Latest From Rich

Hi All,

Having gone live with my new site about a little over a year ago, a few problems have crept in along the way.  Shipping being the largest problem, then customization of the catalog, cart issues, and then not being able to keep up with updates from WordPress, the Shopp Backend and the Theme I was using, created numerous other little problems.

Bearing in mind that everything I do here is about creating a better experience, from your visits to my shop, to speaking with me on the phone and or email, my web site is a simple extension of myself and that business.   I don’t want my clients coming thru my site, thinking anything other than, wow, that was really cool.  I love that site.  It was so helpful.

Well, I didn’t believe that my current “new” site was that total package, so me and Dan thought about it.

The only way to solve it was to either spend an enormous amount of time and energy fixing the current site OR Build a completely new one, one that can keep up with updates and seamlessly integrate new information.

I opted for the latter.  Dan and I have been working on it for the last week.  It is going really well, where we’re actually hoping to go live this weekend.  Turns out it was simpler, in many ways, than we may have originally thought.

So here’s to moving forward.  It’s one of the reasons why I’ve been hard to contact of late.  Work work work.  We’ll be good to go in a few days.  Best and thanks for your patience.

Update: It turns out we’re ready to go today, so we went live.  A few media file issues, some broken links, but for the most part, things seem to be working well.  I like the functionality from the user point of view, including Price Filters, the ability to sort ascending and descending based on dates, price, name.  You’ll find the Price Filter on the right side when you click a category.  The ability to Sort also happens once you click thru a Category.

All in all, very nice.  Dan did a great job, as usual.  Best and call or write if you see anything unusual or if you want to talk guitar.

09-01-2013 – Further Update:  As nicely as the new site went live, there were some Caching Issues having to do with our CDN.  I had to disable the CDN to get the site to work, but it was slooooowwwwwww.  I hates slow sites.  By default, I then hates my site.  So be it.  I’ve adjusted some settings and we seem to be better, but the CDN is still disabled.  We’re working on it.  thanks…Rich

09-03-2013 – It turns out that another huge problem was file sizes, mainly to do with photographs.  I’ve basically had to rerun all my photos for about 250 guitars (times an average of 6 photos per guitar) thru a re-optimization process, resize them, delete all the old ones, upload the new ones, and re-attach them to their respective guitar pages.  Sounds like fun, no?

It wasn’t, it isn’t, and I’ll be working on it thru tomorrow.  I might be done by tomorrow, but the site should be much faster when said and done.  If photos are missing for a guitar, now you know why.  I’m working it as we speak, or as you read.  Best..Rich

09-04-2013 – I’m almost done optimizing the site and uploading the majority of re-optimized photos after a full day’s work yesterday and today.  Nice.  I’m getting an average load time of under 2.5 seconds for the site, which I can live with.  I’ll be looking for more efficiency over the next few months.  Thanks for your patience.  Rich

09-07-2013 – The site seems to be mostly good at this point, loading in less than 2 seconds.  A lot of work, but worth it.  Dan has also been working on it off site.  Between the two of us, we got it to the point where I’m really liking the new setup, the ability to update easily, and my ability to work the site on the spot.

I’m still tweaking little things here and there.  I just setup the options for D’Addario Strings, for instance, so that the variations are visible via attributes.  Now, you can see EJ45 Normal Tension vs EJ46C High Tension Composites and so on.  Nice.  I still have to go thru the Flamenco and Acoustic Guitars for further optimization, but at least she’s working good right now.  One thing I haven’t been able to solve is the ability to display previously sold guitars without populating the “entire” site with “SOLD” Guitars.  It gets confusing to look at all of the guitars, not being able to tell if it’s sold or available.  So, I felt it best to simply remove previously sold guitars to keep the site cleaner looking and easier to navigate.

Rich 631-335-5447

Hi All,

Regardless of personal and business issues with a named individual in a different post, life and business go on.  LOL  Yes indeed, life goes on.

