Elderly Instruments

Last updated
Elderly Instruments
Company type Private
Founded1972, East Lansing, Michigan, United States
FoundersStan Werbin
Sharon McInturff
ServicesMusical instrument repair
Revenue$17 million (2007) [1]
OwnerStan Werbin
Number of employees
85 (2008) [2]
Website Elderly.com

Elderly Instruments is a musical instrument retailer in Lansing, Michigan, United States, with a reputation as a "megastore", [3] a repair shop and a locus for folk music [4] including bluegrass and "twang". Specializing in fretted instruments, including acoustic and electric guitars, banjos, mandolins, and ukuleles, Elderly maintains a selection of odd or rare instruments. Elderly is known as a premier repair shop for fretted instruments, as one of the larger vintage instrument dealers in the United States, and as a major dealer of Martin guitars in particular.

Contents

Industry publications, music retail trade, and bluegrass music journals have featured articles about the Elderly repair staff. The company also provides consignment services for rare and vintage instruments. Since its founding in 1972, Elderly has undergone two major expansions: into mail order in 1975 and then into Internet sales in the 1990s. In 2005 it was the subject of a lawsuit by Gibson Guitar Corporation concerning trademark infringement. Today it is recognized internationally for its services and products; [5] its mail order and Internet business account for 65–70 percent of its total revenue. Elderly grossed $12 million in 1999, [6] and by 2007 was grossing $17 million annually. [1]

In addition to retail and repair services, Elderly Instruments is noted as a center of local music culture for bluegrass and "twang" music. Elderly Instruments operates a wholesale record distribution business, Sidestreet Distributing, in the lower level of its complex, serving more than 300 small retail businesses.

History

The exterior of Elderly Instruments Elderlyexterior1 edit1.jpg
The exterior of Elderly Instruments

In 1969, New York City native Stan Werbin moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan to attend graduate school. He took his banjo and guitar with him and immediately developed his interest in folk music. Werbin participated in a lively local music scene that included collaborations and "open mic nights" at local venues. It was through those experiences that Werbin developed his appreciation for the variety of instruments the musicians were playing, as well as the various types of music that fall under the folk music genre. [7]

When Werbin finished graduate school, he looked for business opportunities and decided to use his knowledge of used guitars. He searched for vintage instruments to buy at low prices, particularly those made before World War II; Werbin then sold the instruments after repairing and restoring them. [2] Although he initially tried to open his business in Ann Arbor, Werbin eventually decided to avoid operating there due to the high number of other musical instrument dealers. [8] In 1972, Werbin and Sharon McInturff, his college friend and business partner, leased retail space in East Lansing, Michigan for $60 a month in a building that also housed the Michigan Youth Politics Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging young adults to vote. With $500 of capital, the two began advertising locally. [9] Werbin and McInturff took the "Elderly" name from a 1971 classified ad they saw, in which the seller marketed his Gibson Les Paul as a "nice, elderly instrument". [10]

Elderly Instruments expanded during the following years. Shortly after the 1972 United States Presidential election, the Michigan Youth Politics Institute moved out of the space across the hall, and Elderly took over the entire basement of the building. [2] In 1975, it expanded into the mail order business. [11] By 1982, Elderly Instruments had about 25 employees but little available space, and so in the following year the owners bought an Independent Order of Odd Fellows building in Lansing, Michigan. After it was renovated for retail use, the company moved into it in January 1984, and in 1986 Werbin bought out McInturff to become the sole owner. In 1994, Elderly expanded again by buying adjacent building space that had once been a post office and a National Cash Register Company building. [2] Around the same time, it began taking merchandise orders over its new web site. [12] The company does not, however, sell merchandise through online auction sites such as eBay, unlike many other independent musical instrument retailers. [5] Werbin notes that entering the Internet business was not much of a challenge for Elderly, as the staff was already experienced at taking and shipping orders for customers throughout the world. [11] He also notes that, with its mail order and Internet business accounting for 65–70 percent of its total revenue, [2] Elderly would have experienced limited growth in Lansing had it not expanded into those markets. [2] The company operates in around 35,000 ft2 (3,300 m2) of space, and is one of the largest vintage instruments dealers in the United States. [12]

