A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

Anyone else noticing that guitar stuff is 'out of stock' ?

A local Music Go Round asked me to start repairing for them, because their repairman was 6 weeks behind on repairs. I said I would help relieve the backlog, but told them not to be too hard on their repair person, as some parts are indefinitely backlogged.

For instance, I love Emerson CTS pots from Stew-Mac. The 500K pots have been out of stock since early March and Paul from Service told me the best he could tell was a return to stock in September 2021. I cannot get 49.2mm pickup baseplates (unless paying 3x with a 6 to 10 week delivery).

I am hearing that due to Covid's affect on factories, Chinese politics and high demand for guitar stuff in the past 18 months, the big manufacturers are getting any supply. From what I understand, they cannot build fast enough for demand.

Sucks being us small timers!

I don't think it is just guitar/music related stuff.
I was in Sam's the other day and they said they were back ordered on Hormel Black Label Bacon amongst other things.

Yep, no different than just about every industry out there. Toilet paper, ammo, chips for cars and computers, chicken wings, guitar parts, all of it is affected. Fragile supply chain and it will take a while to catch up.

Got an email from my Sweetwater guy today saying that prices are about to increase due to the supply chain struggles. I've already been feeling it in my work (like everyone else) since COVID first hit China going into 2020, so it's nothing new. Prices are just catching up to it. Classic supply and demand.

Plastic is about to be a huge issue, I know PVC they are basically hand to mouth on raws, ABS and poly lead times are double at best. Everything is basically going to the highest bidder

The entire system is all F'd up.

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honyock wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 2:04 pm The entire system is all F'd up.

Pretty much, but it was designed to be the way it is. Back in the 70's and 80's people complained that it was F'd up as well because we had warehouses of stuff laying around gathering dust and people standing around twiddling their thumbs when there wasn't enough work to do. So just like always, we over-reacted and made things as efficient and "nimble" as possible not factoring in a war or COVID or the next big change.

So now we build the "new normal" again and who knows what it will look like in a few years. But one thing that is guaranteed is whatever we build will end up being the wrong thing again at some point

Just in Time...not so much.

I honestly wouldn't know. I'm ordering most of my stuff through you!

uwmcscott wrote:

honyock wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 2:04 pm The entire system is all F'd up.

Pretty much, but it was designed to be the way it is. Back in the 70's and 80's people complained that it was F'd up as well because we had warehouses of stuff laying around gathering dust and people standing around twiddling their thumbs when there wasn't enough work to do. So just like always, we over-reacted and made things as efficient and "nimble" as possible not factoring in a war or COVID or the next big change.

So now we build the "new normal" again and who knows what it will look like in a few years. But one thing that is guaranteed is whatever we build will end up being the wrong thing again at some point

Yeah, the new place I work has instituted a 4 month safety stock in the past 6 months, except we don't have any way to store that, and it was a bit too late since the entire mix people were ordering has changed due to COVID

I think everyone was chasing the Japanese manufacturing methods and like you said in a perfect world it works. Capital all tied up sitting in a warehouse like a prepper buying up ammo for an end of days/fall of Rome scenario is not a good look for most investors.

The lack of people in the unskilled level of workforce is also killing most manufacturers from what I have seen in now a couple different companies in a similar sector that also operate in several different areas of the country.

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mickey wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:12 pm I don't think it is just guitar/music related stuff.
I was in Sam's the other day and they said they were back ordered on Hormel Black Label Bacon amongst other things.

Dude - the world has gone to s#%t when you can't get bacon!

Candy bar packs have been scarce in the stores lately. I’ll usually grab a couple 6 packs of full sized candy bars (Snickers, Payday, Butterfinger, etc…) to take into the office. The vending machines are now charging $1.75 per candy bar, and a six pack at the grocery is usually about $4. For the last few weeks the shelves have been bare.

I went into my local music shop today and they were fully stocked with just about anything you’d want to try. Spent about an hour having my son try out a bunch of guitars. There was a used Schecter that we both really liked, although it was too much.

uwmcscott wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:14 pm Yep, no different than just about every industry out there. Toilet paper, ammo, chips for cars and computers, chicken wings, guitar parts, all of it is affected. Fragile supply chain and it will take a while to catch up.

Is it just the wings? Or is there a shortage of other chicken parts?
Wondering if someone snuck some thalidomide into the chicken feed?

I was in guitar center yesterday, and the racks are almost back to pre-pandemic levels. It was not pretty seeing them half empty for the past year.

The only exception was the used section, which still had only 6 guitars.

Building materials. Crikey.

mickey wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 10:15 am Is it just the wings? Or is there a shortage of other chicken parts?
Wondering if someone snuck some thalidomide into the chicken feed?

Yes, I believe it was specifically wings, maybe due to the commercial market that specializes in such things?

mickey wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 10:15 am Is it just the wings? Or is there a shortage of other chicken parts?
Wondering if someone snuck some thalidomide into the chicken feed?

Wow, that's a dark joke. Funny, but dark. I always felt bad for the "boneless chickens".

BatUtilityBelt wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:09 pm

mickey wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 10:15 am Is it just the wings? Or is there a shortage of other chicken parts?
Wondering if someone snuck some thalidomide into the chicken feed?

Wow, that's a dark joke. Funny, but dark. I always felt bad for the "boneless chickens".

You could probably count on your fingers all the people who will understand it.

andrewsrea wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 6:16 pm

mickey wrote: ↑Wed Jun 30, 2021 12:12 pm I don't think it is just guitar/music related stuff.
I was in Sam's the other day and they said they were back ordered on Hormel Black Label Bacon amongst other things.

Dude - the world has gone to s#%t when you can't get bacon!

This man speaks the truth!!!!