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In June 1988 I replaced my 4B with a Super Sprint, it cost £18,000 (I imagine that would have been equal to some $25,000 to $30,000). I think it was one of the first Super Sprints and I don’t know how many years they were in production. It felt like a huge investment for a one-man shop – even more so as I believe the prices plunged soon after.
It’s been pretty reliable over the years but lately it sometimes fails to initialise at switch on. I spoke to the tech-support people at Gerber’s UK agents who suggested the main-board probably needs renewing, but that main-boards were no longer available. They had five in stock apparently but wouldn’t sell me one, as they were reserved for those customers on maintenance contracts.
There IS a good chance it’s just a dry joint somewhere on the board or in the plotter wiring and that I can fix it or get it fixed. However, my point in posting this tale was to ask if others think I’m being unreasonable in feeling a little aggrieved that I should have to face writing off such an expensive machine so soon.
Any thoughts?
-------------------- Arthur Vanson Bucks Signs Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England arthur@buckssigns.co.uk -------------------- Posts: 805 | From: Chesham, Bucks, England | Registered: Mar 2002
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I went thru the same thoughts a couple of years ago, I have a Sprint and S750, and was told by my local dealer that basically they were a lost cause if anything went wrong with them.
I felt the S750 was too slow anyway and was always a problem getting the knife set up right as the drum was slightly off shape.
When I started out I was all Gerber and never thought I would change. I think alots changed at Gerber over the years.
I bought a Summa T750 plotter and have never regretted it. I upgraded from GA 6.0 to Omega and have never liked it as much as my old GA but have got used to it more and more....although everything with regards color sucks in Omega.
Should you feel aggrieved??....It seems that most computer based "investments" lose money fast. £18,000 over 14 years is not a huge sum when you think of what it has been capable of returning for you. I check the contacts on the LMK module, and connections to my switchbox if I get "communication errors" that often did the trick. They are both semi retired, they only pounce patterns today.
THey were great machines but there are better cheaper alternatives, as I'm sure your aware.
I would hope that it has paid for itself several times over by now. Considering you can buy something like the Graphtec 4100-75 for around £2,800 now. A machine that is fatser more acurate & twice the width. Not to mention more versitile as it is friction fed.
Maybe it's time to consider a new machine?
-------------------- Brian Hays Impact Sign Services Bedfordshire, UK Posts: 51 | From: Bedfordshire, England. | Registered: Jun 2001
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I bought my Gerber 4A in 1985 and immediately signed up a maintenance contract. Back in those days there was a lot of bullying going on between the big companies. I was 6told that if I didn't run 3M exclusively through the machine my warranty would be void. Another company went through the courts for punching vinyl with the same pattern and were eventually allowed to punch using the extended hole for the 3 pins. After 3 or 4 years (of having one service per year) one of the reps told me that a young dude down the road had a breakdown and because he had bought the latest update along with a scanner and he was a good customer they felt obliged to do the repairs for free just so long as he took up a contract. I eventually stopped paying the maintenance agreement and have had no problems as I still believe that gerber were built like Mac trucks. In those days there were only 2 types in Aus. and the guys who bought the cheaper belguim model seemed to be always having downtime. I still have the old 4A and I have it connected to my PC throug a Cadlink Fastboard and use it occasionally to cut pounce patterns and scotchlite. I am on my second Graphtec (the first one was stolen) and firmly believe that they would be the best on today's market. Gerber seemed to move on and neglect the small guy. By the way Arthur in reply to your question, in regards as to how much money you have made from your investment I think you have been treated shabbily and deserve to be treated like any other customer, wether you are under contract or not. It seems the bully tactics of the past are still going on.
[ April 02, 2002, 05:55 PM: Message edited by: david drane ]
-------------------- Drane Signs Sunshine Coast Nambour, Qld. dranesigns@bigpond.com Downunder "To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer" Posts: 965 | From: Nambour, Qld. Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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I bailed out of Gerber right as the Super Sprint was coming out, when I discovered other brands were open architecture, mix-and-match, at far lower prices. I never understood their defiant pricing structure in the face of more flexible competition. I saw lots of sign makers lead down their merry path of proprietary forced-upgrades at outrageous prices. After tactics like that I would be pretty steamed in your shoes right now. It sounds pretty irresponsible of them. Or maybe it's their way to try to force another upgrade??? I'd upgrade right to another brand!
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Henry, pleased I’m not the only one who thought all Gerber, seems you are a lot more savvy than I, and saw the light a lot sooner. Will remember to check the contacts on the LMK module in case of ‘communication errors’, thanks for the tip. Actually, I wasn’t aware of better alternatives, I’m afraid I’ve been rather too insular, will certainly be keeping my eye open in future.
Brian, good to get a merchant’s perspective. I’ve never had a problem with the Super Sprint’s accuracy and, as it stands idle most of life while I see customers, design, estimate, paint, or lay-up graphics, fit and do the booking etc. any increase in plotter speed would be of very limited benefit. Width might be useful once in while so will keep the Graphtec in mind for the future. Hadn’t realised just how much less expensive plotters have become.
David and Joe, sounds like we trod very similar paths. If only I’d had the gumption to spot the pitfalls of staying with Gerber as early as you both did. I had 4B, GDS, graphics tablet, scanner, SuperSprint. Stupidly I had a maintenance contract on all of it till it almost crippled me. Whatever the faults with Gerber software, their plotters have been very reliable and I could have saved a fortune if I’d been brave enough to drop the maintenance contract earlier. Also, it might have helped if I’d not been so keen to try other things now and again . Never mind, don’t suppose I’ll ever be a businessman and the rides been fun – mostly!
Thanks also to Keith who pointed out where to find the problem and how to rectify it. She’s flying at the moment and I look forward to another little whinge in fourteen years or so.
Cheers all, Arthur
-------------------- Arthur Vanson Bucks Signs Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England arthur@buckssigns.co.uk -------------------- Posts: 805 | From: Chesham, Bucks, England | Registered: Mar 2002
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I was the same as you, not upgrading or looking at it because the En Vision plotters seemed along way off my budget, and was abit concerned about leaving the Gerber "fold"....that said the waters just as warm over here! I use a mixture today, still have my GDS (but not the Apple 2 that's upstairs in storage). I also thought that the Gerber machines could run at my pace....that I didn't need anything faster. I know that things run more efficiently here with a faster machine, and not being restricted to 15" width.
I don't know what you pay per sq m, but even though I have larger vinyl stocks here, (it runs out just as quick or so it seems) I buy full width and have it cut 750mm plus rest which is 480mm (cutting 450mm) which covers most jobs really well. I guess that depends on your work.
I don't think your lacking in savvy or business sense, if you listened to every saleman that walked in the door you to leasing stuff up to your eyeballs.....and then wondering...why?
If you get some time over nothing wrong with going and having a look though!
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. Never mind, don’t suppose I’ll ever be a businessman and the rides been fun – mostly!
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