telejojo

Does anybody make a pitts muffler for a DL 50?

spaceworm

A good exampleof this was Kraft importing some much less expensive equipment (than their regular gear) from Japan. With plastic cases and gimble components instead of metal. Still, companies such as Futaba and Jr prevailed and are still with us today.

Regards, Richard

captinjohn

I cut & copied the last 6 words above & pasted it into google search....here is what I got....in about 15 seconds.
http://www.jtecrc.com/dlengineswraparound.htm

Capt,n

raptureboy

I always find it interesting that people will pride themselves in being an American, and in the free enterprise system that we enjoy here, and has allowed a company like Tower Hobbies, or Walmart, or any other big company to go from being someones dream of having their own business, to being a huge success.Then when they get successful through risk taking,hard work and being competitive, the same people want to slam them for being big and competitive and under selling everybody else. I work for the largest home improvment company in the world but in 1987 when the two unemployed founders opened their first store,they would put the empty boxes from their displays up in the overhead racks to make it look like they had lots of goods and they did whatever it took to make their customers happy, and their employees as well. The point is you can't have it both ways ! Tower,Walmart, Home Depot and others gave people what they wanted, good product and good service at a good price and that is why they are successful. I have had nothing but great service from Tower and I've had some really bad service from smaller outfits. I don't think anybody decides to buy something no matter what their budget and says" you know I think I want to pay more for this today" I have a small hardware store in my town that is doing well because the owner got competitive and niched himself into the market by providing great service and knowing what his market is. I buy from him when I can and when it makes sense. I will most likely buy my DLE from Jody rather than Tower because he's competitive his shipping is fair and I just like to spread the wealth around. Who knows maybe some day he will be the next Tower Hobbies hopefully we won't be here bashing him for being successful.Think about it.[8D]

raubold

My Feedback: (156)

Whatever you find for a DA DL DLE DLA 50/55 fits yours

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

I agree completely. I was a college student in the late '70s, and Tower Hobbies had a 24-HOUR Customer Service number, toll-free! They would send you a catalogue just for asking, and it held an unbelieveable number of products, as well as some great reference material - like dimensions for nearly every glow motor available. You could call at 3 AM and get a human who either knew the answer or would call you back quickly. Had a Sailaire in my dorm room, thanks to Tower.

Tower is a business, and it got big by taking care of customers. They still offer customer service that is head and shoulders above most independent hobby shops. On top of that, they drive the prices down. I wouldn't want to compete against them!

Niche marketing is the only way to survive against Tower/Walmart/Best Buy/Home Depot/Lowe's/Costco. Jodi is one heck of a nice, helpful guy on this forum - and he's darn smart to be here. He's promoting his products, gaining valuable exposure for his business, building a client base, establishing trust, and gaining an understanding of what customers want - all at the same time! If Tower manages to "own" DLE as an exclusive distributor, Jodi will no doubt find another manufacturer to provide him with a competitive/superior product at a marketable price - and his customers will embrace it because of the relationship with Jodi. He will continue to offer unique products - and as long as he specializes in products that Tower doesn't think they can sell hundreds of, he can maintain better margins. If he's too successful, Tower will be carrying carbon-fiber-look props....

raubold

My Feedback: (156)

In some way you'r right, but even me being anything but rich. Saving is my goal too but whining because Tower only sells better prices to super saver members and sutch on and on, sorry even 269 is a graet price and value, you can barely buy a 3W ignition for that

raubold

My Feedback: (156)

Hi Trent, stii have the little Delta i sold you ??

Octopus RC

My Feedback: (2)

216USD is a base line which Hobbico can offer for now .
But 216USD as retail price still have Enough profit for others to follow DLE or copy DLE.

ckangaroo70

My Feedback: (51)

Keep that money flowing into Illinois everybody....WE NEED IT CAUSE WE ARE BROKE BROKE BROKE!

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

So where is everyone going to go price shopping when all the have left is Tower and Horizon? Who's going to be selling the products that both bought up and phased out? Who's going to do all the legwork in improving quality and reliability if they learn there's not going to be a reward on the other end of all the work? If you folks think Tower and Horizon are going to be doing that work, think again, they simply sell you the improved product or component at a higher price the next time. Or has everyone failed to note trends in hobby products and pricing over the last few years?

Ya'll have a WalMart mentality and I hate to think that what I see shopping in WalMart is representative of this hobby.

ckangaroo70

My Feedback: (51)

raptureboy

I was going to say something intelligent, but changed my mind.LOL However what you said reminded me of this cute little video that sums up what I was thinking when I read your post.
http://sendables.jibjab.com/originals/big_box_mart

ckangaroo70

My Feedback: (51)

Tired Old Man
My thoughts exactly!

