Gsi $$$?

[njsurfer42]

after asking why they were so cheap someone in the shop told me JC is trying to get the customers back that they lost after moving over to surftech. it would make sense considering they aren't listed on the surftech or gsi sites anymore, and john carper says they're trying to focus on customs and US production more now. i dont know if any of this is actually true because i don't work in a shop like you do, but that's what the internet and a salesperson told me haha.

it could be true...CI/al merrick did the same thing after dumping the anacapa line a few years back...minimized their surftech line, refocused on domestic poly production. considering the shop i work in dumped jc back in 2008 when it seemed the company was moving more offshore, i wouldn't be able to say it absolutely isn't true. if it is, that's great...a major manufacturer like jc could have a huge impact on how the industry progresses. if they choose to build their boards domestically rather than offshore, then i see that as only a good thing, provided their quality remains high.

[zrich]

Usually when something is really cheap and you can't find any info about it on the web, it's made in China.

[ND081]

Bumping this thread back to the top because I emailed JC and John himself actually responded.


Monday, July 30, 2012, 5:33 pm [EST]

Message: Hi I was wondering where your poly boards are shaped and glassed. I noticed a steep drop in their price at my local surf shop, and was curious to know if this was caused by a shift to overseas manufacturing. Thank you.


From: info@jchawaii.com
Subject: RE:
Date: July 30, 2012 9:18:16 PM EDT
To: (not posting my email here)

Aloha Nick

What surf shop are you talking about? We haven't made any boards overseas in almost 10 years but there could be some still floating around. We gave it a try almost 10 years ago but weren't happy with the results and stopped it. There have also been some rumors of counterfeit JC's from Asia. We have also stopped wholesaling our boards to quite a few surf shops because they are basically insolvent and won't pay there bills. Unfortunately these are some of the biggest shops. The economy has been hard on them and we are a small company, not a bank.

Because ALL of the large surfboard companies are now" corporate owned and the surf shops are not paying their bills we have decided to really go back to the "roots and specialize in custom boards. I was getting tired of mass production anyway, lot's of "white things". and being "semi-retired now (I only work 40 hours a week), my ego more than puffed up, I just want to know my customer and approach each board one at a time. It seems to be working well and it sure is more fun and interesting.

But please let me know which shops. We still sell to the good shops (real) and like to monitor these. They might be blems that they move cheap. Boards get worked in the racks at the shops and I refuse to take them back figuring it's not my fault they get mishandled. Hopefully there not counterfeit. We have seen counterfeits of almost every brand but despite rumors, we have never actually seen a counterfeit JC. I would love to own one. What a great conversation piece....mahalo and God bless...jc

ps...ALL of our boards are made in either our Hawaii or California factories, except when I travel to foreign countries and shape there but I watch over every one of those too...No China!

[DawnPatrolSUP]

Bumping this thread back to the top because I emailed JC and John himself actually responded.


Monday, July 30, 2012, 5:33 pm [EST]

Message: Hi I was wondering where your poly boards are shaped and glassed. I noticed a steep drop in their price at my local surf shop, and was curious to know if this was caused by a shift to overseas manufacturing. Thank you.


From: info@jchawaii.com
Subject: RE:
Date: July 30, 2012 9:18:16 PM EDT
To: (not posting my email here)

Aloha Nick

What surf shop are you talking about? We haven't made any boards overseas in almost 10 years but there could be some still floating around. We gave it a try almost 10 years ago but weren't happy with the results and stopped it. There have also been some rumors of counterfeit JC's from Asia. We have also stopped wholesaling our boards to quite a few surf shops because they are basically insolvent and won't pay there bills. Unfortunately these are some of the biggest shops. The economy has been hard on them and we are a small company, not a bank.

Because ALL of the large surfboard companies are now" corporate owned and the surf shops are not paying their bills we have decided to really go back to the "roots and specialize in custom boards. I was getting tired of mass production anyway, lot's of "white things". and being "semi-retired now (I only work 40 hours a week), my ego more than puffed up, I just want to know my customer and approach each board one at a time. It seems to be working well and it sure is more fun and interesting.

