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  #16  
Old 09-12-2021, 10:01 AM
Alistair Hay Alistair Hay is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiberty View Post
A skilled tech or builder will do a much nicer job than a PLEK.

The main reason to use a PLEK is labor savings. It's why Martin has PLEDed their guitars for a decade or so, and nobody would call their fretwork particularly outstanding.

On a custom instrument, I'd normally consider it a downgrade. Wouldn't prevent me from ordering another Emerald though.
I couldn't disagree with you more here.
This was not a decision based on costs but rather 100% based on quality.
We already spend a considerable amount of time setting up each guitar and it takes skill and precision. With the Plek machine it takes a skilled technician to carry out the process properly taking into account many factors and we have so far found that it adds a significant amount of time to the overall process as well as it being a $110,000 investment.
I can say hand on heart the the Plek machine can dress the frets better and to higher precision than the finest luthier in the world but it takes a fine luthier to make the right decisions to get the best from the machine.
Its just another tool in our tool box. It doesn't take away from our guitars being hand built and in fact over the past 5 years the number of hours we invest into each guitar has almost doubled.
We are investing in significant equipment as we build our new factory but the emphasis is always on precision and quality rather than replacing quality labour content.
Alistair Hay
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  #17  
Old 09-12-2021, 12:33 PM
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StringMeUp StringMeUp is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alistair Hay View Post
I couldn't disagree with you more here.
This was not a decision based on costs but rather 100% based on quality.
We already spend a considerable amount of time setting up each guitar and it takes skill and precision. With the Plek machine it takes a skilled technician to carry out the process properly taking into account many factors and we have so far found that it adds a significant amount of time to the overall process as well as it being a $110,000 investment.
I can say hand on heart the the Plek machine can dress the frets better and to higher precision than the finest luthier in the world but it takes a fine luthier to make the right decisions to get the best from the machine.
Its just another tool in our tool box. It doesn't take away from our guitars being hand built and in fact over the past 5 years the number of hours we invest into each guitar has almost doubled.
We are investing in significant equipment as we build our new factory but the emphasis is always on precision and quality rather than replacing quality labour content.
Alistair Hay
That was my thought too. Thanks for weighing in Alistair.
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  #18  
Old 09-12-2021, 01:06 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alistair Hay View Post
I couldn't disagree with you more here.
This was not a decision based on costs but rather 100% based on quality.
We already spend a considerable amount of time setting up each guitar and it takes skill and precision. With the Plek machine it takes a skilled technician to carry out the process properly taking into account many factors and we have so far found that it adds a significant amount of time to the overall process as well as it being a $110,000 investment.
I can say hand on heart the the Plek machine can dress the frets better and to higher precision than the finest luthier in the world but it takes a fine luthier to make the right decisions to get the best from the machine.
Its just another tool in our tool box. It doesn't take away from our guitars being hand built and in fact over the past 5 years the number of hours we invest into each guitar has almost doubled.
We are investing in significant equipment as we build our new factory but the emphasis is always on precision and quality rather than replacing quality labour content.
Alistair Hay
Excellent, Alistair, and I'm with you but we're still going to get "expert" opinions from those who've never touched a Plek machine or spent $110,000 on acquiring and using one.
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  #19  
Old 09-12-2021, 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
Excellent, Alistair, and I'm with you but we're still going to get "expert" opinions from those who've never touched a Plek machine or spent $110,000 on acquiring and using one.
Ouch! Thanks for your input, Alistair....
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  #20  
Old 04-25-2022, 02:05 AM
Corndog Corndog is offline
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Originally Posted by SpruceTop View Post
Excellent, Alistair, and I'm with you but we're still going to get "expert" opinions from those who've never touched a Plek machine or spent $110,000 on acquiring and using one.

Alistair saved us from yet another "expert"
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  #21  
Old 04-25-2022, 06:51 PM
PinkLine PinkLine is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiberty View Post
A skilled tech or builder will do a much nicer job than a PLEK.
I love seeing utter nonsense offered with absolute surety.
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  #22  
Old 04-26-2022, 01:45 AM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
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Originally Posted by PinkLine View Post
I love seeing utter nonsense offered with absolute surety.
Given that Martin has used a PLEK for a decade or so... yeah. But at least it's consistent.
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  #23  
Old 08-22-2022, 08:14 PM
Hambone70 Hambone70 is offline
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I’m wondering if/when Emerald will start to outsource production. Hopefully never!

Last edited by Hambone70; 08-22-2022 at 08:20 PM.
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  #24  
Old 08-24-2022, 02:51 PM
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This was nice to read. I owned two Emeralds direct from the factory and everything was pretty much spot on when they were delivered except for the fact that one had one high fret and the other had three. Hopefully this will prevent that from happening anymore because the high frets aside, they make amazing instruments!
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