them all 15K and keep going. Same thing with the caps. At Tandy, I 
selected
1 nice Panasonic ECQ-P 1%, 0.047uf cap, bought 1.3 *million*, and used them 
in every
design for 9 years :) Once I had to use 0.22uf and I had to justify it.

When MOTM started, there was very little design effort in modular synths. No 
.com, Cynthia,
Plan B, Livewire, Harvestman, CatGirl, etc. Also, and this is VERY 
important. no Analog
Haven. Shawn turned buying synths and putting them in your car/shipping them 
out
a *same day* experience. Not a "wait forever on Paul" experience. *SAME 
DAY*.
And now, this is what people prefer. With the choice of modules/formats, and 
the choice
of vendors, the old MOTM (and I suppose Serge) way of "doing business" is 
not going
to pan out. I had a record number of order cancellations the last 12 months, 
more than
in the previous 9 years *combined*. This is quite painful on several levels, 
including
the pocketbook (I buy and pay for the parts long before they are shipped).

So, the only way to proceed is what I have set in motion:

1 - eliminate the full kits
2 - move to SMT
3 --use Shawn more and more
4 - use physical construction that eliminates manual steps

This is how I can eliminate the "where are my modules"? In the past, I had a 
different
sort of customer base that was older in age, willing to wait, and understood
the effort on my part. Today, the age has dropped, there are many other
"places to go", and people want there stuff *NOW*. It's not crying in my
beer, it's reality :)

That is why I am doing what I'm doing.

OK, enough of that :) I have 30 more kits to finish, then the packing
begins. If the rain is not too bad I will start shipping tomorrow PM.
The big rain (from the hurricane) is due Wed PM.

Paul S.