Gordon Smith and Richard's Guitars

RichardsGuitars

TheGuitarWeasel said:

There are often times when I do my best to persuade a customer not to buy a certain pickup in my range. The reason being ... that from all they've told me about their style and their instrument .... I feel that the pickup won't suit them. I'm in the business of happy customers, so I want them to be happy with my advice firstly ... then hopefully my product. But the two aren't mutually exclusive ... a customer might not buy today ... but he will remember sound advice from a business that doesn't just seek to take his money.
Anyway if I cared about making money I wouldn't be in the music industry ...

I am with you 100%! 

Dave_Mc

TheGuitarWeasel said:

There are often times when I do my best to persuade a customer not to buy a certain pickup in my range. The reason being ... that from all they've told me about their style and their instrument .... I feel that the pickup won't suit them. I'm in the business of happy customers, so I want them to be happy with my advice firstly ... then hopefully my product. But the two aren't mutually exclusive ... a customer might not buy today ... but he will remember sound advice from a business that doesn't just seek to take his money.
Anyway if I cared about making money I wouldn't be in the music industry ...

It's nice to see at least some business people realise that. I'm always mystified at how many businesses seem to so badly want a sale today, even if it's almost guaranteed to piss the customer off and likely make that customer never shop with them again.

RichValentine

I have been browsing Richard's site recently on the look out for an archtop although I ended up finding an offer on a Yamaha elsewhere I couldn't turn down. After reading this and seeing his policy/care he will certainly be getting some of my business in future. In my job reputation and principles are essential so appreciate it in others.

RichardsGuitars

Hi guys!

I know this is a very old thread now but I just wanted to update you on it.

Gordon-Smith guitars have just been taken over by Auden Guitars.  I have had a fantastically positive conversation about Gordon-Smith and Richards Guitars.  Anyone who questions my integrity when it comes to criticizing Gordon-Smith only have to talk to Auden guitars to validate everything I have said/my experiences regarding Gordon-Smith.

The wonderful thing is they have recognized the spirit of the brand and strength of passion players have for it.  I have experienced this to my own personal cost receiving hate emails, forum abuse etc. for daring question the integrity of Mr Smiths work. 

I do believe in life balance and normally things do level out.  When I raised awareness of Fender Stratacoustics I was shouted down, only to see them discontinued soon after - Telecoustics were down graded to Squier guitars.  When I raised awareness of an International quality issue on Fender guitars I had my account closed for 6 weeks until they realised it would be against the law and their Sales Director explained that all the seconds had got "mixed up" with new stock when they moved their international distributon centre in Holland.  When I asked the new distributor of Alvarez (Blackstar) to highlight how they were going to improve the Alvarez quality issues I had experienced for the past 18 months they refused to even discuss it with me or give me an account.  Their exact words "You are too high maintenance".

I have learnt to deal with hate mail, hate posts on forums, read personal insults all by people who for some reason think I either make up quality control issues or just pretend to provide quality control but actually don't (there are some pretty odd people around) but all I am trying to say is...

Whether you believe Gordon-Smith guitars had any issues or not, without saying too much I can safely say that guitars produced in the future SHOULD be on another scale compared to instruments made in the past couple of years.

I am visiting the new Gordon-Smith workshop in the next few weeks and hope to see a couple of finished examples.

I am also keen to provide my own input on where I would like to see the brand go from hear and the guys at Auden sound really keen and excited to do the same.

Thanks for listening.

streethawk

Good to hear, Richard. 

Hertz32

@richardsGuitars glad to hear they are straightening themselves out, and you are taking a real interest in providing your customers with the best instrument you can!  I'm sure we'd appreciate a thread about your new line of custom R guitars too btw, they have interested me to say the least! I remember when you were making the Rguitar strats, damn I wanted one of those when I started playing. Shame you discontinued them before I could afford one! 

Chalky

+1 please keep us up to date Richard.

sticker

@RichardsGuitars I missed this thread the first time around and just wanted to say how impressed I've been by your commitment to providing quality guitars to your customers . I'm not in the market for anything right now but when I am you'll definately be on the shortlist of dealers to visit !

EricTheWeary

There was a Discussion on the sale of the GS brand a while ago so interesting to know what happened.

xSkarloey

Also in the interests of fairness, please let the lads at Auden know that some of us expect the fine G-S tradition of not charging extra for lefties to be carried over.

richardhomer

Skarloey;617497" said:

Also in the interests of fairness, please let the lads at Auden know that some of us expect the fine G-S tradition of not charging extra for lefties to be carried over.

I think any brand which discriminates on the grounds of their customers' political leanings is doomed to failure - though a UKIP upcharge is probably acceptable....

xSkarloey

richardhomer;617514" said:

[quote="Skarloey;617497"]Also in the interests of fairness, please let the lads at Auden know that some of us expect the fine G-S tradition of not charging extra for lefties to be carried over.

I think any brand which discriminates on the grounds of their customers' political leanings is doomed to failure - though a UKIP upcharge is probably acceptable....
[/quote]



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RichardsGuitars

Thanks so much for all your comments and I am really glad I posted now.  I was in 2 minds.  I hate posting on forums because I don't want to look like a spammer pushing my wears or my own interests but it is all genuinely "news"!! lol

This board has always been incredibly friendly and I would like to say a big thank you for being so welcoming whenever I have posted.

streethawk

richardhomer;617514" said:

[quote="Skarloey;617497"]Also in the interests of fairness, please let the lads at Auden know that some of us expect the fine G-S tradition of not charging extra for lefties to be carried over.

I think any brand which discriminates on the grounds of their customers' political leanings is doomed to failure - though a UKIP upcharge is probably acceptable....
[/quote]

I offer discounts for anarcho syndicalists.

xmrchi

@RichardsGuitars i was totally gutted the other week we went to the butterfly farm, so after I dragged the kids to your shop and you were closed, I was gutted:-) ! Can you please hide your guitars from view of the window, being so close yet so far to them was like torture..... Ps sorry for the drool stains on the window.

RichardsGuitars

@mrchi Ha ha!!! Sorry.... shouldn't laugh .... I presume it was a Monday then!

Dont worry about the windows - I have a great window cleaner who visits every other week!

xmrchi

@RichardGuitars Yes a Monday, as if Mondays were not bad enough, you evil man ! by the way do you have any Parlour guitars at the mo? older the better?

stickyfiddle

This all seems like excellent news. I hadn't heard of Auden before but they look like good stuff too. 

RichardsGuitars

@stickyfiddle Hia.  Interesting I know.  They seem to have a very interesting story to tell and no doubt the Gordon-Smith brand purchase will raise their own profile by association.  I say brand purchase because technically they have purchased the brand name and equipment and have spent a long time chatting and watching how Linda does things but they have not taken over the "business".  So Gordon-Smith is essentially re-born.

When I visit I will be checking out both the Gordon-Smith guitars and Auden.

With so few things in the industry to be truly excited about I feel blessed at this development.  I hope to bring you positive news!

I have also just secured some major finance to develop my in store profile for my main "babies" as I call them (Godin / Furch / Faith) and I would just LOVE Gordon-Smith to be in that line up again.....

Bit of a bummer that I deleted all my images of them.... bum.... but maybe only showing new pics will make sense anyway.

longshins

The Auden place is right by me in Higham Ferrers. I have used Rob their guitar tech a few times now, and his work is spot on even for the fussiest of gits like me (apparently he sets up Andy James' guitars). Very excited when they said about the Gordon Smith buyout, I can still remember my mates gs1 from back in the early nineties, was a belter of a guitar.