Anyone in touch with JXG?

Junior

Has anyone heard from John yet? It's been months and I still have no guitar, and no replies to email or phone.

darcym

So I'm going to bump this now, as I think it's reached the end of the line a bit for me now. If anyone has any last known details for John could they please share them with me to minimise my search / costs before starting legal action. 

darthed1981

digitalscream said:

...It happened with a local guy who was building guitars, but took in a friend's 1960s Strat for some TLC. It took three years (and a lot of fighting) to get it back, and when it came back half the hardware had been replaced with cheap Squier stuff - the guy had sold the parts to pay other customers back. It's currently still going through court; that Strat was supposed to be a nest egg for his kids, and now it's almost worthless.

That's terrible.

Serious question - is there any kind of British association covering luthiers, techs and repairers that people could get affiliated with, potentially also providing insurance for punters but also protection, some support etc. for the suppliers?

If not, given how many superb British manufacturers, techs and luthiers post on the Fretboard, perhaps they could be the nucleus of one...? 

digitalscream

darthed1981 said:

Serious question - is there any kind of British association covering luthiers, techs and repairers that people could get affiliated with, potentially also providing insurance for punters but also protection, some support etc. for the suppliers?

If not, given how many superb British manufacturers, techs and luthiers post on the Fretboard, perhaps they could be the nucleus of one...? 

There's no authority that's remotely interested in dealing with this sort of thing. Just ask Mags.

@goldtop - did you get any closure?

Funkfingers

digitalscream said:

they get a whole lot of orders and forget how to do "business".

Somebody in my area has been through several cycles of this. In the past, health issues forced him to put guitar building on hold for random lengths of time.

In recent weeks, a custodial sentence has put him on a four year hiatus. He might not survive.

TTony

darthed1981 said:

Serious question - is there any kind of British association covering luthiers, techs and repairers that people could get affiliated with, potentially also providing insurance for punters but also protection, some support etc. for the suppliers?

Not as far as I know @darthed1981.

I could see plenty benefits of there being such an organisation though.  

Some sort of "collective" that provided marketing support to raise the profile of UK luthier sector (rather than any one individual), perhaps organised shows, exhibitions and/or events (@Jason) at which potential customers could get their hands on example instruments, perhaps held funds "in escrow" so that customers didn't get fleeced by the disappearing builder, maybe offered back office business services and advice to help the businesses establish viable models, maybe pooled investment in some of the really expensive kit, putting together decent websites, negotiating distribution deals, etc, etc, etc ...

There are lots of reasons that the small builders disappear - sometimes it's loss of interest, sometimes harsh financial realities, sometimes ill health, sometimes they just realise that their favourite hobby of building the odd guitar for mates doesn't translate into a full-time business - and any sort of "collective" couldn't prevent all disappearances.

But seems to me that it would offer a lot of positives?

goldtop

My JXG update: no resolution, although I haven't yet sent bailiffs. That's the next step.

Jason

TTony said:

Some sort of "collective" that provided marketing support to raise the profile of UK luthier sector (rather than any one individual), perhaps organised shows, exhibitions and/or events (@Jason) at which potential customers could get their hands on example instruments, perhaps held funds "in escrow" so that customers didn't get fleeced by the disappearing builder, maybe offered back office business services and advice to help the businesses establish viable models, maybe pooled investment in some of the really expensive kit, putting together decent websites, negotiating distribution deals, etc, etc, etc ...

I keep looking for a venue, I think a one day show similar to The Holy Grail show in Berlin, but where....? Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread, I'm considering myself lucky because I almost placed an order with JXG 18 months ago

darcym

goldtop said:

My JXG update: no resolution, although I haven't yet sent bailiffs. That's the next step.

do you have confirmed address details, as that would help me save money paying for researchers to confirm the address before court filing.

Iamnobody

Jason said:

TTony said:

Some sort of "collective" that provided marketing support to raise the profile of UK luthier sector (rather than any one individual), perhaps organised shows, exhibitions and/or events (@Jason) at which potential customers could get their hands on example instruments, perhaps held funds "in escrow" so that customers didn't get fleeced by the disappearing builder, maybe offered back office business services and advice to help the businesses establish viable models, maybe pooled investment in some of the really expensive kit, putting together decent websites, negotiating distribution deals, etc, etc, etc ...

