G&L Dealers...

[JagInTheBag]

So I am in Scottsdale for the January Auto Auctions and figured I'd go look at some G&L's while I'm here. I looked up the listed dealers in the area. I noticed a few things: Their websites don't offer a category for G&L like they do other brands. One place has tow locations and does not even mention they carry G&L. The third is a discount starter instrument shop where Tributes are their high end, but again not well promoted.

Aren't their dealer guidelines for the privilege of being the G&L dealer in an area? This area has a TON of money around it, the best representation G&L has is an all Bass dealer an hour north of Scottsdale. More can be done, online and in store.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

So I am in Scottsdale for the January Auto Auctions and figured I'd go look at some G&L's while I'm here. I looked up the listed dealers in the area. I noticed a few things: Their websites don't offer a category for G&L like they do other brands. One place has tow locations and does not even mention they carry G&L. The third is a discount starter instrument shop where Tributes are their high end, but again not well promoted.

Aren't their dealer guidelines for the privilege of being the G&L dealer in an area? This area has a TON of money around it, the best representation G&L has is an all Bass dealer an hour north of Scottsdale. More can be done, online and in store.

I have noticed things like this myself. I think if you can get a hold of a G&L at all you can be put on that list, meaning you do not have to maintain an inventory of even one. It is a real problem weeding out the strictly Tribute dealers from the USA dealers. You have to call everyone in advance to find out what they carry and what they currently have in stock. It is not a very good way to operate and definitely an area that needs attention. One person could straighten things out on the website within a couple of days. It would not take that much to step up the whole dealer program a few notches making it more useful for buyers. Leads me to wonder what G&L is in business for if not to sell guitars to buyers? They do not put enough effort into having solid information available to the consumer. The website is rarely, if ever, up to date with current options. If you cannot update The single source that reaches the world you must be awfully careless.

[astutzmann]

The place where I bought my last guitar (a heritage) had no G&Ls. I asked him why. He said he wanted to be a G&L dealer for the past 3+ years and can never get the distributor to meet him. The guy is too busy to sign up this dealer. He has tried to meet him a number of times, the G&L guy blows him off, every time.........

Confusing.

[suave eddie]

meaning you do not have to maintain an inventory of even one.

The dealer I bought mine from said that he had to have at least 6 in stock to maintain his dealership status. I don't know if this is really true or not, nor do I know how G&L can really keep track of this.

[cmguitar]

The closest G&L dealer to me is 30 miles of crappy Dallas traffic!
Charlie's guitar shop here used to sell G&L and they stopped.
I bought my Tribute ASAT Classic from Buffalo Bros when they were at the Arlington Texas Guitar Show.
My Legacy and my ASATIII was bought at GC.
Dang I wish they had more dealers ---even Tribute.

Chet

[louis cyfer]

the g&l dealers around here don't carry any in stock. the closest thing for me is actually the factory. the only way i can try out g&l's is through craigslist. i am amazed that a distributor can not be bothered for 3 years to meet with a potential dealer. wow. not surprised though. getting customer service at the factory is like pulling teeth. what they do is a great job. but to get them to talk to you is very difficult. they replaced my body, that was sh, no f-hole, and when i got there to pick it up, they put an f-hole on it. because it took 4 months, i was not about to complain about it. the f-hole doesn't bother me, i like it either way, but the point is they didn't pay attention. the body looks incredible, but the neck pocket, the bridge pup cavity and the string ferrule block were not cut accurately, all 3 had to be routed a bit by my tech. it would indicate to me that the semi hollow is not cnc machined, it is done by hand. also the routes being too small is not a big issue, being too big is the bigger deal, but it makes assembling the guitar a much bigger job, not just bolting on the parts. i am very happy with it, and love g&l, but they could sure use improvement on the dealing with customers front.

