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At 05:01 PM 6/17/98 -0700, Roland Eberle wrote: [some well deserved flaming of me deleted] Ok, writing something in haste and anger at 2:30 in the morning is a bad idea. I said some stupid things that Roland is completely correct in flaming me for. I hadn't meant to say anything negative at all about Steve Klein's abilities as a designer or luthier. Steve deserves tons of respect for that and is certainly one of the most brilliant and innovative musical instrument designers on the Earth. His ideas have resulted in some tremendous guitars, one of which I am very proud to own. So I want to apologize to Steve and anyone else who cares for any negative thing I said about his skills. Specifically these ugly comments: >> But Steve never got very far with it. Poor business sense, >> weird customer service attitudes, inconsistent quality, a half-baked >idea, >> make. Steve on the other hand, remains mired in his own muck. Viewed today, this is very, very dumb, and not at all what I meant to say. I would like to take all of that back, if I may. I have no business saying those things and would like you to consider my opinions on such matters as totally worthless and without merit. Steve definitely does not deserve anything like that from some bystander like me. >Comparing a Klein electric--fantastic guitars that they are ( I own 3) >,whether >built by Lorenzo or Steve- to one of the Klein acoustics is a joke. I wasn't intending to compare the instruments made by either of these gentleman, that wasn't my intent at all. I'm really sorry it came out that way. And I'm extremely sorry that I came across as at all negative about Steve's abilities or creations. That's the result of my own tendancy to behave a bit rashly and write things when I'm dead tired. You are quite right, I totally overreacted. I was really only intending to comment on the website advertised here, not the instruments. The instruments made by both these people are superb, and easily the best in their respective classes. Saying anything about them only distracted from what I wanted to say anyway. Again, sorry, to you and Steve. Your anger towards me is completely understandable and appropriate. >...seems to indicate to me that >you hold Klein responsible for the post from Ed...(I've met Ed in the >store on >Broadway downtown Sonoma...he's a >sales clerk for Christ sake..not a builder) when in fact it could be >simply a >matter of a customer...ME for instance...stopping by the Klein shop and >casually mentioning to Ed... >Personally I think you over- reacted to what is indeed an innocuos little >thing. If there is >evidence you havent brought forward regarding Steve being underhanded in >his >dealings >and "using" the loopers forum to somehow further his cause and/or hurt >Lorenzo's, I'd >certainly like to hear it...until then I think you have done Mr. Klein a >disservice. The thing I was intending to talk about was not the post, or Ed (who I don't know), but the website being advertised. I don't have any particular evidence about any underhanded practice, nor would I want any. Just stupid conjecture on my part. It's just the website which I find upsetting. In that website (http://www.kleinguitars.com/Electric/electric.html), Steve Klein, owner of Klein Acoustic Guitars and the Klein's Sonoma Music shop, appears to me to be claiming to also be Klein Electric Guitars, which he is not. That's what got me worked up. He sold his electric guitar business to someone else several years ago, and now he has put up a website where he is advertising those guitars and the name "Klein Electric Guitars" with his address and phone number at the bottom. There is no mention of Lorenzo or how to contact the actual Klein Electric Guitars, and there is no indication that Klein Electric Guitars is another company. I'm sorry, but I think that is dishonest, and I think he should change that website. I think this is likely to confuse would-be buyers of Klein Electrics, and hurt Lorenzo's ability to run Klein Electric Guitars. Since I am a huge fan of Lorenzo and Klein Electric Guitars, I don't want to see that happen. Whether this web page is something intentional or just an oversight on Steve's part, I don't really know, but in either case, I think it is wrong. I want to see both of these guys prosper, because I have a ton of respect for what both of them are doing and I want them both to succeed. The world needs more people like these guys. I would really like to beleive that this is just some sort of oversight on Steve's part, and that he intended no harm by it. Otherwise I think I would lose a lot of respect for him. (which I have a lot of, despite previous impressions, and despite that fact that my respect is not worth a hill of discarded headstocks.) I clearly overreacted in jumping to Lorenzo's defense about this. He built me an instrument which I treasure highly and which I expect to use for the rest of my life. A lot of emotional energy comes with that, I guess. Again, sorry for all the confusion and bad vibes. None of that belonged here. kim