Roland should remake the TB 303.

[xes]

Surely there's a world wide market highly interested in the 303. It's the accidental genius, musical instrument with knobs on. Yes i know software is more popular, but still, everyone loves a 303. And they should totally do it, man.

OI ROLAND MAKE IT HAPPEN :grr:

maybe a pettition emailed to them with a few thousand signatures would do it.....

[rhythmtech]

roland have already stated that the hardware parts arent available anymore and they wont make it using inferior parts, so best stick with the many emulations..

anyway if roland made it can you imagine what they'd charge, they're not exactly known for their competative pricing :eek:

[xes]

It'd still be cheeper than getting one on ebay :lol:

[morbid]

Does any one know why Roland doesnt just make new TB-303's? There sure is a market for it. I had an MC-303 but it wasnt anything near a TB-303.
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0 Vote up Vote down aL: · 5 weeks ago

I don't know exactly why Roland don't make a new 303, but I am certainly willing to speculate (except on currency or commodities... that's just stupid).

Speculation 1: Roland don't want to repeat themselves. I would be willing to believe this a lot more if they didn't keep bringing out a new flavor of Fantom every year.

Speculation 2: Sourcing analog components is more difficult than sourcing DSP programmers. Certainly, a component accurate 303 re-issue would prove difficult, as the xoxbox folks found out. It works in small runs, but once you get in Roland level production you run out of some parts very fast, simply because they aren't manufactured anymore. Yes, somebody like Roland could possibly afford to start manufacturing their own version of a particular part, but why bother investing all that time and money when you can just use off-the-shelf DSP processors and hire some good programmers (especially when that's your established corporate direction... see speculation 4)?

Speculation 3: Roland just don't see a market for it. Yeah, I have trouble with that one as well. Given the price used 303s go for on eBay, there is definitely SOME demand for the little silver bastard, at least as much as for some of the Boss effects pedals.

Speculation 4: It doesn't fit into Roland's current technology path. Roland/Boss are heavily committed to their COSM modeling engine. Having invested so heavily in something that can (according to their marketing) excellently replicated analog devices, why would you then undermine that technology by releasing an actual analog synth (effectively admitting that there are things your modeling technology just won't do convincingly)?
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0 Vote up Vote down aL: · 5 weeks ago

(clarification and further on Speculation 3)

Roland may have judged that the market for a new 303 would not rise to the scale of manufacturing they're geared for. It would essentially be a boutique market, which is already populated by at least half a dozen boutique replacements for the 303. Especially when some (the FutureRetro 777) go so much further than the original 303 design. Roland would have to re-engineer a better, modern 303... which they might see as an unjustifiable cost outlay for a small boutique market.

[morbid]

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/02/16/basslines-by-nate-harrison/

http://everything2.com/title/Roland%2520TB-303

some more debate here ^^^^^^

[djfilthmonger]

303's!!!!!!!!!!!!

[davethedrummer]

they could at least make a 303 shaped midi controller.

[DannyBlack]

theres an idea. I know someone with a vacuum forming machine. I wonder could i get him to press some up, i could use parts from an m-audio :lol:

[TechMouse]

they could at least make a 303 shaped midi controller.
You could always knock one up on a Lemur.

[davethedrummer]

theres an idea. I know someone with a vacuum forming machine. I wonder could i get him to press some up, i could use parts from an m-audio :lol:

****ing great idea
I reckon there's a market out there too
I know I would buy one for sure.

If you got D16 or ABL on board with some help in the programming side
you could have a purpose built 303 controller
that links automatically to the plug in through your host ( ableton , cubase )

and can be used as a general midi controller too

jesus why am I saying this ???
time to patent the idea


and quick!

[davethedrummer]

You could always knock one up on a Lemur.

whats a lemur?

is it a type of big cat like a cross between a lion and a puma ?

[teknofilth]

Surely there's a world wide market highly interested in the 303. It's the accidental genius, musical instrument with knobs on. Yes i know software is more popular, but still, everyone loves a 303. And they should totally do it, man.

OI ROLAND MAKE IT HAPPEN :grr:

maybe a pettition emailed to them with a few thousand signatures would do it.....

http://www.roland.co.uk/contactdoc.asp

[rhythmtech]

****ing great idea
I reckon there's a market out there too
I know I would buy one for sure.

If you got D16 or ABL on board with some help in the programming side
you could have a purpose built 303 controller
that links automatically to the plug in through your host ( ableton , cubase )

and can be used as a general midi controller too

jesus why am I saying this ???
time to patent the idea


and quick!

no need to have them onboard. both use standard CC mapping. just take the guts out of an old novation remote 25, put them in new casing and set-up preset no. 1 as a 303 with all controls pre-mapped.

[rhythmtech]

whats a lemur?

is it a type of big cat like a cross between a lion and a puma ?

its a modular touch screen midi controller. you design what controls you see on screen

http://www.jazzmutant.com/images/lemurpics/lemur1.jpg

[DannyBlack]

****ing great idea
I reckon there's a market out there too
I know I would buy one for sure.

If you got D16 or ABL on board with some help in the programming side
you could have a purpose built 303 controller
that links automatically to the plug in through your host ( ableton , cubase )

and can be used as a general midi controller too

jesus why am I saying this ???
time to patent the idea


and quick!


That would be an insanely good idea. I doubt you'd be able to patent it though with roland already owning the 303 body design.

I have an MC 303 I might try this with first.

[davethedrummer]

its a modular touch screen midi controller. you design what controls you see on screen

http://www.jazzmutant.com/images/lemurpics/lemur1.jpg

aaah the jazz mutant thingy
yeah cool , I got something like that on my iphone
osculator wicked little app

[DannyBlack]

one of the lads is lending me one of his 303's. WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP!!!

[Woksaus]

one of the lads is lending me one of his 303's. WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP!!!Nice :D What I would love to do, is being able to sit in the studie with Hardfloor for one day, just to see them work their 303's!

[davethedrummer]

that sounds bloody boring, I have to say

[xes]

each to their own like. I think I'd enjoy it, but after I'd shot my load, I think I'd have to make my excuses and leave......

[davethedrummer]

yeah thats what i meant really
programming 303s isn't really a great 2 way experience

[DannyBlack]

I can't wait- it'll be me on my own in my makeshift studio/bedroom/grow room.

[davethedrummer]

fair enough
just try to avoid throwing it at the wall when you get frustrated with it.

[DannyBlack]

hahaha yeah ive been told that alright. Ah trial and loads of errors.

[Woksaus]

that sounds bloody boring, I have to sayWell, the programming perhaps, but not the result... :P

[djfilthmonger]

one of the lads is lending me one of his 303's. WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP!!!

is that one of pet shops 303's?

[-LETHAL-ONE-]

Well, the programming perhaps, but not the result... :P

Damm right.... :yup: