[Bravotv]

I know that they were one of the longest lasting companies in paintball and that they went out of business a few years back.
Why did they become "One of the Most Hated Companies in Paintball", what did they do to earn that title. Also, what's the deal with GOG?

[Klub]

Well, from what I know, they started with pvi. Originally, pvi made the shocker and sold them to smart parts to market.
Smart parts made a huge order of shockers, but once pvi finished, smart parts backed out. This caused pvi to file for bankrupcy and auction off their inventory. Smart parts then bought the shockers at a lower cost than what was being sold to them.

They also then filed a lawsuit to every company that had electronic triggers, for a $100,000 total and $75 for each electronic trigger sold.

This caused aka to stop producing the viking and excalibur as they were facing $500,000 charges.

AGD stopped producing electronic frames

ICD had to sign with kee to afford the fees.

Dye got through it by reaching an agreement about the differences in their patents

I believe kee paid up, but don't quote me.



So as you can see, they kind of caused a stop in progress of the electronic gun, along with some shady deals, and less than profesional practices.

[Bravotv]

Klub, on 26 July 2012 - 02:23 PM, said:

Well, from what I know, they started with pvi. Originally, pvi made the shocker and sold them to smart parts to market.
Smart parts made a huge order of shockers, but once pvi finished, smart parts backed out. This caused pvi to file for bankrupcy and auction off their inventory. Smart parts then bought the shockers at a lower cost than what was being sold to them.

They also then filed a lawsuit to every company that had electronic triggers, for a $100,000 total and $75 for each electronic trigger sold.

This caused aka to stop producing the viking and excalibur as they were facing $500,000 charges.

AGD stopped producing electronic frames

ICD had to sign with kee to afford the fees.

Dye got through it by reaching an agreement about the differences in their patents

I believe kee paid up, but don't quote me.



So as you can see, they kind of caused a stop in progress of the electronic gun, along with some shady deals, and less than profesional practices.

Well then, that was a really dick move by Smart Parts, what's the story of GOG?

[Klub]

Bravotv, on 26 July 2012 - 05:54 PM, said:

Klub, on 26 July 2012 - 02:23 PM, said:

Well, from what I know, they started with pvi. Originally, pvi made the shocker and sold them to smart parts to market.
Smart parts made a huge order of shockers, but once pvi finished, smart parts backed out. This caused pvi to file for bankrupcy and auction off their inventory. Smart parts then bought the shockers at a lower cost than what was being sold to them.

They also then filed a lawsuit to every company that had electronic triggers, for a $100,000 total and $75 for each electronic trigger sold.

This caused aka to stop producing the viking and excalibur as they were facing $500,000 charges.

AGD stopped producing electronic frames

ICD had to sign with kee to afford the fees.

Dye got through it by reaching an agreement about the differences in their patents

I believe kee paid up, but don't quote me.



So as you can see, they kind of caused a stop in progress of the electronic gun, along with some shady deals, and less than profesional practices.

Well then, that was a really dick move by Smart Parts, what's the story of GOG?

The gardners (people who made smart parts) still own it. Smart parts filed for bankrupcy, and kind of "re started" I guess. They made and still make great stuff, but their buisness practices and ethics were a little shady.

[cybermaniac15]

Klub, on 26 July 2012 - 10:55 PM, said:

Bravotv, on 26 July 2012 - 05:54 PM, said:

Klub, on 26 July 2012 - 02:23 PM, said:

Well, from what I know, they started with pvi. Originally, pvi made the shocker and sold them to smart parts to market.
Smart parts made a huge order of shockers, but once pvi finished, smart parts backed out. This caused pvi to file for bankrupcy and auction off their inventory. Smart parts then bought the shockers at a lower cost than what was being sold to them.

They also then filed a lawsuit to every company that had electronic triggers, for a $100,000 total and $75 for each electronic trigger sold.

This caused aka to stop producing the viking and excalibur as they were facing $500,000 charges.

AGD stopped producing electronic frames

ICD had to sign with kee to afford the fees.

Dye got through it by reaching an agreement about the differences in their patents

I believe kee paid up, but don't quote me.