I keep looking for a venue, I think a one day show similar to The Holy Grail show in Berlin, but where....? Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread, I'm considering myself lucky because I almost placed an order with JXG 18 months ago

I consider myself unlucky because I did place an order 18 months ago!

I refuse to give up hope...

Jason

Iamnobody said:

Jason said:

TTony said:

Some sort of "collective" that provided marketing support to raise the profile of UK luthier sector (rather than any one individual), perhaps organised shows, exhibitions and/or events (@Jason) at which potential customers could get their hands on example instruments, perhaps held funds "in escrow" so that customers didn't get fleeced by the disappearing builder, maybe offered back office business services and advice to help the businesses establish viable models, maybe pooled investment in some of the really expensive kit, putting together decent websites, negotiating distribution deals, etc, etc, etc ...

I keep looking for a venue, I think a one day show similar to The Holy Grail show in Berlin, but where....? Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread, I'm considering myself lucky because I almost placed an order with JXG 18 months ago

I consider myself unlucky because I did place an order 18 months ago!

I refuse to give up hope...

Sorry, I hope you (all) get it sorted

darcym

after posting this I've just had out of the blue contact from John to tell me my guitar is currently a few weeks away from being sprayed and is being fretted at the moment. 

he is alive and working, keep the faith, I admit mine was faltering. His email is basically just a dumping ground for spam/junk so he often misses stuff. 

Iamnobody

darcym said:

after posting this I've just had out of the blue contact from John to tell me my guitar is currently a few weeks away from being sprayed and is being fretted at the moment. 

he is alive and working, keep the faith, I admit mine was faltering. His email is basically just a dumping ground for spam/junk so he often misses stuff. 

Great news! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed when it eventually arrives. I know my build was a lot further on than yours so I’m even more hopeful than I was at 21:31.

Paul_C

darcym said:

after posting this I've just had out of the blue contact from John to tell me my guitar is currently a few weeks away from being sprayed and is being fretted at the moment. 

he is alive and working, keep the faith, I admit mine was faltering. His email is basically just a dumping ground for spam/junk so he often misses stuff. 

"out of the blue", but hours after you started mentioning legal action . . .

boogieman

darcym said:

after posting this I've just had out of the blue contact from John to tell me my guitar is currently a few weeks away from being sprayed and is being fretted at the moment. 

he is alive and working, keep the faith, I admit mine was faltering. His email is basically just a dumping ground for spam/junk so he often misses stuff. 

I do wonder how people like this guy stay in business when they seemingly can’t find their arsehole with both hands. Good to hear you might finally get your guitar though and hopefully others with orders in get theirs sorted soon too. 

MattBanshee

darcym said:

after posting this I've just had out of the blue contact from John to tell me my guitar is currently a few weeks away from being sprayed and is being fretted at the moment. 

he is alive and working, keep the faith, I admit mine was faltering. His email is basically just a dumping ground for spam/junk so he often misses stuff. 

Over 12 months of missing your emails because of spam?

Get your money back and run like the wind.

goldtop

An update: I've been in touch with JXG sporadically via Facebook over the last month. I don't have an account and I think he accidentally accepted the friend request I sent from my partner's account. Anyway, we're talking, not often but more than before.

With the initial result being a partial repayment of the money I am owed (received this evening). He says he will repay the rest weekly. I am happy with this.

I will be even happier if this means he's getting his life and work back together again. For himself and all of those who have posted in the thread. No-one doubts his talent, and I hope to see more great JXG guitars.

Iamnobody

Great news @goldtop ;

bluechargeboy

Nice one @goldtop and very decent of you to give the guy a chance, hope he keeps his end of the deal...

blueskunk

goldtop said:

An update: I've been in touch with JXG sporadically via Facebook over the last month. I don't have an account and I think he accidentally accepted the friend request I sent from my partner's account. Anyway, we're talking, not often but more than before.

With the initial result being a partial repayment of the money I am owed (received this evening). He says he will repay the rest weekly. I am happy with this.

I will be even happier if this means he's getting his life and work back together again. For himself and all of those who have posted in the thread. No-one doubts his talent, and I hope to see more great JXG guitars.

You are a very nice man. I salute your coolness sir.