It is true that Sierra is having severe problems right now. It is true that we had to lay off our assembler, Tom Baker. This is how Ray Montee learned of our difficulties. But, we had all the hopes of being able to attract a partner or buyer in order to restart. This is why we put an outgoing announcement on our phone that we were on vacation. This was actually true because we had hopes of restarting within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, perhaps partly because of the premature postings, not enough orders have come in to justify restarting the company. And, although several people and companies expressed an initial interest in partnering with Sierra, so far, nothing is finalized. So, the current state of Sierra is that it is not shipping guitars or parts. We are still
trying to restructure the company and we hope to be able to help set up something that would at least allow people to continue to buy parts. However, as of yet, this is
not available.

Currently, the website is down and our phone lines are disconnected. The email address
(sierrasteelguitars@imagina.com) and our mailing address (P.O. Box 19049, Portland, OR 97280) is expected to stay available for the foreseeable future. If people want to order parts, we suggest that they either email us or send us a letter with appropriate
part description and contact information. If we get the part supply working, then these requests will be forwarded to whoever is handling it. If you know of anyone who is interested in purchasing all the parts and setting themselves up as that part supplier, please encourage them to contact us.

This message is essentially the message given to those people at the St.Louis show that are there representing Sierra. We did not occupy the Clark Room this year, as we didn't feel right advertising products for sale and taking orders which we might not be able to fill.

Please pray for us. God is big and he can do anything and will, if it is within his plan for us.

Sincerely yours,
Tony Williams
President
Sierra Instrument Co. LLC
P.O Box 19049
Portland, OR 97280-0049
email: sierrasteelguitars@imagina.com

I had a batch of ten made, black with white trim.

[This message was edited by Jim Whitaker on 01 September 2003 at 07:32 AM.]

quote:

---

Many of you have seen the previous
posts starting with Ray Montee's premature
announcement of Sierra being out of business.

---

Let's see. At the time he posted his "Heads Up", were your doors actually closed? Was your phone disconnected? Were your employees filing unemployment? Was it actually a "Two Week Vacation" as reported in "rebuttal"?

quote:

---

I am making this post today to
give everyone information about the actual situation.

---

Im going to re-read your post here, and I'm praying that an answer other than "We're out of business" appears.

quote:

---

It is true that Sierra is having severe problems right now. It is true that we had to lay off our assembler, Tom Baker. This is how Ray Montee learned of our difficulties.

---

Did Mr Baker sign some kind of confidentiality agreement? What did you tell him when you laid him off? Did you make him promise not to tell anybody?

quote:

---

But, we had all the hopes of being able to attract a partner or buyer in order to restart.

---

I'm reading that a "Stop" occurred. In other words: We're done, unless somebody gives us a bunch of money. If somebody wants to buy it, then THEY'LL go back into business. I realise this is from the standpoint of a "Rube", and I've only studied "English" in my spare time.

quote:

---

This is why we put an outgoing announcement on our phone that we were on vacation. This was actually true because we had hopes of restarting within a couple of weeks.

---

The words "actually true" are frying me here. I seem to have heard them many times before. Too many times.

quote:

---

Unfortunately, perhaps partly because of the premature postings, not enough orders have come in to justify restarting the company.

---

In other words, you're trying to blame Mr Montee for giving those of us that might have sent money down on a 5000$ guitar and/or been ready to send a Sierra PSG back for repair or modification on their dime, some kind of heads up, therefore obligating the unsuspecting parties to become partners in your "hope" of finding buyer(s) or investor(s), as being a substantial part of the reasons for this. If this is some kind of a "trial balloon" or maybe a sub-concious trial of this measley excuse as a predicate for some misguided legal action, I'd advise you not to even consider it. I know the court system here in Oregon pretty well when it comes to business, and I think you'd get laughed out of any court I've ever had dealings with.

The reason this is pissing me off more as I'm going through this is that as nearly as I can tell, at the time of is posting, YOUR DOORS WERE CLOSED, your phone was off the hook, and your employees were laid off.

quote:

---

And, although several people and companies expressed an initial interest in partnering with Sierra, so far, nothing is finalized. So, the current state of Sierra is that it is not shipping guitars or parts.