otoh, g&l has a resource that is unrivaled in manufacturers imnsho. talking about this forum. other brand specific forums are full of idiots, very little knowledge, and lots of bickering, not very welcoming towards new users, etc. g&l owners (i.e. members of this forum) are a reason i like the guitars even more. i guess it takes a certain type of person to recognize what g&l has to offer. i don't know what it is, but certainly a quality group of people. also, while g&l is difficult to contact and hear back from, craig is absolutely incredible at providing access to and answers from the company. he is also a resource i have not seen the like of anywhere else.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

...g&l has a resource that is unrivaled in manufacturers imnsho. talking about this forum. other brand specific forums are full of idiots, very little knowledge, and lots of bickering, not very welcoming towards new users, etc. g&l owners (i.e. members of this forum) are a reason i like the guitars even more. i guess it takes a certain type of person to recognize what g&l has to offer. i don't know what it is, but certainly a quality group of people. also, while g&l is difficult to contact and hear back from, craig is absolutely incredible at providing access to and answers from the company. he is also a resource i have not seen the like of anywhere else.

+1 for Craig and all of the GuitarsbyLeo.com members!

Some of it might be the fact that when you acquire a G&L you can get such a good product for the money there is a rite of passage. But I wonder if it has something to do with the folksy link to George and Leo. They look and sound like they were nice guys. There is a lot of nostalgia around L. Fender, G. Fullerton and G&L more than the other projects they were involved in. That folksy vibe may be a common link. Then again I don't know.........Leo and George might have been real SOBs

With the things people see as wrong with G&L it is the things people see as good that keep things afloat.

[JagInTheBag]

+1 for Craig and all of the GuitarsbyLeo.com members!

Some of it might be the fact that when you acquire a G&L you can get such a good product for the money there is a rite of passage. But I wonder if it has something to do with the folksy link to George and Leo. They look and sound like they were nice guys. There is a lot of nostalgia around L. Fender, G. Fullerton and G&L more than the other projects they were involved in. That folksy vibe may be a common link. Then again I don't know.........Leo and George might have been real SOBs

With the things people see as wrong with G&L it is the things people see as good that keep things afloat.

So the strength of the brand is the heritage, the build quality, the value for dollar, and the active customer base as ambassadors of the brand. All of this is HUGE!

The opportunities for the brand lie within the weaknesses. Poorly developed dealer network, website beind the technology curve, customer service communication and service turn around can improve.

The great news is all of this can be simply addressed. Where is the greatest threat? Where to start?

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

So the strength of the brand is the heritage, the build quality, the value for dollar, and the active customer base as ambassadors of the brand. All of this is HUGE!

The opportunities for the brand lie within the weaknesses. Poorly developed dealer network, website beind the technology curve, customer service communication and service turn around can improve.

The great news is all of this can be simply addressed. Where is the greatest threat? Where to start?

First just to clarify, the website is modern enough, G&L does not maintain any place or any literature so people have access to current information. Buyers should not have to play CSI: G&L when they want to buy a G&L.

I think G&L's greatest threat is a potential to destroy its strengths with its weaknesses. G&L could tarnish that legacy through neglect and with the rising costs of production (materials and labor) the quality at a good price could erode. They have several hungry areas needing nourishment to sure up their foundation. If they were to let things continue as they are currently it is debatable whether this would be enough to maintain what they have enjoyed and enough to expect at least as much in the future.

One place to start is create a source for current information. The website is a good place for it. It reaches worldwide and you can make corrections and updates very quickly. Someone needs to be assigned that responsibility and held accountable. Getting that under control feeds something to another hungry area, the perception that there is accessibility to the company and reliable information available to the consumer. A website kept current shows people the company is paying attention to them. It is taking the time to acknowledge them, though not individually. It provides the tools needed to research and prepare for a purchase. It ends up eliminating many problems that can occur when that information is unavailable. Everyone benefits.

[meowmix]

It was difficult to find a dealer that had them in stock back in '94. Yes, there were dealers around, but hardly kept a collection of them on the shelf. I had to custom order back then, and still do now. It would be impossible for any owner to carry every guitar model of every brand. IMO, they have to stick with what sells best. i.e. name brand recognition and cheap guitars for the beginners. USA made G&Ls don't fit this model.

