Stephen Owsley Smith Instruments

**Jill McAuley** · Nov-10-2009, 11:44am

I'm confused now - have some of you put deposits down x amount of years ago and not received any communication or instrument to date?

Cheers,
Jill

**danb** · Nov-10-2009, 11:58am

Originally Posted by Jill McAuley

I'm confused now - have some of you put deposits down x amount of years ago and not received any communication or instrument to date?

Cheers,
Jill

Correct

**wsgumby** · Nov-10-2009, 4:22pm

Originally Posted by Jill McAuley
I'm confused now - have some of you put deposits down x amount of years ago and not received any communication or instrument to date?

Originally Posted by danb

Correct

Hmmm...I think I would regard this as theft. If he plans to finish the instruments the least he could do is keep his clients informed. And obviously if he doesn't plan on finishing the instruments he has no right to the money. I would sue.

W. S. Gumby

**Mike Black** · Nov-10-2009, 4:29pm

I have a friend in the Colorado Springs area that just got his SOS Octave Mandolin earlier this year (in May I believe). So he is getting instruments out. I know that he had a hard time getting communication from him too. He's very laid back and on his own timetable. Definitely got the Hawaiian feel going on. But that's why his instruments are so beautiful. He takes his time.

**Steve-o** · Nov-10-2009, 6:59pm

James and Dan,
I'm terribly sorry to hear about your predicament. I guess I didn't understand what was going on when I commented. I hope Mike's anecdote gives you a bit more hope.

I've got to see/hear one of these SOS instruments.

**oldwave maker** · Nov-10-2009, 7:18pm

Its always a humbling experience for this chronic octave crafter to fondle one of Stephens fabulous works of art. Did coloradoan Charlie Hall ever get his back?

**Mike Black** · Nov-10-2009, 7:33pm

Originally Posted by oldwave maker

Its always a humbling experience for this chronic octave crafter to fondle one of Stephens fabulous works of art. Did coloradoan Charlie Hall ever get his back?

Yes, he did.

**steve V. johnson** · Nov-10-2009, 9:42pm

I don't feel at all that I've been a victim of theft.

I haven't harassed him, and I trust there will be a good outcome.

stv

**Bill Van Liere** · Nov-10-2009, 10:11pm

Like most people in the mandolin world, that I come across and deal with anyway, I consider Stephen a really good guy. He was honest and gracious with me. He was about a half a year late getting me the Octave (in hindsight that seems like not much) but acknowledged that and put a pick guard and some inlay on the neck at no extra charge. It was worth the wait.

good luck to those in waiting, glad to here is still building and if you get a chance, say howdy from me.

**first string** · Nov-11-2009, 10:18am

Originally Posted by Steve-o

James and Dan,
I'm terribly sorry to hear about your predicament. I guess I didn't understand what was going on when I commented. I hope Mike's anecdote gives you a bit more hope.

I've got to see/hear one of these SOS instruments.

Just to clarify, I didn't ever place an order with Mr Smith. I was merely stating that while I love his instruments, and am planning on being in the market for a bouzouki in a year or so, I wouldn't care to work with someone who can't be bothered to return the occasional phone call, or keep his customers appraised of their order's status. This seems to be an issue with a few top builders, and however talented they may be, they wouldn't be my choice. Delays are innevitable, but communication seems like the bare minimum of courtesy that one should extend to ones customers.

**Eddie Sheehy** · Nov-11-2009, 5:41pm

Originally Posted by oldwave maker

Its always a humbling experience for this chronic octave crafter to fondle one of Stephens fabulous works of art. Did coloradoan Charlie Hall ever get his back?

High Praise indeed Bill - coming from you. I've seen and heard Don Grieser's OM you built and that is one beautifully crafted instrument.

**Graham McDonald** · Nov-12-2009, 12:07am

I can only second Bill Bussman's comment. I have been making these things for close on 30 years and I have had the pleasure of having inspected and played instruments by most of the well respected builders over that period and briefly met Steve at Zoukfest1 back in '98. In terms of conception, design and execution Steve's instruments are so far ahead of what anyone else is doing that it is (in Australian horse racing terminology) Steve out in front, daylight second.

He may not live what, even for a musical instrument maker, might be considered a normal lifestyle, but many great artists don't. Pompous statements about suing him are just silly. It seems as if new instruments do turn up, perhaps infrequently, so if he does have a deposit, you should get an instrument eventually. Even if you don't want it when it comes, I would suggest you could perhaps immediately resell it and probably make a dollar or two.

If I could justify it to her indoors, I would put an order in for one myself, just for the sheer pleasure of owning a little bit of genius.

cheers

graham

**wsgumby** · Nov-12-2009, 4:51pm

Well Mr. McDonald, you're right. Being an artistic genius gives Mr Smith every right to ignore his customers for years. Superior humans can't be held to the same standards of decency as us lesser folk.

W. S. Gumby

**Ed Benzedrine** · Nov-15-2009, 3:16pm

At the risk of sounding intolerant .... where, in any other sphere of life, would a 'customer' put up with being ignored by their supplier ? ... I guess thats where being an 'artisan' of some considerable reverence sets a person aside from the 'Average bear, Yogi'.

A wait of 10 years ish, is admirable from a customer, and a 'waiting patiently in silence' stance does indeed say something good about that person... you would, of course be well within the bounds of acceptability to voice a bit of concern, should you wish to.

I guess if you want one.. be prepared for a bit of delay and don't look to be kept in the picture !...
the instruments themselves do sound like they're worth the wait !

Interesting story !.

**Pete Brown** · Nov-15-2009, 8:54pm

My first post here, so I hope I've started out by providing something vaguely useful!

I managed to find an archived version of his web site for those of you wishing to view his instruments. The pages seem very slow to load as I assume they're retrieved from the archive as needed. I haven't checked to see that all the links within the site still work, but it's better than nothing.

http://web.archive.org/web/200708200...sic.com/steve/

Cheers
Pete

**sgarrity** · Nov-16-2009, 5:37pm

Now that's what I was after. Those instruments are beautiful!!

**Steve-o** · Nov-16-2009, 9:07pm

OMG!

Now I see what all the attention to SOS is about - very creative and exquisitely beautiful instruments! His artistry reminds me a little of Brian Dean (Labraid), although very unique in its own right. Thanks for the link Pete.

**hank** · Nov-16-2009, 9:41pm

Did he move to Hawaii or Middle Earth? Those have to be crafted by Elves.

**dmahling** · Dec-18-2009, 12:52pm

Sorry for getting here late Mr. Conoboy and John McG - man, didn't realize I had so many pals. I am a lucky man. Oh yes, and I am a lucky man because after a lost decade I got my Stephen Owsely-Smith cittern, which my wife had already written off.

The UPS man was never more welcome anywhere...

It is the sweetest instrument ever. It practically plays by itself and is louder than anything amplified.

Steve had me order a Pegasus case five years ago from Scotland to be shipped to Hawaii, since it looked like he might have been done back then... no such luck. It is a strange feeling to order a case you have never seen to be shipped from a cold island in the North Atlantic for an instrument that may never get finished on another island in the warm Pacific. In the end it all came out more than fine.

Cuivis citternalia remedium est patientia (the cure to all cittern issues is patience)

Dirk