Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Let's Build a Emerald Balor 6!!!
- Thread starter Darren Michaels
- Start date
None that I know of. I haven't even gotten the email they mention in the 2/6 shipping video, which supposedly went out to all the people with custom orders.
You folks that have these basses on order I have to give you respect on your patients, didn't this thread start back in Nov. 2023?
I'm still waiting for that email, too. The orders were officially placed in February 23, 2024, so we're about to hit the two year mark. Now Alistair has announced that one of production leads in the custom area has parted ways with Emerald. I'll reach out to Caolan middle of next week if no update is given before then.
Got this from Caolan this morning:
I think the Balor 6s are falling into "special projects" if you will. I have heard they are due to get an update from the factory over the course of the next couple of weeks and then are onto the finishing stage.
As far as I'm aware all of the bespoke work is done on the majority of the models and they should go through the factory at high priority now.
This may not be greatly helpful, but it's something.
I think the Balor 6s are falling into "special projects" if you will. I have heard they are due to get an update from the factory over the course of the next couple of weeks and then are onto the finishing stage.
As far as I'm aware all of the bespoke work is done on the majority of the models and they should go through the factory at high priority now.
This may not be greatly helpful, but it's something.
Thanks for sharing. I really appreciate that. It's unfortunate that it's another "just a little longer" statement that's been irking a lot of the group. Maybe it's for real this time.
I'll relay this to the rest of the group.
This is the latest from the Facebook Balor 6 group. Quoting Alistair here...
"All the Balor 6 are finally in paint stage and I believe they will be hitting setup this week and next"
A few of the upset folks in the group have been more vocal lately. Emerald has been responding. Alistair goes further as to the reasons behind the delay, but I just thought I'd share.
"All the Balor 6 are finally in paint stage and I believe they will be hitting setup this week and next"
A few of the upset folks in the group have been more vocal lately. Emerald has been responding. Alistair goes further as to the reasons behind the delay, but I just thought I'd share.
Thanks, Darren.
I guess this is something, right? We should also keep in mind that shipping is going to take a long time with their new system. So even when the basses are done, it's going to be weeks after that before we have them in our hot little hands. I know the basses are going to be great, but this wait has not been fun.
i'm new to this company/thread but interested in a carbon fiber acoustic 6 string
can anyone let me know what the string spacing is at the bridge on these?
can anyone let me know what the string spacing is at the bridge on these?
Well, clearly they didn't hit setup in the second half of March, as promised here, but on Friday I heard from Caolan that they're "between polishing and setup." Whatever one might want to conclude from that.
Should be 18 mm. But I hope you're not in a hurry; we've already been waiting more than 2 years for these. Though once the ice is broken, they ought to be able to push them out faster. I think.
both the 18mm (too wide for me) and the details of this thread seem to be a bit of a shame so far.
I got an email from Caolan today saying one of my Balor 6s is going to paint today. Seems they didn't all make it through paint stage in March.
They'll be able to do a custom spacing at the bridge for tighter spacing. The neck will probably only be molded for 18mm spacing. I'm not sure if they are open to a narrower neck, but you it may be worth reaching out to them.
if they told customers "its going into paint" months ago, and then said that again today,
meh. they lost me.
i'd love a 6 string acoustic and theirs looks cool. but i'll be fine without one if this is their vibe
aren't they generally known for good customer service, and this is just because it's a custom batch? or no?
Yes, they generally are known for that, and for anything in their established line, they're usually quite efficient. Most people who order, say, an X20 have been getting theirs in 3-4 months.
From what I can gather, it's the fact that these Balor 6s were all customs, and in fact involved the creation of a new model that never really existed as such before, along with a new process for building all the Balor models, that appears to be the major cause of the delay. That doesn't make me any happier about the delay, and I still don't think it should have taken this long, but that seems to be the deal. I suppose if there's an upside, it would be that if the Balor 6 does indeed stay as a standard model in the product line, the next people who order it should get theirs much faster than we pioneers are getting ours. (You're welcome, future Balor 6ers!
)
Exactly that. They tend to have great customer service. The Balor 6 project is more of a passion project and it happened during a weird time for Emerald. It kept getting pushed aside for other things. But yeah as said before, once this first batch is done they should be able to complete a build in three months.
Good to know.
If they can do it with 17mm or less spacing at the bridge i'd almost definitely order one
It might be worth it to you meeting an Emerald Ambassador in your area. If you meet in person, they can give you a card with a $100 coupon code. Not too many of them have Balors, but even the players who just have guitars can give you a code. They are not salesmen and do not work for Emerald. They're just players who are open to letting you try their instruments and can answer questions about their experiences with Emerald.
This is how to find one.
Ambassador Program - Emerald Guitars
Emerald Guitars: Become an ambassador for our brand Share your passion for music with the world and enjoy exclusive benefits. Join our ambassador program today!
emeraldguitars.com
crazy, there are three of them within a ~15 minute drive of me.It might be worth it to you meeting an Emerald Ambassador in your area. If you meet in person, they can give you a card with a $100 coupon code. Not too many of them have Balors, but even the players who just have guitars can give you a code. They are not salesmen and do not work for Emerald. They're just players who are open to letting you try their instruments and can answer questions about their experiences with Emerald.
This is how to find one.
Ambassador Program - Emerald Guitars
Emerald Guitars: Become an ambassador for our brand Share your passion for music with the world and enjoy exclusive benefits. Join our ambassador program today!
There's one in the next town over from my job, who has three instruments, one of which is a balor 5.
maybe I should go try one!
Very cool. definitely speaks to them standing behind their product that they go out of their way to let everyone get their hands on them.
