Bass Mechanics extends L-Acoustics systems
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What started off as a mobile disco company run by 16-year-old Sushil Patidar in 1997, has grown as he has persistently invested back into his company to offer professional gear and service to the entertainment industry.
“I was in standard seven (grade 9) when I started,” Sushil recalls. “We were all turning 16, so my friends were having birthday parties.” Before long he was doing his friends’ 18th birthday parties, 21sts and so it continued with him making a name in Lenasia, the neighbourhood where he grew up.
Word of mouth had Sushil keeping crowds on the dance floor, and he completed an Audio Engineering Course and worked a stint at another rental company. His real break into the corporate realm came in 2004 when he was asked to be the service provider at a Bridal Fair in Lenasia, by his now wife Dimple Patidar. “That’s when we took the step to invest a decent amount of money into professional equipment and from there on it grew.”
At the time, Duncan Riley from DWR Distribution worked at Electrosonic, and Sushil purchased Martin moving head spots from him. JBL SRX 700s were supplied by Wild and Marr.
Today, Bass Mechanics do ninety percent of international Bollywood Productions visiting South Africa – about four to eight shows a year. While the productions are a huge affair, the budgets are not so.
“We make big investments into professional gear,” Sushil elaborates. “But it’s also the service you get, knowing there is the necessary back-up when needed. We may not see our return as quickly as we want to, but know we’re getting a reliable product.” Owning professional gear also means meeting the specs on technical riders.
Sushil was introduced to L-Acoustics when buying a pre-used Kudo System from Strike Productions when the company closed some years ago. “I didn’t mind buying the product, but I needed to know who the agents were and what spares and service would be available.” Richard Smith represented the L-Acoustics brand, met up with Sushil and assured him of his continued support.
“Ever since, although we stock other audio brands, L-Acoustics has become something very different for us,” said Sushil. At the time, a small network of L-Acoustics users was born with companies like Bass Mechanics, Gearhouse, Sound Stylists, Afrika Audio and AJR doing a lot of cross rentals. Slowly the name grew.
More recently, when it was time for Sushil to upgrade his amplifiers, he made an L-Acoustics LA8 amplified controller purchase from DWR Distribution who were appointed earlier this year as the L-Acoustics agents in Africa and where Richard Smith is now based. Bass Mechanics also invested in ARCS Wide, ARCS Focus, LA12X amplified controllers and KS28 subwoofers. Sushil hopes to continue building the brand.
(Jim Evans)
