Ugh, Why?! (frustrated w/EBMM rant)

[Big Poppa]

Guys you have to realize that we gave the trade all the information this weekend. Contrary to popular belief NAMM is for the wholesale buyers. Hard to believe but many dealers complained that we were telling the public first and the dealers last. It's also hard to please everyone...especially here. Also you have to understand that if a guitar I mentioned as a tease on my facebook page didnt happen there is a good reason....some reasons are not public...but usually it wasnt ready in time is the best explanation.

We are fighting every day. Thank god for strings...they keep Music Man going. We are trying to find the best combination of instruments and price points so it will stand alone. The backorder situation is crazy...over 9 months for a Majesty. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in automation, payroll and new Haas machines. We have replaced our production management....Im sorry if we discontinue a product you have your heart set on....as I've said if there are a bunch of orders for something it doesnt get discontinued

Open and transparent...I hope this is an example....

 

[kimonostereo]

Thanks as always for chatting with us BP. I'm always happy that you come around and chime in.

Some folks seem to think that business decisions are made without thought when often there are a lot of reasons we just aren't privy to knowing. All I know is that EBMM has been making my favorite guitars and I'm always excited to see what's coming next.

 

[JayDawg]

I feel the frustration too. All 3 instruments that I was going to buy this year for myself were either discontinued or changed. I wanted to buy another Game Changer but it was discontinued. I was going to buy another JP 6 in mystic dream. It was changed to now have black hardware. And I was going to get a Stingray 4H in black with a maple neck and fretboard. I love roasted necks and really like the changes made to the new Stingrays but wish the roasted necks were an option and not standard. So now my only hope of getting those instruments to how I want them is going to be the used market.

I understand the not releasing info on new stuff but I really wish there was advanced warning given on things being discontinued and price changes. Due to the increase in price on every guitar and bass, it has now made it even harder to get other EBMM guitars and basses. I also wanted to get 2 Cutlass basses but with the jump in price, I'm going to have to look at maybe only purchasing 1 or 2 new EBMM guitars and/or basses this year and then go used for all of the other ones, which I hate doing. I understand their reasons for doing everything but am just bummed all my purchase plans this year and the future have been effected.

 

[kimonostereo]

Don't forget you can always call EBMM and they can see if any of their distributor stores have new old stock. I've done this twice. Sometimes you get lucky. Give them a call.

 

[Magic Jason]

MM is a company that has to make profits and cannot pnease every single one if us at all times. Read what BP said : 9 months for a Majesty... Imagine if they had a custom shop where you could order this model with that neck in that colour... MM rules.

 

[Movielife]

Guys you have to realize that we gave the trade all the information this weekend. Contrary to popular belief NAMM is for the wholesale buyers. Hard to believe but many dealers complained that we were telling the public first and the dealers last. It's also hard to please everyone...especially here. Also you have to understand that if a guitar I mentioned as a tease on my facebook page didnt happen there is a good reason....some reasons are not public...but usually it wasnt ready in time is the best explanation.

We are fighting every day. Thank god for strings...they keep Music Man going. We are trying to find the best combination of instruments and price points so it will stand alone. The backorder situation is crazy...over 9 months for a Majesty. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in automation, payroll and new Haas machines. We have replaced our production management....Im sorry if we discontinue a product you have your heart set on....as I've said if there are a bunch of orders for something it doesnt get discontinued

Open and transparent...I hope this is an example....

Great input, thanks BP. I've seen you guys go from strength to strength since I bought my first Ray, and now you are absolutely killing it with new guitars/basses and new options.

I'm glad I bought a Big Al 5 SSS...it is one of the best basses I own, apart from my Classic 5 Ray. The fact they aren't made now makes it kinda cool.

Good things can't always last forever. Enjoy all the super cool new options guys, I know I will!

 

[Alistair Taylor]

Guys you have to realize that we gave the trade all the information this weekend. Contrary to popular belief NAMM is for the wholesale buyers. Hard to believe but many dealers complained that we were telling the public first and the dealers last. It's also hard to please everyone...especially here. Also you have to understand that if a guitar I mentioned as a tease on my facebook page didnt happen there is a good reason....some reasons are not public...but usually it wasnt ready in time is the best explanation.

We are fighting every day. Thank god for strings...they keep Music Man going. We are trying to find the best combination of instruments and price points so it will stand alone. The backorder situation is crazy...over 9 months for a Majesty. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in automation, payroll and new Haas machines. We have replaced our production management....Im sorry if we discontinue a product you have your heart set on....as I've said if there are a bunch of orders for something it doesnt get discontinued

Open and transparent...I hope this is an example....

The explanation is really appreciated but it might be worth considering the upshot of these posts when other models are due to be discontinued. A little warning could go a long way to alleviate disappointment. Meanwhile, back to the drawing board for me.

 

[TripHazard]

PM'd you Alistair

 

[spychocyco]

Just part of the deal. I don't know how many guitars I really wanted that I've missed over the years, usually because they went out of production before I could put together the money to buy them. I've managed to actually nab a few of those on the used market. Others, I've never found the one that was just right for me. If you've got a grail, you'll find it eventually. I found one last summer after 25-plus years of searching -- exactly the one that I wanted way back in my poor college days in pristine condition. They're out there.

