Carter Vintage Guitars is now Carter Vintage Exchange

[thumbknuckle]

Seems to me that some of what is being expressed here represents an inter-generational conflict that has nothing to do with and ignores marketplace dynamics.

I am nobody's dad. Must be why I missed how deep this might run.

I'm a blue collar dog & worked like one to pay for everything I've ever owned.
I do realize that I was privileged to have the opportunity and that
it is more difficult for folks coming along now.

[Mandolin Cafe]

The merger between Carter Vintage and The North American Guitar occurred several months ago.
When I was over there a few weeks ago, Walter Carter was at his usual spot in the shop.
Unless something has changed since then, I will assume that he is still working there.
Kim Sherman, who is a managing partner, was also in there. She is splitting her time between the Carter store and the TNAG store.
From all appearances, it was business as usual.

The new website appears to be functioning as it should now, at least from my desktop.
If anyone is still having problems, you might want to contact them directly. Try TNAG [The North American Guitar] first-- it's usually less busy over there.

Yes, merger happened March, announced here first. But the new name is from yesterday, and no apparent announcement.

The web site "functions," but saying it "works" as a web site is supposed is wholly inaccurate. Here are links to three instruments for sale on the Classifieds from yesterday. Links to product for sale can be anywhere on the net and are: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google search results, Yahoo search results, browser bookmarks, a myriad of guitar/mandolin/banjo forums, an infinite number of other locations. This is not about the Cafe, it's about poorly thought out web development. Click those links below and tell us that's the way a web site is supposed to work. There were 44 of them at 6:30 a.m. All they did was spin new software with few forwarding links to main categories so they broke every individual instrument link into the site from all external sources and search engines. This was resolved on the Classifieds because I went out to the site and used their search engine to find all 44 instruments and then manually edited each ad and inserted the correct link. That they're still 404 errors 24 hours later tells me no one has placed redirects. This isn't rocket science. I can guarantee you almost no one is going to correct all of these links at all of these destinations. You can also bank on the fact no one that built that site is checking server error logs or they'd see they're bleeding lost traffic.

Janish F5-Nf 2005 - Price Drop https://cartervintage.com/collection...ish-f5-nf-2005
Old Fiddle Road Open Back Banjo Recent - https://cartervintage.com/collection...k-banjo-recent
Giacomel Octave Mandolin - https://cartervintage.com/collection...f-giacomel-j-5

[Willow20]

I was at Carters a week or 2 ago, very nice shop and I got to visit with Mr Carter and play the Brand new Gilchrist on display.

[Willow20]

I was at Carters a week or 2 ago, very nice shop and I got to visit with Mr Carter and play the Brand new Gilchrist on display.

Looks like it sold already, that certainly did not take long.

[Mandobar]

TNAG lists the same physical address as Carters.

[McIrish]

I was at Carters a week or 2 ago, very nice shop and I got to visit with Mr Carter and play the Brand new Gilchrist on display.

Wow. Not my experience at all there. I was there a couple weeks ago and was treated very poorly. I wish I had met the Carters. They sound very nice. I don't believe either of them was in the shop the day my wife and I went shopping there.

[Bazz Jass]

I was surprised to find on their website, the shop's only been in business for 10 years.

Feels like they've been around forever. I guess they have in one way or another, but the shop is only 10 years young

[sgarrity]

I wish the Carters nothing but the best. I've spent time with both of them and they're just wonderful people!

However, I'm not a fan of the direction all of this is going. Venture capital rarely benefits the end user. Good thing I'm happy with the collection I have. And if I just have to have something in the future I'll order direct from a builder.

[Jeff Mando]

I know it is not the case, but to an outside observer from another planet looking at the cafe, it would seem most of the mandolin business in the world is controlled by 5 or 6 USA retailers? Sure, the super rare vintage and boutique items are mostly marketed by select dealers. And, yes, the market for $10K and up mandolins is an elite one by nature. But that is just a small part of the mandolin retailing story.

My point is a lot of small shops provide a great service to their area and clientele, IMHO. Add to that the need for beginner and student instruments (which is part of continuing the circle of music, IMHO.) I am in contact with several small music stores that I do repair work for. I'm always pleasantly surprised by their inventory and sometimes even amazed at some of the great consignments that show up locally. One retailer is a Fender dealer located 30 miles from a Guitar Center and he is still competitive and able to do a good business, for example.

I met the Carters 25+ years ago when they were working for Gruhn. The have managed to create a giant retail store with a "small town" retail attitude. I have enjoyed shopping with them and wish them the best in this new phase of life.

[Duct Tape]

Remember when Mandolin Brothers was THE place? That was because Stan Jay was THE man. MandoBros was the only music store I've ever been to that I liked even more than Carter's.


.

Oh man, memory lane. I walked into Mandolin Bros in 1977. On the way to Europe with a $7 a day budget (and book, if you remember it) and a Eurail Pass. I used the money from selling my old Chevy pickup for a HD-28, newly reoffered that year. Stan tried to talk me into one of his many Gibson mandos, “will be much easier to carry”. No telling what kind of deal could have gotten then, compared to todays prices. I schlepped that Martin, blue plastic case and all, from Ireland through Scandinavia to Greece. Almost lost it twice and chased down a guy trying to steal it in Barcelona. I grew to hate having to carry the damn thing everywhere and often recalled Stan’s advice to go smaller. Still have the HD-28, same case, sitting in my study. It’s been my main acoustic ax for over 40 years. Top has aged and yellow beautifully. I tried to go back to Staten Island a while back, didn’t know the store had closed.

I was in Carter’s this past Oct 8. Seemed the same as always to me. They were closing off the side room to film a show but didn’t see who the artist was.

[Fretbear]

I schlepped that Martin, blue plastic case and all, from Ireland through Scandinavia to Greece.

Martin's Famous "Steal Me" case....The Spanish guy was just being accommodating....

[Mandobar]

Unfortunately, I think the emphasis is on social media and Internet presence for a lot of businesses these days, which can be a double-edged sword.