Elderly Instruments has become known due to its attention to folk music niche markets (Eddie Collins of Bluegrass Now remarked "The roots of what today has become perhaps the world's most well known music store for acoustic instruments can be traced directly to the folk music boom of the 1960s."), [7] its reputation as a repair shop, [11] its selection of vintage instruments, [10] and its position as a major Martin guitar dealer. [5]

In May 2010, an Elderly manager told the publication TWICE that economic recession had affected the business and forced layoffs of part-time employees, and that Elderly's being in Michigan worsened the effects. He noted that as the consumer electronics business began to recover, the musical instrument business followed. [13]

Gibson Guitar Corporation lawsuit

In June 2005, Gibson Guitar Corporation filed a cease and desist order and an accompanying lawsuit against Elderly Instruments. The complaint alleged that Elderly was selling a banjo on its web site marketed as a "Gibson copy" and that the phrase constituted a trademark infringement. Despite Elderly's claim of having addressed the issue by changing the phrase first to "Famous Maker Copy" and then to "Classic Bluegrass Banjo Copy", Gibson persisted with the complaint and asked for unspecified damages. [14] Gibson later issued a press release stating that the lawsuit had been settled. [15]

In the same year, Gibson severed its contract with Elderly as a retailer of Gibson products, citing a contract stipulation that retailers should not carry any competing brands of banjos and mandolins. Elderly had been one of nine retailers selling the specialized Gibson Bluegrass line of banjos and mandolins, although it also carried other brands. Werbin attempted to rectify the situation by offering a dedicated area of the store for Gibson products, but Gibson proceeded with the action. As a result, Elderly does not offer new Gibson products for sale. The incident was well-publicized in the media and discussed at length in consumer forums. [14]

Instrument sales

A section of the Elderly showroom offering acoustic and archtop electric guitars Elderlyshowroom1.jpg
A section of the Elderly showroom offering acoustic and archtop electric guitars

In 2007, Elderly sold more than 16,000 instruments. [16] The company is a dealer of Martin guitars, [5] as well as other mainstream brands such as Guild and Fender. It sells used Gibson instruments, but not new models as a result of the Gibson lawsuit. Although the bulk of its business comes from guitar sales, the company carries a range of other instruments, such as banjos, ukuleles, mandolins, accordions, concertinas, bouzoukis, sitars, musical saws, and African thumb pianos. [10] Some of the rarer instruments are purchased as collectibles. Elderly is an exclusive retailer of "LunchBox-A-LeLes", ukuleles made from various tin lunch box designs. [17] The journal Bluegrass Unlimited has noted Elderly Instruments for carrying "elite" brands of instruments, such as Paul Duff mandolins, Huss & Dalton acoustic guitars, Stelling banjos, and Nash electric guitars. Elderly was once one of only two American retailers for Apitius Mandolins, now only sold directly. [18] As part of its consignment business, Elderly sells "collections" of instruments that sometimes have rich histories. In September 2006, it placed the Dopyera family's personal collection of resonator instruments up for sale, including some of the Dobro and National brands. [19] The Dopyera family was responsible for founding those companies and innovating the resonator instrument trade. [20]

Elderly Instruments carries a number of Martin guitars, including valuable vintage models. In interviews, Werbin frequently mentions Martins made before World War II as especially desirable and "memorable" pieces of the Elderly Instruments inventory. The guitars are sought after by musicians from the bluegrass and other genres. Werbin purchases some of the more valuable or interesting instruments for his personal collection, and has lent them to museums as temporary exhibits. [21]

