Metropoulos Forum

Since Jim supposedly severed ties with Weber I wonder who is actually building his speakers now? Just Curious? Anyone know?

Due to a number of issues that couldn't be resolved with my previous manufacturer, I have moved production of Scumbacks to California. The new production line will be under my direct hands-on supervision, and I'm back to doing R&D on new speaker models, which my previous manufacturer was unable to handle for various reasons.

Scumback Speakers has added two new associates with a combined total of 29 years of loudspeaker-building experience to expedite production in order to achieve a consistently higher quality speaker with improved tone, cosmetics, and reliability. Due to these improvements, the new line of speakers will carry a 1 year warranty. Production is set to start in mid August, 2011.

All previous blue frame Scumbacks will need to be serviced/warrantied/repaired by Weber VST since they refused to supply any parts for repair/reconing. Here is TA Weber's statement regarding warranty/repairs/issues sent to me via email.

"We will not be providing you with cones or any other parts (or techniques) for repair work. If/when you have any 'previous' customers who need repair work done on their speakers, please feel free to direct them to us; we will honor all 'warranty' work (provided that it is an issue on our end); otherwise, it will continue to be $25 + shipping/handling."

Nice to have you back Jim! We all look forward to hearing your new speakers.

Great to see (hear) you Jim, and nicely said.

I know you've been busting tail, moving the mountain Westward, then... right to your backyard! Old school, that's why we love ya man.

sorry, got a little excited there.

Looking forward to the new (old? ) tones.




(smileys abound)

That sounds great Jim, I'm sure that will be better for you having development right there. Can't wait to here your new Scumback lineup!

Good to hear there has been 2 manufacturing jobs created in CA, USA!

Congrats and good luck Jim!!!!

Welcome back Jim.

Can't wait for the Scumback "Blackback H30's w/55hz"

psychodave wrote:Welcome back Jim.

Can't wait for the Scumback "Blackback H30's w/55hz"

Damnit Dave, you were supposed to keep that under wraps! LOL

Had some fun with the BBM75's (yes that's the new name, for BlackBack 75's, BBM55's as well) in the M magnet format already. Pretty intense with my Express clone, that's for sure! They're going to be more "in your face", brighter, and a tiny bit louder than the regular M75's, though. But that's just the nature of the BlackBack models.

I'd have announced this already but my web guy is on vacation and we haven't dialed in the new page yet. I get the cones from Kurt Mueller in about a week, but I'm still waiting on frames to put them in till the end of the month, or 1st week of August. That's because I've had to order more frames than I did initially due to strong sales demand.

Hell, I may have to order another 500 frames just as the first 540 get here...it's been that nuts.

But hey...1 week lead time, 1 year warranty, new models, in house design/construction/build, etc....all adds up to increased sales.

I was shocked to find that sales for this month were up 40% from this time last year (June 2011 vs June 2010).

As soon as I get the parts in to build the speakers, I'll have the BBH55's going as well as the BBH75's.

It sure is nice to not have restrictions on new speaker R&D, let me tell you.

shinrock wrote:What RND ? Did you think someone who has done biz for 20 year`s now is going to give you some control because you sent them some pre-rola celestion`s. Weber shut your ass down for good reason, I would bet my last dollar.

Never had a Weber branded speaker that didn't have a problem. Every single one. Perhpas I was unlucky?

To Ted's credit (RIP) he made them right but way to much shipping charges and WAY too much hassle. Conversely, I own several different scumbacks and have never had any problem with them whatsoever. Guess Jim's specs and the fact that it required Weber 4x's as long to builg a Scumback as a comprable Weber model indicates is was time well spent.

Actually, they didn't "shut" anybody's ass down. Go ahead and live in the twilght realm of your own secret thoughts.

If you read the above posts, Scumback is "Back in Black" and I for one am damn glad to hear it! But I am certain Weber will have more time on their hands to remedy their "quality" speakers they make in haste.

shinrock wrote:You are a joke

Actually, I find your posts to be nothing more than a joke filled with unfounded criticism of a guy who has made a serious contribution to the music community. Further, Jim has always been extremely generous with his time and knowledge with me on NUMEROUS occasions, whether it had to do with a Scumback speaker or not. He has helped me with so many amp and speaker, installtion and techinical related questions, and what we give out comes back to us multiplied.

Think about it Shinrock, what you give out comes back to you multiplied also. Nobody's exempt.

shinrock wrote:serious contribution to eh musical community= Marshall and Celestion. Quit pushing your interest here

What is your contribution to the musical community, you clown? Nothing like a few irrelevant words to get the post count up.

Jim - can't wait to hear the goods from you new venture, particularly that BB!

I don't understand the busts on Jim.

R-n-D is the HEART of ANY business. And then you sub it out. He took the time to personally PM my questions, and the process years ago. It clearly defined what separated his speakers from WHOMEVER was manufacturing them. Do you really think the big boys want to take the extra time to make it that way? Hell no. Name one other speaker manufacturer(ohh yeah-doesn't Celestion sub out to China? ) that takes the time to personally recommend the proper speaker suited to your taste/amp/cab. Not one. And most seem very satisfied. He's a little guy, that has found that his attention to detail has landed him in speaker shootouts with ALL the big guys-- where Weber wasn't even represented.

Hoping the new manufacturing facility will finally put the unwarranted comparisons to rest. Get it right, Jim, and this crap is over. Please don't send anything that doesn't hit your mark. I sent a guy your way last week for a guy that lives 4k miles away, for an amp I built for him. He WON"T shop at any large corporation, and when I explained your situation---he was dead sold to support a kindred soul. Honestly, I'm a little worried about the transition-please don't let me down. This will make or brake your name. Every little guy on the planet is pulling for you! Get it right, and you're legendary. We're pulling for you! If the manufacture process meets your attention to RnD, this argument is over.

WTF is up with Ted's kid? He fired his cab maker, and Now the single most recognized name that ever came out of Weber. I'm scared to death to order a weber product, especially when he looses the guys that were doing his father's work. R.I.P.

Shinrock, Why are you so pissed? Bad Scumback speaker or something?
Kinda like to keep the Metro Forum a positive place to be..just wondering why
are you so pissed.

Froumy, I appreciate your concerns, but I'm well past replicating what I had already offered previously! Some have wondered if I had the "Weber" formula or if I had to start from scratch. I think it's important to note that I had been aging cones in California previously to working with Weber, and I got those from Celestion. I have the Weber Scumback treatment details. Ted emailed that to me years ago, and in a separate email he included a statement that if Weber couldn't keep up with production he would refer me to a high volume manufacturer and I'd have to do the cone treatment before having them built. I've also worked on new treatments (which is why I'll have a BlackBack era speaker coming out soon) for new tones.

All of the M/J/H/Scumnico tones were dialed in at the end of May with side by side testing in identical cabs, amps, guitars. I brought over a few different players to confirm what I had built as well besides my own ears.

What I'm working on now is the paper voice coil prototypes that got terminated by Weber. There's a back story to that which I can't discuss online yet, but when I can everyone will understand why Weber could no longer be considered as a manufacturer of my speaker line. It's a sad ending to a 7 year agreement, one which I tried to get back on track but couldn't.