Fire at archtop.com closes them down

[2bornot2bop]

In Seattle it is up to 10K. Here in SF, it is 12.5K

Courts don't want to empanel juries to deal with the small stuff.

omg, I’m stuck in the 90’s!

[deacon Mark]

I am sorry about the fire for sure not wish that on anyone. I can say though in all my years of checking the website many things tempted me and ordinarily I would have done some business. However, because of some specific feedback from noted folks I was never going to buy a guitar from the site unless I was sitting in the room playing the guitar in person in the case of archtop.com

[Cunamara]

People must've had positive experiences with Joe or he wouldn't have been in business as long as he was. However, here on the forum there have certainly been a number of negative experiences. He does tend to write marketing spiels like a real estate agent rather than an appraiser, but the purchaser of a fine archtop guitar sight unseen wants an appraiser's description.

My own experience with him was mixed but minor as it was just a pickup purchase. I found that before the sale he was eager to be helpful and after the sale was nowhere to be found (he neglected to include the wiring diagram that he said would be sent and didn't respond to me for quite some time; when he finally did, he sent me one that was smeared and illegible. I ultimately got the diagram from Kent Armstrong- who is a wonderful guy to do business with).

I would be shocked if Joe was so unwise as to not have his entire inventory insured for loss and liability, given the litigation risk to him if he was not readily able to make customers whole. Especially since a fair chunk of the market for these kinds of high-end guitars are well-heeled lawyers, doctors, etc., who have disposable income.

[213Cobra]

I bought my 1951 Epiphone Emperor Regent from Joe at the very end of 2024. Joe was responsive to email inquiries and we set up a Google Meet videocall for inspecting the guitar and hearing it played. At the time, he also had a 1953 Emperor Regent that was slightly nicer cosmetically, but even over Google Meet, the '51 was the nicer guitar sonically. Aside from Joe's description, the closeup video runover of every surface and joint of the guitar made the deal a comfortable one to make.

The guitar arrived when Joe said it would, and it was in condition as described and seen. The guitar was formerly owned by a performer in the Northwest, who was apparently the original buyer back in 1951. A CD by that performer was included in the case.

After the sale, I had a few follow-on questions, which Joe was responsive in answering. My experience buying from Joe was entirely smooth and I got a fabulous vintage Epiphone. Nothing I experienced would inhibit buying from Joe again.

Phil

[John Owen]

I bought my 1951 Epiphone Emperor Regent from Joe at the very end of 2024. Joe was responsive to email inquiries and we set up a Google Meet videocall for inspecting the guitar and hearing it played. At the time, he also had a 1953 Emperor Regent that was slightly nicer cosmetically, but even over Google Meet, the '51 was the nicer guitar sonically. Aside from Joe's description, the closeup video runover of every surface and joint of the guitar made the deal a comfortable one to make.

The guitar arrived when Joe said it would, and it was in condition as described and seen. The guitar was formerly owned by a performer in the Northwest, who was apparently the original buyer back in 1951. A CD by that performer was included in the case.

After the sale, I had a few follow-on questions, which Joe was responsive in answering. My experience buying from Joe was entirely smooth and I got a fabulous vintage Epiphone. Nothing I experienced would inhibit buying from Joe again.

Phil

This is in line with the experiences I have had dealing with Joe. I haven't bought a guitar from him but I have sold 2 through his store. I also bought a case from him. He was always responsive, delivered what he promised in a timely fashion and was pleasant to deal with. I don't know (and don't want to know) the details related to un-satisfactory interactions people have referred to here.

I agree that not responding to inquiries about what the plan is for a guitar that was presumably lost in the fire is not acceptable. However, when I stop to imagine how challenging it would be to perform simple tasks that we all take for granted after having my house and all it's contents go up in flames, I can understand how it might take a while to even discover what messages I had received, not to mention getting things in order enough to provide meaningful responses to them.

