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Just As You Should Never Trust A Commissioned Salesman or Any
Large Corporate Guitar Company Or Store.
You really should never trust that your guitar hero really likes something just
because you see him playing it !
In our shop we have fabricated guitars for many endorsers of
other companies. The endorsement deals are very lucrative, I can think of
several major rock guitarists who have made far more money endorsing overpriced
cheaply made Korean guitars than they make with record sales.
At Ed Roman guitars we have an endorsement program in place, but
we are a relatively small company. Therefore we cannot afford to give guitars
away like Gibson, ESP, Ibanez & Fender. Those companies are in the mass
production business. their product costs them very little.
Divide the list price by 10 that is their actual cost of manufacturing.
They have expenses that we don't have. Advertising, Commissions, Kickbacks, Huge
Buildings, Free Giveaways, Large
Payroll, Company Cars, Executive Bonuses etc etc. I am told Gibson paid
the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas $1,000.000.00 "One Million Dollars"
just so they would use a Les Paul for their big sign on Paradise Road.
Renaming The Hollywood Bowl to Gibson Stadium was a mega million dollar deal.
Sure I would love to cut an endorsement deal with the likes of Eddie Van Halen
but I don't have a spare million dollars laying around that I want to part with
for that privilege.
All of our endorsers really like our guitars !! Over the past 25 years we
have only lost 2 endorsers. and only one was dissatisfied with his actual
guitar. The dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that this particular
artist dealt with one of the less competent people in our shop. We fired
his ass for gross negligence. This happened in 2005.
Remember, small boutique companies are what made America great. Always
support the small boutique companies, that includes restaurants to camera shops
to car repair outlets. When the corporations start out with a new
market you may notice the prices are low and the selection is good. As
time goes by the prices get higher and the selection gets weaker plus the
service and attitude always suck. Please try and support your local
business people and smaller companies who strive to bring you better products
and personal service.
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