New guitars from

• Gil Carnal – 2013 Cedar monster
• Larry Breslin – Spruce beauty
• Paul Weaver – 2013 – waiting on this one for today or next week?  Can’t remember all of a sudden.
• Glen Perry – 2013 Spruce/Cocobolo Lattice Braced
• Manuel Adalid – A Cedar Emperador from 2009 (nice guitar)
• a 1956 Del Pilar – old school NYC build using Spruce and Brazilian RW you can’t find anymore
• Adalid – Hauser model
• Adalid Model 11 in Spruce
• Esteve 8 in Spruce and Cedar
• Manuel Adalid – an actual Adalid Model in Cedar with Madagascar RW – this is a really nice guitar
• Kenny Hill 640 Signature #3778 – yeah baby.
• an older Dominique Field is on the way as well.  Nice guitar

Most are listed, some to be listed, photographed, measured, etc.  Work goes on, life goes on.  Call or write…I’m always around.  Rich

631-335-5447

rsayage1@savageclassical.com

Hi All,

I actually don’t have a lot to say.  Truth is, I’m behind in all ways here in the studio.  So many classical guitars have showed up, I don’t even know how to wrap my head around all the photography, listing, measuring, recording, etc that needs to be done.

Guitars by the following builders have come into the studio since I last wrote:

• Tomas Borobia
• Guillermo del Pilar (William Sr. … nice guitar)
• Vassilis Lazarides
• Raya Pardo
• Manuel Adalid
• Manuel Rodriguez
• Kenny Hill
• Manouk Papazian (sold already)
• Richard Prenkert
• German Vazquez Rubio
• Jean Rompré
• More that I might have missed.  Some of these builders have sent me more than 1 guitar, mind you.  I’m seriously losing it here.   LOL

Additionally, my new corporate structure is wailing on me and my time.  Customs and Importation are kicking my butt as well.  Costs are rising as accounting issues and broker issues need to be addressed.  I need to speed up a bit, get more efficient and get these babies done.  The site needs to be up to speed with all the new or used guitars that have come in.  Here I am on a gorgeous Sunday morning and afternoon and I’m recording.  I want to be out with the girls, but not happening.  OK, so complaints over.  Work time, again.  I should be caught up by Wednesday or toward the end of the coming week.

Recordings that have been uploaded for the month of August, so far:

• Tom Blackshear – Reyes – Classical Guitar
• Classical Guitar by Manuel Adalid – Hauser Inspired Classical Guitar
• Tom Blackshear – Reyes Blanca Flamenco Guitar

Best and enjoy.  Rich

631-335-5447

Hi All,

As I said earlier, it’s been a weird summer so far.  Companies and people are acting very strange of late.  No one wants to (or at least it seems this way) do their job.  Apparently, being unemployed has become a fave of many people.  That’s what happens when our leadership, government, …..  whoa….wait a sec….I never discuss politics, religion or the economy.  Ever!!!

Whoo…close call.  LOL

Let me put it this way.  I have one bias, one prejudice.  I don’t like assholes, myself included, when I act like one (which, weirdly enough, is quite rare, though it happens LMAO)

As far as guitars, nothing of note to write.  Stuff moves out, I have tons of work to do, recordings, listings, etc.  I’m on that this past weekend and thru this week.  Paperwork!!! Yikes  … lots of that.

I moved over to different corporate structure back in June.  New books, licenses, checks, etc.  Frickin’ nightmare, but necessary.

Books are still being worked on.  Well Tempered 1B is half way done.  It is arduous work.  Ack   …..hehehehe.  Best and enjoy the serious hotness of weather.  Beach and pool baby.  Rich

Hi All,

This has been a weird summer so far.  I’ve been ill with various minor ailments that make me wonder if there’s something more wrong.  Maybe I’m just mentally ill and that’s the root of all my evils  LOL

I had a tooth that decided to get really infected.  I mean really bad.  My jaw was twice its size.  Now, I’m fugly to begin with, so this just added to the overall effect.  I ended up missing the GFA this year in Kentucky, which I was really looking forward to going.  I was even going to drive to get there.  Not possible now.

This hasn’t stopped the flow of amazing guitars coming into the studio.

• Maxwell Sipe of Portland Oregon sent me a beautiful guitar, priced very well.
• Kenny Hill sent me 2 Signature Classical Guitars that measure at a 640mm scale length.  Really nice guitars.
• I have a Papazian in the studio that I will list in July.
• Kenny also sent me a Cedar 650 Performance #3420 that is sweet.
• A Used Kenny Hill 650 Cedar Performance #3270 also came in to the studio.
• A GV Rubio Hauser with Rodgers Tuners and Brazilian RW arrived as well.
• R.E. Bruné #638 Artist Model from 2001 with a Karura Travel Case has also arrived.  This is his top of the line instrument, and it looks it  🙂

