NEW Smart Parts Midlevel Low Price Marker

[Ydna]

The only real feature the Nerve has over the Nerve is the SMT Vision eye. It works a lot better then those of the Shocker/Imp. Not only does it work better, it breaks less....

But yeah, I concur with that you say. The only thing to remember is if you want a better (more complicated) reg you'll have to buy it. Don't want a one-piece barrel, you'll be buying that too. The reason the gun comes with half the crap it does is becuase of the then-Tippmann/Spyder owners. SP is wary of keeping things simple in that regard.

[Lohman446]

I expect the marketting around the Shocker to look at some other things now - all the hype of the performance and then adding some key lines to differntiate it from the Ion 20+BPS comments etc, the sleek look, etc. The things that by design the Ion may not have.

Then I expect
The time tested famous "Max-Flo" regulator to maximize performance
The tournament winning "All American" barrel
or some such

They will tout these features... then the Ion + $100 reg (about what a Max-flo is), + $80 barrel (about what the AA is) is looking about $500 in comparison to what the Shocker comes stock with, add $200 for milling and anno that the Ion does not have and the Shocker is right at its price point and not "blown away" by the Ion

So.. in consideration your right.. SP may have competing items, but I'm sure there marketting department will be able to show the "advantages" of the Shocker without badmouthing the Ion.

Me- I'm a beleiver in one piece barrels and may very well be happy with it, if not Impulse barrels are cheap. I'm also not going to spend $80 on a reg - I can get Torpedos cheaper. Then again, I didn't pay $300 for the Ion either. To me, I will end up with a good backup marker for under $350 - or two if they surprise me.

PS - I think they will sell a lot more Ions than Shockers... getting into that price point with most the features of a Shocker without harming Shocker sales took some thought, and it was a great show of creativeness that allowed SP there. I think, based on what I know, they have succeeded.

[slade]

However, putting the issue of the gun aside, steelrat and yourself are both wrong. Economic principle(and this applies to any industry regardles of size) has proven that in a capatilist, consumerist society, the old maxim of "you get what you pay for" is wrong. I'm sorry, but any reputable economist will explain this to you in painful detail.

I dont think i ever said "you get what you pay for," but since you bring that up, in most cases, you do. the higher priced item is not always worth more, but generally, if something costs more than another similar product, especially different products from the same company, it is because the more expensive product had more engineering and more work put into it, it is made of higher quality materials, and the tolerances and quality of work is better, thus making the performance and overall value better. There are certainly exclusions, especially concerning prestige brands, but that is true for the most part, especially when concerning two products from the same company.

Slade, the problem with your posts is that you're assuming EVERYTHING. You don't have any evidence to back it up. No matter one's positiong, pro or con, without evidence an argument doesn't hold.

my evidence that this will be a poor quality is that SP has been lacking in quality on some of their markers in the past, and this seems to be a marker where they tried to cut the production costs of the shocker in half. are you seriously saying that you think that will not have a negative effect on the quality of this marker? That seems to be quite a bit of evidence to me. evidence, mind you, no proof at this point. oh yeah, and also, as ryan stated, to cut costs they used very cheap (and thus soft) aluminum for the body, it most likely received a shoddy milling job with poor tolerances, and it is unanodized, meaning it is even weaker aluminum. what effect do you think that would have on this markers susceptibility to wear?

Why don't we all just cave in - "any gun but AGD guns are CRAP because they can't take enormously high input pressures for no real reason, and they utilize competitive marketing and product hype!"

where did that come from? although i do love my mag, there are certainly markers that would make me leave it in my gear bag as a backup. including, maybe, that AIM bodied timmy of yours.

of course, we'll fail to mention the half-naked pictures of Clare Benavides promoting ULE bodies, because when AGD does it, it's okay!!!

...and i mentioned the 20+ half-naked women advertising smart parts that you cannot flip through a pb magazine without seeing when?

You all know if AGD made this you would be dropping to the floor and bowing to Tom Kaye.

if Tom Kaye produced a marker with a plastic shell and overall seemed to be screaming "PRICE CUT", and advertised "trademark AGD accuracy and range," i would sell my mag.