Periodicals for the bluegrass genre such as Bluegrass Canada and Bluegrass Now have featured stories about Elderly and its selection of bluegrass instruments and repair services. [7] [21] Elderly employees maintain connections with the bluegrass industry by attending trade shows such as the International Bluegrass Association Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky. At these shows, Elderly showcases typical bluegrass instruments, such as banjos, guitars, mandolins, fiddles and resophonic guitars, to musicians and businesspeople. [21] Elderly Instruments staff members have set up organizations such as the "Friends of Bluegrass" to support local bluegrass musicians. [7]

Michigan Living magazine noted Elderly's liberal policy regarding the handling of instruments, something Werbin attributes to his difficulty shopping for Martin guitars in New York City in the 1960s. The magazine also notes that customers are encouraged to pick up and play any instrument, an unusual policy for a high-end instrument retailer. Impromptu "jam sessions" are frequent in the store, as customers try out guitars. [16]

Repair and appraisals

The repair shop occupies about 3,000 ft2 (280 m2) of space in the Elderly building. [22] A number of notable guitarists have sent their instruments to Elderly for complete restoration or other major work such as refinishing and refretting. [11] Elderly's repair department services other fretted instruments such as banjos, ukuleles, and balalaikas. [9]

In February 1996, a feature article in Guitar Shop Magazine documented the company's restoration of a severely damaged Martin J40-M acoustic guitar. The Martin had been in the trunk of an automobile when a semi-trailer truck struck the automobile. Almost every part of the guitar was damaged: the top, back, sides, fingerboard, and neck block. The worst damage, and the most challenging to repair, was caused by the neck block having punched through the back of the guitar. The owner brought the Martin to Elderly after other repair shops had rejected it as being beyond repair. The technicians at Elderly successfully restored the Martin after a labor-intensive process that included a new Adirondack spruce top. [23]

Elderly provides an appraisal service for vintage instruments. It employs five full-time appraisers who use a detailed scale to rate the quality of instruments. Their appraisal services have been noted in media, such as The Music and Sound Retailer, as being among the best in the industry. Customers may either bring instruments directly into the store or send them by mail. Elderly owner Werbin attributes some of the company's success and reputation to the quality of the appraisals. [5]

Marketing and business model

Electric guitar showroom Elderlyshowroom4.jpg
Electric guitar showroom

In addition to a printed catalog, Elderly sends lists of available vintage instruments to subscribers in the U.S. and several other countries by mail and e-mail. Elderly purchases some of its used instruments from customers and then offers them for sale, while others are offered on consignment. Although larger retailers dominate the Internet market share (Elderly grossed $12 million in 1999, larger retail outlets such as Guitar Center grossed $297 million [6] ), Elderly attempts to serve vertical markets by offering specialized or rare items on its web site, such as left-handed guitars [24] and instrument-specific books. [25]

Werbin notes that while discounting products by 40 percent set his business apart from the local competition in the 1970s, outlets such as Guitar Center now also offer discounts. In response to questions about his strategy for competing with larger retailers such as Guitar Center and American Musical Supply, which also operate mail order and Internet businesses, Werbin states that he has learned to operate on small margins to stay competitive: "The mom-and-pop businesses that have survived have learned to operate on narrow margins." [6]

Other enterprises

After opening its first retail space, Elderly began selling records supplied by Rounder Records, a small distributor that later grew into an independent record label specializing in roots music. After trying other distributors, Werbin started his own distribution company in 1979, named Old Fogey Distributing. By 1987, Old Fogey was servicing about 300 small retail operations, operating from the basement of Elderly's Lansing showroom. [26] In 1997, the operation was renamed Sidestreet Distributing.