But please let me know which shops. We still sell to the good shops (real) and like to monitor these. They might be blems that they move cheap. Boards get worked in the racks at the shops and I refuse to take them back figuring it's not my fault they get mishandled. Hopefully there not counterfeit. We have seen counterfeits of almost every brand but despite rumors, we have never actually seen a counterfeit JC. I would love to own one. What a great conversation piece....mahalo and God bless...jc

ps...ALL of our boards are made in either our Hawaii or California factories, except when I travel to foreign countries and shape there but I watch over every one of those too...No China!

Good stuff, and solid response from JC

[hinmo24t]

I had a diamond tail 6'4 walden from local shop and it was made by gsi. Held up good and price was descent. I purchased a stretch sword 6'3 brand new from real watersports website for 399$ with a free board bag... Local shapers are gunna have trouble competing with that considering the personal finance of many in this economy. If they can work with low mark up or profit margin they may survive, or hope there are those in the market conditioned to spend more or else the used/imported/online-off the shelf are going to sell. It's a tough situation for local shapers with the mix of globalized world markets, technology, and economic status that doesn't appear to have a bright outlook for the developed nations.

[super fish]

Bumping this thread back to the top because I emailed JC and John himself actually responded.


Monday, July 30, 2012, 5:33 pm [EST]

Message: Hi I was wondering where your poly boards are shaped and glassed. I noticed a steep drop in their price at my local surf shop, and was curious to know if this was caused by a shift to overseas manufacturing. Thank you.


From: info@jchawaii.com
Subject: RE:
Date: July 30, 2012 9:18:16 PM EDT
To: (not posting my email here)

Aloha Nick

What surf shop are you talking about? We haven't made any boards overseas in almost 10 years but there could be some still floating around. We gave it a try almost 10 years ago but weren't happy with the results and stopped it. There have also been some rumors of counterfeit JC's from Asia. We have also stopped wholesaling our boards to quite a few surf shops because they are basically insolvent and won't pay there bills. Unfortunately these are some of the biggest shops. The economy has been hard on them and we are a small company, not a bank.

Because ALL of the large surfboard companies are now" corporate owned and the surf shops are not paying their bills we have decided to really go back to the "roots and specialize in custom boards. I was getting tired of mass production anyway, lot's of "white things". and being "semi-retired now (I only work 40 hours a week), my ego more than puffed up, I just want to know my customer and approach each board one at a time. It seems to be working well and it sure is more fun and interesting.

But please let me know which shops. We still sell to the good shops (real) and like to monitor these. They might be blems that they move cheap. Boards get worked in the racks at the shops and I refuse to take them back figuring it's not my fault they get mishandled. Hopefully there not counterfeit. We have seen counterfeits of almost every brand but despite rumors, we have never actually seen a counterfeit JC. I would love to own one. What a great conversation piece....mahalo and God bless...jc

ps...ALL of our boards are made in either our Hawaii or California factories, except when I travel to foreign countries and shape there but I watch over every one of those too...No China!

that was a great response and some good news! I think heritage in oc nj carries or carried JC

[njsurfer42]

I had a diamond tail 6'4 walden from local shop and it was made by gsi. Held up good and price was descent. I purchased a stretch sword 6'3 brand new from real watersports website for 399$ with a free board bag... Local shapers are gunna have trouble competing with that considering the personal finance of many in this economy. If they can work with low mark up or profit margin they may survive, or hope there are those in the market conditioned to spend more or else the used/imported/online-off the shelf are going to sell. It's a tough situation for local shapers with the mix of globalized world markets, technology, and economic status that doesn't appear to have a bright outlook for the developed nations.

if you're ok w/ that, you're part of the problem.

[njsurfer42]

that was a great response and some good news! I think heritage in oc nj carries or carried JC

used to...

[hinmo24t]

Njsurfer I'm just part of the mentioned individuals financially unable to justify spending extra hundreds of dollars to support a local shaper...I never said I was okay with it.

[njsurfer42]

Njsurfer I'm just part of the mentioned individuals financially unable to justify spending extra hundreds of dollars to support a local shaper...I never said I was okay with it.

save up. if you can scratch the $$$ together to buy a $#!tty chinese "surfboard", you can come up w/ an extra $100-200 for a good custom board from your local shaper.
saying you can only afford a crappy popout instead of a decent board is a justification for laziness.