What guitars would you like locally?

Ray

X-rated Bob wrote
vic wrote Gretsch...both the electromatic-and higher end series. The Duo Jet, G6120 and Country Gentleman models.
I know Marshall Music CTown had one EM-series Gentleman on the wall last year sometime...a bit too expensive though
I don't know who the agents are, but you can get Gretsch here - there's 2 or 3 at Music Connection. New, not 2nd hand.

doenst Fender own Gretsch? Or same parent company or what?

WantzChas

Caparison and Vigier.

As for amps Engl, I have yet to see an Engl locally.

vic

The guitar consumers here, especially the younger ones, have been exposed for too long I think to only a few brands...the well-known ones, both lower-and higher end models. This will present a challenge to any lesser known brands, let alone boutique brands coming into the country. I think brands such as Larrivee, Collings, Lowden, etc. are virtually unknown to the broader community here ?? So stores stick to the "tried and trusted". One example coming to mind...a store down here had a Burns Marvin model for about 2 years on the wall...great guitar.....I wonder if it's sold by now... :-\

TI-Distribution

Alan Ratcliffe wrote I was having a telephone chat with someone earlier and discussion moved on to guitar brands that aren't represented locally that we felt should be. Not the boutique brands that only make a few dozen guitars a year and cost the earth (or are built to order), or yet another budget brand based on the classics, but the really good production line guitars that would give us a few more great options to choose from when we go guitar shopping.

Someone on the look out for new brands at Frankfurt MusikMesse 2011? ?

Squonk

The Music Company in Mellville

I have spoken to the owner on many occasions and he reckons that he is huge friends with John Hornby Skewes and he can basically organize anything in their Catalog. Strangely he only seems to stock Vintage and Italia guitars?

Have a look at what they have, some interesting stuff

http://www.jhs.co.uk

The Danelectro's are just so intriguing, even the pedals look good

Another Brand which gets good reviews are Fretking( Trevor Wilkinson )

dee

Danelectro

ActionArnie

+1 for G&L 4sure!

arjunmenon

I'd like to see Suhr's budget line Rasmus and Laguna guitars look like good bang for buck.

+1 on G&L and Vigier

The new Parkers are, to quote Singemonkey, prize-winning abominations.

vic

Ray wrote
X-rated Bob wrote
vic wrote Gretsch...both the electromatic-and higher end series. The Duo Jet, G6120 and Country Gentleman models.
I know Marshall Music CTown had one EM-series Gentleman on the wall last year sometime...a bit too expensive though
I don't know who the agents are, but you can get Gretsch here - there's 2 or 3 at Music Connection. New, not 2nd hand.

doenst Fender own Gretsch? Or same parent company or what?

AFAIK Gretsch are made in the Fender factory in Japan..however it's still independent (I think)

AlanRatcliffe

Gearhead wrote Can I ask what the answers to this question will lead to?

Difficult to say at this point. It definitely won't lead to wholesale distribution, but might possibly lead to a few good brands being available locally that were not before. So think brands rather than specific models - the better brands that have no representation here yet...

Tokai-SA

Gearhead wrote Can I ask what the answers to this question will lead to?

As you know, I looked into bringing a certain brand of guitars into the country on a not-so-professional scale. The thing that made me shy away from it was the attitude of local shops saying that they only want fast runners on the floor regardless of quality. The suggestions made in the above are not going to be fast runners I reckon, so what is going to happen once you have your list?

Glad you said it before I did, a BIG +1.

G-d help the distributor who thinks he'll be able to sell the guitars listed in this thread in South Africa, he'll see his ass in quick time.
Most of the guitars listed here are in the plus minus R30,000 category, or more, after music store discounts...show me the South African buyers. ?

And, if a distributor were to bring in Suhrs, etc, etc, we'd have a bunch of threads here about how I imported my own Suhr, etc, etc for a few thousand less than what our music stores are selling them at...blah, blah, we're getting ripped off, etc.

And please guys, learn to clean a guitar after you've played it in a music store, don't leave your skin all over the fretboard and your finger prints all over the place...keep in mind the music store hasn't paid the distributor yet for the guitar. ?

Sarcasm hat off. ? ? ?

Malkav

I'd love to see Caparison and their budget brand Chirping Bird (or something like that) as an alternative to the other Japanese shred machines. I got to play one that was pretty damn rad so I'm all for that idea ?

I'd also love to see Suhr/Rasmus and Vigier, that would be scary awesome ?

Acoustic wise I was wondering why noone has brought in the Maton agency yet, they seem to offer some amazing instruments both in the bang for buck ranges and the high-end. Maybe Stonebridge as well...

Amp wise I completely agree with Engl, I'd love to see one. I also rate Diezel, DAR and Egnator would be rad to see down here ?

I don't think Suhr would sell that badly as it does have an economy range, likewise with Caparison and they offer specs and models that are actually really unique. I don't think any of them would be a bread and butter kinda brand but they would probably sell okayishly.

If you wanna talk brands that would never sell ever then how about Manne, Mayoness and Conklin...Coincidently all manufacturers of 8 strings ?

