In light of my last post, I think it’s a perfect time to share the following exchange. This e-mail came in through my website last April. I know the response is a bit out of character for me, but I thought I’d have some fun with it. Unfortunately, the guy’s e-mail was invalid, so it got bounced back.
—–Original Message—–
>From: Alex Skolnick Fan
>Sent: Apr 9, 2009 1:26 PM
>To: Alex Skolnick Fan
>Subject: AlexSkolnick.com email
>
>Yo Alex, Just saw you pushing Japanese guitars in the Guitar Center catalog. You are a piece of SHIT! Please encourage people to buy American. Thank you.
Hey dooshbag- my electric guitars are made by Heritage in Kalamazoo Michigan, in the old Gibson plant. They are as American as you can get and one of the only truly US manufactured guitars left. By playing Heritage, I’m choosing a small handcrafted American company over the bigger, American corporate guitar companies, that are making most of their models outside the US.
I play Yamaha because they make great acoustic guitars. Just ask James Taylor, Paul Simon and other seminal American artists who play them. I get the added benefits of working with a large, established company that balances out the fact that I’m endorsing a very small American company for my electric guitars. Yamaha, besides making quality instruments, is very open about the fact that its a Japanese company. Isn’t that better than choosing an ‘American’ guitar that was really built in Mexico, Korea or Japan?
If you’d done any research, you would have known this. Now who’s the piece of shit?
AS
Your response was awesome!
this post owns !
made my day 🙂 Thanks for sharing
OMG!Alex what a total moron..but I see you put him in his place..in a very diplomatic way..but I do luv your openeing line:):)Got to luv ya Alex!
LMAO!
Hello Alex,
What guitar brand you play/endorse only concerns you; it was your choice and is as legitimate as any other peoples' choice. That silly fellow probably doesn't have nothing else to do in his life than insulting other people. Your reply was great; too bad he didn't get it!
Maybe if he follows your blog he will get to read all the readers comments, which I'm sure will be in your favor!
Kind regards
Hey Skol, that e-mail was hilarious! Thanks for sharing & congrats on the endorsement! Cheers! :o)
We can only laugh at people who attempt to throw their balls around and don’t have the testicular fortitude to back ‘em up. It’s so prepubescent.
Alex, your reply was perfect for the circumstance. I particularly like the last line, where you put ownership of the situation back on him/her. Touché!
Awesome responce Alex, you totally nailed that one!
It's great to read your notes when they come up, can't wait to see you and Testament again!
Well done Alex…It's a shame he didn't get your brilliant reply.
Play whatever you brand you want, you have a great guitar tone and if the guitars play great then that's the way to go.
The inverse paralel : This is apply to metal fans, they love artists from USA and another countries but hate brazilian culture. And what´s the surprise when they read some of his idols saying: "Oh yes, I know and I like Tom Jobim…" lol …
Don´t is because made from Japan that are bad. My guitar is from Japan you can listen I playing in www (NO PROPAGANDA HERE!!!! LOL)
Im sure that you already received proposal to be endorser from american companies : an artist on the road is a nice-propaganda-boy.
But awesome is your response. If you were as I ,would send a link with a roll of toillet paper. only. without words. lol
Yeah, the response is great. But the guy shamed himself and the Americans he supposedly respresents before Alex even read it. D-bag is right.
Ah…I deleted my comment twice …
I write the comment again(So Sorry!)
I'm very sad.
If you choise or select any countris' equipment, I don't mind.
Because I know you give us a good music – cool heavy metal and cool jazz play.
So, Please don't mind.
I know your sound has very beautiful gradation !
You are the only one who can do it!!
HAHAHAHAAAAAA Your response was excellent in it's succinctness and eloquence, Alex. Thanks for making my day. 🙂
The wrath of Skol…but in a tame, tactful reply. 😉
I'm surprised you gave him a reply.
Excellent response. Thanks for sharing…made my day.
duly dignified response in alex aprapro…
Addisional comment:
Mr.Genichi Kawakami, the founder of YAMAHA, loved music and was enthusiastic for the musical education for children.
So, I think YAMAHA is proud of Japanese company.
Alex,
You really do…kick ASS!!
Your response – fantastic!
Have a great day.
Thanks for the comments. American commerce is the subject of a complex debate. But a couple quick thoughts…
MR and Kyoko- I think your countries, Brazil and Japan, both make terrific products. Please don't let jerks like this guy paint a bad picture of Americans.
I feel we can support American companies without disparaging those from elsewhere. The business behavior of banks, lenders and other companies in the US that have had to be 'bailed out' has been reprehensible and unfortunately, is a likely reflection of how many other US Corporations have handled their businesses. If more US companies handled things more responsibly, they might not be suffering as much and the economy might not be in such a mess.
Bottom line: don't avoid good products just because they're imports. 'Buy American' when it makes sense to you, the product is good, and you are supporting a responsible company.
Be smart about it. Don't be a 'dooshbag.' *
(I know the proper spelling is 'douche bag,' but written down as spoken by someone from Brooklyn or Queens… 'dooshbag!!')
What an idiotic comment that guy made. Anyone who knows musical instruments knows that Yamaha is one of the good guys–they provide very well-crafted, well-designed instruments at reasonable prices. That's true of all their products–my Yamaha Motif ES-6 synth will probably outlive me. 🙂
In a weird way, they are much like Heritage. Both value craftsmanship and value highest of all and have never been given to hype or slimy marketing techniques. And, unfortunately, both have probably not gained market share they deserve because of that.
If my Heritage Les Paul wasn't so great, I'd probably seek out one of Yamaha's classic SG-2000 guitars.
Maybe, this guy is proud of being an American same as we are proud of that and I don't think he has a bad image for America.
Finacial enginnering, one of the reason for this economical mess, was developped in US and many people still try to develop it.
But it has faced to dead end.
It seemed like being assured the stochastic security, but it was wrong.
But we can't blame US for it, because many people in other contries gained a lot like Japanese "Mrs. Watanabe".