emmons co. vs ivano

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 14 Jun 2010 9:53 am

....i can't help it. this still bothers me. has the emmons co. ever offered any indication of their side of the story to anyone? lots of you probably communicate with the lashleys. i don't want to think they are cold-hearted rip-offs, which it seems, so please someone give some facts of their point of view. ...no not you erv...nothing personal...

why did they send the first piece of junk steel?
why did they say they received the pedal rack and then said they didn't?
why did they respond rudely to the customer's inquiry?
why was there such a time delay and seemingly strange lack of communication?

this now has nothing to do with paolo and ivano. now it has to do with us as a consumer base in a specialty group. i'm sure we would all like to get back together in a warm and fuzzy relationship with our favorite (?) historical company.

Richard Damron · Post by **Richard Damron** » 14 Jun 2010 11:13 am

Chris -

The Lashleys are the only ones who can adequately answer your questions. Second hand information is of much lesser value.

To date, there has been nothing issued by the Emmons Guitar Company which could be construed as even damage control.

I will NOT be presumptuous and dictate to them what they must do. It is, however, evident that something - on their part - should be done in an effort to polish the Emmons name. It's their call. We shall see - or maybe not.

Respectfully,

Richard

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 14 Jun 2010 11:24 am

thanx richard. i agree.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 14 Jun 2010 2:01 pm

I don't like to get involved in these mysteries as it sometimes, IMO, gets a few coming out of the woodwork. Has anyone else ever had a part missing??? They are probably too busy making some of the best psg on the planet. I know the Lashleys. I don't know the other guys and I don't care to. I just hope that the Lashleys don't let some of this get them discouraged from building psg. I believe they have built thousands of great psg while others have folded and this to me indicates great integrity. I just hope that I get to visit with them again before I leave this life.

Richard Damron · Post by **Richard Damron** » 14 Jun 2010 2:27 pm

Charles -

You'll note that I am keeping a discreet distance from all of this. I do not know the Lashleys and would not presume to judge their character or intentions. It's obvious, however, that the Emmons name has become at least a little tarnished in the last couple of months. I'm of the mind that SOMETHING must be said or done. As I stated above, it's their call, not mine or anyone else.

Respectfully,

Richard

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 14 Jun 2010 3:37 pm

I think there's a lot of folks that are very interested in hearing why this all had to turn out the way it did as evidenced by over 400 views in the last hour. I, like Chris, am still bothered by what happened and would love to give Emmons guitar Company the benefit of the doubt and have my faith restored in a once great company. Silence in this matter aint gonna do it.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 14 Jun 2010 3:37 pm

They've never ben a fave of mine ever since their namesake had trouble with them and left. Like with "Cor" it seems to show that they will take every advantage over people in the "overseas market".

It just gets to me that people think that they are buying something that BE has something to do with, to put it lightly.

Then too for some reason companies like May Screw/Sue _ or the OLD Sierra BEFORE TOM don't seem to stop taking orders when they are planning to "sell" (read: go out of business).

Then the doors are locked, the utilities turned off, then an auction, THEN a New Company that might or might not honor the deposits/ payments....

STILL they seem to have stooges here on the Forum that stick up for them.... ahem ahem not mentioning any b0b names b0b.. just kidding...

EJL

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 14 Jun 2010 3:53 pm

Perhaps the laqshleys/emmons do not make pedal bars any more. Maybe they have gone in to the non pedal market

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 14 Jun 2010 3:57 pm

He's lucky they didn't charge him for a "Conversion"....

EJL

Shorty Smith · Post by **Shorty Smith** » 14 Jun 2010 5:48 pm

I really don't know what your problem is but I been dealing with Emmons for 35 years and never had a bad deal with them and I know they make one of the best steel guitar on the market and has a good stock of parts. It sounds like it could be a commuication problem,Shorty

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 14 Jun 2010 6:53 pm

I've always thought the little Atomic Fretboard markers were cheezy.

The necks are too close together and you rub your suitcoat sleeves raw on the C6th neck.

The formica looked really fake except for the black ones.

Most of them sound like a Sho~Bud with peanut butter smeared on the strings.

Then there's those dumb looking pedals and a neck changer switch inbetween the necks like we can't figure out which hand to use....

Sheesh..

Other than that..

EJL

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 14 Jun 2010 6:57 pm

Don't sugarcoat it Eric... tell us how you really feel.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 14 Jun 2010 7:01 pm

There's nothing wrong with them..

If that's the kind of guitar, sound, and customer service you are after..

I'll concede that the Black ones are some better...

They sound like a Sho~Bud with a little less peanut butter smeared on the strings.

I guess if they have "Compensators" though...

Maybe Ivano should have adjusted the Compensator...

BBBBWWWAAHAhhahahhahahaha..

EJL

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 14 Jun 2010 7:18 pm

Chris said:

i'm sure we would all like to get back together in a warm and fuzzy relationship with our favorite (?) historical company.

Chris, this isn't the first rodeo between Emmons and a member of this forum.

As far as the "Warm and Fuzzy relationships" thing goes, if anybody wants to buy a new steel guitar from Emmons, you can't say they weren't warned.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 14 Jun 2010 8:10 pm

Shorty, this has nothing to do with a "communication problem". This is a "results oriented" problem. Forgive me, but I live in a reality based community. Ya know, its funny about living in a reality based community. Take our dairy company for instance. Marrs Dairy Company. When Marrs tells a guy that his butter and eggs are going to be delivered along with his milk in the morning, a guy can open his back door and step out on his steps at 7:30 A.M. in his bedroom slippers and bath robe, and lo and behold, find his butter and eggs sitting right their with his milk! Its a beautiful thing, as the Italians like to say. Thats part of the benfit of living in a reality based community. We sorta get used to that happening. Today they call it "it is what it is".