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

Seems that if you saw something at Walmart, you had to be there to see it!! I guess you're one of those folks too! Hmm, got caught in your own trap there TOM. Get off your high horse and come on down to earth with the rest of us "low life" types.

jedijody

My Feedback: (1)

Don't need to go to Wal-Mart to see the people that shop there. My optic nerves are scared for life by catchingglimpses of photos sent to my inbox from here, http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/hey look, there's "ol_seabee".

I know TOM personally, he's NOT one of them.

summerwind

hope not, cuz i listen to him like Rush (j/K)

i do listen to TOM though

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

Long gone, I think - too many planes out in my workshop to be sure....

a1pcfixer

My Feedback: (7)

Trent,

Well said!

Heck, I even agree with T.O.M.

Must be time for another treatment.[sm=bananahead.gif]

Luchnia

My Feedback: (21)

There is so much more to this subject then meets the eye as it is stated. One thing that always comes to mind when reading the posts of the "screamers" is that they themselves live double-standards. They gripe about foreign markets, but yet 90% of what they own comes from those foreign suppliers!

I think we just don't look at our own problems close enough before we point out all the others. Maybe I should come complaining about your roof while the water is pouring in my house?

A man will say, I don't shop at Walmart because everything they have comes from japan or china and yet he will fly his RC plane with a jap or chinese made radio - imagine that!

Think about this one. Someone buys something from Tower Hobbies and then decides to sell it to a friend. The friend jumps on the bargain never asking where that great deal came from. Now if he lives by his standard of not supporting Tower Hobbies should he ask where the great used bargain came from? Is the friend supporting Tower Hobbies? Ah...at some point the rubber meets the road

Zippi

My Feedback: (10)

I myself am a bargain hunter. When it comes to buying a new gasser I make sure whoever I buy from can service the engine and has a good reputation for customer service. The customer service in my book out weighs the cost every time. You can find both good price and customer service, you just have to look. I like many others also like to support my LHS.

Woody218

My Feedback: (24)

I used to like Tower before they were consumed by the "Evil Empire". I rarely buy from them, only if I have to. If they end up being the only outlet for DLE engines, I'll use some other engine brand.

SpinnerRow

Tower and Horizon??? Do I get a cookie?

Tower and Horizon??? Do I get a cookie?

Good ole capitalism at work. Simple supply and demand. If people are willing to pay the price, then they charge more. If not, they charge less. I still don't see anything wrong with this.

From my view point, everything is trending up in price. And I mean EVERYTHING. Not just hobby stuff. If it hasn't in your area, then it is time for the whole country to relocate to your neck of the woods.

So you are admitting to shopping at WalMart?? Pass by a mirror lately?

Are you sure TOM isn't in one of those pics?

SpinnerRow

.

Octopus RC

My Feedback: (2)

Hobbico may feel sad when read your post . LoL
Any way , Smart Choice ~~!!

ckangaroo70

My Feedback: (51)

Well I would never claim that I never shop at Walmarts or Tower. I have spent money with both. They are both like a bad smoking habit of which I did finally quit 3 years ago. Quitting those cigs was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and it is funny how the mind lies to itself "oh..I will just have one today, but tommorow I am thru!" Once I even thru a pack out the window and ran down to the gas station an hour later to buy a pack. I am just turning 40 and I quit when I was 37 years old because my wife was booting me to the couch because I was wheezing in my sleep and keeping her awake. Well that finally did it for me and I got bull headed and quit. A 37 year old with lungs that sounded like mine was pathetic and I am fairly active and am a bricklayer by trade who gets plenty of excercise at work, and after 3 years of not smoking I breathe great. Now if I could just break the addiction to those everyday lower then low prices and those darn Tower discount codes.....I could feel pretty good about myself! The way I view it is much like a smoking habit. I really really really loved those smokes until they made me sick after 20 years of puffing on them. Well I will enjoy those Tower codes and everyday low prices up until the day every descent job in this country has been out sourced to China. I am not trying to bash or be unpoliticaly correct, but it is just obvious to me where things are headed and have been heading and we have lost our way. Not just YOU, but I am just as guilty as the next. I don't sit up on no high horse and judge others....I just always ask the question "what are WE going to do about it together?" Just keep puffing on those smokes till they put us in the grave or get bull headed and try to change our spending habits and where we spend our money? It is a very very very hard thing to do and almost beyond the abillity of the average american to pass up a good deal. Americans love getting a bargain!
The government gets involved in to many things in our lives, but in this case..this is where they could step up and impose higher tarrifs on all these cheap foriegn goods that are built off the backs of slave-like wages. Americans want stuff dirt cheap, but also want to make a nice living themselves. Those two things do not go hand in hand and even the hardest working americans can not compete against someone making $5 a day. I'll get off my soap box now and get back to browsing Towers website and feeding my terrible addiction to Tower codes!