Update on Emmons Guitar Company

Dickie Whitley · Posted 2 Aug 2014 10:12 am

We have one here in North Carolina that still does that for consumer complaints. WRAL in Raleigh still does investigation on companies they receive viewer complains on.

That would be Shawn's call however.

Bob Muller · From: Oregon, USA

Maybe we need to make a list of all the happy customers that have received a completed and working factory built "New Emmons guitar" in the last year or so. This does not mean a parts order, or repaired guitar just new production guitars that were ordered and delivered on time in the last year. Please start the list here:

Dickie Whitley · Posted 2 Aug 2014 11:45 am

With apologies to Bob for the misread of his proposal, I too, think it would be an interesting read.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I suspect that, outside of dealer-built guitars, that'd be a short list. If it's a long one, they got splainin to do.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Les Urban · From: Crystal Lake Illinois, USA

I am one of those happy customers. Last Wednesday, 1 year 8 months & 8 days after I ordered it, I received my new Emmons LLG3. It's absolutely gorgeous, and it sounds great. Many thanks to those of you who may have helped that happen in response to my inquiry this spring.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Les,
Wonderful news!! Very Happy

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Les... That indeed is wonderful news. But, let's do some math here. Shawn ordered his guitar 2 years and 3 months ago and has no idea when, or even IF, he will get his guitar. You got yours after 1 year and 8 months after you ordered yours. Looks like Shawn's guitar got pushed aside to build yours, and who knows how many others.

It is great that you got your guitar, but posting what you did just adds fuel to the fire about how crooked the current Emmons company is. There is no way in Hell that you should have received your guitar before Shawn.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

John Palumbo · From: Lansdale, PA.

well said Richard

Curt Langston · Posted 7 Aug 2014 2:35 am ?

After all of this revealing information, who in their right mind will ever order a guitar from Emmons??

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When I ordered my Zum Hybrid from Bruce, I believe it was a about a year's wait before I got it. Whoa!

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

If you choose not to wait a known length of time, don't order. If the buyer knows upfront the wait time, and accepts those conditions, all good.

There are enough buyers willing to wait for the right axe. So many that a few builders have stopped taking orders.There are some great instruments I'd wait for.

I'd love to have one in two weeks or whatever, but if demand is so high a builder stops taking orders, a year wait seems less objectionable by comparison.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

If I had a playable guitar, and was ordering a new one, I would gladly wait a year, but no more than that. If I needed one ASAP, I would shop for the one with the shortest delivery time. It may not be my first choice, but pretty much every PSG these days are pretty much equal in quality and playablity.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

"Every PSG these days are pretty much equal in quality and playability".
If the above statement is true, compare the prices they are bringing. For instance, compare the asking price for a GFI and a Franklin. Whoa!

Brian Henry · Posted 7 Aug 2014 9:36 am

Erv I think it's like comparing a BMW with a Volkswagen beetle!
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LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN GEORGIA

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Exactly!!

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Agreed, the GFI might be a little below the others. I have played Bobby Black's Franklin (back in the 80's) and I really wasn't absolutely blown away. I have played a friends Zum SD10, and again, it was a really nice guitar, but didn't blow me away either. As far as the price thing goes, it is mandated mostly by the name attached to the guitar and the big names who play them. Most all of the guitars made today are pretty much equal in quality. Some may have polished parts that look real pretty, but that doesn't have much effect on how the guitar plays. I don't think the difference between a Franklin or Zum and say a Mullen, Rains, Show Pro, is like comparing a a BMW to a Volkswagon.

Again, we are straying off topic.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Steve Spitz wrote:

If you choose not to wait a known length of time, don't order. If the buyer knows upfront the wait time, and accepts those conditions, all good.

There are enough buyers willing to wait for the right axe. So many that a few builders have stopped taking orders.There are some great instruments I'd wait for.

I'd love to have one in two weeks or whatever, but if demand is so high a builder stops taking orders, a year wait seems less objectionable by comparison.

If demand is that high and if I wanted to make a little money, I'd be hiring some help, that's my point. I know that some will argue that JOE BLOW or who ever puts special attention to his guitars and that's why they don't build anymore and that's why you have to wait a year. If they want to do that, that's fine. Then it's a hobby instead of a profit organization which makes it fine and if I wanted one of those instruments, I'd wait. But as Richard said, there's not much difference these day in guitars and I'll be darn if I'm gonna wait even 6 months on a guitar, much less two years. JMHO
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Henry, I asked Bruce 25 years ago whether he'd thought of hiring an assistant (with an eye towards taking the job), and he replied that he'd done it once and found he spent more time riding herd than making the guitars. So he went back to just himself.
Old Chinese proverb: It is better to train five men than to do the work of ten men: but it IS harder.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

That goes right along with the Chinese Proverb: If you want to get it done, do it yourself.

But I seriously think that there is money in making steel guitars if handled right and a years wait time is not the way to do it. You won't become a Ross Perot by any means but a comfortable living. Especially in established brands like Emmons and Zum. There are people that you wouldn't have to ride herd on. Lane, you may have been one, who knows?
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I have heard tell of a gentleman thinking of getting into the business near me. I'd happily work for him on my Monday off.

At the time I asked him, I certainly lacked maturity. I was convinced that Bruce's telling me that "I know you say you want a humbucker, but from talking to you, I think you'd be happier with a single coil" was him being a know-it-all. I realize NOW (well, as of 10 years ago) that it was a guy who knew what he was talking about offering guidance.. At 30 I took offence at being told that I didn't really want what I said I wanted. Made me even more annoyed when I took the guitar back to him saying "ummm, you were right. Can you effect the changes you suggested when I ordered it?"
It shows that Bruce views each of those thousand (or so) guitars as his children. I'm not sure any apprentice/ assistant would have been similarly invested.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

"profit organization"?
We are talking about steel guitars, right?

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I don't know what the markup is these days, but when I bought my second guitar, a ZB D10 (I already had a ZB S10), I used a friend's store and resale license to become a dealer. Actually, I just wanted to buy the D10 cheap. It was just a little more than half of what the list price was. But as a dealer, we actually sold one. If there is still that kind of markup, I could see some builders making a profit. I got the ZB for $1020. You have to figure what they had in materials and labor though. That was in the mid/late 70's. That would take that profit way down.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

when you figure the shop the equipment needed to machine those parts, for steel guitars. One man operation, cost of materials. I'll bet their lucky to be making 25% to 30% profit over their selling price. The economy is so bad nowadays that it's got to be hitting them too. Tennessee Lee
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

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