That being said, I can also imagine how frustrated I would be to have lost my guitar in the fire (it seems I just dodged that bullet by a few days as mentioned in an earlier post in this thread - so I REALLY can imagine it) and how unhappy I would be about not being able to get even a short reply to my inquiries. I hope that everyone who ended up in that situation will eventually be made whole. I think Stringswinger hit the nail on the head when he wrote that anyone who puts a valuable instrument up for consignment anywhere should have it insured.

In summary...the whole thing really sucks for everyone involved.

[wintermoon]

I posted about my negative experience w him some yrs ago, I did a test run w one consignment and the experience was so ridiculous it took calling him out publicly on the forum to get him to register and attempt to refute it and finally refund a bunch of b.s. set up and cleaning charges as well as unauthorized parts swaps of orig equipment on my guitar. I don't care about the ad copy flowery instrument descriptions, if that's how you want to sell, fine, whatever, I'm more concerned w the bottom line.
I'm sure there were plenty of satisfied buyers, even more than the awkward testimonials that greeted you on the stock list (what about the negative ones that didn't make the page?) I think many inexperienced uneducated consignors were probably taken advantage of in the same way but probably thought it was all s.o.p. when selling a guitar. Uh, no....
There's a ton I won't even get into. The fire is unfortunate for folks that lost instruments and I can imagine he'll be along here eventually to offer some sort of explanation for ignoring consignors inquiries if he wants to continue on selling.
We shall see what we shall see......

[Mick-7]

A retailer can have an impressive bricks and mortar store and still be uninsured/underinsured. And even if proof of insurance is provided, the insurance company can be in poor financial condition and be unable to pay a loss and there is no way of knowing whether any policy other than a policy of your own will actually cover what is yours.

If you are going to consign a high dollar guitar, my advice is to cover it with your own insurance policy or be prepared for a total loss.

Will an insurance company insure a guitar that is not in your possession? (that you've consigned to a third party).

[Stringswinger]

Will an insurance company insure a guitar that is not in your possession? (that you've consigned to a third party).

One should check with a specific carrier for the answer to that question. I believe that my policy with Heritage does provide coverage for that situation.

[customxke]

as well as unauthorized parts swaps of orig equipment on my guitar.

That pickguard was the original pickguard….I don’t care what Joe says!

[Gitfiddler]

One should check with a specific carrier for the answer to that question. I believe that my policy with Heritage does provide coverage for that situation.

Most consumer homeowner policies cover personal property, some contracts provide coverage anywhere in the world. However, each policy contract can have very specific limitations, terms, conditions and exclusions for coverage to apply after a loss. For example musical instruments or other equipment that is used 'at any time in a business...' may be excluded under most personal lines policies.

And remember, it is up to the policyholder (not your insurance company) to prove their claim to the satisfaction of their specific carrier.

Check with your respective State Department of Insurance for guidance, regulations, complaint filing and insurer oversight.

[ThatRhythmMan]

Most consumer homeowner policies cover personal property, some contracts provide coverage anywhere in the world. However, each policy contract can have very specific limitations, terms, conditions and exclusions for coverage to apply after a loss. For example musical instruments or other equipment that is used 'at any time in a business...' may be excluded under most personal lines policies.

And remember, it is up to the policyholder (not your insurance company) to prove their claim to the satisfaction of their specific carrier.

Check with your respective State Department of Insurance for guidance, regulations, complaint filing and insurer oversight.

Definitely check with your insurance carrier/agent. Most homeowner’s policies will not cover ANY instrument of significant value. You will either need a separate rider or a separate, specific insurance policy.

For instance while instruments in my inventory (including consignments) are covered by my dealer’s policy through Heritage, my wife’s piano has its own separate coverage from everything else.


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[bohemian46]

Several years ago I had a successful transaction with archtop.com. I sold an Epiphone Byrdland
I bought new, turnover was quick and I made a profit.

Later I attempted to buy a guitar from him and he was evasive. refused to answer simple questions.

Later I offered to put one of my near mint, highly desirable, Martin guitars for sale.
He simply would not answer basic questions. I believe I dodged a bullet.