Not too Happy with AKA

**sumorai** · 09-24-2007, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorpusDiabolus

I will never buy an AKA marker if $$$ is going to smart parts. Id rather the company die with honor than sell out to those....arrrggghh.

I hate SP as much as the next guy, but if you go by that reasoning, you're going to have a hard time finding many modern paintball guns that don't incur the SP tax. MacDev pays the Smart Parts tax (hence the price jump on the 07 Cyborgs), and I'd still buy one of their guns, because it keeps MacDev in existence. ... and Cyborgs rock.

Personally, I'd rather have modern Vikings, Evil Ms, whatever from AKA and pay a little more for the SP tax than not have them at all.

I hate to suggest "giving in", but there's nothing we can do about the patent. SP won that battle. It's unlikely to change, so we have to live with it.

CorpusDiabolus · 09-24-2007, 03:27 PM

I know sumorai I was just venting...its an unfortunate fact that sp has their grubby lil paws in everything paintball.

....and yes sir Macdev is my new AKA. I got two ninjas, an 06 and an 07 Borg.

robfromabove · 10-02-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punation

SENT WARRENTY PART'S TO THEM IN FEB.07 AND TO THIS DAY ALL I GET IS SORRY NOT YET

I feel for you... I sent my Viking in to them last year for repair work with a written list of everything I wanted done to it. After nearly a month, Larry called and told me everything he had done to it, and said it was ready to ship. One of the things I requested to have done, was having it drilled it for the quad detents. He said no problem, so I gave him the go ahead. I called him back the next day to make sure he had shipped it (as I had an event to go to in less than 3 days), and he told me that it wouldn't be drilled until sometime next week (something about the drilling machine not being freed up until next week). I told him to forget it, and ship it out ASAP.

I don't understand it myself, either. It probably takes at most 1 hr. to set the machine up to drill the detents, and he would rather lose a customer making me wait for so long. So yeah, I kinda agree with MSgtWolf's theory about customer service.

mcgyver · 10-02-2007, 03:08 PM

There will one day be a point where I'm going to stock up on parts that wear after time, learn how to fix every little issue on Vikes/Excals and be set.

I find the hardest part about owning an AKA marker is having basically one guy take care of all of us. Its not fair to us or him.

**sumorai** · 10-02-2007, 03:30 PM

I'm pretty sure Jared wouldn't do it if he considered it unfair to him in any way. But, I don't think he's the only one servicing AKA guns. Isn't there a guy out in CA that does AKA stuff?

Not much can be done about it, though. It's not like there's a lot of money to be made servicing 4+ year old guns, especially when there were maybe, what?, 5000 made, and they happen to be some of the most reliable guns out there... Heh.

At least the AKA market/community is quite active and fanatic. I'm pretty sure that even if hell froze over and AKA and/or DC ever closed that someone else in the community would step up and help others keep their Vikings working.

All these years later, and there still isn't any tournament-grade paintball marker out there that's as proven, enduring and reliable as an AKA.

pntbllchaos8 · 10-02-2007, 03:45 PM

i honestly agree with you guys, i tried to find someone to trade my angel for a vike.
but alas nobody would relent.
i shot a viking at my field and loved it to no end, but alas i bought a shocker, i hate how SP does business, but i love the shocker.
the rest of their stuff can rot IMO.

AbitNutz · 10-02-2007, 05:26 PM

Dear AKA and DC...please sell/give Jared all of what's left of AKA. Jared, please cut deal with Smart Parts and get Aaron and Dan back on board with this....thanks Santa for lsitening.

**sumorai** · 10-02-2007, 08:16 PM

lol

The day that happens is the day Hitler gets to buy a nice gelato down in hell.

**TargetIndy** · 10-02-2007, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumorai

lol

The day that happens is the day Hitler gets to buy a nice gelato down in hell.

Agreed. You have better odds winning the lottery...twice...without buying a ticket.

Person · 10-03-2007, 01:03 AM

The fact is that no one needs AKA in order to design the "evil M" type marker we all want.

All you need to do is either completely copy or just buy viking rams from the MFG and mount them in 2 tubes with an AKA valve. You can make your own basic 2 tube body. All you need to do is choose how to mount the LPR and vertical adapter (IE, dont use a damn timmy block)

and how you want to design the frame to incorporate the solenoid.

We can just make blatant copies of the AKA ram if that works so well, in america, and make the body out of good extrusion like the merlin extrusion.

That is, if someone wanted to make this marker.

As far as I can see the only goal would be to make the gun grease free entirely. That is what would make it better than other guns, or at least unique.

intimidator_88 · 10-03-2007, 01:23 AM

Cool hand did say. Eventually,ehh some day down the road. He would put good use to the evil m bodies he has. Build them and sell them.

PaintballerFourLife · 10-03-2007, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intimidator_88

Cool hand did say. Eventually,ehh some day down the road. He would put good use to the evil m bodies he has. Build them and sell them.

I just hope he hasnt given up on that dream...

jdominique70 · 10-03-2007, 01:36 AM

I don't even think he has a working prototype yet. He was working on it but I don't think it's finished.

apunkjunkie · 10-03-2007, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdominique70

I don't even think he has a working prototype yet. He was working on it but I don't think it's finished.

I also remember seeing something about him not having the time.

AbitNutz · 10-04-2007, 08:03 AM

Sometimes it just needs for for people to realize the obvious. AKA has two great markers and an established, even fanatical market, with no manufacturer's support or product future. The original manufacturer seems to not be interested in paintball equipment. You also have a 3rd party company, Destructive Customs, that has great company service, a fanatical fan base but makes no markers and few parts. We also have Aaron Alexander and Dan Voils who have been wronged by circumstances. Then we have the evil Smart Parts that are just wrong but greedy...always a good thing for evil people. You now know how to handle them. So Jared buys all of what AKA was from Larry & Eileen, cuts minimal deal with Smart Parts, they'll take almost anything offered because it's better than nothing and that's what they're getting now...nothing. Now Aaron and Dan merge up with Jared and form AKA/DC. Or Phoenix!! Yeah that's it PHOENIX!. It's so obvious....so easy...so right. I'm going to have a beer now that I've solved this. Next, World peace!!!!

**sumorai** · 10-04-2007, 09:30 AM

You know someone with money to fund it?

Grandmaster D · 10-04-2007, 10:53 AM

cue foreboding music (like the JAWS theme, or whatever)

fade in...

Jared has a full time job, but has a creative side that finds an outlet in milling markers...

Jared garners many loyal fans...

Jared gets married...

Jared realizes that maybe spending TOO much time out in the workshop has its DISadvantages...

Da da DUMMMM!!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumorai

I'm pretty sure that even if hell froze over and AKA and/or DC ever closed that someone else in the community would step up and help others keep their Vikings working.

(flash images of an iced over Hell landscape)

We all wake up in a cold sweat.