Greetings from Japan

[soundmasterg]

As I'm sure you can see by now Montreux, there is a lot of pent-up demand for good parts and reliable supply at good prices. If you can follow through, you'll be set! I'm sure everyone will try to be as patient as they can be.

Greg

[Electricdaveyboy]

Oh well ...

Hello Montreux,
would be glad to hear from you.
Best whishes for the new biz,
david

[Possum]

...........

Don't forget guys this stuff will be shipped from Japan, so look for fairly hefty shipping costs through EMS. If I can get stuff I need quickly and reliably and better quality than I've been getting you've got my money, I've been spending more and more every year too....

[David King]

Air freight, freight forwarding and US duty will add 10-20% to the total bill. Figure $45 to wire a transfer and often a month or two for large orders to be processed. Patience is the operative word here.

[Possum]

...........

Not so fast, I've had small fairly hefty little parcels shipped via EMS from China and there were no customs charges and it got here in two weeks or less. If you're shipping a couple big ass boxes yeah you'll probably get dinged. It depends on if he is going to ask for 300 piece minimums like some do but I didn't get that impression. I just need 50 of those raw nickel covers, thats a pretty small box .....

[dai h.]

small packages via EMS I think takes a couple of days to a week from here to the 'states. Typically seems to be about 3-4 days.

this is the EMS postage calculator:

http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/ems/index_en.html

[Edward R]

Maybe you should have your covers made for you Possum, then you would have the level of quality control you are looking for. Seems you have alot of complaints about material, finish, and dimensions with suppliers, so just have them made yourself. Isn't too much to set up some deep drawn pressing for an application like that, and It seems you do enough pickups to order at 1000 units, which will be pretty affordable.

[Possum]

Edward....

That IS my ultimate goal, if you have gotten quotes from anyone you could pass along that would be helpful. Even at 1,000 units a lot of US companies just won't talk to you, they all want the big orders and big bucks, thats why they are all losing business to china, serves 'em right :-) Yes I am particular about parts, if you truly want to set yourself apart from everyone else the only way to do it is invent your own kinds of pickups and/or learn how size changes and materials affect tone and have stuff made that works for you. Otherwise you're a prisoner of the suppliers and can never get any kinds of tone except what those parts will allow. You can alter existing parts somewhat to change tonal designs but if you get alot of orders in, all that small handwork is lost time lost money....

[Possum]

overseas funds wiring....

I noticed in looking around that WAMU has free wiring of funds overseas with their free checking account, could be real useful.....

[David Schwab]

I noticed in looking around that WAMU has free wiring of funds overseas with their free checking account, could be real useful.....

WAMU is a good bank. We went there after BoA kept misplacing our money!

[madialex]

Hi David, yep BOA is as crooked as the day is long

[SkinnyWire]

Without resorting to the search tool, does anyone know how Tom Holmes goes about getting his covers and bobbins, etc., manufactured?

I really like Andrew's covers and keepers, but he's not answering my e-mails and I believe I read he's not selling parts anymore. I've received samples from a couple of machinists for keepers - one very high quality but a little too expensive per part and the other sending a second batch of 25 for me to inspect with the promise of a couple hundred more if I like them. If it works out, I'll get my keepers that way.

I'm not adverse to investing profits from my business for setup fees, but what little poking into it I've done mainly gets the cold shoulder since I'm not a huge concern.

I thought Jim Wagner was going to start producing/selling parts at one point, but haven't heard much about it lately and that info doesn't seem to be on his new website. Anyone know the status of that?

Anyone hear from Andrew lately?

[WolfeMacleod]

Without resorting to the search tool, does anyone know how Tom Holmes goes about getting his covers and bobbins, etc., manufactured?

He makes them.
Himself.

[Possum]

...........

I've heard that too, but don't know him and he doesnt answer emails, I kinda think he's not an internet savvy computer oriented type person maybe. His covers are the best I've seen, I wish I knew how he is doing them, what kind of press, I just bought a set of his covers off Ebay for way too much money to show to potential manufacturers. I just don't know how hard it would be to make them oneself or how to do it exactly, anyone got a clue?

[Rosewood]

I've heard that too, but don't know him and he doesnt answer emails, I kinda think he's not an internet savvy computer oriented type person maybe. His covers are the best I've seen, I wish I knew how he is doing them, what kind of press, I just bought a set of his covers off Ebay for way too much money to show to potential manufacturers. I just don't know how hard it would be to make them oneself or how to do it exactly, anyone got a clue?

Only two ways I know of, stamped with a die or cut, fold, solder.