Is the Emmons Guitar begining to loose it's grip?

[Barry Yasika]

I have noticed that in the "Steels for Sale" section, the Emmons guitars don't seem to be bringing in top dollar unless it's some special made guitar for a well known steel player and because of that it has some kind of mojo and or some historical value. Seems like other brands are pulling in bigger bucks these days. I'm just curious why that may be happening - too much inventory - the newer steels just play that much better - newer models have a better sound - Lighter - Prettier? Maybe because Emmons seems to have dropped out of business? I guess to me it's weird because on most every show I've seen of the Grand Ole Opry, the stage always has an Emmons or two set up. Before Herby Wallace began endorsing Mullen Guitars, I remember him stating, that all the Emmons guitars he's played had that certain edge he was looking for, and that in his opinion, "There's Emmons and then there's everything else". Just something I've been thinking about. I suppose it all comes down to personal taste.

[Bill Moran]

Sound, Emmons all the way. Others may sound good and play easy but the Emmons, old or new, have the sound. I don't understand the price. All I can say the low price is good for the players . My 2 cents .

[scott murray]

I think the market in general is very slow right now but Emmons guitars still hold a place of respect and reverence and always will. they are the benchmark

I've been playing psg for over two decades and just obtained my first Emmons this year. it wasn't cheap but it was worth every cent. I get it now

and there will always be a contingent of players who will only sit down at an Emmons push/pull. more than any other brand, Emmons is the stuff of legend

[Tony Prior]

Selling prices for Emmons Steels as well as other brands have always fluctuated. Its not uncommon to see one pop up under 3K then a while later a very similar guitar pop up for 4K'ish. Who can say why.

Its not a trend or a downward brand preference.

I've seen P Pulls where someone paid over 4K compared to mine which I paid way less, both equal in comparison, condition and peds/levers/age. In the same time period, not years apart, a few months apart.

I've see Legrands selling for $800 to $1000 more than I paid for mine which I feel is a 9 or 10 on the scale. same deal, in the same time period, not years apart.

Go figure. No rhyme or reason.

I can tell you this, start dropping the prices on good quality Emmons Steels and they will all be bought near the first day of the sale offering . Lots of Emmons buyers lurking, maybe WAITING !

Brands are brands, they all can fluctuate . We have no way of knowing why some days Steels sell right away or why they take weeks if not months. Its not because other brands play better or are made better. that would be a mistake to assume.

[Donny Hinson]

You can't argue that for a long time, they were the industry leader, the benchmark for sound. But times change, as does the idea of what a good commercial steel sound is. Preferred steel tones have migrated over the past 25 years to a more mellow and homogeneous sound. And, as most anyone knows, that's not what the Emmons guitars were famous for. The "Black Album" sound, that sharp, crystal-clear, and bell-like tone we heard and loved decades ago is no longer in vogue. And so, the competition has changed, and now far more brands have the fuller sound that people now seem to prefer. In addition, many older players are retiring, and selling their guitars.

Emmons, Sho~Bud, and Z-B were once about the only guitars pro players would consider. But now, with all of them out of business, players have new alternatives to choose from, newer brands that are now available with more modern features and finishes.

Time and taste march on. It's just the way things are.

[Erv Niehaus]

Some guitars have flash and some guitars have substance.
Emmons has the later.
Erv

[Billy McCombs]

I would love to have a spanking brand new Emmons but not possible so I will stick with my two Oldie but goodie PP and SKH Emmons.

[scott murray]

you won't find a guitar with fuller tone than an Emmons, and with on-board tone control Emmons guitars actually have a fuller range of sound than most other brands. regardless of what may be "in vogue" for commercial steel sounds, what matters is a well-built instrument with excellent tone and that's Emmons for you

[Bob Russell]

Brands go in and out of style for all kinds of reasons. It often depends on which famous or well-respected player is playing which guitar. But a great instrument will always be great. If something goes out of style for awhile, it usually comes back, generally after people have gotten tired of whatever's been popular.

[Johnie King]

You can’t go wrong with a good Emmons, tone an playability is What I like in Emmons steels.

[Keith Hilton]

I agree with what Donny had to say. Today very few builders are building double necks. In the good old days, most guitars were double necks. Today most of the pedal steel builders I know only offer humbucking pickups. In most cases the humbucking pickups are more mellow and homogeneous sounding than a sharp-crystal clear single coil. But the builder doesn't get the phone call in the middle of the night with a guy asking why his single coil his humming!
As Donny has indicated, and the old song goes, "Time Changes Everything." Seems to me someone said, "All we can be certain of is change." The older I get the less I like change, but I have to accept everything is changing. Donny and I don't always agree, but I like Donny anyway!

[Tony Prior]

I recall many years back it was said that THIS guitar was done, finished, replaced by much better more versatile instruments . This guitar was an old design that wouldn't stand up to the new modern era guitars. And all of a sudden there were copies of this same old design flooding the market, and still are ! My brand X Telecaster is way better than a real Telecaster.

