Open Letter to Guitar Center

Here's the problem -- I'm one of the minority: the left-handed guitarist.  I'm also not rich, not famous and not the best guitarist out there.  However, I do have money occasionally, and I sometimes get to feed the beast that is G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome).  My biggest problem is the in-store selection. 

When I go in, I have pretty good ideas about what I want.  My choices, at least in my area (Dayton/Cinci Ohio), are exceedingly limited -- an Ibanez Gi0 and Fender Tele.  I will say that for my last birthday, I hit all the local shops and threw down less my wife thought I would to get a Schecter Omen-6 Extreme Diamond Series rather than some of the lefties we had found at other stores.  The point being, I did NOT spend the money at Guitar Center, even though that was the second stop on the trip.  I've bought there before, but not this time.  Part of that was I already HAVE one of the two models available in-store and wouldn't buy it again without serious persuasion – like someone would have to pay ME.

I guess that comes to my next point -- the in-store selection being dreadful is kind of be expected: we lefties are quite the minority.  That said, would it kill you to have more than 2 models in store?!  Even back in 1992 when I was looking for (and ultimately purchased) a new guitar at a LOCAL (to Norfolk, VA) shop, I had a choice from, basically, one lefty model per manufacturer, meaning I tested a lefty Fender Strat, Les Paul Custom, BC Rich Warlock, Jackson Stealth and PRS of some expensive persuasion, among probably 5 others.  I walked out of there with the Stealth EX, but the point is that I had a choice.  I, and other lefties out there, don't get that opportunity, in-store.  Even *one* other model would be nice, but since you don't know which type of player you're going to get in there, predicting that a Schecter model or Jackson or Gretsch will the one someone's looking for, I know that makes it hard.

Just for the record, the quality on the Ibanez Gi0 is dreadfully cheap.  The bridge is the stuff of nightmares and the hardware is...suspect and cheap.  Just so you know.  I bought one when I had my other guitar torn apart replacing pickups but still needed to record.  Not a mistake I would make again.  If you're really looking at a cheap (in price and not necessarily quality) guitar to feature, ESP has a number of inexpensive choices, as does Dean, Schecter and Epiphone.  This is something you already know, since they're available online.  I know there's the notion of inventory and keeping them on hand, taking up the space that one of the other righty guitars could use.  But here's the thing -- when I walked in and saw my choices, I turned around, left and took my money elsewhere.  I'm not buying a guitar unplayed and if there's no selection in-store, then I'm going somewhere that will have one.

At any rate, this was brought on by the email sent out highlighting lefty models and got me thinking about how it's well fine and good to have them online, but, again, I'm not buying without playing an instrument (buying a second instrument of the same make and model notwithstanding) and when I walk into a store and get the "poor guy" sympathetic apologies from the sales staff because there are only two guitars of limited appeal available in store, it just feels a little disingenuous. If I, in the future, should find myself able to walk in with two grand to spend on a lefty and my choices are a $229 Ibanez drekster and a $400 Fender/Squire Tele, I'm taking my $2K elsewhere, just like I did with my $500.

Thank you for your time.

Testament and Greg

Greg Christian has been “airing dirty laundry,” of late about how financially inequitable the situation was while he was in Testament and how that led to his decision to quit the band.  It got me thinking.

I *LIKE* Greg.  He's a neat guy, has helped pen some of my favorite songs, and it does sound like he not only got railroaded, a bit, but screwed, overall.  That said, when I see things like "it may be time to see what my attorney thinks," I twitch, because that should have been done *first.*  You bring in the attorney to look over your ***contract***, that legally binding document that will stipulate royalties, per-show pay or salary, in this case (was this to mitigate uncertainty, going with a "guarantee" pay rather than "per-show?"), and if the contract isn't up to snuff -- *don't sign it* and negotiate until you get one that's to your liking.  Otherwise, legally, you're, as it's been coined -- over a barrel.  Now, going back over unpaid royalties might be an option, but, again, if there was no breach of contract because there was no contract, it will be an uphill battle and, usually, doesn't end in the person getting royalties, just a loss of friendship(s) and a lot of bitterness.

I guess my other problem that is raised, here, is this -- he talks about getting a paltry amount per show.  He's got a W-2.  This says, to me, a few things, including "employment at will" and "agreed upon wage."  Basically, if they had played *2* shows, that would be have fabulous, right? $19K or so per show.  Instead, having a set salary of $38K and touring the world, doing a billion shows, yeah, it's going to break down to "not very much" per show.  That's the problem with salary -- it's averaged across the year's worth of dates and not, as has been mentioned, a four week stretch of *4* shows, which, yeah, makes it REALLY hard to live on $1.25/show ( exaggeration... ). 

I guess my take on this revolves around what a bizarre beast the music business is.
When one talks about things like Chuck and Eric "throwing down $3K" for first class tickets and having more money per show and this and that and the other thing, it comes down to several factors that aren't addressed, not the least of which are what kinds of contracts Chuck and Eric negotiated, to begin with.

1) During Greg's absence from the band, how many albums were released (2 new, "Demonic" and "The Gathering" along with "First Strike" where Greg gets "composer" credits), tours toured (boatloads) and income banked that put Eric and Chuck in the situations they're now in? I mean, an 8- or so year gap in Testament-based income is nothing to sneeze at, and certainly factors in, especially when combined with


2) New revenue streams -- with Chuck, Eric, Alex and Gene having other income to subsidize Testament's overall income, it would certainly make it easier to spend more money than someone who doesn't have these revenues, not to mention


3) Royalties...If Greg doesn't have a contract in place stating, *explicitly*, what his cut of each *song,* let alone albums are, that's a big no-no.  It all comes down to what you've signed as to what you get in this department -- nothing is guaranteed; nothing.  If these weren't done when Legacy became Testament and he became part of that monster, then it *really* needed to be done when he re-joined, since I'm not sure what legal weirdness happens when you quit a band and what carries over beyond hopefully pre-negotiated and contracted royalties.  If he's saying he's not getting royalties, I'm wagering no contract was signed stipulating this.  If there was, then, yeah, it's time to bring in a lawyer. 


4) We don't know what the other members got paid.  It *could* have been the same, though I really doubt this, but, again, with more in the bank, it's a lot easier to make do with $500/show than someone relying on the $500/show to feed, house and transport him to the next show...

There's also
5) How much does it cost to ship gear?  Yeah, I know $100K sounds like a lot for a show.  And, really, compared to local bands jumping over the moon for $100/show at a bar, it is.  Now, I know when I fly, I have to pay $50+ for each additional piece of luggage and I have to check my guitar...singular...in a flight case...$50, and praying nothing impales it.  I can't imagine what flying a stage full of gear would cost, even at a "economy shipping rate."  I guess I could look it up, but between that, whatever is on the rider, new strings, sticks, cords, etc., per show...somehow I think it could add up quicker than one would care to think, considering also insuring all of the gear, maybe on a per-flight basis, in addition to whatever a 3-month-tour-worth-of-clothes suitcase armada looks like (they're guys...1? ;) ) and what extra baggage costs those are (though, the band members have to pay for this, it sounds like...).  You also have to pay your


6) Your management, your promoters and your crew -- sound guys, roadies, strange hangers-on that you think might be part of the entourage, but can't quite remember, but they look "metal" -- "Wanna go to Tokyo?"  Then there's gas for the buses or whatever transports your gear from the airport to the venue.  It all has to come from somewhere, and odds are good, you're paying for this from the revenues from the previous night's gig.

I could be wrong, but it really sounds like it comes down to not walking in with a lawyer at the get-go to negotiate a proper, satisfactory contract.