new printer

[Jim Doggett]

Yeah, we did the same thing with sign warehouse, not the same outcome. We have the falcon outdoor, and we have had nothing but problems, we didn't get the good service from sign warehouse either. I am impressed with the newer machines, and the pricing is almost impossible to turn down. I was quoted 14995.00 on a Roland sp 540 though, and am teetering between the two now. I am also wondering why Sign Warehouse can sell the Mutoh 1304 for so much less than Mutoh is quoting me? I wouldn't buy from Sign Warehouse again, but Why are they pricing it under 10 grand? Is it the same machine?

As Randy pointed out, we buy (and sell to 100s of happy customers) many Mutoh-based printers and are thus able to offer very attractive pricing. And rather than beat up on earlier tech, I'll say that the newer, ValueJet-based Mutohs are nothing short of miraculous. Really a huge step forward in speed, quality and reliability. The Wave printing really puts Mutoh in a class of its own, and I am guessing was a deciding factor when Epson chose a maker for their GS6000 printer.

If Roland can be forgiven for the ColorCAMM, maybe all printer makers deserve some slack for their prior efforts. Sorry. I know that's a bit lame. But the printing we have today has been a long time in coming, and it's mind-blowing how good and easy it's become.

IMHO,

Jim

 

[FatCat]

The newer Mutohs (Valuejet line) are far superior than the old Falcons, etc. I've been running my 1204 for nearly 2 years and it is a workhorse for my business. Last week it printed 6 full rolls of 38" x 120' banner material, a full roll of 48" IJ-180 for a box truck wrap and van graphics, as well as 1/2 roll of 50" Oracal 3651 and some other misc stuff. My Mutoh never missed a beat. If things stay at this pace I think I'll upgrade to a 64" Mutoh in the next year or so.

 

[jfiscus]

I have an SP540 & a GS6000; much quicker & EXCELLENT print quality at the faster speed. The SP540 can print quality; but it's SLOW. I like the ability to print wider also.

 

[dsmskyline]

We have had our Mutoh Value-jet for just shy of 3 years now. No real issues other than a bad machine install/training in the beginning that thankfully I didn't have to deal with.

Only issue I have with Mutoh now is the lack of white or metallic. That would be icing on the cake for sure.

 

[saktrnch]

I've had the 1304 for over 2 years now and it hasn't missed a beat.

 

[thewvsignguy]

Hey now Jim, we still have (and use) our colorcamm weekly! It might be old technolgy (10+ years old) but hey if it still works and we can make money ain't nothin' wrong with it!

 

[Jim Doggett]

Hey now Jim, we still have (and use) our colorcamm weekly! It might be old technolgy (10+ years old) but hey if it still works and we can make money ain't nothin' wrong with it!

Great news!! But time to upgrade. Call our sales!!!

Kidding. I am really happy to hear it's working for you. I think many had expectations of larger format printing and were a bit disappointed. But smaller decals are okay, and it cuts since it's a cutter at heart, with a printhead added onto it. Is that pretty-much your feeling, too?

 

[thewvsignguy]

Jim, we did buy one of the SW 1204, Q54, Flexi 10 packages december 2010 without the laminator. It was a great deal and have not one regret! Our rep is Ronda Hughes and have been buying most of our larger equipment from SW for the last 12 years and have ALWAYS been treated right. That's what keeps me coming back.

 

[Jim Doggett]

Jim, we did buy one of the SW 1204, Q54, Flexi 10 packages december 2010 without the laminator. It was a great deal and have not one regret! Our rep is Ronda Hughes and have been buying most of our larger equipment from SW for the last 12 years and have ALWAYS been treated right. That's what keeps me coming back.

Thank you!!! That's very nice of you to say and I'll let Ronda know she's deserving of a pat on the back.

Best Regards,

 

[randya]

As Randy pointed out, we buy (and sell to 100s of happy customers) many Mutoh-based printers and are thus able to offer very attractive pricing.
Jim

I think Jim is being modest or just left out a 0 or two in his number.....

 

[Jim Doggett]

I think Jim is being modest or just left out a 0 or two in his number.....

Modesty = best policy

 

[evie]

Well we chose the 1304, went to see it print (it wasn't at the show), and all it did was headstrike after headstrike. I am so frustrated!

 

[FatCat]

Well we chose the 1304, went to see it print (it wasn't at the show), and all it did was headstrike after headstrike. I am so frustrated!

Wait, are we missing something?

Went to the ISA show, Looked at the roland vs540, epson gs6000, and Mutoh 1304. Mutoh had a great demo printing, and I was impressed....

You mean you bought a new Mutoh and it is having headstrikes??

 

[randya]

Well we chose the 1304, went to see it print (it wasn't at the show), and all it did was headstrike after headstrike. I am so frustrated!

I understand that this was a media issue and they had the same problem with this media on the 64"?
And that this was media you supplied?

 

[Graphics2u]

Well we chose the 1304, went to see it print (it wasn't at the show), and all it did was headstrike after headstrike. I am so frustrated!

What were you printing on? I've run valuejets for almost 2 years and think I've had less than a half dozen head strikes and that was always a heat issue or media skewed. Got to be more to this story.

 

[10sacer]

Mutoh

I have one of the rare (or seemingly so) Mutoh Blizzards and it is a work horse. For doing banners we get just over 600 square feet an hour at 2-pass bidirectional. You can turn the Intelligent Interweaving off and get real close to 800 sq. ft. an hour on a 65" machine - but that is for distance viewing as there will be just a slight band where passes meet.

We just printed 10 rolls of 38" Key Banner in just over 20 hours (2 days) for a large banner project here. Which is why I am now buying a sewing machine because taping these took forever.

 

[AUTO-FX]

Well we chose the 1304, went to see it print (it wasn't at the show), and all it did was headstrike after headstrike. I am so frustrated!

I'll tell ya what else is frustrating - reading a post like this and then no elaboration.

A cliffhanger !!!

Come on Evie - why would you make a statement like that and then log out, leaving us all wondering

 

[henryp]

The new VJ-1324 and VJ-1624 are out! New wave effects produce better print quality at faster carriage speed, 460 cps vs 400 cps for the older Valuejet series.

 

[evie]

I took a roll of Key Banner 13oz. they went through 15 ft. of banner with nothing but massive head strikes (even with the heaters turned off). They offered to sell me the 1614 at 3000.00 more than the 1304. What about the Roland RS 540? I am so out of patience.

 

[evie]

Sorry for the slow reply auto-fx, I actually got some business yesterday that I had to actually work on.