21/08/2020
Hi All,
I hope you are all coping well with the social conditions imposed by the pandemic and are keeping safe and well. Not being able to go to live gigs has been the toughest thing for me about this whole covid-19 situation and hopefully this time next year it will all be a bad memory.
A new delivery of resonators has arrived and I'm working hard to get them ready for sale. Check out the post immediately after this one for the link to what's available.
The question I get asked most about Icarus Resonators is 'Where are they made?' and although it's a question I have answered before let me address it again.
All of the component parts (except the strings) are made in China and when they arrive to me I assemble them into a playable instrument. In fact any resonator you see offered for sale that is priced under £1000 will be made from parts manufactured in China. For example, makes such as Republic, Ozark, Regal, Johnson, AMG, Michael Messer, Recording King and even leading names such as Gretsch, Epiphone, Dobro, Fender etc. are all made in China or use Chinese components if they are priced under £1000.
If you want all American like National, Mule, Beard and a few boutique makers (all superb instruments) then expect to pay in excess $2500.
Now for a subject I wouldn't normally discuss in a post, namely social media trolls and one in particular; a certain Mr Kris Palmer.
You expect to find them on Facebook and Twitter but Mr Palmer cropped up on the Icarus Guitars YouTube channel making a very derogatory remark about Icarus guitars, the main thrust of his missive being that they were Chinese masquerading as UK built instruments. Well I have already dealt with that in this post as I have many times before whenever people care to ask.
Having barred him from commenting on YouTube he then crops up on my eBay messaging using even more insulting language.
He seems to have a huge chip on his shoulder about Chinese guitars in general, dismissing them all as rubbish (he used a much more offensive term).
Upon investigating his eBay ID (krpal_65) it turns out he recently sold a Fender Telecaster 'Modern Player' (made in China) and was in the market for a resonator. It turns out that he purchased a Republic model. I pointed out to him that Republic (like Icarus) not only use entirely Chinese components but source them from the same factory as Icarus.
Now, Republic are very fine instruments, in fact when I receive enquiries from the USA I point the enquirer to the Republic website as a more cost effect solution for American buyers, taking into account the shipping and import duty that would be payable if buying from the UK.
So having lost the technical argument Mr Palmer launched into a vile personal attack, as you might expect from an internet troll, at which point I cut him off and made a complaint to eBay.
Icarus Guitars has been trading for six years now with hundreds of satisfied customers but even the best businesses sometimes make mistakes and it's how you remedy mistakes that is important and how you treat customers. At Icarus the old adage "The Customer is King!"
is never more true. I have no idea if Mr Palmer is a past dissatisfied customer, if he is I certainly don't remember him and he certainly has never returned an instrument for a refund within the 30 day approval period or claimed under the 3 year warranty that comes with all Icarus guitars.
If you are a satisfied Icarus customer reading this post and come across one of Mr Palmer's anti Icarus internet missives, feel free to rebuff him directly.
All the best
Ian@Icarus
PS - Check the link in the following post