[Barry Yasika]

In my orginal post, I was not comparing the quality of Emmons guitars or which guitar has the best tone compared to others. My observation is that Zum's, Sho Pro's, Justice, Promat, Franklin's, Anapeg all seem to be selling with no problems at prices anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand over and above Emmons guitars. There are two push pull's right now priced at about 3000 that have been sitting there for some time. Guys trying to pull 4000 out of an Emmons Lashely Legrande II are finding out, it's like pulling teeth to get that kind of money, regardless what I or anyone else thinks they should be worth. I have two Emmons guitars and I personally am not taking my inventory further than what I already have, unless I make the decision to go push pull. If I do the push pull will be an Emmons. Emmons has stood the test of time but my point is that the value seems to be diminishing some. It's just my observation, not the bible. I wish I was wrong, I even hope I am, but I came to this decision after gather a lot of information.

[Tom Vollmer]

Barry
You want some info on thoughts on Emmons PP come to our Jam this Sunday afternoon Near Hamburg Pa
E-Mail me for info on the jam

[Barry Yasika]

I'd love to Tom, I tried to make one of your jams but a family matter came up and I was unable to work out the timing. I'll PM you for address.

[Russ Tkac]

I had an Emmons push pull S-10 and D-10. I wish I had kept them. I'd buy another one if I had the cash but such is life. It makes me sad to see many great deals on the forum and no means to get one.

[John Lacey]

What I don’t understand is why a guitar like Emmons can be offered for $4000. and a fine Carter guitar with similar setup goes for $2500?

[Erv Niehaus]

It's kind of like buying hay.
Do you want it before its gone through the horse or after.
Erv

[Tony Prior]

What I don’t understand is why a guitar like Emmons can be offered for $4000. and a fine Carter guitar with similar setup goes for $2500?

Well there are differences, and I am a huge Carter fan. I have owned four, count em, D10's, used one exclusively for a decade. Great Instruments.

BUT in some area's, as good as they are musically, they are not the same as others. MUCH smaller parts which make it a bit more difficult to make some changes, especially if you have average or larger hands. The Allen head Screws, The Dog Bones , the rods are thinner etc...All of this does not detract from the play-ability but it is a difference worth noting from brand to brand.

John built a fine Instrument and even he placed it in the middle of the pack overall, he never compared it to others. He knew what he built and knew what he offered, a high quality Instrument at a reasonable price with a fast turn-around.

[Lee Baucum]

In my orginal post, I was not comparing the quality of Emmons guitars or which guitar has the best tone compared to others. My observation is that Zum's, Sho Pro's, Justice, Promat, Franklin's, Anapeg all seem to be selling with no problems at prices anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand over and above Emmons guitars.

Demand goes up and down, as it does with most things.

If one has the funds to do so, buying quality "things" when they have fallen out of favor can be rewarding.

Lee, from South Texas

[Erv Niehaus]

Buy low, sell high.
Erv

[Jerry Overstreet]

I suppose it's fodder for trivial discussion, but what grip did Emmons ever have? There was always Sho-Bud and Bigsby, Fender and others too. Recordings were done with lots of different guitars, not just Emmons.

Anyway, I think the only people concerned about the issue is steel players. All anyone else wants to know is if you can play what is required and that you do it well.

For the last 30 or so yrs., there have been a ton of recordings done with Franklin guitars. Lloyd Green's resumé is Sho-Bud for the last 40 or so with possibly a JCH sometime in the 80's, 90's.

Pete Drake must have done hundreds of Sho-Bud recordings.

Concerning Emmons value, it's likely the same as other brands and models. There are lovers and haters of all of them. I have only seen a few models of early Emmons that even approach the current value of Franklin or Bigsby, Anapeg etc. so....

About Herby, may he RIP, I've been seeing him since the late 70's at the shows and he always said the same thing about whatever guitar he was playing at the time:
"Without a doubt, best I've ever played." Be it Emmons, Zum, Sierra or Mullen.

[Johnie King]

Im neutral today

[Donny Hinson]

I don't really love or hate any guitar. They're all somewhat different, and they all have faults and merits. What I can't understand are the people who get offended when someone else says they do not care for the brand that they prefer. Like...what exactly is the big deal? Even Buddy Emmons bought and played other brands. Were these guys pissed off at him when he bought a ZumSteel? (Yeah, probably.) When Buddy posted that he couldn't hear any difference between the sound of the Emmons and the Carter, did that "offend" them?

Honestly, all this smugness that certain players have about this brand or that is rather childish and unbecoming. I'd have thought we'd have all outgrown that kind of behavior when we got out of grade-school. Look, it's one thing to prefer one brand over another, most of us do that. But when someone feels the need to jump in and insinuate that what they play is far better than everything else out there, and that the rest of us are ignorant for not buying into their preferences, that's just plain stupid.

[Jack Hanson]

I have three old Emmons guitars from the '70s. Even though there's undoubtedly more modern and possibly better guitars available, I'm keepin' mine and playin' 'em. They do what I need them to do. And they sound okay to me. Ignorance is bliss.