Home Forums Guitar Discussion Guitar Bergeron Guitars

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #23543
    Barry Bargeron
    Participant

    Hello GuitarSite

    I am Barry Bergeron. I own Bergeron Guitars. I would like to invited to our website. http://www.bergeronguitars.com. We have something different, and we would like to know what you think. I would like to check in on your group to see what you do think, and to answer any questions.

    Thanks
    Barry

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Author
    Replies
    • #74719
      SB
      Participant

      Thanks for the info Barry, I appreciate your willingness to share what you’ve developed in aluminum guitar technology. I’ll call Lone Wolf next time I’m headed to OKC and see if they have one of your guitars in the shop. If not, I’ll get in touch with you.

      I’ll look for you at guitar shows. If you have printed guitar literature you would like for me to put up on my site just contact me through the site and I’ll send you my address. I get a lot of traffic from guys interested in “unusual” guitars, I’m sure there would be interest in what you are doing.

      Good luck at Arlington,

      sb

    • #74752
      Tim
      Participant

      Hey Barry, thanks for the extra info. Totally agree with previous posts the price doesn’t seem OTT for a bespoke instrument (not that I have that much yet 🙁 ) . Good luck with the business I’ll definitely be checking back when I’m a bit richer.

    • #74713
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Hello Barry,

      That’s an interesting site, always a pleasure to see new ideas here. Tim’s right that bass players are less conservative many won’t baulk at the price if the features match their criteria (look at Ritter for example). The only caveat is that, with SS frets as well, it might be on the bright side. More for the modern bass sound.

      Seeing as you’re pretty much a bespoke maker, I’d suggest you consider 5 and 6-string basses. Also, don’t forget the lefty. If you take a look at http://www.leftybass.com, get in touch with my mate Arni there (tell him Oz directed you). If you want to sound out interest from lefty bass players, I’m sure he’d be happy to put an item up in his news section.

    • #74730
      Barry Bargeron
      Participant

      Hello SB

      thank you for adding a link to us on your site – VintAxe.com. This is an excellent site. I am glad to know about it. very glad to be included there.

      Yes we are in Norman. I have been with University of Oklahoma department of physics since 1992. Maybe I have seen you there.

      If I were not busy from sunup to Letterman, trying to get ready for the Arlington show, I would probably be willing to get in a car with one of these guitars and drive to Kansas City for your benefit. There are always other options. Call me, lets talk about it.

      For times when you can come to Oklahoma, I will be delighted to show you our facility. Also, Lone Wolf Guitars in Oklahoma City is our local distributor. You can call Marty Ryan at 405 634 9911. We also have a distributor in the vicinity of Charlotte North Carolina and soon will have a distributor in the vicinity of Los Angeles. I can give you details about these if you like.

      we are gaining a lot of enthusiasm all of the country for these little aluminum guitars. they are becoming known for their sound and playability. We have only two guitars left for sale. I am in real danger of getting to Arlington with nothing to show. We are probably a year away from having more guitars ready.

      I think your site is totally cool, and I hope to be able to meet you sometime. In the meantime, call anytime. I love to talk about music and guitars too.

      Thanks
      Barry

    • #74737
      SB
      Participant

      Hi Barry,

      I see you are building these instruments in my old hometown of Norman OK. I spent 5 years there as a graduate student at OU. I’m currently in Kansas City. Is there anywhere in this region where I could play one of your guitars? I usually get back to Oklahoma a couple of times a year. Is it possible to arrange an appointment to see how the guitars are built?

      I’ve added a link to your hompage on my website VintAxe.com. Just look under Custom Guitar Links.

      Thanks for letting me know how I might get my hands on one of these interesting looking instruments. People might be a bit startled at the price but you are well below the asking price of a new Veleno. I hope sales are strong. sb

    • #74725
      Barry Bargeron
      Participant

      hey Tim

      yes I am after all of the questions that you have.

      the bottom picture you refer to is a 7 string prototype I built for myself. The seven string is not yet a production item. This particular guitar has a

      strap lock on the upper the horn because I wanted to try it that way. I didn’t like it, and don’t use it. I don’t recommended it on any of these guitars,

      because the upper horn does not extend far enough out to put the strap lock in a proper place. I use the strap lock behind the neck. This is much better.

