What's with Carter?

thurlon hopper · Post by **thurlon hopper** » 21 Apr 2006 2:39 pm

called to order strings as i always have and when my call was returned, i was told that they don't do just string orders any more, so looks like i'll be ordering those good George L's from now on. Like my Carter just fine, but it seems there is a little bit of attitude form their business office. Guess success brings about changes.Unfortunately for me idon't have $3000.00 dollars to order a new guitar every time i need to restock my
supply of strings. YJH

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 21 Apr 2006 2:46 pm

I Get My Jagwire Strings From Bob Here On The Forum. They Are Good Strings. SONNY.

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David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 21 Apr 2006 2:49 pm

hmmmmm, their on-line order form doesn't mention any minimum for an order:

https://www.steelguitar.com/carter_stor ... rform.html

Anyway might check what b0b has here on the forum... certainly goest to a worthy cause.

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Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 21 Apr 2006 3:03 pm

I am going to make a bold prediction and guess that this thread will not turn out well

Marlin Gengenbach · Post by **Marlin Gengenbach** » 21 Apr 2006 3:11 pm

"Attitude" is appropos. Can't talk with Bud without getting the call screened...Not sure about other Carter owners, but this "attitude" has been the motivation for me to order a guitar from another vendor. Will have a Carter for sale in the near future if anyone is interested.

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David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 21 Apr 2006 3:15 pm

I did see a "Minimum freight charge" of $8 on their "Accessories Order Form", so lessee, if you bought 6 packs of strings X $1.50 shipping each.... I'd just as soon they spent their time building great guitars, but I guess they could farm out their string sales if they're short-handed. b0b here delivers for free.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 21 Apr 2006 5:02 pm

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 21 Apr 2006 5:24 pm

. Never mind.[This message was edited by Bill McCloskey on 21 April 2006 at 07:03 PM.]

Gary Glisson · Post by **Gary Glisson** » 21 Apr 2006 6:28 pm

I know what you mean Thurlon, i called and tried to order some bell cranks and nylon tuning nuts, was told that i had to fillout a request of original e-mail plus a tunning chart that shows my tuning as it is now, plus a tuning chart of how i want my tuning and fax it to ann,
i did that and was told that i did not fill out the tuning chart correctly and under subject reference i typed in bell cranks and parts. was told that if my first word was not carter in the subject matter they would not respond to my request. now i'am 52 years old and been playing steel for 20 plus years. it seem to me like they didn't want my money!!
so i had another pedal steel builder make my bell cranks
i mean i love the carter guitar and wish i could access bud carter direct but no way thats goning to happen. i went thru all this to get 2 bell cranks to put the paul jr drop on my 4th pedal

so your right there's a lot of attitude there but let me say its not bud carter

gary

and let me add i bought some courses from bob
here on the forum the transaction was fantastic , i used pay-pal and Bob ship them the next business day A-1 tranaction
thanks BOB![This message was edited by Gary Glisson on 21 April 2006 at 07:33 PM.]

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 21 Apr 2006 6:56 pm

For what its worth...I've bought strings from b0b and it has been an easy and fast transaction. Give the business to b0b, you won't be sorry.

Russ

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 21 Apr 2006 8:54 pm

Here is my 2 cents worth,and we all know what thats worth.
I have known Bud Carter for about 35 years and there is not a conceited bone in his body,but he is very busy building the steels to get the orders out on time.
If you visit him at the factory he will talk to you, while working.lol.
It is not my place to speak for him but i can see where he doesn't have time to get on the phone.
So maybe we need to give him a break.(no pun intended)Tracy

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 21 Apr 2006 11:39 pm

It seems as though the people at Carter have made business choices related to how to do what they feel is most important, most efficiently. When I wanted parts to add changes to my Carter, I sent Ann a somewhat rambling email and she emailed back the same day with detailed instructions of how to fill out their forms exactly to get exactly what I needed. I followed the instructions, and when they had the order all together John called me to make sure that they had it correct, and I got the exact right parts shortly thereafter. I personally wouldn't tell Carter how to make and sell steel guitars, just like I wouldn't tell Buddy how to fix his tone, or even dig up Beethoven and teach him how to put a little zip into that dreary ol' 9th. I, also, would probably buy my strings elsewhere too, at least the second time...

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 22 Apr 2006 12:29 am

well I can't say that I agree..

I have called the TECHNICAL line many times and Bud answers..actually in my experience he answers more than John...

For a guy who has his calls screened it sure doesn't make sense that he would actually answer the phone.

Why don't you all just call over there and ask whats going on rather than speculate.

I'm a Sales rep for a very large company, I cover two states. Sometimes Customers call and I AM NOT AVAILABLE to talk to them...

Sometimes I'm doing something personal and sometimes I am in the middle of putting together a package/quote for another customer...

Thats why I have voicemail, Email and even, get this... call them back.

Time Management..is the # 1 way to conduct business effeciently..

yes I know, some are gonna say..you always have time to talk to your customers...

Well..thats one way to look at to..but eventually you have to actually do the work requested for the previous customer..and the one before that and so on and so on..

and also take time out for yourself...

IF you stop to answer the phone and get into a personal discussion everytime it rings you will never get anything done...

Ask the most successful Real Estate agent you know about this......

Last week it was Bud Carter left Carter..
This week ..he won't talk to you...

I don't think Bud is the problem....

