That is the question. And a difficult one at that.
When I first started my blog, I wondered who would read it. But steadily it grew. And now it is one of the biggest, if not the biggest classical guitar blog in Singapore and one of the most prominent classical guitar blogs on the internet. The numbers don’t lie.
As my sphere of influence began to grow, I became more conscious of my responsibility as a prominent blogger. 1,000 visitors a month for a niche field like classical guitar in Singapore is a very significant figure.
As a trained journalist, my natural instinct is to tell the truth. I always do this. And when I did so on my review of Hiscox’s Pro II cases, it drew an outcry from Hiscox fanboys. Apparently, it’s wrong to have a contrary opinion or experience, and sharing it is a grave crime. It is intellectual terrorism at its finest.
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
But low and behold, Hiscox has listened and I am receiving reports that future Pro II cases will implement one of the changes I suggested, a latch for the accessory compartment. Good on Hiscox for listening and making their cases better.I feel extremely vindicated.
I was so impressed with Hiscox’s willingness to change that I ordered another Pro II case despite my less-than-satisfactory initial experience.
I will revisit my review when it comes it.
Clearly, taking a critical approach can make things better for the guitar community.
But should I take a critical approach when writing about the Singapore classical guitar community? I have been thinking about this question a lot lately. On facebook I even asked some of my guitar khakis what I should do.
Over the years I have heard and experienced all kinds of bad behavior. Sometimes I feel like the keeper of the family secrets. One Singaporean has even gone online and single-handedly tarnished Singapore’s reputation as a place to buy classical guitars.
But I have said nothing.
Journalists are trained to tell the truth.
In Singapore, journalists are trained to self-censor for the sake of nation-building.
Perhaps I have been trained too well.
Behind the scenes, I do what I can to help the community. I help teachers who write-in to me, I help people trying to locate missing persons, I write about my experience teaching a dyslexic child, I do philanthropic work, and I help encourage guitarists where I can.
Jeremy and I are even in the process of resurrecting the now defunct classical guitar society.
Despite everything I have done to help the local classical guitar scene, I wonder if my biggest contribution is not publishing some of what I know.
I have a list of articles sitting in my ‘Drafts’ folder that will probably never be published.
I will never reveal private conversations in my blog. This is another journalistic code I abide by. I will never publish information that was obtained off-the-record.
But I have seen and experienced a lot of questionable things. I have been told some very tall tales and flat-out lies by some guitar retailers. There is also a lot of questionable marketing and promotions I could comment on. I would not be breaching any journalistic ethics if I wrote about this.
So why don’t I?
I have no commercial stake in any of these retailers. My website is completely free of advertisements and commercial interests.
The reason I don’t say anything is because, like it or not, Singapore’s classical guitar market is very small. Would you rather have unscrupulous retailers, or none at all?
It’s a small market, and it’s hard to do business here. I shut up so I don’t make things harder for them.
With the exception of Yamaha’s Music Plaza, I have not come across a single local classical guitar retailer with a spotless reputation. I have heard of or experienced problems with all of them.
This is not to say that they are all unscrupulous. Some complains or issues I hear about are beyond their control. I have heard a few complaints about how Spanish guitars brought in by one famous retailer have a tendency to react poorly to our local climate.
I had 2 students complaining about the neck wrapping and another acquaintance complaining about a bridge lifting and a crack developing. To the retailer’s credit, all faulty guitars were exchanged. I cannot completely fault the retailer because hand-made instruments are very sensitive and Spain and Singapore’s climate are very different. The retailer also has no way of knowing the quality of the guitars until they arrive in Singapore.
But there are instances when some retailers behave very poorly. Once, a famous retailer informed me that his company was the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for the Asturias Workshop.
Me, “You are the OEM for Asturias?’
Retailer, “Yes, we make guitars for them.”
Me, “You make parts for them or what?”
Retailer, “We make their Standard Model.”
Me, ” Do you pre-cut the wood or do you do everything?”
Retailer, “We make the entire guitar for them.”
Little did this retailer know, that later that year I visited Japan on a Guitar Expedition. On of the guitar workshops I visited was the Asturias Workshop where I met Wataru Tsuji and the Asturias team.
After my tour, and after trying out some guitars, I asked, “Are all your guitars made in Japan?”
“Yes,” my guide told me.
Me, “Do you outsource anything at all?”
Guide “No, everything is made in Japan.”
Me, “Really? Because a retailer in Singapore is claiming that they make the Standard Model for Asturias.”
Guide, with greater emphasis, “No that is not true. 100% of Asturias guitars are made in Japan”
My guide, a young apprentice in the workshop, told Wataru Tsuji, who was seated 5 feet away, what I told him. Tsuji said nothing, but his face turned very red. I half-expected to see steam surge out of his ears.
I should also mention that while I was there, I saw Asutiras Standard guitars being made in the workshop.
Shortly after my return to Singapore, the retailer stopped claiming to make guitars for the Asturias Workshop.
I know it’s hard to make a living out of music in Singapore (which is why i don’t do it). But if music is your livelihood, all the more reason why you should act ethically and responsibility.
How much is your integrity and trust worth? Is it worthwhile to earn an extra dollar or two, but to lose all future business from a customer?
When deciding whether or not to reveal bad behaviour, I use a balancing test: the importance of protecting the consumer versus the importance of protecting the retailer.
If I should ever come across a retailer who egregiously misleads or mistreats guitarists simply to make a buck, I will have no issue shaming him/her on my website.
Retailers, you have been warned.
