Many of you have been quite helpfull in my quest to build my first acoustic project and an unorthodoxed hybrid AGB design at that. The dimensions are based on a Taylor AB-1. A. Peebles as an owner of one has been most generous in helping me get a handle on the dimensions. Nine to 10 inch widths in top and backs with six inch sides in figured tone woods are not easy to come by.
At first I was going to try to buy my wood locally through a local builder but he has been out of town most of the summer and primarily does cutom electric guitars and basses.
So off to the list of OLF sponsors in quest of oversized tops, backs and sides that I knew would not be plentifull or east to track down. I wanted to give all our sponsors a fair shot at my meager business and sent all the tonewood dealers an e-mail request regarding availibility but could not provide complete specs until I knew what I potentially would have to work with.
Brad Goodman by far has excelled in personal customer service to me and I should be placing my order to him tommorow. If I left something off or something did not sound right he took the time to ask the right questions and question possible errors.
Honerable mentions in personalized customer service go to Blue Spirit Tonewoods who returned an e-mail after a family emergency trip to the hospital just to tell me he would look into it the next day.
Polite responses to the effect of we don't carry any top and back in those sizes but can cut any of the other pieces you need just ask were recieved from most sponsors such as LMI, AC Woods, RC Tonewoods, Highmountain Tonewood, Colonial Tonewoods, New England Tonewoods and BeachTonewood.com. I think I skipped Australian Tonewoods due to expected shipping costs and customs etc.
With the exception of one company (and I am going to take the high road here) all were helpfull and ready to provide any assistance a newbie from the forum would need. Sadly the one bad apple took more pleasure in pointing out my ignorance (which I freely admitted) than in providinng service and guess which company will never recieve a second look from me.
Good customer service overcomes customer ignorance.
Poor customer service blames customer ignorance and feels good about loosing the sale because it was not worth the trouble any way.
FWIW I highlly recomend working with Brad Goodman of Goodman Guitars and Blue Spirit Tonewood for personal, friendly customer service.
Kudos to the both of you.
