The Steel Guitar Forum

Tony Prior wrote:All things considered, R Jr is a very savvy Steel technician and knows these guitars inside and out, but thats different than business 101 and business practices.

I do not recall anyone saying they paid for and waited a year or more for an instrument and when it arrived it was a piece of junk.

If indeed someone indeed received a piece of junk after waiting a long time they should say so.

And, there was that guy in Italy(his name might be Marco) that got an inferior guitar. I don't want to say junk. And I believe he was missing the pedal bar. I'll try to find that post. I wish Ron Jr. Could have kept the company alive. I would love to have an Emmons, push-pull or an all-pull.

I think Ron was over his head. Many people are great machinists and technicians. Some are not fitted for managing a company. They should stay in the shop, and let someone else run the company.

Richard,
I think you hit the nail on the head. Nobody can be good at everything.

Richard Sinkler wrote:And, there was that guy in Italy(his name might be Marco) that got an inferior guitar. I don't want to say junk. And I believe he was missing the pedal bar. I'll try to find that post.

Richard - Here is a link to a rather lengthy discussion ---> Click Here

On the first page, Joey posted links to earlier discussions.

I wonder, if anybody has heard from Ivano lately?
It would be nice to hear how he's getting along with his Emmons.

Richard Sinkler wrote:I think Ron was over his head. Many people are great machinists and technicians. Some are not fitted for managing a company.

This is what I suspected.

It is the same with most inventors.
After they have something perfected, they don't carry through with it, they go on to something else.

I doubt most inventors take money from people for a product and fail to deliver. That's the point here. Just send the money back and tell the guys they aren't getting a guitar and get over it. Pretty simple if you ask me. I build custom fishing rods as a side job. When I get to a point I am 6 months behind, I stop taking orders until I am caught up. Its simple math. But to keep taking orders I can't deliver is pretty much defined as theft here in Texas. The guys that got the fishing rods are Erv and the the guys that got ripped off are the guys on this thread. To try and justify the screwing is a joke. I don't have a dog in the hunt, but I have owned a couple of Emmons guitars and currently own a Justice. I would order from Fred again before I would order an Emmons.

The info in this thread is a bit confusing if it is correct. Any lawyers out there?

It was said above that the state dissolved the corporation. This is confusing. Is Emmons a legal entity any more or not?

People incorporate to protect their personal assets. The owners can pull a very nice living out of the company even while it is failing. Customers and suppliers are not so well protected. The Lashley's let the corporation lapse by failing over 4 years to maintain it. That was not an accident. It was a choice. Certainly they must have had legal advice.

Typically the corporate assets are the machinery and physical plant and any other capital assets used by the company. It seems odd that Lashley still has the equipment and uses it to make money, while customers are still out their money.

So, it does not sound as though Emmons has gone into bankruptcy. If that were the case the company's assets (such as equipment) would have been used to address debt. Yet it seems those assets are being dispersed. When they are gone how will those who lost their money have any recourse?

Now the questions I have are: If the corporation is no more, do the people who got screwed over have any recourse, or has the death of the corporation also ended the liablity? or, If the state dissolved the corporation, are all of the Lashley's personal assets fair game for a law suit?

I am curious!

Why is the Emmons website still up and fully operational after all the chain of events?

Quentin Hickey wrote:I am curious!

Why is the Emmons website still up and fully operational after all the chain of events?

It hasn't changed in a long time, and there's no "active" content. It's a very light-weight site. Maybe they paid the hosting bill for 5 years in advance.

The only think I know for sure is that I talked to Ron Jr. several weeks back, ordered 10 sets of strings. Sent them a check prior to shipment and they arrived as scheduled.

Also received some shock springs that I asked for. An even dozen.

George

Buddy said to me that he had hoped that the company would provide a good "nest-egg" for his retirement and when he realized he had inadvertently signed his portion of ownership/royalties away, he drank all day.
For a couple of months, I rented a house across the street from Buddy & Peggy and one day, I noticed a lot of cars parked in his driveway. Being the curious guy that I am, I went over to investigate. I knocked on the door and entered the basement and there on a stool was a miniature gas pump, filled with booze. There was a little picture of Ron Sr. on the pump and a bunch of heavyweight steel players imbibing.
What I had walked into was Buddy's annual "Lashley Bash".
On a side note, on Buddy's wall, in his basement, was a framed picture of the Emmons patent. It was cool to see it, aside from the broken glass.

Great story, Chris!

That is a good one, well told. You can see the broken glass.

Boy there are stories in the biz, instrumentally and otherwise... maybe it was just another,
but I'd guess that you have to be in the middle of it to be personal. I do think that Mr. Emmons acquitted himself well
as a gentleman and a musician--which would have been sufficient--even when it came down to planes flying overhead,
people wearing tinfoil caps, when all that eye-zapping was going around--
he continued to be a real gentleman, Southern, I might add. What a guy.

Bobbe told me once Buddy didn't got nothing from Emmons Comp. but an old Cadillac... I love Emmons guitars, I believe they are the best there is, but I can care or less for the owners, they can be on crack living in the card board box as far as I'm concerned ... karma is a bitch

The reality is a little more complex than that but it is true that Buddy certainly did not get his just desserts from the arrangement.

Damir,
Did you believe everything Bobbe told you?

Erv Niehaus wrote:Damir,
Did you believe everything Bobbe told you?

I had no reason not to, and he was not the only one saying that anyway

I know there were a lot of late deliveries. Even one court case. But did anyone get taken when all was said and done? Anyone not get a guitar they paid for? A big Texas PSG builder folded in the late 70's or 80's. A good many folks got taken. However, that Co.later re-organized and spokesman for that outfit was treated like royalty by most here. Just an observation.

b.

My sentiments exactly, Bobby.

Consciencely, I never did understand THAT!

Bobby, everyone who had a deposit with the 85 MSA got a credit for that deposit when they came back. Treating people good helps.
And remember the tale of Shaun Sprouse's guitar. Lashley gets no credit for bringing a guitar to the court date.

Actually Lane thats not true at all --- there was six guys in New Zealand that I know of that paid for MSA guitars up front --- and they are still waiting !!!!

Ouch. I'd not heard that. I just remembered the announcement that they were honoring the deposits.
I suppose you don't need me to say it, but that's kinda uncool.
What do Smithey and Mitchell have to say?

What did they do for the guys that had already passed on? Or were no longer able to play due to medical reasons etc. No need to answer.
I'm not looking to kick MSA in the head. Just want the guy or gal that paid the Lashley's in full to stand up and say. I paid for a new Emmons and never got it. Not saying they're not out there. But would really be surprised if they are. Again only curious.

b.