I will list them as soon as mid-next week.  Photography and measurements, recording and listing take more time than you might imagine.  Best and talk soon .. Rich 631-335-5447

Hi All,

Paul Weaver Classical Guitar ’43 Hauser

My apologies as I’ve been down and out for a few weeks, not feeling particularly well.  Back to normal, I had a full days work yesterday, from taxes to paperwork to photography.  Then, training with my girls last evening, I snapped my M nail to the stubs of its origins.  Note, that I haven’t broken a nail in many years.  Guess I was pretty ill  🙂

So, how many guitars can I bring into the studio?  Hehehe, apparently, plenty.  Manuel Adalid – Kenny Hill – Geri Carletto – Jean Rompré – Douglas Pringle – Larry Breslin – Richard Prenkert – Lester DeVoe – Tom Blackshear – Paul Weaver and so on.

Not bad for a sick guy!

Recordings are way behind.  Bad time to snap a nail.  I’ll figure something out.

Bad news too.  Apparently, a prior friend of mine in the city, a luthier (or at least he says he’s a luthier) is setting a bad example of business and ethics.  I am going to detail a particular business deal that he had with a client of his, one that he involved me and my business name in (I would like to say inadvertently so, but he did it in a very calculating manner).  I will detail his name, address and phone numbers, including his business name(s) so that everyone can avoid doing business with him.  He is devious and a liar.  He will delay you with sob story tactics, time and again.  Put it this way….he consigned a guitar with me.  He then sold the guitar to me, in June of 2012, as if it was his to sell.  I then received a phone call in January of 2013, while at the NAMM Show in CA, from someone I do not know, asking where is his guitar?  “what guitar”?

The guitar that “the luthier” gave to you to sell for me.  Silence on my end of the phone.  Inside my head….”no….there is no way that prick would do that”.  The customer…”are you there”?  Yeah, I’m here, I just can’t believe that somebody would just sell something that’s not theirs, without authorization to do so, and then pocket the money.  I’ll spare you the further details, but you see where this is going.

Now, if he doesn’t do the right thing by the end of this month, I will not spare you or him the details.

As I said to the guy whose guitar was stolen, why do this, there’s no need for deception or thievery in this business.  But, I am naive.  Better to be naive and honest, then whatever this prick in the city represents.

Now, happy summer.  June 21st and it’s gorgeous out.  I’ve worked since 5AM and now I’m going to enjoy my girls.  My beautiful and talented young ladies, of whom I’m very proud.  Best…Rich

631-335-5447

Larry Breslin 2013 Classical Guitar Cedar Cocobolo

Richard Prenkert Classical Guitar #347

2013 Jean Rompré Classical Guitar

Douglas Pringle Classical Guitar #88

Manuel Adalid Hauser Model Classical Guitar

Manuel Adalid Torres 640 Classical Guitar

Manuel Adalid Romantica Classical Guitar

Manuel Adalid Anniversario Classical Guitar #65

Pete Barthell Classical Guitar #172 Spruce w/Brazilian RW

Hi Everyone,

OK, I get it.  I’m really behind on my media and recording and video work.  Ugh…

So, I hammer away at it a bit at a time.  Seriously, I have something like 26 guitars to record.  I did 2 today, and hopefully more in the next 4 or so hours.

Barthell Model – Classical Guitar- Serial #172  – yeah baby, with gorgeous European Spruce and Brazilian Rosewood.  Does this man know how to build a beautiful guitar.

Kenny Hill – Performance Series Classical Guitar #3373 – Torres 1856 Parlor body size in Cedar  You have got to be kidding me?  This guitar is ridiculously good.

I was able to get 2 more recordings done:

A pre-owned Kenny Hill Performance 640 Spruce that is in excellent condition.  I mean unplayed condition and a

2008 Lester DeVoe Spruce with Brazilian RW – serious baby  LOL

Going into Monday morning, I did a 2012 Bob Desmond Red Spruce Classical that will blow you away.

I’ll keep updating this page thru the week, as it seems to be a better idea to have a recording log for a week, instead of everytime I sit down with a guitar.

Nice  🙂

More recordings during the week were:

Kenny Hill Signature Spruce #3405

Kenny Hill Torres #2491

Geri Carletto 2007 Classical Guitar – nice guitar!

Bob Desmond Red Adirondack Spruce (wow..nice guitar)

Bob Desmond Spruce with Brazilian (wowie…even nicer guitar!)

