Mass produced circuit bent gear
I don't mean to point out the obvious here, but lets face it. Circuit bending for profit only makes sense when you make same things over and over. It is a long and frustrating process to come up with a good set of bends. One may spend a whole day just poking around and another day wiring switches. So what is the answer to making the bling? Do the same mod over and over.
The more times you do it, the quicker you become at it. Also there is no need for making individual auction pages since you have the one from the first build already! Take the Awesome SK-1 which I've seen for the n-th time on the eBay now. Everyday I also see the same Tablebeast mod from the now defunct sk-1.org site on all the SK-1s sold! I will not even start on the Speak and Spells and now with the Ghazala's book detailing some steps everyone is doing his bends.
Not saying that there is any wrong with making money or following directions, but then again. Taking something that is highly individualistic and custom like Circuit Bending and turning it into a one trick pony is sort of lame. Exploration and creativity need to be there at all times and the feeling of being the first person to do something different or possibly inventing something is pretty amazing.
12 Comments:
At 10/12/2005 06:54:56 AM, Allerian said…
As the builder of the five toys pictured in a group (lower left), I would like ot say that my stuff is not mass produced. My instruments are made for me. I decided to sell my most recent because I already have four of the same one. I do see your point, there are a lotta guys slapping the same five switches and led onto a Speak n Spell over and over again. And from the look of it, they sell.
At 10/12/2005 07:05:10 AM, josh said…
yesterday i found this; a barely bent 727 for $335?????!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Circuit-Bent-Roland-TR-727-SUPERBAY-L-O-O-K_W0QQitemZ7344574534QQcategoryZ38071QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
i can't believe how much is being charged for such a shoddy bend. if he's going to charge so much for it he should have at least used banana jacks. i feel the same way about the sk1 you posted above.
At 10/12/2005 10:24:59 AM, JFTL said…
Yeah, some of them are pretty bad.
A guy that has bought a lot of stuff from me sent me out a little toy keyboard he bought from someone else, and it was seriously messed up inside. I try not to just mass produce stuff when I can help it. All the money I make pretty much just goes back into making more stuff anyway. Like others have said you really can't make a living bending anyway.
I've noticed quite a few PSS, and VSS mods on the world wide yard sale since I put the tutorials on my site also.
JFTL
At 10/12/2005 10:27:02 AM, Master said…
Yeah, from listening to bent TR727s I would have to say that they don't even sound that interesting.
At 10/12/2005 10:27:46 AM, dach said…
"Exploration and creativity need to be there at all times and the feeling of being the first person to do something different or possibly inventing something is pretty amazing."
That is true, but no matter what you try, someone else is going to try making money on it. And if you can invent something, feel amazing, and still sell it on ebay, then so what?
Do you let the contents of ebay change your feelings of exploration and creativity?
I get the feeling you:
a) enjoy feeling elitist as you poke around inside a piece of electronics with a bit of wire
b) are jealous others have sold what they did
You wouldn't have started circuit bending if you didnt hear it from someone else, so you arn't exploring, you are repeating the same bendy idea, just on different toys.
I enjoy your reviews and you shouldn't let this lame jealousy creep into what is otherwise a fine blog.
At 10/12/2005 12:16:53 PM, Shaun said…
I don't think it is jealousy but more of looking at it as an art. I have only done a few things so far. Had friends ask me if I can do some bends for them for money and did them. I really use bending as a way to relax and have fun.
At 10/12/2005 12:51:32 PM, josh said…
saturation is a good thing, it will push people to take it further, to the next level. leader or follower, your prerogative and no one elses.
josh--
At 10/12/2005 01:46:47 PM, Master said…
Heh, Awesome comments from everyone! I'm glad I started this. Lets not make it a flame war though. And also to point out, this is no Gizmodo or Slashdot so the editorial opinions can be as incorrect as I wish, it makes it more fun anyways.
To clarify a few things. I do not object to selling things on eBay thats what its there for, I sell things when I can and I use the same circuits all the time. However everytime is different even with same toys and usually something in the process gets discovered and improved. No design is perfect! But if everyone follows everyone else they will make the same mistakes or wish they would've done something better in highnsight.
Is response to---
"You wouldn't have started circuit bending if you didn't hear about it from someone else, so you arn't exploring, you are repeating the same bendy idea, just on different toys."
But you are exploring and there is lots and lots of bendy ideas, In this post I am really micro picking at the bendy ideas. You can not argue that there are many ways to do something and all circuit bending does is give you a set of basic tools and guidelines. Every toy is different and so far there has not been a one single best way to modify an SK-1.
At 10/12/2005 07:25:31 PM, Allerian said…
Damn, the whole day went by and it still grinds my beans to see this text associated with my photo:
"Not saying that there is any wrong with making money or following directions, but then again. Taking something that is highly individualistic and custom like Circuit Bending and turning it into a one trick pony is sort of lame. "
At 10/12/2005 11:58:03 PM, Master said…
Yeah that last paragraph maybe a little over the top. My opinion speaking as it was at 3:00am. At least this post got some heads turned. However now that its out in the wild I can't and will not take it back.
At 10/13/2005 06:22:26 AM, dach said…
You might be curious to see Circuit Roulette.
At 10/14/2005 02:42:33 PM, Anonymous said…
i got this blog from someone who pointed this out to me as my picture is up there. you may use my photo.
yea, i understand your comments and your feelings towards keeping circuit bending on a purist level.
however i have a hard time selling my instruments. they do continually get better through small refinements or through wacky ideas.. and it gets frustrating to not be able to keep anything i make especially my latest things. there needs to be a certain sort of dettachment involved i think.
also i do make a living off of circuit bending. i live in the ghetto, i get very hungry sometimes due to very low finances and barely get by. it would only be selling out if i were to actually make a profit, but really i'm just getting by.
you may feel however you feel about circuit bending, but to me it is also a very powerful thing. it sustains my life, i have been playing alot more gigs and playing with and sharing stages with people i really admire. circuit bending keeps me productive and creative.
also as with love in general there are some kept secrets. there are definetaly other things i work on that don't have anything to do with sales.. of course when i'm not thinking about where my next meal will come from and if that damn sk-1 on ebay will sell.. etc..
i do realize the idea of things getting uniform. i haven't been professional for very long and do fear a sorta burnout or stress with not doing more creative or exploring type projects. my mind can't handle that, and in that case i would give up the "manufacturing" circuit bent stuff and give my time manufacturing or working on something i don't care about in some dehumanizing job.
it's a delicate balance.
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