How to deal with a slow-to-respond cab builder?

AaronHuff · #1 10-17-2012, 01:04 PM

[Edited the title after my recent discovery that tons of people have been talking about this already...]

I'm putting this in the amp section because it involves a custom cab builder. I won't mention any names because I'm sure other folks have had perfectly good experiences with them and I have no interest in tarnishing anyone's reputation.

Basically, I ordered a $1000+ custom cab, it took way (way, way) longer than the quoted time to get built, and when it came it didn't work properly and I wasn't very happy with the finished product in general. So I returned it, and we agreed I should get a refund. (This process took a little extra time as we had just had a new baby when the cab was delivered.) Now it's been many months and I've seen only a tiny percentage of the money come back to me. Communication is extremely slow, and has been since the beginning. The business still seems to be going, as far as I can tell online, and you'd think they'd at least have a credit card or something to cover situations like this, even if cash on hand was low.

Has anyone been in a similar position? What can I do? I could use the money I have tied up in this for gear that I can actually play. I'm not a pushy person by nature, so I've probably already been way nicer about this than anyone in their right mind would be.

mntngrown · #2 10-17-2012, 01:34 PM

What method you used to pay might provide you with assistance, i.e. opening up a Paypal or credit card or E-bay dispute.
If you just sent them a personal check etc then not as easy to get help. I would contact them and tell them you have been more than patient and intend to explain the facts of your transaction to your thousands? of brothers and sisters on the Talkbass community so they can avoid making the same mistake you did by hiring them.
I just got an insurance company to say they are sending me a check, after months of putting me off, by simply filing a complaint with my state insurance board.
Sometimes people need to be goosed into doing the right thing.

Joe Louvar · #3 10-17-2012, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronHuff

I'm putting this in the amp section because it involves a custom cab builder. I won't mention any names because I'm sure other folks have had perfectly good experiences with them and I have no interest in tarnishing anyone's reputation.

Basically, I ordered a $1000+ custom cab, it took way (way, way) longer than the quoted time to get built, and when it came it didn't work properly and I wasn't very happy with the finished product in general. So I returned it, and we agreed I should get a refund. (This process took a little extra time as we had just had a new baby when the cab was delivered.) Now it's been many months and I've seen only a tiny percentage of the money come back to me. Communication is extremely slow, and has been since the beginning. The business still seems to be going, as far as I can tell online, and you'd think they'd at least have a credit card or something to cover situations like this, even if cash on hand was low.

Has anyone been in a similar position? What can I do? I could use the money I have tied up in this for gear that I can actually play. I'm not a pushy person by nature, so I've probably already been way nicer about this than anyone in their right mind would be.

bummer. 1 keep writing, and patiently wait longer or 2 file a small claims suit or 3 write it off as a learning experience. Good luck.

BassmanPaul · #4 10-17-2012, 01:59 PM

We've heard of problems with Flite and DR. Bass. If it is yet another company playing games then perhaps mentioning who he is will get things moving. Good luck getting this resolved.

Josh Pelican · #5 10-17-2012, 02:06 PM

Tell his mom.

**bassboysam** · #6 10-17-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mntngrown

What method you used to pay might provide you with assistance, i.e. opening up a Paypal or credit card or E-bay dispute.
If you just sent them a personal check etc then not as easy to get help. I would contact them and tell them you have been more than patient and intend to explain the facts of your transaction to your thousands? of brothers and sisters on the Talkbass community so they can avoid making the same mistake you did by hiring them.
I just got an insurance company to say they are sending me a check, after months of putting me off, by simply filing a complaint with my state insurance board.
Sometimes people need to be goosed into doing the right thing.

This...how you paid makes all the difference.

Lazarus.Bird · #7 10-17-2012, 02:55 PM

I've been in this situation before, and I never got my money. Had to take the route of filing a dispute with my credit card company to get my money back. Once you returned the cabinet back, he should have refunded your money immediately. And as already mentioned, your method of payment makes a difference.

godblender · #8 10-17-2012, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mntngrown

What method you used to pay might provide you with assistance, i.e. opening up a Paypal or credit card or E-bay dispute.
If you just sent them a personal check etc then not as easy to get help. I would contact them and tell them you have been more than patient and intend to explain the facts of your transaction to your thousands? of brothers and sisters on the Talkbass community so they can avoid making the same mistake you did by hiring them.
I just got an insurance company to say they are sending me a check, after months of putting me off, by simply filing a complaint with my state insurance board.
Sometimes people need to be goosed into doing the right thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

We've heard of problems with Flite and DR. Bass. If it is yet another company playing games then perhaps mentioning who he is will get things moving. Good luck getting this resolved.

^This.

I hope that you're able to get things resolved as quickly as possible. Good luck.

Bassmec · #9 10-17-2012, 03:11 PM

Fess up! name and shame, you know it's right, also employ drunk Ukrainian metal fans to hang out round his till you get your money.

1958Bassman · #10 10-17-2012, 04:31 PM

I was thinking that a leather-gloved hand over his mouth to wake him up, then whisper what you want as a solution to the situation might get some results.

Downunderwonder · #11 10-17-2012, 05:02 PM

Offer to take instalments via direct debiting? I don't know how that works in the USA, for some reason you guys guard your bank digits like crazy, but here we would send account number to debtor and he would set up a fixed term automatic payment, say 100 bucks a week for 10 weeks.

vin*tone · #12 10-17-2012, 05:11 PM

Send his cab back in installments.

chubrocker · #13 10-17-2012, 06:08 PM

Have a friend who is a lawyer? Have him/her send a letter on letterhead and then have him/her call. I've also had my banker friend call. Both worked wonders for me.

fdeck · #14 10-17-2012, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

Offer to take instalments via direct debiting? I don't know how that works in the USA, for some reason you guys guard your bank digits like crazy, but here we would send account number to debtor and he would set up a fixed term automatic payment, say 100 bucks a week for 10 weeks.

The US is typically a decade behind the rest of the world in terms of things that actually improve consumer banking. But we're great at charging fees and using the money to engage in high speed stock trading.

AaronHuff · #15 10-30-2012, 05:46 PM

Well, when I originally posted this I didn't know that so many people had already had problems with Art of Noise, the "company" I ordered this cab from. I did a little research today and discovered that there's pretty much no hope of seeing my money again, judging by other peoples' experiences. Has anyone ever gotten an explanation directly from them?