The only reserve is, though, that wherever there's an SP-oponent whom will assume it's low-q until proven therwise, there is always an SP proponent thinking the opposite.

quite true, unfortunately. im one of the former. and i know too many people that are the latter.

[OmniM]

looks like a mag with a nokia skin on it....

[tyrion2323]

First off they wuld not. But if they did i would call it trash and i mighte even quit paintball

You'd really let yourself be herded around by a brand name?
You need to rethink your loyalties, bro.

[dj89]

You'd really let yourself be herded around by a brand name?
You need to rethink your loyalties, bro. Or just trying thinking in the first place.

My loyalties are with AGD I own 2 X-Mags,and an automag rt. If they did start making cheap markers like that than the only good markers left would be PPS.

[tyrion2323]

I thought you'd quit paintball altogether...?

[dj89]

I thought you'd quit paintball altogether...?

I mite............ But most likey not i would just be rocking my Xmags. Than if i wanted a new marker it would be a PPS Blazer.

[tony3]

Stop being such a damn ignorant agd lover. There are lots of other great companies out there. To get this gun to be only 300 you are going to have to cut some corners and use cheaper parts. They are going for a different market, mostly kids looking to buy their second gun possibly even first.

I highly doubt you'd critize AGD if they released that gun. You would say something to the effect, "I am glade agd is looking at a diferent side of the sport and r releasing a gun for players without much monney."

[Steelrat]

Stop being such a damn ignorant agd lover. There are lots of other great companies out there. To get this gun to be only 300 you are going to have to cut some corners and use cheaper parts. They are going for a different market, mostly kids looking to buy their second gun possibly even first.

I highly doubt you'd critize AGD if they released that gun. You would say something to the effect, "I am glade agd is looking at a diferent side of the sport and r releasing a gun for players without much monney."

Why, exactly, can't he love AGD? He has to agree with your opinions about what the best guns are? Let the man like what he likes, for whatever reasons he feels like giving.

[dj89]

I highly doubt you'd critize AGD if they released that gun. You would say something to the effect, "I am glade agd is looking at a diferent side of the sport and r releasing a gun for players without much monney."

No. Thats is what rogue and Tuna are for.

Thanks Steelrat

[ProX9]

My theory is that SP wants to capture the low end market to create a new entry into the Smartparts gun line, like the way most people become brand loyal in the early stages of life for things like cars, stores, etc... with the addition of this gun more people will buy this very early in their paintball involvement and then when they want to step it up a notch they turn to SP for their next gun also. It also leads to increased purchases in other areas of their products because people will want a freak or when the upgrades come out theyll want those too. Just what I think their reasoning might be for releasing a gun thats much cheaper than anything they currently sell now.

[Glickman]

My theory is that SP wants to capture the low end market to create a new entry into the Smartparts gun line, like the way most people become brand loyal in the early stages of certain things like cars, stores, etc... .

actually sounds like a pretty good business tactic. kinda like with some people and doctors. they arent totally happy with them, but they just stay with them for the sake of staying.


but "Let ye without sin throwth the first rock!"

*clear throat* i mean...

review comming this tuesday

[ProX9]

I figure the key to that tactic for something like paintball is to keep them happy enough to stay but not happy enough so they dont want to upgrade.

[SpecialBlend2786]

Ok, i've been looking around and i think i can say i'd get a Diablo Wrath over this.

~UP TO 20 SHOTS PER SECOND
~AIR RAM OPERATING SYSTEM
~LCD TRIGGER FRAME WITH SHOT COUNTER, TIMER & MORE
~ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED FORE GRIP REGULATOR
~STATE-OF-THE-ART LOW PRESSURE REGULATOR
~QUICK STRIP BOLT
~CUSTOM VERTICAL CLAMP FEED PORT
~NEW STYLE BALL DETENT
~ADJUSTABLE DOUBLE TRIGGER WITH ELECTRONIC SAFETY
~CUSTOM FADE ANODIZING AVAILABLE
~MICRO POLISHED CUSTOM PORTED BARREL
~DUAL BEAM BREAK EYES