      Because the seven string is a prototype, it weighs 12 pounds. Even at that weight, the guitar is not neck heavy. I don’t believe I would have the heart

      to try to sell you a twelve pound guitar. But for myself, I don’t mind the weight, especially given the fact that this guitar sounds and plays so

      beautifully. I will never sell this particular guitar, but I certainly will build you a better one. I remember the first time I ever saw a Travis Bean

      aluminum neck guitar years ago. I knew then that aluminum had huge potential for the electric guitar. I promised myself that I would figure out a way to

      solve the neck heavy problem of those guitars. I absolutely have done this. Myself, I will not tolerate a neck heavy guitar. Comments I get are like

      this – “it feels strange but comfortable. I could get used to it.” These guitars are very comfortable. The small size puts it much more in your hands,

      instead of forcing you to lean over it so much.

      the close cropping of the photos on our website is a hack, you might say. I shot those photos myself. The close cropping is to eliminate rigging that

      would otherwise be seen. If I can figure out how to upload photos, I will post some that are of more informative for you. Would you be interested in

      seeing how I configured the headstock mounted thumbscrew fine tuners?

      we have had more requests for bass guitars than anything else. They are high on our list of priorities. We have done enough to work on the bass guitars

      to see that the upper horn mounted strap button might work for bass guitars. Some tests that we have done indicate that aluminum is the material of

      choice for bass guitars.

      Bergeron guitars is featured in the “Out Now” section of the September issue of Guitar Player magazine. On page 60, is stated that our guitars start at

      $5175. The average price is about $6000. But before you faint, let me quickly make this point. You can recover from the cost. I promise you can. But

      you will always have a superb guitar forever. Our guitar neck will never shrink or warp or twist overtime — never. Intonation will be dead on forever.

      How long you suppose a completely aluminum guitar could last — 100 years, 500 years?

      just a bit more about the string locking clamps. Yes, we lock everything down. Yes, this feature makes it difficult to drop to D in between songs. But I

      want to make this point. The fact that a player can reach up and drop to D is the same reason he is forced to monkey with the tuning constantly. I am not

      saying that I have created a perfect guitar, or that I have made a standard guitar obsolete. I am saying that I have never seen or heard a better electric

      guitar in my life. Im a right? It’s your call. You tell me.

      thx
      Barry

    • #74718
      Tim
      Participant

      Hey Barry, some interesting stuff you’ve got. Couple of questions being as thats what you’re after:
      The bottom pic shows the strap button on the upper horn, I assume the others are on the back ot the neck? how does this affect the neck heavy issue you mentioned? does the 6.5 pound of the body counter balance the lengh of the neck? (sorry a pet peave – most of my guitars have been ‘Black and Deckered’ to correct this!)
      I assume the top pic shows all of the headstock? it’s a bit close-cropped to tell, and you mention string locking clamps? If so I really like the aesthetics (always prefer headless)
      Do you foresee a bass version? I’ve seen more aluminium necked basses than I have guitars dito graphite etc…the benefits tend to be more readily accepted by us bass players.
      Lastly (you’ll be glad to hear) the cynic in me can’t see an example price anywhere on your site, be useful for those of us who don’t stand a chance of affording one anyway!

    • #74697
      Barry Bargeron
      Participant

      hello Underpants

      thanks for checking out our site. we don’t yet have any famous endorsers. the promotion machine is just starting to spin up for us. we do have a lot of excitement about our little aluminum guitars. sound and playability connects like no wooden guitar can. (that’s what i think, but i’m not the only one).

      the aluminum guitar story is huge. ask me anything.

      our site is evolving continually. more useful info about why alumunum can make the best electric guitar will be included as soon as i can do it.

      thx
      Barry

    • #74733

      I had a look at your site – intereting. Do you have any endorsement deals or any famous guitarists using them yet?

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.