Boogie Bummer

[jeff schmidt]

So it took 4 weeks for my new Mesa M Pulse 600 to arrive.

It did on Friday. On Monday the gain knob started producing very loud transients when adjusted and then the gain would drop by at least half. 3 days out of the box.

The dealer told me "it needs to go back to boogie". So, since I live about 30 minutes away from Boogie I drove it up there today. They tell me it'll take a week to fix. When I said I'd like it back as soon as possible cuz I've already waited a month to get it - I was told "only a month? - that's good for Boogie!"

I feel like I'm flashing back to 1973 - when "Handmade the USA" meant over-priced, difficult to obtain and questionable workmanship. So, now I fear owning a Boogie will mean making a lot of 1 hour round trips to Boogie for weeks of repairs.

The whole experience leaves me pining for some good old fashioned Japanese mass production.

 

[Ender_rpm]

When I was amp shopping last winter, tried 3 of the "Latest and greatest" Mesa walkabout heads at my local GC. The first floor model sounded great, but I was concerned about the missing screws (?) and scratches in the paint. So I tried the other one they had on the floor. Dead. Then the sales guy looked in the back and found another one to try out. Turns out it was a return, boxed back up to go back to Boogie!!!! I don't think they take thier bass gear too seriously. I really liked the sound of the Scout 1x12, but if the head is that unreliable... So I got my Ampeg.

 

[DubDubs]

You could allways give you M-Pulse 600 to me if you don't like it .

 

[jeff schmidt]

You could allways give you M-Pulse 600 to me if you don't like it .

Really? I mean . . . you'd take it?

$1300 shipped it's yours.

 

[karrot-x]

***Strong Boogie advocate***

I'm gonna wait for Mr. Strange to respond.

 

[Benjamin Strange]

I've seen how Boogie builds them - dead amps are not the norm. But nobody makes a perfect amp, so I wouldn't be so quick to judge the whole company based on one bad experience.

As for GC... they break amps there, of all makes and models. When you get little kids walking around in there flipping switches indiscriminately all the time, you are bound to end up with problems from time to time.

My main Boogie amp is close to 20 years old, and I've never had a problem with it.

 

[CrackBass]

i have never owned a boogie bass amp but i have owned several boogie guitar amps(tremoverb, dc-3, nomad 45) and i only had a problem one time with the tremoverb. it was humming a little. i called boogie, they traced the problem to a bad preamp tube over the phone. they sent me a new premium preamp tube and a set of power tubes free. how's that for customer service? i would agree with mr. strange about guitar center. that place is a circus. moms drop their kids off for the day like day care. it's a wonder any real musicians go in ther at all.

 

[nicoli]

If it's only a month, that is really good for Boogie. I have a friend here who waited over 6 months to get his guitar head back from them.

 

[Funky_bluesbass]

Been a Boogie user for a number of years now (M Pulse 600 now, 400+ before that) and have had NOTHING but the greatest tone and reliabiltiy.... seems like your problem is the exeption to the rule, as oppose to the rule. I truly hope this doesnt turn you off to Boogie, bud.

 

[jeff schmidt]

Look at it THIS way.

Would you buy this amp from me at full price after it returns from Boogie?

3 days out of the box and a failure occurs. I sent it back to get fixed - now . . . would you buy it at full price?

I suspect not - yet that's EXACTLY what I will have done should I keep this amp. And since it'll take forever and a day to get another one - I'm afraid I have to move on.

 

[kobass]

Sorry to hear about your experience, but I have to agree with some of the others here that one can't judge an entire company's product quality based on a few negative experiences. I have an M-Pulse 600. It always performs flawlessly, providing superior tone and power every time I turn it on.

Again, I've had no problems, but I did call Mesa to ask about spare 12 amp fuses. (I had some trouble finding them, I could only find 10A or 15A). Within a few days, they sent me some at no charge. I realize it's not a high dollar item, but I was impressed with their customer service. They also called me to follow up on my satisfaction with the amplifier about six months after my purchase. I like that.

I would absolutely buy Mesa again. Who else has a FIVE year TRANSFERRABLE warranty? That's confidence in a high-quality product!

 

[Jerrold Tiers]

Who else has a FIVE year TRANSFERRABLE warranty? That's confidence in a high-quality product!

Ampeg does.