Elderly dedicates a section of its retail space to record sales. A full-time purchasing manager maintains a comprehensive selection of both mainstream and rare music, much of it in the folk and bluegrass genres; this is due to the belief that customers will become more interested in the music after making an audio purchase and then in turn buy a musical instrument. [7] Elderly also sells instructional books and other material, much of which focuses on folk music and bluegrass genres. [27]

The store also offers a music school focused on folk music and related instruments. [28]

Twang and other folk music

Noise, a periodical published by the local newspaper Lansing State Journal , has written that Elderly Instruments is the focus of an emerging form of American folk music, named "twang", sometimes referred to as "alternative country". Several twang bands perform and record in Lansing, many including at least one Elderly employee. [12] Current and former Elderly employees attribute the twang influence at the store to the proliferation of associated instruments, educational materials, and musicians. East Lansing radio station WDBM has been hosting a twang music show since 1995. [12]

Lawrence B. Johnson, music critic for The Detroit News , called Elderly a "folk music mecca" and a megastore that is a haven for folk musicians. In the past it has been one of the chief sponsors of the annual National Folk Festival. [3]

Recognition

Top Small Business of the Year

Elderly was named America's Top Small Business 2023 by the US Chamber of Commerce from a field of over 15,000 applicants. "Elderly Instruments . . . played a vital role in the revitalization of Old Town Lansing when they expanded their brick-and-mortar footprint, breathing new life into the district. They sponsor and participate in numerous community music festivals, camps, and concerts that add to the vibrancy of Old Town Lansing and increase tourism to the state’s capital." [30] [31]

Related Research Articles

The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, in modern forms usually made of plastic, originally of animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashioned by African Americans and had African antecedents. In the 19th century, interest in the instrument was spread across the United States and United Kingdom by traveling shows of the 19th-century minstrel show fad, followed by mass-production and mail-order sales, including instruction method books. The inexpensive or home-made banjo remained part of rural folk culture, but 5-string and 4-string banjos also became popular for home parlor music entertainment, college music clubs, and early 20th century jazz bands. By the early 21st century, the banjo was most frequently associated with folk, bluegrass and country music, but was also used in some rock, pop and even hip-hop music. Among rock bands, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and the Grateful Dead have used the five-string banjo in some of their songs. Some famous pickers of the banjo are Ralph Stanley and Earl Scruggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyon & Healy</span> American harp manufacturer

Lyon & Healy Harps, Inc. is an American musical instrument manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois and is a subsidiary of Salvi Harps. Today best known for concert harps, the company's Chicago headquarters and manufacturing facility contains a showroom and concert hall. George W. Lyon and Patrick J. Healy began the company in 1864 as a sheet music shop. By the end of the 19th century, they manufactured a wide range of musical instruments—including not only harps, but pianos, guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles and various brass and other percussion instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegrass music</span> Genre of American roots music and sub-genre of country music

Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Like mainstream country music, it largely developed out of old-time music, though in contrast to country, it is traditionally played exclusively on acoustic instruments and also kept its roots in traditional English, Scottish and Irish ballads and dance tunes, as well as incorporating blues and jazz. It was further developed by musicians who played with Monroe, including 5-string banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt. Monroe characterized the genre as "Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'. It's a part of Methodist, Holiness and Baptist traditions. It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound."

Washburn Guitars is an American brand and importer of guitars, mandolins, and other string instruments, originally established in 1883 in Chicago, Illinois. The Washburn name is controlled by U.S. Music Corp., a subsidiary of Canadian corporate group Exertis|JAM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orville Gibson</span> Founder of the Gibson Guitar Company (1856–1918)

Orville H. Gibson was an American luthier who founded the Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1902, makers of guitars, mandolins and other instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vega Company</span> Former musical instrument manufacturer in Boston, Massachusetts

The Vega Company was a musical instrument manufacturer that started operations in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1881. The company began under Swedish-born Julius Nelson, his brother Carl, and a group of associates that included John Pahn and John Swenson. The founders had previously worked for a guitar shop run by Pehr Anderberg that made instruments for John C. Haynes, another Boston musical instrument company. Nelson had served as foreman of guitar and mandolin manufacturing at Anderberg's shop. Subsequently, Julius and Carl Nelson bought out the other founding associates and established the Vega company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandocello</span> Musical instrument in the mandolin family

The mandocello is a plucked string instrument of the mandolin family. It is larger than the mandolin, and is the baritone instrument of the mandolin family. Its eight strings are in four paired courses, with the strings in each course tuned in unison. Overall tuning of the courses is in fifths like a mandolin, but beginning on bass C (C2). It can be described as being to the mandolin what the cello is to the violin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Rowan</span> American bluegrass musician

Peter Hamilton Rowan is an American bluegrass musician and composer. He plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings. He is a seven-time Grammy Award nominee.

