01/12/2024
Alvarez is a branded I’ve always been fond of. when I met him, Harry Chapin played them most of the time, and an Ovation. they made some really good progress in the last few years and even though I don’t sell them anymore, I’ve always been pleased to support the brand and Master Yairi’s work, may he rest in peace.
No, I’m hearing about this new series,  the Laureate series, crème de la crème with hand, selected high-grade materials throughout, a new pick up system, and what I expect is an elegant dream to play. There’s only one place you can buy them: from the big box, corporate store, Sweetwater. Since good number of their employees don’t even play instruments but they’re going to take your order and advise you over the phone, I put them in the same category as Guitar Center and Walmart‘a First, Esteban and Kieth Urban; crap. 49 points inspection, blah blah blah. and that’s the people they trusted to do the best job of representing this new highest line.
Funny thing is just a couple days ago I was speaking with a guy who bought two high-end Taylors from them at about $6k each. The first  one arrived with some pitting in the fretboard and for that kind of money, he was right to requires that they send him another without blemish. The replacement had a damaged case. And these other people that are going to represent you better than the stores advisor, customers, well and accurately 365 days of the year?
I can’t speak for anybody but myself, but my own reviews show you what I do when I don’t have what Customer needs or wants . I find it for them and make sure they get a good deal. I don’t send them damaged merchandise and even after their 49 or 99 whatever is point inspection they still managed to miss that there was a pitch hole in a fretboard on a $6000 guitar from a company that actually harvest the Ebony itself… and then another one with broken hinges on the back. I’m not sure that I’m shocked anymore with what Taylor has been putting out since Bob and Kurt made it employee owned and stepped out, but if you have a 49 point inspection and you don’t manage to see that don’t tell me how great these company is or how much better they would do then somebody like me, or Tobias Music in the Chicagoland area which has been going for half a century almost 2 generations.
I admitted some 10 years ago, haven’t gotten several of Eastman’s and guitars from Exchange. Students going back home. I had declared them to be junk and decided we would not be taking anymore of them. I had to eat those because Eastman has stepped up their game beyond imagination, Make progress in making better guitars and Wade we have never even thought of. And for under $2000 I can buy a rock salad that sounds as good as the best of the Martins, plays better and comes outstandingly well-built hard shell case. I’ve had discussions with other companies in China, and they can build is no longer a gaudy cheap copy of a well- build American made instrument.- and doing so at prices below what it would cost me to buy and cut the wood.
So keep on sucking up to Big Box. Everybody and their mother will be selling your instruments — by the pound. ignore the small mom and Pop operations like ours. We’ll just shift gears again, and bring forward exceptionally good instruments, perhaps our cooperation and input, advising our faithful customers as to what is good for them and their wallet these days. We will give you the same loyalty you gave us.
It truly does pain me. I’m loyal as a dog but you and Taylor both bit in the hand I fed you for decades. don’t be too shocked when your $700-$2000 (Guitars) don’t sell your competition makes something at least good for that money.
I guess the honeymoon is over but I’m not the one who cheated .
