Chandler Guitars To Close - end of era

guitars4you

I also understand that a rent review and new lease contract was in the pipeline and the landlord was looking for a large increase - Maybe this was the final nail in the coffin !!!!!!!!!!!!

crunchman

@Jimbro66 ;; - the problem with getting your money in recent years was that Paula insisted on signing all the cheques etc. and she was never there.  I think she'll be quite happy to retire.  From my experience the staff were just as frustrated with it as you were.

Edit:  With hindsight I do wonder whether there might have been cashflow problems that might have been an issue.

Jimbro66

crunchman said:

@Jimbro66 ;; - the problem with getting your money in recent years was that Paula insisted on signing all the cheques etc. and she was never there.  I think she'll be quite happy to retire.  From my experience the staff were just as frustrated with it as you were.

Edit:  With hindsight I do wonder whether there might have been cashflow problems that might have been an issue.

My issue with them was several years ago so no connection at all with their closure. The shop is not what it once was and, as far as sales were concerned, they were trading to some extent on a past reputation. Also Paula can't be far off a well-deserved retirement but I would imagine the timing of closure has been brought forward by the reported lease renewal.

fretfinder

I got my Ross Fame 10 from Chandlers, bought largely on the strength of an excellent review in that free 80s/90s music mag, now defunct, that I can't remember the name of!

John_P

fretfinder said:

I got my Ross Fame 10 from Chandlers, bought largely on the strength of an excellent review in that free 80s/90s music mag, now defunct, that I can't remember the name of!

Making music?      Usually a very good read iirc

Blaendulais

Gassage said:

Here's the thing. Mentioning no names, I believe their gradual decline was a result of the aggression of the new manager who ran the shop for Paula.

As an example: 30% commission when you're a regular customer is greedy and slows down their volume throughput. Also not offering reasonable pex on stuff and also having Charlie donw the road who would, when pushed, do 15% and gets more of the boutique clientele in anyway

As a ex regular thats exactly what!!!! 

fretfinder

John_P said:

fretfinder said:

I got my Ross Fame 10 from Chandlers, bought largely on the strength of an excellent review in that free 80s/90s music mag, now defunct, that I can't remember the name of!

Making music?      Usually a very good read iirc

Of course, thanks!

EdBoogie

Extremely overpriced and rude staff... wow, what a shocker.

bazxkr

guitars4you said:

I also understand that a rent review and new lease contract was in the pipeline and the landlord was looking for a large increase - Maybe this was the final nail in the coffin !!!!!!!!!!!!

Common problem causing small businesses to pack up.... also, from 2017 the business rates are being based on revalued numbers which will be a large increase. Larger businesses are also having to pay a rates surcharge to contribute towards crossrail whether they want it/use it or not. I get absolutely nothing back out of business rates... big con....not even rubbish/lights/street swept or anything.

Will kill a lot of small enterprises unless you are ultra small and get the relief from it

guitars4you

bazxkr said:

guitars4you said:

I also understand that a rent review and new lease contract was in the pipeline and the landlord was looking for a large increase - Maybe this was the final nail in the coffin !!!!!!!!!!!!

Common problem causing small businesses to pack up.... also, from 2017 the business rates are being based on revalued numbers which will be a large increase. Larger businesses are also having to pay a rates surcharge to contribute towards crossrail whether they want it/use it or not. I get absolutely nothing back out of business rates... big con....not even rubbish/lights/street swept or anything.

Will kill a lot of small enterprises unless you are ultra small and get the relief from it

yes annoying aspect of local business rates as I get no 'perk' one little bit for paying such rates - Don't even get one dustin or wheelie bin

crunchman

The guys from the workshop there have now set up in Richmond.  Details here:

http://www.richmondguitarworkshop.com/

Gassage

@crunchman spoke to Andrew over weekend as I needed him to confirm details of one of the guitars I had swiped, he was so helpful

crunchman

Gassage said:

@crunchman spoke to Andrew over weekend as I needed him to confirm details of one of the guitars I had swiped, he was so helpful

Whatever anyone says about some of the other guys who worked there, the workshop guys have always been really helpful.

I'll be taking my Les Paul in for a little bit of work in the near future.

Gassage

crunchman said:

Gassage said:

@crunchman spoke to Andrew over weekend as I needed him to confirm details of one of the guitars I had swiped, he was so helpful

Whatever anyone says about some of the other guys who worked there, the workshop guys have always been really helpful.

I'll be taking my Les Paul in for a little bit of work in the near future.

I bypassed the shop ages ago in so far as they'd always do mine on the day without Al's 30 quid express charge....

dindude

crunchman said:

Gassage said:

@crunchman spoke to Andrew over weekend as I needed him to confirm details of one of the guitars I had swiped, he was so helpful

Whatever anyone says about some of the other guys who worked there, the workshop guys have always been really helpful.

I'll be taking my Les Paul in for a little bit of work in the near future.

Are these chaps the real deal when it comes to fret jobs? I need my CS Strat doing and I want it to be straight out of the top drawer. I would take it to Jon at Feline but getting to Croydon is like getting to the moon, Richmond is a bit easier.

The reason I ask is that about 10 years ago I had a maple board Start fret jobbed at Chandlers and there were some marks on the board as if they didn't bother to mask it off. Can't take that risk with my CS, which is also a maple board.

May well have been different guys back then?

crunchman

I've not had a refret from them.  I've got too many guitars so no one guitar has got to the point of needing one, although my main Strat is close to needing one.  They did stone the frets and do a set up on a Martin acoustic for me and that was absolutely fine.

Gassage

Brins refretted a 1970 Strat I used to own.

his workmanship was world class. 

The other people id recommend are JD guitars in Brum for re frets, and @felineguitars is supposed to be very good too although I've not used Jonathan before.

dindude

Sorry by fret job I meant a level and crown rather re-fret, but all good info anyhow thanks

IvisonGuitars

I saw a Brinsley fretdress recently on a 70's Telecaster. It was EXCEPTIONAL. 

Gassage

My Nash that I sold had a Brins fret dress. It was so good you could lick it.