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 14 Jun 2010 8:55 pm

Eric, I must admit for a while you had me going, until you called the atom fretmarkers designed by Buddy Emmons as "cheezy", without question they are the greatest fretmarker in the industry followed by the Franklin spiderweb which I like a lot. Then you finished enlightening me with the necks too close together, we all know that bottom neck is there to play music on and not merely an armrest. Man, you still had me going slightly until you made mention of the neckswitch mounted in the most logical place on the guitar. But the real kicker was when you belittled the sound of an Emmons which is the benchmark of the industry in both sound and appearance. Thanks for clearing my mind, for a while I thought you were serious.

Jerry

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 14 Jun 2010 9:09 pm

Jerry, At least he threw the black color into the mix. We all know that double blindfolded studies have proven that they really do sound better.

I just don't understand the peanut-butter thing. I thought all steelers knew only crisco oil will enhance the tone... In fact, isn't that why Emmons used mica in the first place? I can't remember, was it really just to prevent cigarette burns?

Somebody ask Bill Hankey.

Mike Bagwell · Post by **Mike Bagwell** » 14 Jun 2010 9:23 pm

Chris,

I've done business with Emmons Guitar Co. since the mid 70's. I've owned many of their guitars and I never had a problem they didn't make right. IMHO they build the best guitar currently on the market.

Eric, I've got a ugly brown 67 Emmons with over 5000 gigs on it and thousands of hours played at home. Its never had to be rebuilt, they did it right the first time.
Ive owned 10 or 12 Sho Buds, and most of them sounded decent. The exception was an early 70's LDG that was killer, it was in the same ballpark as an average Emmons

Mike

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 14 Jun 2010 9:24 pm

Well I've had my moments with Emmonses.. I've actually never found that they fit my playing. String width maybe and maybe the neck elevation diff. Really I've only played a few of them, and more sitting in than anything else.

It's mostly what you learn on, and learn to like. My ProII was brand new out the back door of Baldwin for 600$. I never really had a desire to play anything else.

Bud C played an old ratty ProIII that Mr Kellar provided him, and he very definitely said that he was not in the business of promoting or selling ANY guitars. I just assumed that he liked it. Maybe he didn't..

I remember one time Mr Lashley came into Oxon Hill Music in 77 or so when I was sweating a bucket or two in front of Bud C, and made arrangements for his new Emmons. It was black of course, and had 9v active PUs. Sounded real good at Hunters' Lodge that weekend, but then anything Bud C plays sounds good.

Now Franklins, I think are PERFECT in EVERY WAY, from Laurel Green to whatever color they come in, the fret markers, the mechanics, the tone, the company. Oh, I could go on and on....

My Marrs replaced my bushwhipped ProIII in 05 and I've liked it. Until maybe I used my old PIII at a rehearsal a few months ago. The Aluminum Necks I think made it cut better and I realised wny I liked it so much.

I've got it on the bench right now awaiting time to put some new fingers on it. I've already straighened the apron and put some new swivels on to replace the worn ones.

Anyhow, back to the "dogfight"..

EJL

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 14 Jun 2010 9:35 pm

I like guitars with pedal racks. I think they play better.

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 14 Jun 2010 9:55 pm

Eric said:

My ProII was brand new out the back door of Baldwin for 600$. I never really had a desire to play anything else

Ivano is out 10 times that amount (Yes, that's 6 thousand dollars) and he never had a desire to play anything else either. BTW, his went out the front door... you know the rest of the story.

Thanks to Kevin and others, Ivano will someday finally get to play his $6,000 guitar.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 15 Jun 2010 3:09 am

I have two Emmon's Steel Guitar stories, both my own..which make them first hand...

I have also stopped in to visit Ron Jr in the past and when he was there he was always very courteous , helpful and friendly. I have made purchases from Ron but never ordered anything where I had to wait...so I have no comments with regard to the public topic..

My primary axe is a Carter D10, I have had 3, I love them...( I only have 1 now ) I have also had a couple of Sho-Buds, an MSA and a Legrande D10 ( Black of course ) all fine Instruments.

story 1...

One of my C6th recording projects, I got a note from a friend, he told me that my Push Pull sounded awesome ! My Push Pull was the 2nd Carter I owned .

story 2...

On a more recent recording project I actually used the Legrande, another friend told me that the Carter sounded fine but I should consider using the Emmon's instead !

Oh well...I don't have the Legrande anymore but kept the friends ! Don't get me wrong, I would buy any Emmon's or Sho-Bud Steel if I was in the market, both great Instruments..

that's it, that's all I got...

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 15 Jun 2010 3:40 am

Just remember when you order your next emmons from the lashleys to place an order with Kevin for an emmons pedal bar!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 15 Jun 2010 3:44 am

No offense Shorty, but your brown mica on that guitar reminds me of my ugly looking kitchen cabinets!!

Ransom Beers · Post by **Ransom Beers** » 15 Jun 2010 4:28 am

"Maybe Ivano should have adjusted the Compensator"

Or used less peanut butter!!!!!

I like peanut butter but not smeared on my "BSG",now on an Emmons maybe thats the secret to thier tone.