Mickey McGee · Post by **Mickey McGee** » 22 Apr 2006 1:42 am

About one month ago I did the online purchase for a peavey amp-ok-at the Carter website-this did not go well at all,at first,then,the shipping address got messed up but I went to UPS to make things right,I did not email Carter and I came real close to not getting my amp BUT things worked out-I would not use the Carter website again for a purchase unless it was for a steel guitar.Reading the other posts on this forum I think what is happing at the Carter company is this-they are starting to become a LARGE company and not so much a Mom&Pop company like they use to be.

Jimmie Martin · Post by **Jimmie Martin** » 22 Apr 2006 3:47 am

i filled out one of their order blanks for a peterson tuner. got a confermation email next day. got my tuner about 10 days later. not a problem.

rpetersen · Post by **rpetersen** » 22 Apr 2006 4:19 am

Jimmie - - Got the tuner in 10 days - no problem???
I ordered boat seats last week from 400 miles away and they were here the next day with UPS!!! - that did surprise me a little!
My point being, a tuner should take 2-4 days tops!![This message was edited by rpetersen on 22 April 2006 at 05:20 AM.]

Curtis Alford · Post by **Curtis Alford** » 22 Apr 2006 4:58 am

I have called Carter Guitars many times in the past, and again last week. They have never been rude,never refused to talk to me about what I needed, or let me talk with Bud if he is in the building.
Filling out orders is proof postive of what you ordered. This is not always what you needed. However if you tell the person on the phone the same thing you write on the order, the responsability for the wrong item would be in despute.
Fill out the order blank be responsable for you own mistakes. It is for getting the item you order to you correctly.
My 2 cents not adjusted for inflation.[This message was edited by Curtis Alford on 22 April 2006 at 05:59 AM.][This message was edited by Curtis Alford on 22 April 2006 at 06:00 AM.]

Colby Tipton · Post by **Colby Tipton** » 22 Apr 2006 5:46 am

About 1 and a half months ago I bought a Carter from Tracy Sheehan, I called Carter while we was headed down the highway and John Fabian answered the telephone. I ask for directions to the shop and he gave them to me and all I wanted was a Carter manual. At the shop John gave me a manual, Bud dug out some nylon tuner nuts for an MSA for the guy that was with me(no charge) and to top it off we got a tour of the whole operation. They went out of thier way to help us, all this while they were busy building a pedal steel. Something else must be up.

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Colby Tipton
Crosby, Texas[This message was edited by Colby Tipton on 22 April 2006 at 06:54 AM.]

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 22 Apr 2006 6:26 am

I bought an Emmons p/p from Carter a couple of years ago. It was not a good experience. I was treated very rudely. I paid for some changes to the copedent that they said they would do and when I got the guitar, nothing had been done to it. It seemed like their main concern was GETTING THE $$$$$! I sent them an e-mail and never did get an answer.

Jimmie Martin · Post by **Jimmie Martin** » 22 Apr 2006 7:05 am

after i had ordered the tuner i got an email that said to allow 1 to 2 weeks. they only ship things on certain days of the week. i would of thought they would have answered this post by now.

Ken Thompson · Post by **Ken Thompson** » 22 Apr 2006 7:38 am

I went on-line, ordered strings, paid on-line, received strings in a timely manner.

No problems.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 22 Apr 2006 7:43 am

the website states 1 to 2 weeks for orders .

1 to 2 weeks...

thts what it says...

I tell ya what guys, I have never seen more arrows thrown at one Steel Guitar company than at Carter.

To me it appears that some folks will not accept this Company for any reason...

so be it...

it never ends...

and ya wonder why many of the Pro's and RR don't post here...

I don't....

In our home business we try to ship on Mondays and Fridays..

We are very small, 2 people...if we packed and shipped every day we would not get any work done...

it's called a plan....

of course we could hire someone to pack and ship everyday..

and charge more too...

and charge more..ACTUALLY..yes...
for sure...

Carter is a Manufacturer of Steel Guitars, they offer accessories as a side item to there clients....

They are not waiting around for string orders.

They are not waiting around hoping the phone will ring for an accessories order.

They should be building Steel Guitars, that is there business...

What other Steel Guitar Manufacturer offers as complete a line of products as Carter does with a full interactive website for the entire Steel Guitar community, not just Carter owners ?

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 22 April 2006 at 08:56 AM.]

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 22 Apr 2006 8:02 am

Over the years I've purchased 3 new guitars as well as accessories, all online and never had a problem.

Anytime I've called them, either John or in some instances Bud has answered and took care of whatever it was I needed.

I bought a used Dekley D10 which needed new legs and pedal rods so I just stopped by. John was gone and Bud was deep in the middle on building a guitar. I told him what I needed and he stopped everything he was doing, made the rods and adjusted the guitar.

While I was there I bought some additonal things which all added up to nearly $200.00 and Bud said take it and just call John in a few days and tell him what you got.

Gentlemen, that's hard to beat in my opinion.

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 22 Apr 2006 8:46 am

Bud...does all the above comments mean that you are no longer playing at the "Wagonwheel" in Waynesville, Missouri?

www.genejones.com

Les Green · Post by **Les Green** » 22 Apr 2006 9:25 am

Hey Gene,
Not completly sure but I don't think the "Wagonwheel" is there anymore. What a place! You brought back 60's memories!