Smart Parts

azhector · 03-26-2012, 01:57 PM

Damn, didn't know they spent that much with patents

custar · 03-26-2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Open_Truth

It's been stated that SP spent around five million to enforce their patents, but had only recouped one million since. So they may not have really gotten that much back from the fees.

I have kept up with quite a bit on the SP/Gardner brothers saga, and this is new to me. However, I don't want to derail this thread so PM inbound.

custar

DJ_Bizarre · 04-03-2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martix_agent

among other things.
Basically, they hit a home run with the ion, and were not able to move past that. The new impulse was a pretty bad bust as well.

Didnt they also have some serious legal issues that also forced them out of business

YeloSno · 04-03-2012, 06:50 PM

edit: ****, wrong thread :/

GabrielMRamirez · 04-06-2012, 01:58 AM

Smart Parts went down because they weren't ready to handle the economy falling. Right before the economy crashing they upgraded their factory and were left with a huge debt they couldn't pay because paintball took a big hit.

GOG, GI, Empire are among those that have purchased patents and/or rights to produce what smart parts products.

NO DLX is no the new Smart Parts. DLX was a partnering company that was heavily influenced by smart parts.

Angels just never really re-invented them selfs like PE did with designing a new gun(geo) or drastically making giant improvements to their guns(ego 6 compared to ego 11).

Open_Truth · 04-11-2012, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GabrielMRamirez

Smart Parts went down because they weren't ready to handle the economy falling. Right before the economy crashing they upgraded their factory and were left with a huge debt they couldn't pay because paintball took a big hit.

GOG, GI, Empire are among those that have purchased patents and/or rights to produce what smart parts products.

NO DLX is no the new Smart Parts. DLX was a partnering company that was heavily influenced by smart parts.

Angels just never really re-invented them selfs like PE did with designing a new gun(geo) or drastically making giant improvements to their guns(ego 6 compared to ego 11).

Yes, and no.

Smart Parts did upgrade the factory with new machines, but they were making their payments on the loan on time, and in full. But the bank called in the debt in full, which they could not pay. So yes, they are a victim of the economy, but if they didn't have the bank call in the loan, then they would still be here today.

As to DLX, they are a separate company, but it was stated in their own business literature that they made the Luxe based upon the Shocker, and that parts were made at Smart Parts. LOL, and who were the owners? The Gardners, and I think Darryl Trent. If you notice, when SP did close, DLX had to find who was going to build the marker. If they weren't associated with SP, there is no way that the Gardners would allow a competitor to build a marker directly based upon the Shocker, and using their facilities to make the parts. At least like they did in the beginning...

matticus408 · 04-11-2012, 07:19 PM

I had an impulse waaaaay back when they came out. Not the greatest marker. No surprise they went under.

azhector · 04-11-2012, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matticus408

I had an impulse waaaaay back when they came out. Not the greatest marker. No surprise they went under.

they had some pretty good lines maybe 5 or so years ago, just couldnt keep on top of finances. wasnt the ion the best selling gun for like a year or 2 or something crazy like that?

Bacalao · 04-11-2012, 11:44 PM

still got my ion love it.

Shemp 5 · 04-12-2012, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bacalao

still got my ion love it.

2k12 join date. 'nuff said

Bacalao · 04-12-2012, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shemp 5

2k12 join date. 'nuff said

Haters gonna hate

o5pr3y · 04-12-2012, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shemp 5

2k12 join date. 'nuff said

That's a poor way to judge. mine's from 2011, but I've been playing since 2003.

azhector · 04-12-2012, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o5pr3y

That's a poor way to judge. mine's from 2011, but I've been playing since 2003.

this is my 2nd account and ive been playing for 5 years... just b/c i didnt join PBN right away doesnt mean i dont know the sport (although in most cases people join the site as soon as they start)

Zippin35 · 04-12-2012, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azhector

this is my 2nd account and ive been playing for 5 years... just b/c i didnt join PBN right away doesnt mean i dont know the sport (although in most cases people join the site as soon as they start)

you re-joined just to be super duper awesome at pursuit, not for some other legitimate reason. There is a difference between joining after you have started, and starting a new username just to get pursuit points.

pechia22 · 04-12-2012, 05:00 PM

I still like my Ion. Also rock a PE and a old school Trix

Bacalao · 04-12-2012, 06:22 PM

i joined back in the 90s and lost my account

notorious01 · 04-13-2012, 07:47 AM

I joined in 06 and then stopped forgot my old account as well...now I may be back

BrandonMBW · 04-13-2012, 08:41 AM

90's eh? I don't think PBN is that old yet...

Bacalao · 04-13-2012, 09:23 AM

we had a pen pal system back then

KookieMonster · 04-13-2012, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martix_agent

If all the best loaders today cost what the best loaders of 5 years ago did, I bet you the halo and reloader would be dead as well; it's surviving on the fact that the top hoppers of today are $150 or higher

The HALO was $120 new when it came out, If I remember correctly, the Reloader B was $130. Though I still think Dye is smoke'n crack for putting their loader at $200, especally when it came out at $150.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paper_Cut

You act like not having to upgrade a gun to be a bad thing.

Some people think that it is. What I loved about the shocker sft is that it had a solid base to start with and you could tweek it to meet your needs. You could morph the gun to be perfect with what you needed it to be. You get a gun that is top end right away, you have the higher price tag from the start and you sometimes have to compensate something just because of the setup. But if you "downgrade" one area to upgrade another, you end up spending more for it. That, in my opinion is why Smart Parts did so well. This is what made the ion so great. It was a good starting base for a marker with a low price tag and you could upgrade what you wanted or needed. The ion out of the box was ok at best, it's when you started getting those upgrades that they got really good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonMBW

90's eh? I don't think PBN is that old yet...

True... 2001 I believe is when PbN started up. I joined in 2004, but been playng since '94. I remember when smart parts flagship product was the all american barrel and the rest of their products (ie, whispering death expansion chamber, smart mag, Boss barrel, wood grips...) were only to complement the All American barrel as a product line. Heck, my first paintball gun was a traccer (not the traccer II like a lot of people first think about).