I also think that anyone looking for a value for money brand that offers good specs at low prices, a bread and butter brand, should look into Agile - they offer some crazy options for reasonable prices.

http://www.rondomusic.com/

makepeace

+1 on dano's.. very interesting guitars.

Can't believe no-ones said this already, but I'd love to see some Matons on the floors..

AlanRatcliffe

vic wrote The guitar consumers here, especially the younger ones, have been exposed for too long I think to only a few brands...the well-known ones, both lower-and higher end models. This will present a challenge to any lesser known brands, let alone boutique brands coming into the country.

I'm with you there Vic. One of the reason I suggested Suhr is that I feel they are just out of the boutique market - high end, small production (but not boutique) guitars. They kind of feel like PRS did in the late '80s - the brand rep is expanding fast and a lot of influential players are using them.

Bob-Dubery

vic wrote The guitar consumers here, especially the younger ones, have been exposed for too long I think to only a few brands...the well-known ones, both lower-and higher end models. This will present a challenge to any lesser known brands, let alone boutique brands coming into the country. I think brands such as Larrivee, Collings, Lowden, etc. are virtually unknown to the broader community here ?? So stores stick to the "tried and trusted". One example coming to mind...a store down here had a Burns Marvin model for about 2 years on the wall...great guitar.....I wonder if it's sold by now... :-\

I'm not sure I agree with that. Taylor had to be built as a brand in this country and was and successfully so. Larrivee too. Breedlove (which has happened pretty quickly). How well known was Tokai 5 years ago?

Sure... there will always be some anoraks who know about every brand on the planet, but I think it is the case that new brands can be successfully marketed in SA. Success is not guaranteed and it will depend on who does the marketing and how, but it can be done.

OTOH not much seems to have happened with Collings, National, Lakland and Anderson, all of whom have local distributors. How are Schecter doing here? And Italia?

I stopped playing guitar and paying much attention to music stores in the mid 80s. I started up again in the 00s and was surprised at how many brands were in the shops that I didn't recognise. OK... most of them down the budget end of the market. So new brands can be introduced here.

BMU

I'd love to see some Steinbergers. (I have mild Steiny gas at the moment.) And Engl for sure.

Vigier, Caparison and Suhr would be interesting too. I'm glad we already have Parker and Warwick, those would've been on my list.

But that's all fantasy. As others have said, there's almost no point. I can't even find the Ibanez models I want in local stores, which is understandable. If I owned a shop I'd also stock a wall for Corts, Squiers, GIO's and Epiphones, and a backroom with a few high end super-boring Strats etc. ?

PS - Schecter is a good case in point. Music Connection have quite a few of them. But myself and at least two other members I know about here imported Schecters off the web. Shops simply can't stock the exact models people might want.

MoJo-JoJoe

I've just realised I had the same conversation with the same person. I too mentioned Suhr. Personally, I think that person could make any of these brands available to SA without most of the BS that permeates the industry at the moment. I say go for it! Bring 'em all in.

Warren

Suhr, Eastwood, Parker and maybe Hagstrom would be really cool. 8)

Norman86

MoJo JoJoe wrote I've just realised I had the same conversation with the same person. I too mentioned Suhr. Personally, I think that person could make any of these brands available to SA without most of the BS that permeates the industry at the moment. I say go for it! Bring 'em all in.

Hey Mojo jojoe,

What would that BS be that you're referring to?
If i may ask of course?

+1 on G&L though!!!

MoJo-JoJoe

Norman86 wrote
MoJo JoJoe wrote I've just realised I had the same conversation with the same person. I too mentioned Suhr. Personally, I think that person could make any of these brands available to SA without most of the BS that permeates the industry at the moment. I say go for it! Bring 'em all in.
Hey Mojo jojoe,

What would that BS be that you're referring to?
If i may ask of course?

+1 on G&L though!!!

To name just a few things:
- Shipping USA made instruments via Europe and incurring delays, markups and additional shipping charges
- Apathy on the part of local distributors because they simply refuse to re-look at their business models
- An unwillingness on the part of the big local players to promote on-line trade
- Manufacturers putting unrealistic expectations on local distributors in order for them to simply sell some of said manufacturers' products - how crazy is that? If you can't sell a shed-load of our stuff, we won't let you sell anything
- Ridiculous "regional" protection for local distributors from manufacturers instead of allowing a free market where the local distributor CAN make a decent profit (vs end-users importing directly) due to the distributors securing 1st-level wholesale pricing and being able to leverage better freight costs in bulk orders (vs the end-user bringing just one item in)

The list goes on and on ... and I'm quite passionate about it. Not least of all because I am (seemingly) one of the few people who would actually like to see local distributors and stores remaining in healthy business even if it costs me a little more out of my pocket. I have paid more for most of my new instruments from local stores than I knew I could have at the time by importing. In most instances that has not been the fault of the local distributors, but rather the manufacturers' ridiculous methods.

I think I've said too much already ... someone bring me a drink.

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