So as you can see, they kind of caused a stop in progress of the electronic gun, along with some shady deals, and less than profesional practices.

Well then, that was a really dick move by Smart Parts, what's the story of GOG?

The gardners (people who made smart parts) still own it. Smart parts filed for bankrupcy, and kind of "re started" I guess. They made and still make great stuff, but their buisness practices and ethics were a little shady.

Thankfully this was over a decade ago..?

[Klub]

cybermaniac15, on 26 July 2012 - 10:59 PM, said:

Klub, on 26 July 2012 - 10:55 PM, said:

Bravotv, on 26 July 2012 - 05:54 PM, said:

Klub, on 26 July 2012 - 02:23 PM, said:

Well, from what I know, they started with pvi. Originally, pvi made the shocker and sold them to smart parts to market.
Smart parts made a huge order of shockers, but once pvi finished, smart parts backed out. This caused pvi to file for bankrupcy and auction off their inventory. Smart parts then bought the shockers at a lower cost than what was being sold to them.

They also then filed a lawsuit to every company that had electronic triggers, for a $100,000 total and $75 for each electronic trigger sold.

This caused aka to stop producing the viking and excalibur as they were facing $500,000 charges.

AGD stopped producing electronic frames

ICD had to sign with kee to afford the fees.

Dye got through it by reaching an agreement about the differences in their patents

I believe kee paid up, but don't quote me.



So as you can see, they kind of caused a stop in progress of the electronic gun, along with some shady deals, and less than profesional practices.

Well then, that was a really dick move by Smart Parts, what's the story of GOG?

The gardners (people who made smart parts) still own it. Smart parts filed for bankrupcy, and kind of "re started" I guess. They made and still make great stuff, but their buisness practices and ethics were a little shady.

Thankfully this was over a decade ago..?

Started in 99' or 2000 I believe, I think the last lawsuit was filed in 2007

[joeakuaku]

Klub doesnt need lawsuits! He solves problems with le klub!

[No Mercy Ever]

Heh:
Why Hate Smart Parts?

You started this thread when that other one was still active. But...

GoG is basically Adam Gardner, continuing the success of Smart Parts (The Ion line, Freak barrels). So call it Smart Part 2.0 or something, if you want. They haven't really made any major waves, and I am sure that they are just going to lay low, keep making their quality (Not quality, but quality to their standards) product and making money.

So you don't have to read everything from the other thread:

Quote

In 1997, SP contracted with a company called PVI (Pneumatic Ventures Inc) who came out with the first successful electropneumatic paintball marker. For a short time, all was well. But SP got greedy, and decided to order more of the markers than the company could make. This caused a breech of contract, which SP used to end up getting the Shocker to themselves. PVI ended up going bankrupt, and SP bought the patent to the Shocker, and changed it over from the original PVI folks to the Gardners. Then they sat on this for a bit. In 2004, SP decided that they wanted royalties for every single electropneumatic marker being made. The Spyders and Tippmanns were safe, but everything else came under the patent that they had. So they sent out Cease and Desist letters to everyone, including hitting up Bob Long being served in person, at Cup, literally just before his team was going onto the field to play a game (I believe that it was the finals game of the brand new NXL, Bob Longs team against the SP All Americans). There ended up being two lawsuits over this situation, between SP and ICD, and SP and AKA. Tom Kaye ended up folding up shop with the AGD, so no more E-Mags. But AGD still exists, just without Tom Kaye in the picture. Of the two lawsuits, ICD ended up partnering with National Paintball Supply, now known as Kee, just to get out of the situation, and due to a lack of funds to keep the lawsuit going. AKA ended up not able to keep their lawsuit going either, so they signed an agreement to no longer make electropneumatic markers. This ended AKA in paintball for the most part. And AKA was way ahead of the curve with their stuff too. So innovations, like the Evil Ehm, a two tube Viking that was getting 2000 shots from a 68/4500 tank, when other non-AKA stuff was getting between 1600 and 1800 shots from the same tank, a new spool valve marker, and so on.

I have heard that they owned a patent on circuit boards that caused companies like Virtue and Tadao to have to pay them a royalty on every circuit board that they make as well. Not sure about that.

