20th Anniversary update

[Alistair Hay]

Yes 20 years have now passed since I started on this amazing journey as a luthier and I can sincerely say that many of the experiences along the way were beyond my wildest dreams.
Each year you start off with plans and seldom do they pan out the way you hoped and this year was no exception.
This was to be a steady year, a year where we relaxed a little and recovered from consecutive years of growth and development. I was even thinking I might start playing Golf again and maybe do some more fishing. What unfolded couldn't have been further from that plan.
In late January I started a conversation with my brother-in-law Joe about production planning and efficiency as Joe runs a very large Auto body repair business in California and consults in the area of management and process efficiency.
What started as a light conversation led to Joe jumping on a flight 5 days later to come to Ireland and help us improve some areas.
Our main plan for the week was to install a computer system to allow us to track each guitar through production but what unfolded was 5 days of in depth analysis on every area of production. We stepped right back and took a fresh look, had some very heated discussions and in the end came up with a plan that we put straight into action.
Essentially that week we stopped production and resolved a lot of the little bottle necks and massively improved our work flow. We still build a guitar in the same way using the same materials but we do it with a much higher degree of organisation and efficiency. I will be forever indebted to Joe for his help in creating a much better foundation for future expansion. Now we are expanding our process while before we were expanding our problems.
So after a couple of long hard months working mainly in the office I felt the creative urge kick in and so I decided it was finally time to complete the redesign on the X30 and X10. That didn't seem enough of a task so I decided to also redevelop the X7 and as we were making moulds anyway why not add in an arch top just for fun.
It was a big undertaking but I find I get more creative inspiration when Im under pressure. I designed them all together as a set with a common design theme across all models and I think this has proved very successful both aesthetically and in function.
It was fitting that we launched these new models at our 20th anniversary celebration on May 30th as they marked the culmination of 20 years of research and development and the result is a set of instruments that will carry us well into the next 20 years.
I get great enjoyment from designing new guitars but the biggest thrill is seeing them being appreciated and used to create the music that was in my head during their creation.
We now have a fantastic range of guitars each with very different characteristics that meet very different needs. I was very conscious that I didn't want to create multiple designs that essentially all do the same thing and I hope you will agree that each sit in very different categories.
It has been a huge year for us so far and we still have plenty of 2018 left.
The range has expanded, the team has expanded, our sales and production have expanded but more importantly my love for what I do has expanded.
Thank you all for being a big part of the Emerald family through all your discussions and while I dont often get time to read the forum I do check in from time to time and always enjoy reading the positivity that is shared here.

[nuttyprof]

Congratulations on 20 years! It has been fun to be a part of the journey from the consumer end and to see how the company and the guitars have developed.
I think all of us on these forums are grateful to you and the work you do, and as a part of the emerald family, are immensely proud of you.
Great job Alistair!


Hope to visit the factory again someday. Who knows, maybe next time it'll be bigger and easier to find. =)

Alistair;

You are welcome--it's been a pleasure to be part of your family.

[mot]

Where's the like button? Thank you Alistair.

I have only known about Emerald guitars for a little over 5 years, but I have had an X20 in my hands after we chatted by email for a while back in 2013 and since then it has become and still is my go to favorite guitar. Thank you for all you do.

[raysachs]

A month ago I was totally unaware of carbon fiber acoustic guitars generally and Emerald specifically. Today I'm a very happy owner of an X20 that's well on it's way to being my only acoustic guitar. Someday I may add something smaller like an X7 or I may not. But I'm thrilled to own a guitar that plays this well, sounds this good, and is basically maintenance free and doesn't care what the humidity level is. (If anyone in the Philly area would like a couple of humidifiers and a bunch of replacement wicks, let me know!).

As your brainchild, labor of love, etc, Alistair, I can only say thank you! And congratulations on 20 years in what must have seemed like a difficult business at times, particularly in the early years...

-Ray

[kramster]

I like Emerald guitars... hope this helps.

[jdinco]

We REALLY appreciate your hard work and innovation ! Thanks Emerald.

[wickedwahine]

As the owner of a koa X7 (and future owner of a custom color nylon woody X7 currently on order — ooh today is the two month anniversary of my July 19 order date, yay!) I am a big fan of Emerald. I have some expensive custom koa ukuleles, and a couple of wood guitars, so I am always worried about humidity. It is so nice to have an instrument where that is not a concern.

I also think Emerald has an amazing origin story, as well as what appears to be terrific customer service. I wish them much success in the years to come, and want to thank Alistair and Kevin for putting up with my emails and that time I mailed them a paint swatch of the custom color I am hoping for.

Emerald Guitars has a talented man at the top, a hardworking staff, and a network of devoted fans that love the product. That is a definite recipe for continued success.

-Staci, figured that way Alistair, and you folks, would know who “wickedwahine” is, though I can’t imagine two of us are crazy enough to send paint swatches, haha.

[Earl49]

Thank you sharing that, Alistair, and for all that you do. Put us down as "very happy camper" Emerald owners too.

I never thought that anything would knock my trusty 17 year old Rainsong off of its lofty perch, but my X20 and my wife's X7 may have done that. Now if the house caught fire, I'd grab the X20 and X7 on the way out and let the WS-1000 takes its chances.

Hold on there Earl. If the house is afire don't forget to get your wife. Jeeze, got to tell you young guys everything.

[Carmel Cedar]

Alistair, thank you for being part of this community, and for driving the most creative, visionary advances in carbon fiber guitars today. I am convinced Emerald is pushing all makers to up their game and accelerate innovation in guitars. As a happy X7 owner (and soon to be again, with a woody of the new model), I'm voting with my purchases.

Here's to 20 more years of success!

[Captain Jim]

Congrats on Emerald's 20 anniversary and thanks for reimagining acoustic guitars (as well as the other instruments you make). Getting my first Emerald changed how I think about guitars. Looking forward to getting home soon so my third Emerald can be shipped.

[Methos1979]

Alistair,

I just REALLY want to thank you! I'm so excited to get the new design X7 woody in a few months.

My wife, on the other hand, REALLY wants to have a word with you... (Good thing there is an ocean between you!)

M.

[Acousticado]

Congrats to you, Alistair, and your entire team...and more importantly to your wife and kids who have supported you in this passion and journey. I hope you are all enjoying the fruits of your labor, well-deserved.

I am an Emerald fan, but while we're talking about his incredible creativity and marvelous instruments, we should also keep in mind that while he has been pushing the limits so have the other makers.

There is a unique kind of synergy occurring with composite guitars and those of us on this forum are the beneficiaries. Blackbird Joe has advanced significant changes in guitar shape and material. Rainsong Ashvin has remained true to a more traditional guitar shape but introduced significant change in materials and builds. CA Ellis introduced some of the early CF innovations and Journey's Baily is a recent addition to the synergy that is leading to some incredible musical instruments.

We are blessed.