The closest G&L dealer is 30 miles away in L.A. The guy had tributes up, and he said the tributes were the same as the USA made. I wasn't there to argue, I let it go and moved on.

I would be very interested in the minds of owners. Let's hear what they have to say.

[SouthpawGuy]

The place where I bought my last guitar (a heritage) had no G&Ls. I asked him why. He said he wanted to be a G&L dealer for the past 3+ years and can never get the distributor to meet him. The guy is too busy to sign up this dealer. He has tried to meet him a number of times, the G&L guy blows him off, every time.........

Confusing.

I've heard similar from the fore mentioned dealer myself.

Ironic that the guitar I bought off him was a used ASAT III.

[cmguitar]

I am afraid G&L is going to end up as a little tiny guitar company.
I can get a Hertage 3 miles from my house Fender, Gibson,Music Man too.

Look how big Reverend has gotten the last few years. PRS keeps getting bigger they are the same age as G&L.
I have found out You have to spend money to make money.

I know G&L doesn't go into Guitar Center or Sam Ash fear of being not being able to keep up with demand ect....
I think they should.
Peavey moved amp operations and started selling at GC and you see Peaveys all over the place.
I hate to say it G&L should flood the market with Tributes. They like the Tribute they will upgrade to a USA model. That is what Fender, counts on buy a Mexi Tele today get a USA model in 6 months.
You see BBE pedals every where and they sell them at GC.

Chet

[louis cyfer]

I am afraid G&L is going to end up as a little tiny guitar company.
I can get a Hertage 3 miles from my house Fender, Gibson,Music Man too.

Look how big Reverend has gotten the last few years. PRS keeps getting bigger they are the same age as G&L.
I have found out You have to spend money to make money.

I know G&L doesn't go into Guitar Center or Sam Ash fear of being not being able to keep up with demand ect....
I think they should.
Peavey moved amp operations and started selling at GC and you see Peaveys all over the place.
I hate to say it G&L should flood the market with Tributes. They like the Tribute they will upgrade to a USA model. That is what Fender, counts on buy a Mexi Tele today get a USA model in 6 months.
You see BBE pedals every where and they sell them at GC.

Chet

they only sell the boosta grande and the sonic stomp at gc. i have sen the opto comp and the fuzz a few places but that is it. never see the other pedals at stores

[cmguitar]

Louis,

GC here has almost full BBE line of stomp boxes.
One of the Dallas area GCs even sells Keeley.
Biggest part of the mom and pop stores around here have gone. The ones that are left want to call themselves the so called vintage dealer.
The DM for our area GCs was smart enough to attempt to fill a void.
I was told by a GC manager they have been lobbing to bring in G&L there area DM wants them in at least one store also.
The main hurtle to bring in G&L has been Fender.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

Most businesses are always trying to sell their product.

MIM Fenders address a market that cannot afford the guitars Fender had been building. Offering the less expensive MIM has opened up a market unto itself. The idea that MIM owners would be seedbeds for an upgrade to USA models may only exist as a misdiagnosed symptom of something else. What percentage of MIM owners upgrade to USA models?

Tributes address the affordable guitar market. They are probably built too good if they are intended to serve as seedbeds for USA built sales. Lots of people lose interest in playing guitar as they get older and/or are faced with more expenses and responsibilities. Tributes are a good enough guitar that you could be satisfied until your interest or attention on guitar diminishes. A greater percentage of Tribute owners may end up losing interest in playing guitar altogether rather than upgrading to a USA model.

As generations mature G&L could also end up being known as a Tribute level guitar while the USA and special made G&Ls become novelties like concept cars and mantle pieces.

[louis cyfer]

Most businesses are always trying to sell their product.

MIM Fenders address a market that cannot afford the guitars Fender had been building. Offering the less expensive MIM has opened up a market unto itself. The idea that MIM owners would be seedbeds for an upgrade to USA models may only exist as a misdiagnosed symptom of something else. What percentage of MIM owners upgrade to USA models?

