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  #16  
Old 03-27-2021, 07:11 AM
jdrnd jdrnd is offline
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Originally Posted by Captain Jim View Post
Just tossing out some fun thoughts about the premise. Over the years as a business owner, I had a few people give me their thoughts on how I should run my business. None of them had any idea what our P&L and balance sheets looked like. Most of them were trying to sell me something (usually advertising).
I own and run a business.

But that is irrelevant.

Carbon fiber and other synthetic substances can be made in to any shape that can be imagined. Their acoustic properties can be manipulated, tweaked, enhanced by changing shape, thickness, density (name your parameter). Emerald guitars are not the only innovators out there. There will be better sounding instruments from competitors that are willing to invest the time and money. There is somebody living now who will grasp the opportunities carbon fiber instruments present. Emerald has a head start.

Emerald guitars will cost more money if they install a supply (and support) system in North America.

I am only speaking for me. I would like to play the instrument before I buy it. This is the first time I bought a guitar without playing it first. I love this guitar, BUT it had a buzz in the bass strings at and above the 9th fret and now that I adjusted it the action is higher than I would like. I can live with the action as the guitar sounds great. Emeralds support advice was take it to a luthier. I will when I get a chance.

and on a different note.
You snuck in a reference to Jim Olson guitars a few posts ago. Do you think Jim Olson would ship a guitar with a bass string buzz? Emerald did. When I say buzz I am being diplomatic, more like the string was muted. No one at this forum would accept it. If I had played the guitar in a reputable store, they would have adjusted it. Actually, I would not have bought that guitar.. Instead I would have bought a different X30 that didn't buzz. I am not the only person who was shipped a guitar with a buzz. Alex Ryan in one of his threads on his X20 had to adjust his guitar. I learned which way to turn the truss bar from that thread.

In summary.
The sale of non traditionally shaped, great sounding, synthetic (carbon fiber) guitars will increase because they look great, they are easy to care for, and now they sound great. Only one company is building these guitars. Emerald has a head start. If they don't expand, someone else will fill the void.
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  #17  
Old 03-27-2021, 09:23 AM
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One concession I would make to the notion of an emerald outpost in the U.S. is a point of distribution and repair. For a while Michael's in Salt Lake was such a store for CF instruments in general. Michael was a check against a faulty instrument arriving at home base and he was also a modification/repair center. I think Emerald would do well to have such a U.S. base.
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  #18  
Old 03-27-2021, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
One concession I would make to the notion of an emerald outpost in the U.S. is a point of distribution and repair. For a while Michael's in Salt Lake was such a store for CF instruments in general. Michael was a check against a faulty instrument arriving at home base and he was also a modification/repair center. I think Emerald would do well to have such a U.S. base.
That would be a good start. I am aware that it would increase the cost of the instruments.
Also shipping guitars to guitar stores would increase the cost of the instruments.
I would also assume that if you could buy a Martin or Taylor directly from their factories and they stopped shipping to local guitar stores, the price of those instruments would go down.
But then you wouldn't be able to try them out before buying.
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  #19  
Old 03-27-2021, 10:37 AM
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I appreciate the candid reports of these experiences. I've not yet played an Emerald but even the negative or less than ideal experiences won't deter my interest.

Emerald wants to build the best carbon fiber acoustic guitars on the planet. They are very forward thinking and most importantly they are listening .

Alistair's announcement on the shipping video yesterday about eliminating many custom options so they can focus on quality and production (at least I hope that is a motivating factor) and adding options like a fully adjustable bridges (the Ghost). Yes you pay extra for the Ghost but you also would pay extra for a professional set up. I do my own set ups and have become proficient at it but I too would be very frustrated spending $3K on a guitar with buzzing.
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  #20  
Old 03-28-2021, 09:18 AM
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I appreciate the candid reports of these experiences. I've not yet played an Emerald but even the negative or less than ideal experiences won't deter my interest.
Not sure where you live, but I’ve got one an X30 order. If you’re near Long Island, we can meet and you can try mine. I think I’ve got 3 months or so to go, though.
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  #21  
Old 03-28-2021, 09:54 AM
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[QUOTE=EvanB;6673491 the Kramster, for example, has probably shared his collection with at least 276 people.[/QUOTE]
.....

Prolly only 274
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  #22  
Old 03-28-2021, 10:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
One concession I would make to the notion of an emerald outpost in the U.S. is a point of distribution and repair. For a while Michael's in Salt Lake was such a store for CF instruments in general. Michael was a check against a faulty instrument arriving at home base and he was also a modification/repair center. I think Emerald would do well to have such a U.S. base.
You said 'was'?

Is this a profitable activity? Who pays for service and re-shipping?

Shouldn't the factory do its own inspections and repairs before packing and shipping? Before it goes on the rack for weekly videos?

Keep in mind emerald is likely 8-12 people including the owner.
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Last edited by casualmusic; 03-28-2021 at 10:43 AM.
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  #23  
Old 03-28-2021, 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by mikealpine View Post
Not sure where you live, but I’ve got one an X30 order. If you’re near Long Island, we can meet and you can try mine. I think I’ve got 3 months or so to go, though.
Southern new Hampshire
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  #24  
Old 03-28-2021, 10:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by casualmusic View Post
Who pays for service and re-shipping?
Ultimately those of us who buy the instruments.
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  #25  
Old 03-29-2021, 10:33 AM
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Guys one solution that, admittedly has some compromises, would be to go to a NAMM show in LA or Nashville, visit the Emerald booth and try out every model. You'd have two opportunities each year to do it and get to go to a NAMM show to boot.
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  #26  
Old 03-29-2021, 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Ruppster View Post
Guys one solution that, admittedly has some compromises, would be to go to a NAMM show in LA or Nashville, visit the Emerald booth and try out every model. You'd have two opportunities each year to do it and get to go to a NAMM show to boot.

Do you have to be a vendor to get in?
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  #27  
Old 03-29-2021, 11:14 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdrnd View Post
Do you have to be a vendor to get in?
The short answer is you need to be in the biz but it's not incredibly difficult to get a pass if you know someone who works at a music store, etc. I've been and I am not in the industry. It's a really great experience. Actually, the folks at Emerald might even be able to set you up if you were committed to going and knew the date, time, etc.
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  #28  
Old 03-29-2021, 11:31 AM
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Has Emerald had a booth at NAMM since they started selling direct?
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  #29  
Old 03-29-2021, 11:34 AM
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Casual;

My impression is that Michael was in the business for the joy of it--he served the CF community and probably did not make much (if any) money.
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  #30  
Old 03-29-2021, 02:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
Casual;

My impression is that Michael was in the business for the joy of it--he served the CF community and probably did not make much (if any) money.
I went to his shop, where he had guitar inventory and accessories, so I'm guessing he had the intent to be profitable. Good guy, and certainly a supporter of Carbon Fiber instruments.

Notice the guitar shops that get recommended here don't sell just CF guitars... got to have plenty of those "mainstream" wood guitars to serve the general public.
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