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Topic: sierra guitars |
James Winwood
From:
New York, New York
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Posted 14 Sep 2003 4:55 pm |
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| I can't get on the sierra website. Something with the server. Can somebody give me a phone number or a way to get in touch with them? Thanks. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 14 Sep 2003 7:04 pm
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Sierra closed their doors last month. They aren't currently doing business. We're all waiting to see what will happen. Their web site is down.
I hope they reopen, because I want to buy a new guitar!
------------------
 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 14 September 2003 at 08:05 PM.] |
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James Winwood
From:
New York, New York
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Posted 15 Sep 2003 7:09 am
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| youch! I hope they work things out. |
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Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 15 Sep 2003 8:11 am
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Does anyone know why they closed? Did they not have enough business to stay open and be profitable? There are very few non-pedal makers out there. It's sad to see one of the best go.  |
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 15 Sep 2003 1:16 pm
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I was not suprised to see this happening as sad as it is. It takes a lot to succeed in the steel guitar market. Many factors come into play.
One of the most successful tactics that I have seen is what the Carter folks have done. They came on a scene that was already saturated for the most part. Yet, they have overcome EVERY single roadblock that normally hampers any new kid on the block.
And from all appearances they are indeed very successful and it appears that they are going to continue this for many years to come.
In a word, watching them do their thing, proves WHY they have been soo successful. They dotted all the eyes and crossed all the tees. They are at every show just about. And they even go to shows where they are the ONLY manufacturer there! Their prices are reasonable and the guitar they make is one of the best on the market.
Before I sent out the first letter to distributors asking them if they would like to have a booth at the Atlanta show, Carter was on the phone calling me wanting a booth! They wanted a booth!
Not only did they want a booth, but they wanted info in infinite detail about where and how the booth was going to be setup plus many other questions. I did not receive this from ANY other manufacturer that came to the show. And some never even answered my letters to them.
What ever trends that are popular at any given time, they are in their helping to lead the way. They spare NO expense in trying to provide a steel guitar that most can enjoy; and their service after the fact is unprecedented in my recall in the business of steel guitar.
I do NOT wish to beat a dead horse. I am not a sadist. And I am deeply saddened by what has happened to Sierra. But many of the things that have been mentioned above were sadly lacking in the way they have conducted business in the last few years IMO.
I purchased one of the very first Session D-10's. I purchased it based on my research on Sierra. Sadly, the guitar I received was NOT the guitar that Chuck Wright developed. It was a long way from it. Had I known about that before hand, I would never have purchased it.
After I purchased my guitar, they corrected some very serious and major flaws in the design of the new Session D-10. But this did not do me a bit of good. And even though I hinted a couple of times, there was never any offer to correct my problem. I finally sold it.
Two major problems I had with the guitar. I could NOT keep a 3rd string on there. NO way. It would break prematurely. Apparently Buddy Emmons got one of these also; as he has said the same thing on this forum. I also broke the 4th, 5th and 10th strings (E9th) much sooner than I had ever experienced on any other guitar I have owned.
But the worst problem I encountered was the guitar's pedal and knee lever stops were NOT positive. IE, after the pedal and knee lever crank setscrew hit the aluminum rail, you could continue (easily) to raise the string with firm foot pressure. In other words, the set screw would just dig an ever larger hole in the aluminum rail.
Careful study of the problem revealed a major design flaw that was NOT easily remedied. I spoke with Don about this in long detailed conversations. He later admitted that it was a flaw and he was correcting it on his present guitars.
Again, there was NO offer to correct mine. This was NOT my idea of how to treat a customer who had spent $4,300 cash just one 6 mos earlier!
There were other hard to live with flaws in my guitar which I won't go into. Suffice to say I am sorry I ever bought the guitar. Because it was next to impossible to sell. It was, for all practical purposes, brand spanking new when I sold it. And it took over 2 years to sell it and I could not get 1/2 what I paid for it.
I said all the above to say this type of experience is NOT what causes companies to succeed in any busines; especially the PSG business.
Whether there were others who suffered from my exeriences I do not know. All I know is there is at least one former Sierra owner that was dissatisfied with the guitar.
Finally, I feel that ANY body who owns a PSG manufacturing company is going to be darn lucky to survive, UNLESS they are a good player themselves. OR, have a member of the family who is.
Because the PSG is just toooooooo difficult when everything is working correctly; to have to fight and deal with a manufacturer who has not a clue what playing this instrument is all about. NO matter how good of a mechanic or concientious that builder may be.
Whether Sierra went belly up because of the above, some of the above or none of the above, I cannot say. But I am convinced that if Chuck Wright was still the head, it would NOT have gone out of business.
Again, I am deeply saddened that any builder goes out of business.
May Jesus comfort Tom Baker in what must be a very frustrating situation,
carl |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 15 Sep 2003 1:30 pm
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| Quote: |
| after the pedal and knee lever crank setscrew hit the aluminum rail, you could continue (easily) to raise the string with firm foot pressure. In other words, the set screw would just dig an ever larger hole in the aluminum rail. |
I noticed that the first time I tried a Sierra at a trade show. I mentioned it to Don, and he said "Don't push so hard". That was enough for me.
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2003 9:34 am
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That design problem was corrected in later models.
------------------
Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2003 11:38 am
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| I noticed that also when I recieved my Session U-12. After years of thinking Sierra had an extremely well engineered but average sounding guitar,I had been convinced that had changed in 1993 after playing Greg Leisz' folding leg Crown model U-12 with a Danny Shields Crap-Trap pickup in it. The thing sounded fat,bold and had as much character as any guitar I'd ever played and it had very positive stops on the pedals and levers.When I ordered my Session,I was expecting the same guitar except with plug-in legs.But the pedal and lever stops were kinda mushy because in their attempt to lighten the guitar,they had cut the rails down to a bare minimum and with that went the solid stops of the Crown series.To be fair,they fixed it very well with an add-on stop gadget on each pedal.The levers however were still problematic so I devised my own solid stops for that and it was a pretty easy fix.The best fix however would have been to go back to the large Crown style rails on the Session series - just like on the guitar John Fry special ordered. I played it and it was solid as a rock and wasn't noticably heavier. All in all though,I ended up with a guitar I could play - it stayed in tune,sounded great,looked great and didn't break strings(once I started using Jagwires).I took it on the road for 7 years and it always delivered. I still have it and play it. I think the trouble with Sierra lately has been that the new owner has treated it more like an investment than any thing else.He wasn't very "hands on" and like Carl says,he didn't play steel,wasn't a machinist or design engineer. |
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