Bob Desmond Cross Over Spruce w/Monterey Spruce (seriously?…this guy is off the hook)

Manuel Adalid and Esteve 3E in Spruce and Cedar

Darren Hippner #701 Barbero Model with Golpes

Kenny Hill Performance #3373 630mm Cedar Classical Guitar

Lester Devoe 2008 Classical Guitar

Kenny Hill Performance 640mm Classical Guitar #3341

Bob Desmond 2012 Classical Spruce w/EIRW

Hi All,

Some serious classical guitars have shown up in the last week.

• 2008 Lester DeVoe – Spruce Brazilian – sweet guitar
• 2013 Manuel Adalid Hauser ’37 Segovia Edition – #1 in a series of high end guitars from the great Spanish Luthier
• 2013 Tom Blackshear Reyes Blanca Flamenco
• 2013 Kenny Hill Signature Spruce
• 2013 Kenny Hill Performance 630mm Cedar Torres Sized Body Style
• 2013 Kenny Hill Torres Master Series with Flamed Maple – gorgeous
• 2007 Geri Carletto Spruce / EIRW
• 2013 Tom Blackshear Reyes Classical Guitar
• 2012 Pete Barthell Spruce Brazilian
• 4 2012-2013 Bob Desmond Classical Guitars
• 2006 Kenny Hill Torres with Flamed Maple

and more on the way.  The studio is full, to the point where I have to start utilizing my upstairs space.

Rant below…..

On another note, my Menus have been somewhat compromised.  This means that 2 Categories do not show on the Main Menu Bar, namely Sheet Music and Accessories, actually 3, the third being Services.

To compensate for the time being, you can find these menus in the TOP Menu under Customer Service.  It’s all I could think of, having worked on this issue for 3 days now.

Another suggestion is to use the Search Bar on the right panel of any page.  Search for Sheet Music – Accessories – Tuning Machines – Alessi – Gotoh – Strings, etc  They will show in the search.  I’m real sorry for any inconvenience.

Rant Continues….

It’s gotten to the point that I’m thinking it’s time to move my site to a completely different platform.  This, for a few reasons.  First, the site must work, and it needs to work the way I want it to work.  Second, if it breaks, I need to be able to fix it myself.  I’m not used to depending on others for my work.  The more I try, the more it breaks.

For a well known, and somewhat serviceable platform, WordPress and Shopp can kiss my ass.  That’s all I have to say on the matter.  🙂  I am and will be looking at other solutions and quickly.

I am very tempted to go back to my original platform.  It wasn’t fancy, but heck, it freakin’ worked.  The reason I don’t go back relates to the following:

1. Drop down menu capability
2. Site security
3. HTTPS capability

If I could manage this on my old platform, I wouldn’t hesitate.  I’m open to suggestion as I am frustrated beyond belief.  In a phrase….this sucks.  Best…Rich  631-335-5447

1996 Manuel Velazquez Classical Guitar

Hi Everyone,

As I wrote earlier, I had a ton of recording to do…about 20 or so instruments.  So, when I’ve got work to do, I do it  🙂

Hill Torres – Ramirez – Oribe – Velazquez – Blackshear – Esteve – Hippner – all going up today and tomorrow.  Some  have been done over the weekend.

Well Tempered Clavier Book 1B containing Preludes & Fugues #9 – 16 is still in progress, as I finish up Prelude #12.  This is regarding full marking and editing, basically ready for publication.  Apologies for the amount of time this has taken, but it is dense music, complicated, etc.  I want it done almost for the challenge of it all.  LOL  This is harder work than you might imagine.  Anyway, it’s being done and I will work on it right thru the spring and summer just to get it off my plate.  Best…Rich

H3 Ebony Classical Guitar Tuning Machines by Alessi

Hi Everyone,

After some discussions with Nicolò, I’ve lowered prices by at least another $20 – $100 across the board on all Alessi Tuning Machines.   The price listed should have an additional $50 off as my standard discount.

I’ve also included a Coupon Code for $75 OFF all Alessi Tuning Machines to be used in the Checkout Process

USE CODE –  alessi75off in the Cart or Checkout Process

Please Note that Sale ends September 1, 2013

Free Priority Shipping to the 50US is included.

Best and enjoy the finest tuning machines available.  Rich  631-335-5447

Alessi Classical Guitar Tuning Machines

H3 Ivory Classical Guitar Tuning Machines by Alessi