Official Luthiers Forum!

I am a member of the Guild of American Luthiers and I have asked numerous times to be added to the list of luthiers on their web page, but no response. Now I have ordered a set of plans (couple of week ago) and havent even got an e-mail confirming that I ordered the plans. Is this normal? How long does it typically take to get plans from them?

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H

Ken - You won't get an acknowledgment, the plan will just show up a day or two after you have forgotten you ordered it.
They are reliable. So what did you get?

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I agree with Jim. GAL's e-commerce site is very old and lacks auto-acknowledgment email capability but the plans will show up.

I know how you feel, I recently ordered twice from them, plans, and felt like my order went into a black hole. But they both showed up and in one case I emailed them and got an immediate and very caring reply.

BTW the plans are excellent.

_________________
Hesh
Ann Arbor, MI USA
http://www.heshtone.com

Hi Ken! My experience is the same. They are not heavily staffed, and it takes them, sometimes, as much as a week to ship stuff, but they do get it done. I have never had a problem with them. Even when you pay your dues, you never really know whether it worked, until you finally get your little certificate in the mail. It is a strange lack of response.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Thanks for the replies. I guess I will have to wait patiently for the plans to arrive.

Waddy, I ordered the 1952 Barbero plans for the flamenco guitar comission. I have all of the other materials to get started with, but am waiting on the plans.

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H

Ken,my experience is the same as the above. (Corroboration is a good thing, right?) They are a reliable bunch, if a bit non-communicative.

Say, who's that dark stranger in your avatar?

Steve

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

And now for the rest of the story..... maybe you can see why I chose to crop the avatar and make it black and white

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H

OMG, Ken's playing an Ovation!!

_________________
Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

AAAAHHHHH!

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I even won a genuine gold-like plated plastic ship on a stick in the onboard talent show with that ovation..... it survived the sea air and humidity just fine too

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H

Don't Panic! it probably washed up on the beach during one of the day trips - someone obviously pitched it over the side...

_________________
Mitch

Ken that's Awesome! That's the first time I have ever seen SHIP on a STICK!

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I calle dthem this afternoon and of course Kurt wasnt there (the mailrtoom guy). He did send me a reply to my web form question though and said he would check on the order. He didnt think it had gone out yet.....something about a backlog of new member's forms from the new year still hanging around.

Thanks for the replies and suggestions!
Ken

_________________
Reguards,

Ken H

Hi Ken,
I ordered The Big Red Book Number One from them back in September cause I knew Jack Batts a violin making which they interviewed and wrote an article back in 1987. The first part of December I got the book.

_________________
"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Kurt at GAL is a bit overworked at times but he always comes through with the goods. I just renewed my subs for 2008 not realising Id alreayd done so. Got an email from Kurt about a week later saying hed charged my credit card and I could either get a refund or pay for my 2009/10 subs.

On another occasion I got someone elses membership certificate. Sent it back to Kurt and he arranged for the correct certificates to go to their rightful owners.

A GAL subscription is well worth its weight in gold IMHO.

Cheers Martin

Man! He even admits it! Disturbing!

_________________
Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)