Emmons history question

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 24 Mar 2023 9:08 am

What year did Ron Lashley Sr. turn the Emmons Guitar Co. over to Ron Lashley Jr.?

Thank You,
Mitch

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 24 Mar 2023 11:32 am

Did Senior turn the business over to Junior, or did Little Ron merely inherit it after Big Ron tipped over?

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 24 Mar 2023 1:25 pm

Neither! Ron Sr. Turned it over to Jim Aycoth. Without going into detail, Ron Jr later acquired it.

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 24 Mar 2023 3:51 pm

Dave Diehl wrote:Neither! Ron Sr. Turned it over to Jim Aycoth.

When did this happen? The reason for the question is because I have a 1988 Emmons Lashley Lagrande D10 that was built by Jack Strayhorn and I was just curious if Ron Sr. was still running the company at that time. I got this steel from a very dear friend who has now passed away and I'm trying to piece together it's history.

Thank you
Mitch

Bill Erchul · Post by **Bill Erchul** » 25 Mar 2023 11:04 am

I received a press release from Emmons in May 1998 announcing the sale of the company to Jim Aycoth. It stated that Ron Sr. would play "a key, active role" and that Ron Jr. and Jack Strayhorn would remain with the company.

When I returned to Burlington in February 1999 to pick up a new guitar, all four gentlemen were there. Wish I had packed a camera that day.

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 26 Mar 2023 8:49 am

Thank you, Bill!
I know how you feel about the camera. Once the moment is gone, it's gone forever. The occasion that you are talking about sure would have made a great picture to have. Thank you again for your help.

Mitch

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 27 Mar 2023 7:35 pm

After the first of Carl Dixon's Steel Guitar Extravaganza, a Swiss man living in Florida drove up from Gwinnett, GA to Burlington, NC and then to nearby Greensboro and sought up a business broker to tender his purchase interest to the owners of the Emmons Guitar Company.
The prospect's intentions was to unite the company with another, back then very successful steel guitar Mfg. Co. in Texas and take the operation for Emmons guitars as a custom-boutique brand to Nashville's Broadway and keep the other brand more as a standard line.
The hopes included trying to get BE involved into the brand who bore his name again, too.

The owner answered with a exorbitant purchase price and asked for an LOI to be signed to engage into discussions and a subsequent inspection period. The prospect signed although he was certain that the inspection period would provide numbers which would bring both parties back to the negotiating table and work on a more realistic price. The company had tired out and lost much of it's luster and newer companies were selling a multiple of what that company did.

However, after exchanging signed LOI's, the next the prospect and his future "partners" in Texas found out, was that the owners took that LOI straight to Jim Aycroft, their main parts builder and told him they were selling the company to some guy from Switzerland who was likely to take the company to Switzerland, essentially loosing Aycroft all business from the Emmons Guitar Co.
He bought the company there and then for pretty much that exorbitant amount of money and lacking a marketing plan to revive the company, ended in financial hardship which eventually ended the company back into the seller's son's possession.

What I can say, is that the somewhat disappointed prospect buyer is immensely glad to see the company being revived by the new team which in their own way is taking the brand not just back to but beyond it's old glory and, as a high end boutique brand of outstanding quality and with integrity.

... J-D.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 28 Mar 2023 5:43 am

There is much more to this story, as others have implied.

Jim Aycoth inherited a company in distress. It's my belief that, had he been allowed to continue with his more realistic business model, the history might look very different.

The Aycoths were in control of the company from '98 until about 2000/2001. As per the agreement between Jim Aycoth and Ron Lashley Sr., Ron Jr. had a place at Emmons under the new arrangement; he didn't inherit it from his father.

(I ordered my new SD-10 in April, 1998 and it was with Jim that I communicated. My second LeGrande - the one in my profile-pic - was delivered in October, 2000. That, too, was under the auspices of the Aycoths.)

The new Emmons Co., though, is an exciting venture and I believe that we all want to see them prosper and thrive. I can't imagine that we'll see any more new all-pull Emmons guitars, though.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 28 Mar 2023 11:10 am

I remember meeting Jim Aycoth at the Choo Choo City Steel Guitar Reunion in '01. At the time, I'd been playing steel for two years, and although my steel at the time was a 1974 Emmons GS-10, I wanted to see what it was like to play an Emmons Lashley Legrande, so I walked into the Emmons room at the show, had my picks and bar with me, but I think the white Emmons Lashley Legrande in there was just for display, because I didn't really get to try it out, but recently, at the Emmons Guitar Company in Sevierville, I had an opportunity to play a little bit on a 1994 Emmons D-10. I love the history of Emmons, and I love how the Emmons Guitar Company is building the ReSound '65! That's one steel I want to try out

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 28 Mar 2023 11:37 am

Roger Rettig wrote: I can't imagine that we'll see any more new all-pull Emmons guitars, though.

don't be so sure my friend!

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 28 Mar 2023 11:52 am

Uh, oh!!!!

Jack Strayhorn · Post by **Jack Strayhorn** » 11 Apr 2023 12:37 pm

Yes, Ron Sr owned the company in 88" and I was taking care of the daily operations.

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 13 Apr 2023 7:06 pm

Thank you Mr. Strayhorn for your reply. And thank you for building such a fine instrument. My dear friend bought it new in 1988 and enjoyed it into his 88th year (ironic isn't it) when he became no longer able to play. That's when I got it. He didn't want anyone to have the guitar but me and so now I'm getting to enjoy it. I have no intentions of ever parting with it. Thank you again, sir.

Mitch