Wunderkammer Musical Instrument Co.

E.Z.

E.Z.

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Joined
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Location
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
It's been quite some time since Liam posted anything on his website, Instagram, or FB.
Today, I checked his website, and it has been taken down.
Has anyone checked with him? I sure hope he's doing well.
Thanks.
 
I hope so, I have uke order with him that he said is close to finish and I paid the remaining amount many months back back but have not been able to get in touch with him any which way. Liam needs help on the business side of his builds. He knows how to make a good uke but I don’t think he is doing ok. I hope he is ok, if you are reading this, please reach out, we care about you the person and want you to do well. Whatever it is it will pass and you can do well.
 
Communication with Liam can be quite frustrating
 
kerneltime said:
I hope so, I have uke order with him that he said is close to finish and I paid the remaining amount many months back back but have not been able to get in touch with him any which way. Liam needs help on the business side of his builds. He knows how to make a good uke but I don’t think he is doing ok. I hope he is ok, if you are reading this, please reach out, we care about you the person and want you to do well. Whatever it is it will pass and you can do well.
Click to expand...
I sent him a message this morning on Instagram stating I hoped he was doing well.
I'm concerned because when he built mine a year ago, he was having bad headaches and felt foggy at times. I hope that he just wants to catch up on his work, and not take new orders.
He needs some serious help in the workshop, or he needs to build whatever he wants to build and sell it online. I'm sure he's under massive pressure.
I sincerely hope that anyone here in the Bristol/Bath vicinity would drop by and pay him a visit to make sure he's OK.
 
I got in touch with Christopher Davis Shannon and Liam is doing well.
This is what he wrote:

"I’ll pass that in next I chat with him! I too was worried for a bit with no contact but know a few folks who have spoken with him recently. He’s always been pretty patchy with communication but seems from what I’ve heard that things are getting back on track for him."
 
Given Liam's whole aesthetic, it is not surprising that social media, email, etc are not his strong suit. Having dealt with him a while back, I have often thought that if he found someone who could handle that end of things, it would allow him to focus on his strengths as a builder. It is not necessarily a criticism. We all have our skills and strengths. I have known musicians who are good players but a mess when it comes to the business side as well as the opposite. Glad he is doing well
 
EDW said:
Given Liam's whole aesthetic, it is not surprising that social media, email, etc are not his strong suit. Having dealt with him a while back, I have often thought that if he found someone who could handle that end of things, it would allow him to focus on his strengths as a builder. It is not necessarily a criticism. We all have our skills and strengths. I have known musicians who are good players but a mess when it comes to the business side as well as the opposite. Glad he is doing well
Click to expand...
I agree. I would devote my time to building whatever strikes my fancy, and then selling it online, rather than have to deal with dozens of individual orders with their particular requirements, and the correspondence associated with it. He has a great reputation so I don't think he'd have any trouble selling whatever he makes, and a lot less stress.
 
Yeah. Ken and Chuck both have freed themselves from being custom builders and are making some of very best ukes out there. I think Liam should consider it.
FYI : We love Kinnard ukes in this forum, a little known fact, it’s not just Mr Kinnard in a workshop but the business side and some building is done by Kevin and his wife who put in a lot of effort into promoting, selling and customer relationships. Mya Moe was a team effort to get it where it is. Beansprout is also a team effort.

Liam needs to simplify his business side and focus on making his business sustainable and pleasurable for himself and his customers.
 
kerneltime said:
Liam needs to simplify his business side and focus on making his business sustainable and pleasurable for himself and his customers.
Click to expand...
Yes, I am sure that if the business side is a stress it would quickly diminish any enjoyment.
 
EDW said:
Communication with Liam can be quite frustrating
Click to expand...
Understatement of the century! Currently on month 32 of an 18 month build and heard from him twice since 2021. Agree with what everyone else said, the artist is clearly talented, but the businessman is severely lacking.
 
E.Z. said:
I agree. I would devote my time to building whatever strikes my fancy, and then selling it online, rather than have to deal with dozens of individual orders with their particular requirements, and the correspondence associated with it. He has a great reputation so I don't think he'd have any trouble selling whatever he makes, and a lot less stress.
Click to expand...
I don't know how any of them deal with it, to be honest. I've heard so many customer horror stories from luthiers.
 
StumptownUke said:
Understatement of the century! Currently on month 32 of an 18 month build and heard from him twice since 2021. Agree with what everyone else said, the artist is clearly talented, but the businessman is severely lacking.
Click to expand...
This is where Aaron and Nicole from Beansprout shine - in addition to making really really amazing instruments, their communication is frequent and prompt. It just helps so much because if you are a worrier like me, being kept in the loop is the best way to lower stress.
 
I suggested about 5 days ago to Christopher Davis Shannon that he make another video from Liam’s shop as a follow-up to his previous videos. He thought that was a great idea now that … “we live on the same island”!

I put down my original £100 deposit in September of 2021. Liam started almost exactly 18 months from my deposit and after one month, numerous photo updates, and suggestions/compromises back and forth … 30 days later he was so close to being finished.

Then something interfered with progress, communication was spotty and I finally got my beautiful May soprano with concert neck (long soprano?) 8 months later. During this time, I stressed to Liam I wasn’t in a rush for results, only updates.

I’ve never been so excited to get an instrument in my life. It was worth the wait in my opinion, in fact, I’d love to get another one! (Don’t tell my wife)!!

I’m on a train home as I write this on my phone. I’ve missed my May.
 
Last edited:
jdavison said:
I suggested about 5 days ago to Christopher Davis Shannon that he make another video from Liam’s shop as a follow-up to his previous videos. He thought that was a great idea now that … “we live on the same island”!

I put down my original £100 deposit in September of 2021. Liam started almost exactly 18 months from my deposit and after one month, numerous photo updates, and suggestions/compromises back and forth … 30 days later he was so close to being finished.

Then something interfered with progress, communication was spotty and I finally got my beautiful May soprano with concert neck (long soprano?) 8 months later. During this time, I stressed to Liam I wasn’t in a rush for results, only updates.

I’ve never been so excited to get an instrument in my life. It was worth the wait in my opinion, in fact, I’d love to get another one! (Don’t tell my wife)!!

I’m on a train home as I write this on my phone. I’ve missed my May.
Click to expand...
I mentioned this to him as well. I have had many luthiers extend the time frame for ukes by 6 months to 2 years and it has never been a problem as I was in touch throughout and anyone expecting a luthier to keep cracking out ukes at a fixed schedule should go with factory builds. Delays are fine but silence drives a customer crazy. Maybe it is a British thing to not be able to deliver bad news?!? Just drop a line "hey I hit a snag and my builds have been pushed out, I don't have a time frame when I can get back to it, it might be a year or more but I will drop you a line every 6 months so that you know I still have your order in the pipeline and I plan to complete the build"
 
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