---

I'm going to go WAY out on a limb here, and say that you're still closed, you still haven't found a buyer, you're not doing repair or warrantee work, as your assembly "staff" IS NOT WORKING.

quote:

---

We are still
trying to restructure the company and we hope to be able to help set up something that would at least allow people to continue to buy parts. However, as of yet, this is
not available.

---

In other words, to me this looks like you're saying " We're Closed". " We have NO way for people to buy parts for their guitars, or have repair work, warrantee or otherwise, done." I beg for correction, but I might properly summarize: "If nothing changes, nothing will change."

quote:

---

Currently, the website is down and our phone lines are disconnected. The email address ** is expected to stay available for the foreseeable future.

---

OK, I'm gonna take the lack of certainty as a hope that there is a forwarding address that will or will not be forthcoming.

*snipped the other BS* I get those "cash for your property" mailings too.

quote:

---

Please pray for us. God is big and he can do anything and will, if it is within his plan for us.

---

It is/was a BUSINESS you have closed. We are STEEL PLAYERS. It's not a church. Some of us are religious. Sunday was yesterday.

Mr. Montee needs an apology. I'm sure that if you see him in church next Sunday, he'll likey accept it there as well as here.

I don't need one. I never cared for the guitars, nice looking and well constructed as they might be, and was kind of turned off by the mix of "religion and business" that I always sensed there. It's just a pet peeve of mine I guess.

I was playing guitar in this town long before Don opened Sierra. I'll be playing long after the casket company next door buys the place, trims the blackberry bushes, and starts producing mobile crematoriums with the finest aluminum machined mechanisms.

Mr Montee has been playing Pedal Steel here longer than I have by about twice.

I'm sorry you didn't "make it".

I think it's a 90% failure rate with new businesses anyhow. Buck up.

There's no need to make it worse by trying to imply that MR Montee, or anybody else, caused in ANY WAY, your problems.

Did I mention that it is my opinon that He needs an apology? So does Tom Baker, since you seem to imply that he "talked out of Church". If anything, it was HIS dedication, and hard concientious work that allowed you to go on so long, IMHO.

I, for one, expect him/them to get one.

Locked topic or not..

Sincerely,

Eric J Lundgren
6942 N Montana Ave
Portland 97217

ericwest@spiritone.com

503-289-8711

Day or Night.

[This message was edited by Eric West on 01 September 2003 at 01:01 PM.]

I don't know you personnaly but your company always treated me very nicely with all my questions, even considering the fact that I just bougth a second hand guitar. I wish you best of luck and I hope that you'll find a way to keep your business. Closing Sierra would be a great loss to the community.

Cordially,

Martin Abend

------------------
martin abend Pedal-Steel in Germany
s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 | Regal RD45 | fender hotrod deluxe

It would have looked a lot less like you were hiding something.

It would have saved a lot of embarrassment.

"Hope" is no excuse.

In Business, it only makes you a victim.

I learned that a long time ago.

EJL

I could have come up with a better statement, but nobody thought to ask me.

Any Publicist worth a dime would have had eveybody crying and sending in donations.

A lot of times it's not so much what you say, but how you say it.

[This message was edited by Eric West on 01 September 2003 at 11:23 PM.]

I've been wondering if I should close this thread from the start, due to the "attack the issue, not the person" etiquite I try to encourage. The first post clearly violated that.

I'm NOT mad, I'm NOT, I'm NOT, I'M NOT!!

( jumps up and down fitfully....)

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 01 September 2003 at 02:53 PM.]

Thanks for offering your opinion.

As far as I'm concerned, Sierra Instruments owes Mr Montee an apology. Possibly Mr Baker as well, though I know him only by his fine reputation as a craftsman. There was no need to blame or cast negative aspersions apon other people for passing on information that their company should have put forth in a more timely fashion. Especially trying to blame their business problems on them no matter how "partially".

I am not a tourist, and "up here" My Business is pretty much what I say it is. Especially when it concerns the "Steel Guitar Commmunity" and a local senior member in good standing.

