The BRJ Black Friday Thread (Only for updates for/by customers.)[Ad Free]

[Red&Die]

I'm curious that am I the last guy who received the guitar from Bernie? I got my 3rd Jekyll by the end of Nov/2012.

 

[Hollowway]

Holy crap, killertone, I think I might actually feel worse for you than me. That fire top is HOT! I love that. I'm totally gonna try to get someone to do a top like that for me some day!

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

I think the last guy to receive their BRJ was Keith Merrow - the while carve top, if I'm not mistaken.

Besides that, I believe my guitar was LITERALLY the last custom that he made that wasn't completely fucked in terms of playability. I may be wrong, but holy crazy shit.

 

[Qweklain]

I think the last guy to receive their BRJ was Keith Merrow - the while carve top, if I'm not mistaken.

Besides that, I believe my guitar was LITERALLY the last custom that he made that wasn't completely fucked in terms of playability. I may be wrong, but holy crazy shit.

It sucks, because if you go back a few pages (depending on your posts per page) you can see I got a pic of mine clearly finished with the exception of strap-buttons, which is no big deal. Mine is the orange/green-burst 7-string.

I honestly would rather have the guitar than charge-back my final payment of 1/24, but even if I go down there, what are the chances I can get in contact with anyone to actually get it?

At this point and with the situation, I just do not see any other resolution other than to have the payment reversed...

 

[MJS]

I think the last guy to receive their BRJ was Keith Merrow - the while carve top, if I'm not mistaken.

I think Keith got his back in September. Someone else posted an NGD thread on December 18th: http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/standard-guitars/221461-ngd-brj-627-a.html

Note that there could also be newer ones than that, but that came up in a quick search.

 

[elq]

... Someone else posted an NGD thread on December 18th: http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/standard-guitars/221461-ngd-brj-627-a.html

I find this really amusing - that guitar started off as mine, I sold it before completion to phrygian who sold it before completion to jjcor who sold it shortly after recieving it to some random dude who's now selling it on ebay and was kind enough to take pictures that demonstrate quality -

 

[Viginez]

it could be that he had some disagreements (payment, etc.) with some of his employees and they maybe tried to ruin him or his instruments? some kind of revenge. never underestimate that kind of dispute...
to me it sounds like something big happened and he became depressed/sick.
it's speculative...

 

[thepylestory]

Where did all those guitars go?!

 

[BIG ND SWEATY]

probably still sitting in some other room, never to see the light of day again

 

[crg123]

^^^^ elq.... Holy shit man! That's like scary bad. I'm glad you got your money back before you and didn't have to experience that in real life. My friend owns a Rico and its flawless. I've been shocked at how terrible his company has become :/

Edit: hahaha I though that was a fret hanging a 1/4" off the fretboard until I read the ebay ad . Still pretty bad though

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

And that's why I'm saying it sounds like Keith's and mine were the last guitars that came out that didn't have serious issues with build quality. And he still screwed up the specifics on mine. Yikes.

 

[aiur55]

It seems like I have had fairly recent communication with him. He last emailed me January 23 asking about electronics placement. Before that I have requested an update and he emailed me back in November:

Good morning Fin,

Sorry I did not get to your call last night fell asleep early. Been taken care if Terry after her surgery and working.

Please read below. K***** needs a update.

B.

Hope this helps somebody figure out this mess.

 

[Qweklain]

After seeing that image above of sticking paper under that fret, maybe I don't want my guitar after all...

So sad that guitars that were so fantastic and a builder who does/did have talent (depending how you look at it now) has gone straight to the black-list of builders due to getting in over his head with the orders instead of just cutting it off as he should.

 

[clubshred]

My guitar is in those pics...fourth one up from the bottom.

I was there as well and there was no evidence of anyone else working there. Pretty sure Bernie has had no one work there permanently except his paint guy Ed and I'm not sure he is there all that much.

Remember that guy Mtech that used to be on here helping Bernie out? He claimed to be a long time friend of Bernie's, IIRC. Wonder if we could get in touch with him? Anyone have his contact info? I am going to scour my email and see if I can find anything.

I saw MTech at a local music store this past weekend. He was with (what appeared to be) ESP sales reps. He doesn't like me anymore otherwise I would have asked him if he still was in contact with Bernie. I no longer have his contact info. Bernie had reached out to me last October because I was one of the guys who did a little work for him at the time and there was an issue he had with me regarding a notification he got from my email because when I was working with him, my Yahoo account was tied to his "info@ricojr" email. Well, Bernie called me in a panic that day but we resolved it.

As far as MTech, I thought he was banned on here so I'm not sure if he is still around or whatever, but I don't have any info on whether or not he still works with Bernie.

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

Damn this gives me so much PTSD for ordering. Anybody see any discussions on other forums? I don't check any and don't know. Just thought I'd ask. I guess I should feel lucky I'm only $900 in the hole for a custom, and not payed in full like many of you. My last contact with Bernie was November, by phone, and later over spec changes leading to a rebuild. Haven't heard anythin from anyone since Jan. I'd love To have the guitar if its not messed up, and even so I'd probably get I fixed and see if I'd keep it. I could use the deposit money for the ViK FF8 run. For the record and adding to this regret, Dylan H. told me when I was deployed if something happened to me he would refund my Daemoness deposit to my family. Ugh why did I do this.

FYI Keith Merrow's white BRJ 7 is up for a feeler trade on his Facebook. Maybe he's peacefully trying to pull away from all this.

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

So then... my guitar really IS the last BRJ guitar to come out of the custom shop without issues. There is no other way that Keith would be even considering getting rid of his. Not after the way that he talked to me about his previous BRJ guitars. I'm seriously thinking I might sell my guitar.

 

[MunchiesSockmonkey]

I heard from a source that Bernie was in a coma but don't understand why the family hasn't said anything about it.

The delay while not appropriate was by no means intentional. I will see what I can do to get a family member to post an update here so that all his customers can stop worrying and start praying.

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

So wait a second... your join date is... today... your first post is to tell us that Bernie's in a coma... and you're from San Diego?

I'm dubious, my friend.

 

[Danukenator]

I heard from a source that Bernie was in a coma but don't understand why the family hasn't said anything about it.

The delay while not appropriate was by no means intentional. I will see what I can do to get a family member to post an update here so that all his customers can stop worrying and start praying.

Was that source...your ass?

Wait, is this Chris G?

 

[MunchiesSockmonkey]

Joey Rico, Scary Gary, talk to these guys.

Can you imagine what Chris went through with all those irate customers. You can flame me if it will make you feel better, I'm just trying to get the appropriate info to this thread because the need for it is insurmountable at this point.