Emmons Guitar Co.

Danny Bentley · From: Hendersonville Tn

I tried calling the phone number listed on the website, it says it's not a working number.
Was needing to buy some Legrande parts.

Have they changed their number?
Went out of business?

Lynn Stafford · From: Ridgefield, WA USA

Danny,

They have a new phone number: (336) 437-2785

You should be able reach them at that number. If I can help in any way, please feel free to get in touch with me. Also, Jerry Roller, Billy Knowles and Mike Cass are all dealers in your part of the country.
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Best regards,
Lynn Stafford

STEEL GUITAR WEST
http://www.steelguitarwest.com
Steel Guitar Technician (Restoration, Set-up, Service and Repair work)

Previous Emmons Authorized Dealer & Service Technician (original factory is now closed)

ZumSteel Authorized Service Technician
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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

why is there this cloak of mystery about the emmons co.? some people get right through and some people never do. are they just short-handed? one would think it would be a good idea to have fairly open lines to customers. do they not care?

Mike Cass · Posted 16 Apr 2013 9:27 pm

The Emmons Guitar Co. in its current incarnation is basically a 2 person operation consisting of Ron and Rebecca Lashley. However they do have office help provided by 'Becca's Mom and Dad, with Billy Knowles and myself helping out with builds when necessary. I understand that Mr. Knowles comes in there about once a week or so as his time permits. As a rule I try to get down there a couple of times a year for a week or so to build, with the remaining builds I do consisting of Ron sending me kit guitars to assemble and drop ship to our customers upon completion. While I do build some LeGrande instruments from time to time, I usually do the re-issue p/p guitars, GS-10's and the more complicated copedent guitars and 12 string p/p's which we still get a number of orders for. Not to mention that Ron and I are involved, as were his Dad and I, in considerable R&D pertaining to the newer copedent requests and future improvments to the product line. More on that at another time........

Everyone needs to have some patience with the Lashley's. They not only have their considerable business obligations, but are concientously raising not the smallest family around. Combine that with church obligations and much needed familial recreational endeavors, that leaves you with a couple of pretty full plates.

It mystifies me why no one ever seems to complain about waiting 2 years for certain brands of steel guitars, but with the Emmons Guitar everyone seems to expect their guitar, asap.
Maybe thats because we were all so used to seeing music stores with up to a dozen new Emmons guitars on the floor at one time. But those days are over, for every buyer and builder.

Quality castings are a big problem nowadays as the process of sand casting seems to be approaching a lost art, what with the ongoing emergence of new extrusion and billet materials which are easier and more cost effective for foundries to provide.
Bruce Zumsteg told me again just the other day that he could build several guitars in the time it takes to mill the parts out of billet stock for just one D-10. However, due to the rather poor quality of most modern day sand castings, he has to do it with billet. Not to mention that castings sound better than billet.

Ron jr. has put in many, many long days that turned into the wee hours striving to maintain the quality of his product in the face of all of this, and I for one believe that it might be time to give him a break.
This is jmho though, so feel free to disagree if you will.
Im not trying to stir the cauldron here, just offering some educated insight.

Remember this, no one really minded waiting 2 years for a Bigsby........

sincerely,

MC
Everything Emmons...since 1987

Bill L. Wilson · From: Oklahoma, USA

I ordered new tuning keys, last yr. on line, sent'em a check, they sent me new Grover keys for my LeGrande. I believe their daughter was really sick, and it slowed down production. I hope and pray, she is doing well.

Mike Cass · Posted 16 Apr 2013 10:33 pm

Bill,

Savannah had a great checkup recently, all good news! I'll be sure to pass your kind words on to the Lashley's.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Mike Cass, your stock just went sky-high with me, thanks to that post.Thank you VERY much for your explanation of the situation.
You know, as long as there are dealers such as yourself and Jerr roller (and some others), I don't know why people even try to get through to the factory. Kinda like going to the Ford factory to get a new car. Rebecca and Ron are doing all they can, and that's been documented too many times, to drag up again.
I imagine this thread wil go 3 to 5 pages, at least. I hope I'm wrong...