[Bravotv]

Thank's

[dragonwing7x@gmail.com]

even though me personnaly i like smart parts products but i dont agree with their business ethic and as far as gog goes no mercy said it how i wuld they are smart parts 2.0 smart parts or well gog now there guns arent bad i really hope gog makes a gog version of the shocker they made the gog envy wich is a vibe they made their sp 1 version they made the extcy which is an upgraded ion all thats left is the shocker

[TinyBear]

I have personally hated Smartparts for killing off my all time favorite dream gun the AGD E-MAG with there b.s. Law suites. I have continued this hatred to this day and the GOG company (say what ya will but i allowed my opinion).

That being said I have decided to give one of there products a shot and picked up a eNMEy for my sister. I look forward to seeing how it stacks up too my now 13 year old 68 Automag.

[Orange Chicken]

Although I hate their former business mindset when it was still Smart Parts, I do not hesitate to buy a good product. Plus, GoG they said is going in a different direction, and ill buy a product for how good it is, not based on the company. I hate company dedication/hatred. Too often do I see people asking about guns like the extcy or the g1 on pbnation and pbforum, only to see responses like: "Its Smart Parts, it obviously sucks." Or "I wouldnt give one penny to the Gardner brothers, so you shouldnt buy one". I also hate people who blindly dedicate themselves to Tippmann products, saying they're the best simply because 'its a Tippmann'

This post has been edited by MangoPhett: 23 December 2012 - 12:00 PM

[TinyBear]

MangoPhett, on 23 December 2012 - 11:57 AM, said:

Although I hate their former business mindset when it was still Smart Parts, I do not hesitate to buy a good product. Plus, GoG they said is going in a different direction, and ill buy a product for how good it is, not based on the company. I hate company dedication/hatred. Too often do I see people asking about guns like the extcy or the g1 on pbnation and pbforum, only to see responses like: "Its Smart Parts, it obviously sucks." Or "I wouldnt give one penny to the Gardner brothers, so you shouldnt buy one". I also hate people who blindly dedicate themselves to Tippmann products, saying they're the best simply because 'its a Tippmann'

No one here can deny the Gardner's past practices were questionable morally at best and damn near criminal at worst, it is in the past. But for those of us who played back then it's hard to forget the damage they did to this sport. That being said the new eNMEy I do find intriguing and look forward to comparing the one I got my sister to my Air Gun Designs Automags.

And nothing wrong with being a fan of a companies products. For instance Tippmanns may be far from the best for you but they are too some. I agree the products are not automatically good cause they come from any said company nore bad. But although you may find a cretins companies products not the best suited to you don't mean they not well suited to another. It all depends what it is we look for.

I started like many with a Tippmann, A pro/carbine I purchased back in 99. I still own said gun and it still use it now and then today. I absolutely Love that gun and could never let it go. And being as I have had good experiences with it I am more likely to trust another product from Tippmann.

[junits15]

Personally I'm not a fan of gog/sp stuff. I used a later model shocker and honestly wasn't impressed. It shot great, but the ergros were way off the mark, the board was absolute bs and just everything about the gun didn't satisfy me at all. Even the barrel threads, everybody else is using cocker thread but there is gog still using ion threads. On an expensive gun like the luxe, I expect cocker threads. The ion was crap and the envy is only a little bit better. The extcy is just an ion with better parts on it.
HOWEVER
the freak barrel is an amazing innovation.

[Orange Chicken]

The ion was a great gun, and the extcy is one of the best and most recommended beginner gun, as with the envy.

[Deftone]

SP probably got hated more than anyone in the business honestly...But in a way I understood they they did what they did. They "Adam & Billy Gardner" were smart enough to buy the patents on the tech. and the ones that enforced their patents. It sucked cause it killed off a lot of good companies that had been around for years but at the same time, from a business side of things, I can see why SP did what they did...
Before the SP lawsuits rained down upon the industry technology in paintball was kind of a shared commodity between companies...If this dude built something cool everyone and their brother would build a clone of it and make money off of it...SP put an end to the "brotherhood" and turned it into a real cut throat business.