All you need is purchase receipt so we know when it was originally bought.

I thought Fender did that also. Could be wrong.

 

[basicallybass]

...since I live about 30 minutes away from Boogie I drove it up there today. They tell me it'll take a week to fix. When I said I'd like it back as soon as possible cuz I've already waited a month to get it - I was told "only a month? - that's good for Boogie!"

The whole experience leaves me pining for some good old fashioned Japanese mass production.

On the whole, I've heard more often than not, that Boogie makes a decent product (across their entire line). However, if what is stated above is correct...that someone at Boogie said, 'only a month...that's good for Boogie.' - If I were that Bozo's supervisor at Boogie, I would can him on the spot. (Even if it does take a month for replacement/repair, etc.). There are so many competitors vieing for the business of this specialty niche, companies...even established ones like Boogie cannot (if it wants to remain out of the red) tolerate caddy responses from boneheads representing the company! Its no wonder we're sending jobs overseas if that kind of attitude pervades!

 

[Dan Molina]

Hmmm maybe they should hire more techies.

 

[Benjamin Strange]

Hmmm maybe they should hire more techies.

They only have three, one of which was the first employee there (going on 30 years now). Most times they will try to fit you in and fix it on the spot if you call in advance.

 

[jeff schmidt]

They only have three, one of which was the first employee there (going on 30 years now). Most times they will try to fit you in and fix it on the spot if you call in advance.

I called on Monday & left a message - no one returned my call. I called back later on monday and talked to someone who said "bring it on up"

The next day I "brought it on up" and was told by Richard repairs take 1 week. Richard was also the one who informed me how lucky i was I only had to wait 1 month - completely ignoring the fact that I waited 1 month to get a brand new amp that requires service 3 days out of the box. (still for sale if anyone is brave enough to buy it!)

I think he must be the guy who has been there 30 years cuz he seemed tired, glazed over and generally bored by the deadening routine of filling out the service form. This was at about 11am.

But hey . . . first impressions - what are they good for!

Gotta go - I think I hear a Crown calling.

 

[MJ5150]

Gotta go - I think I hear a Crown calling.

there ya go buddy.....NOW you're making sense.

-Mike

 

[mgamache65]

HI THERE !
SORRY YOU ARE HAVING A BAD EXPIERIENCE WITH YOUR BOOGIE BUT IT ALMOST CERTAINLY HAS TO DO WITH WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT...GUITAR CENTERS SUC !! THEY LEAVE THEIR AMPS ON ALL DAY AND LET EVERY JOE SCREW WITH THEM, I'AM VERY SURPRISED MESA EVEN LETS THEM SELL THERE SUPERIOR PRODUCTS...

 

[Mo'Phat]

HI THERE !
SORRY YOU ARE HAVING A BAD EXPIERIENCE WITH YOUR BOOGIE BUT IT ALMOST CERTAINLY HAS TO DO WITH WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT...GUITAR CENTERS SUC !! THEY LEAVE THEIR AMPS ON ALL DAY AND LET EVERY JOE SCREW WITH THEM, I'AM VERY SURPRISED MESA EVEN LETS THEM SELL THERE SUPERIOR PRODUCTS...

Hey Joe Capslock! It looks like you're shouting. Turn off your capslock, please. GC is the largest music instrument retail chain. The infrastructure is established in markets that Mesa would have a tough time reaching. It's good business. If a knob breaks off at one, there's 100+ more worldwide. It still sucks, but you can't fault either one of them for trying to make money.

It's the same as using a promotor or booking agent in markets you've never played. Sure, you could do the legwork and try to make connections, and maybe get a date...but having an established promotor is the way to go.

 

[mgamache65]

SORRY FOR MY PESOMISTIC OPINION OF GC, BUT IT iS JUST MY OPINION, AND BESIDES WHAT DO I KNOW, I'VE ONLY BEEN PLAYING FOR 30 YEARS AND BOUGHT A MULTITUDE OF PRODUCTS FROM GUITAR CENTER ONLY TO RETURN THEM ALL...EVEN A SET OF STRINGS I BOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN OPENED....DUH...MESA STANDS BEHIND THERE STUFF BETTER THAN ANY OTHER COMPANY PERIOD AND IT IS MADE IN USA UNLIKE MOST OF YOUR RACK......... .