It's a business, and EBMM isn't the only one with this issue. I was shopping for a different guitar brand at one point last year and ended up not buying one because the model that I liked didn't come in a finish and configuration that I wanted (without going to a $4k custom, which wasn't in the budget).

The lesson I've learned over the years with so many getting away, is if it's one you really must have in your collection, find a way to get it now. That's why I made my starry night happen last year (and even with it, I couldn't get a piezo because that option had been discontinued on the ASS). There's no guarantee you'll be able to get it later.

 

[beej]

This happens with all kinds of consumer goods. I can't count the number of times I've waited to buy something, only to find that it was discontinued.

 

[johnnyboogie]

Guys you have to realize that we gave the trade all the information this weekend. Contrary to popular belief NAMM is for the wholesale buyers. Hard to believe but many dealers complained that we were telling the public first and the dealers last. It's also hard to please everyone...especially here. Also you have to understand that if a guitar I mentioned as a tease on my facebook page didnt happen there is a good reason....some reasons are not public...but usually it wasnt ready in time is the best explanation.

We are fighting every day. Thank god for strings...they keep Music Man going. We are trying to find the best combination of instruments and price points so it will stand alone. The backorder situation is crazy...over 9 months for a Majesty. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in automation, payroll and new Haas machines. We have replaced our production management....Im sorry if we discontinue a product you have your heart set on....as I've said if there are a bunch of orders for something it doesnt get discontinued

Open and transparent...I hope this is an example....

+1 (honest for sure)

 

[Big Poppa]

As I said before we are making decisions that are backed by consumer demand, distributor input, dealer input and financial analysis. Notice would be a good thing but with the pipeline what it is that is sometimes impractical.

Have all of you searched the dealer stock or what is in the on order pipeline? Have you contacted customer service to assist you in locating the instrument (S) you had your heart set on?

Here is what I will do....if you are serious about what you want I will try to find one for you. I will expect that you will purchase it because you have been so disappointed and critical of us....Try to separate the dream of someday not being able to buy a new one from the anger that we pulled the rug out from under you at the cash register. Please post on this thread what you wish to buy.

I played a Reflex yesterday. Told Derek "This is my favorite failure"

 

[kimonostereo]

…

The lesson I've learned over the years with so many getting away, is if it's one you really must have in your collection, find a way to get it now. That's why I made my starry night happen last year (and even with it, I couldn't get a piezo because that option had been discontinued on the ASS). There's no guarantee you'll be able to get it later.

+1 on this, but also I've noticed that almost all the guitars I've really put effort into finding, I've eventually found them on the used market. YMMV.

 

[TripHazard]

Here is what I will do....if you are serious about what you want I will try to find one for you. I will expect that you will purchase it because you have been so disappointed and critical of us....Try to separate the dream of someday not being able to buy a new one from the anger that we pulled the rug out from under you at the cash register. Please post on this thread what you wish to buy.

"

What other company would do this for their players. I really hope everyone looking for discontinued stuff is able to take up the offer. Can’t think of anywhere else where the CEO would personally source for you.

 

[tbonesullivan]

I have never dealt with a company as open and transparent as EBMM. The simple fact is that NAMM is the time when most of these things are announced. If they give a heads up that something is going to be discontinued, then some dealers may figure "well lets just stop advertising it now". Also, most dealers know that NAMM is coming, and are anticipating that as the time they will place large orders. Another thing is that especially with this many changes, everything is already well in progress BEFORE NAMM, so that they can start taking orders immediately. They also had to make the demo guitars that they brought to NAMM.

My ONLY real gripe is that Blue Dawn is only available on the St. Vincent 2H.....

 

[MaxKlein40]

The simple fact is that NAMM is the time when most of these things are announced.

+1. If they had announced it 3 months before NAMM, this thread would have been made 3 months ago. They have to announce discontinuations sometime.

 

[Magic Jason]

Ceo offering to find your dream guitar himself. Artist, for whom the guitar was designed, extremely kind and helpful on Facebook fan group(and in real life). How can one beat this?

 

[johnnyboogie]

As I said before we are making decisions that are backed by consumer demand, distributor input, dealer input and financial analysis. Notice would be a good thing but with the pipeline what it is that is sometimes impractical.

Have all of you searched the dealer stock or what is in the on order pipeline? Have you contacted customer service to assist you in locating the instrument (S) you had your heart set on?

Here is what I will do....if you are serious about what you want I will try to find one for you. I will expect that you will purchase it because you have been so disappointed and critical of us....Try to separate the dream of someday not being able to buy a new one from the anger that we pulled the rug out from under you at the cash register. Please post on this thread what you wish to buy.

I played a Reflex yesterday. Told Derek "This is my favorite failure"

EPIC!!

PS. Is there anything I can do for an Aluminium Top JPXI? Just kidding, but you know what they say, ask and thou shalt receive =D

 

[kimonostereo]

I played a Reflex yesterday. Told Derek "This is my favorite failure"

Thanks for making the Reflex/25th, BP. It's my favorite too. I hope it will someday make a comeback or maybe see the chambered body on some different models.

Also, this is why I love this forum so much. The CEO going out of his way to find a user a guitar is amazing.

 

[edhalen]

I sure hope Kinjin comes back to see this and takes up BP on the VERY kind offer to find his dream guitar. What an awesome place - and an awesome company.