Mule Ferguson · From: N Wilkesboro NC,

I wanted to know what year my La Grande was born. I sent Ron and email and he and he emailed me back in about 15 min. That impressed me.
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Emmons La Grande D10, Zum Encore, Multicord,Marlen S10 1972, Nashville 112, Evans HVP #2, Peavey Profex ll, Martin, Merle Travis D28M Bigsby Neck.
D28 Henderson, Dobro and Tut Bro. Fender Tele, Stelling Stagehorn Banjo

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

personally glad to hear this about the Emmons Co. Mike . . . Please send the Lashley's my best. I can't see myself ever wanting to play anything BUT AN EMMONS!

Mike Archer · From: church hill tn

great post Mike and I have always got great service from the folks at emmons
they have always been good to me Very Happy

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Mullen sd10
Nashville 400 amp
Tele/ fender deluxe

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Mike, check your mail. Shot you a question.
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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

Mike Cass · Posted 17 Apr 2013 2:27 pm

Lane, if you meant your post for me I dont see your message in my pm, thx!

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

What Mike said... Exclamation

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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Yes, Mr. Cass, I meant you. Since sent another email and a PM
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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

Mike Cass · Posted 17 Apr 2013 9:50 pm

Lane, check yer pm

Shorty Smith · From: Columbus, Georgia, USA

I been dealing with Emmons since 1973.no problems, great service, Hope they are doing fine, Love my Emmons P/P, Shorty

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

interesting about the sand casting, mike.
about what year would you say that, say, emmons and zum would have had to start incorporating billet endplates and such into there products?

also...since sand casting had worked so well for so long, what would change to make it a problem. obviously the art of it is not a question. would it be that it takes a higher skill of labor and so a higher cost of manufacture? i can't believe that it is because the last people who know how to do it are dying off.

Mike Cass · Posted 18 Apr 2013 5:56 pm

Emmons does not use billet, hence the sometimes unavoidable delays in completing guitars for our loyal and patient customers. Not sure when Bruce Z. went billet, sorry.

Sand casting is time consuming and the usual problem is in the cooling process....again, it takes time, and time is $$. Therfore sand castings arent cost effective for foundries to provide so its a low prioroty job for most of them.
Back when Emmons Guitar Co, Inc. first started manufacturing steel guitars, one Leonard Stadler cast the parts for Emmons. He had a foundry over in Reidsville, NC I believe, in back of his furniture store. Not sure of his work load at the time, but any Emmons endplate castings you see bearing the number/intials of "SA-8" are Stadler-Aldrich(sp?) castings.
Todays foundries dont know what we use these cast parts for, dont really care, and cant fathom why we dont join the 21st Century and hop on the billet/extrusion bandwagon.
Of course they also have no clue as to who Buddy Emmons is...... Wink

Jerry Jones · From: Franklin, Tenn.

My sense is that with the introduction of affordable CNC machining centers into just about every mom and pop job shop, it just work out better to use billets. In terms of cost and quality it's got to be the better option. With CNC, shorter runs are possible with almost zero fallout and if you just figure out how to hold the part....you can cut anything. I believe billet aluminum buffs much better, also.
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Jerry Jones

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

interesting info mike. thanx.

jerry..do you still make the dano style guitars?

Jerry Jones · From: Franklin, Tenn.

Chris,

Sold out two years ago. Smile

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Jerry Jones

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

my friend still uses his baritone guitar alot. cool guitars! i figured that was you.

Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

Mike, in the early days, Leonard was using Quality Castings of Greensboro and he referred Claro Daughety and I (Cherokee) to them. I in turn referred him to Acme Nameplate (sounds like the Roadrunner's favorite mfgr. doesn't it?) of Monroe for etched fretboards. We were all groping in those days.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Harlow Dobro

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I think Chris wants any excuse to knock Emmons guitar co.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

the future may shed light on some issues.

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