Czech bluegrass is Czech interpretations of bluegrass music that emerged during the middle of the twentieth century in the southeastern United States.

A music store or musical instrument store is a retail business that sells musical instruments and related equipment and accessories. Some music stores sell additional services, such as music lessons, music instrument or equipment rental, or repair services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Henderson (luthier)</span> American guitar maker

Wayne C. Henderson is an American guitar maker who specializes in the crafting of handmade, custom acoustic guitars. He also occasionally makes other stringed instruments, such as mandolins, banjos, and fiddles.

Rose's Pawn Shop is an Americana, rock, folk and bluegrass band from Los Angeles, California. Their debut album, The Arsonist, was released in May 2006. The band tours several times each year throughout the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kay Musical Instrument Company</span>

Kay Musical Instrument Company is an American musical instrument manufacturer established in 1931 by namesake Henry "Kay" Kuhrmeyer and based in Chicago, Illinois. It was formed when Kuhrmeyer bought out his financial backers in the instrument manufacturer Stromberg-Voisinet. They produced guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles and were known for their use of lamination in the construction of arched top instruments.

Vintage Guitar is an American magazine that focuses on vintage and classic guitars, amplifiers, effects, and related equipment, as well as notable guitarists from all genres and eras. The publication's feature stories and monthly columns cover a diverse range of topics by contributors, including some of the biggest names in the industry and renowned authorities like Dan Erlewine, George Gruhn, Wolf Marshall, Richard Smith, and Seymour W. Duncan, as well as some of the best-known writers in the field, including Pete Prown, Walter Carter, Dan Forte, Dave Hunter, Rich Kienzle, Michael Dregni, John Peden, Greg Prato, and others.

Roger Sprung was an American banjo player and teacher best known for introducing authentic bluegrass banjo picking styles to the folk music community in the north and for the eclectic manner in which he adapted bluegrass banjo techniques to music of other genres. His 1963 album Progressive Bluegrass may have been the first use of that title, later applied to a subgenre of bluegrass music by him and others. In 2020, he was inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame under the Instruction & Education category.

David Harvey is an American bluegrass mandolin player and luthier, responsible for the mandolins, banjos, and dobros produced by Gibson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegrass mandolin</span> String instrument

Bluegrass mandolin is a style of mandolin playing most commonly heard in bluegrass bands.

David Michael Richey, known professionally as Slim Richey, was an American jazz guitarist, fiddle player, bandleader, and publisher.

Tony Williamson is an American mandolin player from Chatham County, North Carolina, whose compositions integrate everything from traditional Piedmont string band tunes to classical music and jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandolins in North America</span>

The mandolin has had a place in North American culture since the 1880s, when a "mandolin craze" began. The continent was a land of immigrants, including Italian immigrants, some of whom brought their mandolins with them. In spite of the mandolin having arrived in America, it was not in the cultural consciousness until after 1880 when the Spanish Students arrived on their international performing tour. Afterwards, a "mandolin craze" swept the United States, with large numbers of young people taking up the instrument and teachers such as Samuel Siegel touring the United States. The fad died out after World War I, but enough had learned the instrument that it remained. The mandolin found a new surge with the music of Bill Monroe; the Gibson F-5 mandolin he played, as well as other archtop instruments, became the American standard for mandolins. Bowlback mandolins were displaced. The instrument has been taken up in blues, bluegrass, jug-band music, country, rock, punk and other genres of music. While not as popular as the guitar, it is widespread across the country.