I hope and pray they find some way to keep the company going. Don had a good idea, and the people that worked there over the years made a quality instrument. Buddys Emmons and Charleton endorsed them at one time. The fact that I didn't should make no one lose any sleep. I'm a nobody for most purposes. Just another hack player.

Thanks for your concern.

Let us pray for truth, justice, and the american way.

EJL

Well Pete, here's to bad decisions.Without them there would be no growth. I do think you're right all the way around. It just hit me wrong. I noticed another similar reaction.

Here's what I would have said were I "SI".

*****SIMULATION*******

" We at Sierra Instruments have a painful announcement to make:

For the time being, due to severe economic conditions, and difficulties moving into different marketing directions, we are going to have to curtail out day to day operations, at least temporarily.

This is Most painful for the employees of our operation, namely Tom Baker, whom has done most of our day to day operations in a very professional way, as we're no longer able to keep him on the payroll at this point though he is an employee we hope to keep as our struggle continues if possible.

Specifically, at this point, I/We heartily recommend him for anybody wanting or needing a highly professional tech/builder/manager.

Further, we apologize for any embarrassment due to "premature announcements" that might have been made by members of the Steel Guitar Community, and/or the SG Forum. That sort of thing is bound to happen, and is indeed a further distress. We understand.

It was not our intent to mislead, or string anybody along, as difficult situations involving business struggles of this type often appear as such.

We wish ill for nobody, and hope that the people that have done business with Sierra Insts over the years will understand and give us support in this.

Prayers wouldn't hurt.

If anybody, or group of Steel Players knows any interested parties, or would like to contact us with ideas, please mail us. Our wish and intention is to continue in business long after this hopefully temporary situation.

We have enjoyed your support for many years, and have tried our best to return it "in kind". This reaching out on a perhaps personal level, for us us hard to do, but we know that being able to ask support from friends as we consider you ALL is a gift that YOU have given us.

For the time being, if there are any warrantee problems, or if you have shipped anything or ordered anything that we are not aware of, contacting me below at ____ will be much appreciated. The problem will be resolved to the best of my/our ability.

Again, thank you for your support, and I/We apologize for any inconvenience or embarrassment this has caused anybody. It is a difficult situation for everybody involved, especially our valued employees who need your support and prayers as well.

As I said, Prayer wouldn't hurt.

Sincerely

SI"

*******End Simulation*****

See?

Now how hard was that?

A letter like that could be worth a hundred grand.

Id have done it for free.

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 02 September 2003 at 04:23 PM.]

I'm sorry, but I completly disagree with you.

IMHO, Tony's business model for Sierra has turned out to be an example of some bad decison making on his part.

IMHO, Tom telling Ray that he was laid off from Sierra, and that Sierra was in trouble financially, was an example of bad decision making on Toms part.

IMHO, Rays posting (in no less than 3 forum catagories) that Sierra is out of business, was an example of bad decision making on his part.

IMHO, Your disection of Tony's written words and your posting (in no less than 2 forum catagories) that Sierra owes Ray and Tom and apology, is IMHO, an example of bad decision making on your part.

IMHO, Making this post is probably an example of bad decision making on my part!

IMHO, I'd say... Give it a rest, Dude!
It's not about overgrown blackberry bushes and signs in need of paint.

IMHO, Re-evaluating ones options in hopes of getting a troubled business plan back on track takes time (many a company have been in the "in-limbo" state, and have pulled out of the impending tailspin).

IMHO, It doesn't help when a couple of folks with no interest in the business whatsoever (before the problem arised), all of a sudden empower themselves to publicly "seal the coffin" of a company that is trying to exist in what is already a tragically thin market share during a nation wide economic downturn.

Eric, IMHO, you and I, Ray and I, Tom and I, and Tony and I, are friends. I will always be friends with you guys no matter what happens with Sierra.

I read all your posts on this subject and still cannot see why you feel so strongly about this issue.

The written word leaves so much to be desired (i.e. Please don't disect my written words).

Lets get together with Ray and Tom and maybe even Tony, and talk about it in the real world, when cooler heads prevail (as they say!) .

------------------
               Bobby Lee
-b0b-   quasar@b0b.com