Val Reeve continues. . . . .

Val continues with the Reeve Story.

"Hi Eric

Hope you have had a good week.  
Anyway, on with the story.

During this period Ges just could not cope with working 
full time and the amount of guitar work coming in so he 
decided to try to make Reeve Guitars a full time business.  
At that time it certainly looked as though Reeve Guitars 
could be a going concern.  
I had the unenviable task of preparing the accounts ready 
for audit when the accountant took over.  
I drew the short straw yet again!
Mick was still teaching and keeping a low profile but the 
long school holidays were a bonus, and I also had the the 
school holidays.

Totally out of the blue, we were contacted by a guy in 
America who expressed interest in buying instruments on 
a regular basis.  
He had obviously been monitoring our progress through 
the regular reviews in the music magazines.  
He had also contacted an amplification firm in this 
country with a view to them making and shipping out 
amps to America.  
Our first reaction was of disbelief, quickly followed by a 
wildly excited "This is It"!!!  Obviously we had to check 
that he was bona fide.  
The Overseas Branch of our local Bank were brilliant 
and ran a check on this guy.  
Apparently he had financial backing and everything 
seemed ok. 
Although on one visit from an adviser from the Bank's 
Overseas Branch , I was told that we should not as much 
as purchase a screw until the finances were completely 
watertight.  

Of course, with deadlines already being given that was 
not possible and full production went ahead.  
Ges and Mick were working flat out because all these 
instruments were custom built. 
I was in contact with a shipping company who had 
supplied me with prices on packing and shipping out 
the instruments and I also had a lot of contact with the 
amplification firm.

Gradually we began to get very anxious as the money 
had not been transferred and despite repeated phone 
calls to America when we were assured it would be 
happening very soon, loud warning bells began to ring.   
The amplification firm were also very worried and they 
sent a representative to America to check out the situation.  
I was in contact with the Overseas Branch of our Bank and 
it was the Bank, through their sources in America, who 
notified me that this guy's financial backers had withdrawn. 
And that was it!  The Dream was over.

Although we had about a dozen bodies ready, we were ok 
because over time, these were used in the making of other 
instruments.  
I dont believe the amplification firm were so lucky."


So, it seems that Reeve could have gone international but
unfortunately, it wasn't to be.

Back with more of the Reeve Guitar story, along with some
more images.

Any Reeve owners out there??
 Drop me a line.
Contact me here 

Cheers. :)