References

  1. 1 2 Ballard, Rick (April 9, 2008). "The E-Evolution of Elderly Instruments". Capital Gains. Capital Gains Media. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leebove, Laura (February 5, 2008). "Now in its 36th year, Elderly Instruments in Lansing still keeps the music going". The State News . Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  3. 1 2 Johnson, Lawrence B. (1999-08-13). "State's folk music mecca is in tune with times". The Detroit News .
  4. Ratliff, Ben (2008-02-10). "Shared Song, Communal Memory". The New York Times . Retrieved 2008-03-11.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Remson, Adam (June 2002). "Elderly Instruments — The fountain of youth in a vintage guitar store". The Music and Sound Retailer.
  6. 1 2 3 Girard, Peter (November 1999). "Battle of the band suppliers". Catalog Age. 16 (12): 34.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Collins, Eddie (June 1998). "Elderly Instruments—They Don't Make 'Em Like That Any More!". Bluegrass Now.
  8. Chapin, Bill (January 6, 2002). "Lansing's Backstage for Bands: Elderly Instruments celebrates 30 years as creative Mecca for mid-Michigan music scene". Lansing Noise .
  9. 1 2 Wieland, Barbara (2004-05-10). "Store owner strums his way to success in music business". Lansing State Journal . Archived from the original on August 29, 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  10. 1 2 3 Massey, David (October 2001). "Interview with Elderly Instruments President Stan Werbin". Musical Merchandise Review.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Caswell, Cristine (2004-12-01). "King of String". Greater Lansing Business Monthly. Archived from the original on 2015-03-29. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Miller, Matthew (June 2004). "Twang Town". Lansing Noise.
  13. Johnston, Lisa (May 2010). "Musical instruments follow CE recovery". TWICE . 25 (11): 8, 126.
  14. 1 2 Staff (September 2005). "Elderly music vs. Gibson: leading vintage dealer sued for advertising 'Gibson copy'". Music Trades: 46.
  15. Staff (2007-01-03). "Gibson Guitar Resolves Lawsuit Against Elderly Instruments, Inc., of MI". Gibson Guitar Corporation. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  16. 1 2 Branam, Jud (March 1996). "A Heaven for Pickers". Michigan Living.
  17. Bogues, Maureen (2007-04-29). "One-Man Band: Eat your lunch and strum it too with Box-A-Lele". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  18. Walker, John M (October 2000). "The High Lonesome Craft". Bluegrass Unlimited . 35 (4): 54–57.
  19. Staff (2006-09-19). "Elderly Instruments to Sell Rare Dobro Collection". Absolute Michigan. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  20. Menaker, Daniel (2002-01-27). "The Twang Thang". The New York Times Magazine . p. 26.
  21. 1 2 3 Buckly, Michael (December 1999). "Elderly Instruments—A Hectic Day". Bluegrass Canada Magazine.
  22. Staff. "Repair Shop". Elderly Instruments web site. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  23. Chappell, Jon; Pete Prown; Lisa Sharken (February 1996). "Back From the Dead: Learn How to Bring Your Beloved Beater Back to Life". Guitar Shop.
  24. Savin, Jerald (2000-05-15). "What Makes Sense in the World of E-Commerce". Los Angeles Business Journal .
  25. Laurelei (May 1998). "Site reading: Web guide". Guitar Player . 32 (5): 23.
  26. McCormick, Moira (April 18, 1987). "Something Old, Plenty New At Elderly Instruments". Billboard Magazine .
  27. "Elderly Instruments". Michigan State University Museum. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  28. Staff. "Elderly Instruments School of Music". Elderly Instruments web site. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
  29. Gerken, Teja (February 2009). "Player's Choice Awards 2008". Acoustic Guitar. 19 (8): 64.
  30. "Rhythms of Success: The Free Enterprise Tune of a Small Business". US Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  31. Lawless, John. "Elderly Instruments named America's Top Small Business for 2023". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
Listen to this article (21 minutes)
Sound-icon.svg
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 19 May 2008 (2008-05-19), and does not reflect subsequent edits.