Tributes address the affordable guitar market. They are probably built too good if they are intended to serve as seedbeds for USA built sales. Lots of people lose interest in playing guitar as they get older and/or are faced with more expenses and responsibilities. Tributes are a good enough guitar that you could be satisfied until your interest or attention on guitar diminishes. A greater percentage of Tribute owners may end up losing interest in playing guitar altogether rather than upgrading to a USA model.

As generations mature G&L could also end up being known as a Tribute level guitar while the USA and special made G&Ls become novelties like concept cars and mantle pieces.

some idiots are trying to sell their tributes for 600 bucks around here, when you can get usa G&L's for that. of course i don't think they even know there is a difference, as some don't even put tribute in the ad title. i don't think they are trying to deceive as the pic of the headstock is a giveaway. i think they see others don't say tribute and ask a little more, so they try that.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

some idiots are trying to sell their tributes for 600 bucks around here, when you can get usa G&L's for that. of course i don't think they even know there is a difference, as some don't even put tribute in the ad title. i don't think they are trying to deceive as the pic of the headstock is a giveaway. i think they see others don't say tribute and ask a little more, so they try that.

Do you see about the same product awareness among Fender owners and G&L owners? Do people mistake or deliberately mislead like this at the same rate? Tributes have "Tribute" on the headstock. Are MIMs equally distinguished as Tributes from their upgrade counterparts?

[louis cyfer]

some idiots are trying to sell their tributes for 600 bucks around here, when you can get usa G&L's for that. of course i don't think they even know there is a difference, as some don't even put tribute in the ad title. i don't think they are trying to deceive as the pic of the headstock is a giveaway. i think they see others don't say tribute and ask a little more, so they try that.

Do you see about the same product awareness among Fender owners and G&L owners? Do people mistake or deliberately mislead like this at the same rate? Tributes have "Tribute" on the headstock. Are MIMs equally distinguished as Tributes from their upgrade counterparts?

trying to fake all kinds of fenders left and right. to the trained eye it is not a problem, but to someone not well versed in the different features, they get taken all the time. on strat talk that is half the topics. "is this real?" the ebay sellers use very clever language where the buyer infers things that are not actually said. so they don't even get the money back. the only difference is the serial number on the mim strats. plus how the body cavity looks and the neck pocket looks under the pickguard. also a plastic insert for the trussrod. decals are easy to get, so people fall for that. most of the fakes are squiers with new decals. it is really an epidemic with fender. also the vintage 50's and 60's fenders are being faked at a high rate.
i have not seen this with g&l, and the 9" radius is a giveaway that can not be remedied easily. i have a feeling g&l did that on purpose. the tribute sellers are not trying to deceive in my opinion, but most of the fender sellers definitely are.

[JagInTheBag]

trying to fake all kinds of fenders left and right. to the trained eye it is not a problem, but to someone not well versed in the different features, they get taken all the time. on strat talk that is half the topics. "is this real?" the ebay sellers use very clever language where the buyer infers things that are not actually said. so they don't even get the money back. the only difference is the serial number on the mim strats. plus how the body cavity looks and the neck pocket looks under the pickguard. also a plastic insert for the trussrod. decals are easy to get, so people fall for that. most of the fakes are squiers with new decals. it is really an epidemic with fender. also the vintage 50's and 60's fenders are being faked at a high rate.
i have not seen this with g&l, and the 9" radius is a giveaway that can not be remedied easily. i have a feeling g&l did that on purpose. the tribute sellers are not trying to deceive in my opinion, but most of the fender sellers definitely are.

We see the same B.S. in the collector car world, small block '67 Corvettes cloned into 427 tri-power cars, Malibus are all fo a sudden LS6 454 SS Chevelles. The only way to tell is provenance and paperwork. I think G&L does a good job of distinguishing USA from Tribute while still leveraging G&L brand equity. The quality is there, but perhaps choices and production time you get in USA models is not. There is also a greater variety in the USA models. Frankly, there are tow different markets- the occassional player or high end beginner, and the professional player along with the well monied connisuer. They demand different sales outlets, different marketing approaches.