the emmons guitar shop

John Rosett · From: Missoula, MT

i just moved to north carolina, and we found a house in the little town of mebane, which is about 10 miles east of burlington. today, my wife and i went into burlington to look for a used car so we could stop driving the 10 mpg van around. we were standing in this used car lot, and i looked across the street and saw this brick building with the words "emmons gu tars" on it. (yes, it's missing the i) i went in, and there was a guy in the back wiring a new pickup into an emmons 8 string lap steel. there were guitars, amps, and pieces all over the place. i had no idea! maybe i can get them to build me a spare parts lap steel sometime.
anyways, just thought i'd share.

Rick Garrett · From: Tyler, Texas

Hey John, thats neat to just run into the Emmons shop when you want. An Emmons lap steel might be pretty cool too. I didn't know they would make one. Of course it would for sure HAVE to be black.

Rick

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

We played a gig in Burlington once back in 92. I called over to the Emmons shop on a Saturday and Ron Lashely answered. I needed a handle for my steel guitar case. Ron gave me one right there and I'd never met him or talked to him before.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

The first time I saw the Emmons Guitar Co building I got chills!!!

I'd bought the Black Album in the '70s in my native England, and I used to pore over the liner-notes and photos as I listened to that great music. I didn't make it to Burlington until Summer of 1998 by which time I had moved to the US, and I had my first Emmons on order.

It was spooky to see the building frozen in time. Only the cars were different, although the trees had grown a bit, too....

Not quite the Taj Mahal, I know (

), but it was an event for me.

RR
PS: Where is the store that's pictured on the album (with Buddy and Ron Elliot outside)? Is it Lower Broadway somewhere?

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Do a search and you will find several posts I made about my Emmons straight steel. CC

JW Day · From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA

John,I had the pleasure also of meeting the Emmons folks last year. The building was not what I expected, but what the heck,that hasn't changed my on their guitars. I still like their product. JW Day

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

Roger R,
If your familure with NV the shop that you mention is on the 400 block of Broadway, just up the street from the old Earnest Tubb record shop, and across the street from the old Sho-Bud shop, and Tootsie's.

Bill

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Thanks, Bill; I thought it had to be somewhere down at that end of Broadway - it looked like one of those store fronts. The Sho-Bud place you mention eventually became Gruhn Guitars, didn't it (before Gruhn moved into the fancy big store on the corner of 4th Avenue)? I think it's now Roberts.

I bought a 1950 Gibson J200 in Gruhn's (at that older location) in 1982 on a trip from London - it cost me $1350! It was a lot then, of course, but I sold it many years later for a lot more....

Even as recently as 1982, Lower Broadway wasn't a very savoury area! That's my recollection, anyway.

I see the Emmons logo and the Grammer Guitars logo in the Buddy Emmons/Ron Elliot pic - what was the store actually called, do you remember? What's there now, I wonder?

Thanks,

RR

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Robert's is where Sho-Bud used to be. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

I can't remember what the store was called.In the early 70's Roy Wiggins ran it.Jack Stoner worked there. I jammed there with a now famous and pretty good steeler.

Robby Turner · From: Hermitage,TN USA

Wasn't it called "Little Roy Wiggins Music Store"? I remember the old Nashville when Broadway was a great place to go and jam. Johnny Cox would take me down there when I was too young to drive. We would pile me, him, 2 steels (his S-14 and my D-12) 1 or 2 pak a seats in his volkswagon bug. Amazing, huh!

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

Little Roy Wiggins shop was at 427 Broadway. It became Music City Lounge in the 80's and is Rippys now. I had the place next door at 429 called The Turf until 98. Gruhns was across the street where Nashville Gifts is at now next to The Stage. Gruhn is on the corner at 400 Broadway. I was just down there and it's still a great place to play and jam. There were 3 steel players today from 2-6. Jay Andrews at The Stage playing his 66 Emmons, Carco Clava playing Roberts with his 80's Emmons p/p and Randy Hess at The Legends playing a JCH.

[This message was edited by Frank Parish on 18 February 2006 at 04:48 PM.]

Barry Blackwood · Posted 18 Feb 2006 5:25 pm

Frank, was that steelers name at Roberts, Carlos Claveria? If so, next time you should see him, please give him my email address ...

Thanks

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Hey Bobby, what's with the duct tape on the end of the guitar?

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I've just looked at my old invoice for that Gibson J-200 and, for the record, George Gruhn's old store was at 410, Broadway.

Does anyone know what's at #410 now? I'd always thought it was Roberts, but....

???

RR
PS: I can recall Gruhn's having a number of old Martin 000-28s at less money than that blonde J-200 - if I'd only bought one of those! I was just going through a 'J-200 phase' back then, and I ignored the '000's in his upstairs room....

Troy Bodkins · From: Toano, Va., USA

Hey John, My wife and me just drove to Burlinton a week ago Thursday the 11th to order a LaGrande III. Ron Lashley gave us the grand tour, than took us out to lunch. Sure could tell a lot of great stories if those walls could talk,to me they did! and the experience was like time travel I'am looking foward to going back when my guitar is ready.

Troy Bodkins · From: Toano, Va., USA

Hey John, My wife and me just drove to Burlinton a week ago Thursday the 11th to order a LaGrande III. Ron Lashley gave us the grand tour, than took us out to lunch. Sure could tell a lot of great stories if those walls could talk,to me they did! and the experience was like time travel I'am looking foward to going back when my guitar is ready.

Joseph Barcus · From: Volga West Virginia

well they sure dont answer email request or answer the phone. I have been trying for ages to get in touch with someone there I gave up

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

Stephen wrote:

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