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Glenn Cronkhite gig bags have been considered by many to be the best offered. Mr. Cronkhite retired recently and sold his business to Steve Kriesel of Torpedo Bags. Here's a letter he wrote explaining why...
“You have to be willing to let go of the life you’ve made for yourself to make room for the life that is waiting for you.”
Some months ago I made the decision to close my work as a case maker. I had been wanting to do so for several years, and after talking to several interested parties I settled on Steve Kriesel of Torpedo Bags in Minneapolis, MN. It has been a long journey. Years of making bags for myself and friends, followed by 25 years of licensing Reunion Blues in San Francisco to manufacture and market my ideas. In 2000, RB closed their US factory and for the last 17 years I have been back to doing everything on my own again.
Until 2000, I had also been able to keep a busy musical career in place, but when I had to take over handling everything myself again, it became impossible. At this point, I am anxious to return full time to my musical life, and it is also time for my case making work to go to someone that can take it on the next leg of it’s journey. Someone that is better set up to not only manufacture my bags, but also has the marketing skills to make them available to everyone.
Mr Kriesel was my choice for several reasons. An important one is because we are both musicians. We speak the same language (and that of our customers), and have both had first hand experience with the work our customers do, and the part our products play in that work. Because of that, we both have the same dedication to quality and durability standards in our work. Important to me as well is his insistence on doing all of his manufacturing within the US. The reason I ended my license with RB in 2000 was their decision to manufacture in China.
I will continue to work with Steve to make sure everything my customers have come to expect from me will continue intact.
I have spent a huge part of my life trying to solve a problem musicians have been struggling with since the first musician had to get his favorite log to the clan meeting without damaging it or himself. Hopefully, if I have done my job right, I’ve put this in the hands of the one most qualified to shepherd it.
I trust the work will continue to enhance the lives of those who use my gear.
Sincerely,
Glenn Cronkhite
“You have to be willing to let go of the life you’ve made for yourself to make room for the life that is waiting for you.”
Some months ago I made the decision to close my work as a case maker. I had been wanting to do so for several years, and after talking to several interested parties I settled on Steve Kriesel of Torpedo Bags in Minneapolis, MN. It has been a long journey. Years of making bags for myself and friends, followed by 25 years of licensing Reunion Blues in San Francisco to manufacture and market my ideas. In 2000, RB closed their US factory and for the last 17 years I have been back to doing everything on my own again.
Until 2000, I had also been able to keep a busy musical career in place, but when I had to take over handling everything myself again, it became impossible. At this point, I am anxious to return full time to my musical life, and it is also time for my case making work to go to someone that can take it on the next leg of it’s journey. Someone that is better set up to not only manufacture my bags, but also has the marketing skills to make them available to everyone.
Mr Kriesel was my choice for several reasons. An important one is because we are both musicians. We speak the same language (and that of our customers), and have both had first hand experience with the work our customers do, and the part our products play in that work. Because of that, we both have the same dedication to quality and durability standards in our work. Important to me as well is his insistence on doing all of his manufacturing within the US. The reason I ended my license with RB in 2000 was their decision to manufacture in China.
I will continue to work with Steve to make sure everything my customers have come to expect from me will continue intact.
I have spent a huge part of my life trying to solve a problem musicians have been struggling with since the first musician had to get his favorite log to the clan meeting without damaging it or himself. Hopefully, if I have done my job right, I’ve put this in the hands of the one most qualified to shepherd it.
I trust the work will continue to enhance the lives of those who use my gear.
Sincerely,
Glenn Cronkhite
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