Man, I hate to see this. I’ve followed Beardly for years and have often thought about taking the gamble and ordering a bass from him. My fear of ending up in this situation has always stopped me. I really hope he makes this right, and I could understand wanting a full refund vs full rebuild at this point.
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Buyers Beware/Scam: Rick Link/Beardly Customs
- Thread starter Brian Crosby
- Start date
I have received a full refund for the bass, finally. Thank you everyone!
Truly the best outcome.
"Experience is what you have when you didn't get paid." - Steve D, guitarist.
THANK YOU @brian for posting this thread. You've made me realize -- again -- that I sometimes take for granted that I'm friends with a local luthier who builds and works on all stringed instruments, is incredibly honest, and altho I've told him, remains unaware he's not charging anywhere near what he's worth.
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It’s cool that you get a full refund, you deserve it.
I can’t help to think how risky it is to build one off basses like Rick does. Even companies that build regular bolt on production models mess up things. This is going to be even tougher when you build one offs everythime.
The bass community needs more cool basses.
I can’t help to think how risky it is to build one off basses like Rick does. Even companies that build regular bolt on production models mess up things. This is going to be even tougher when you build one offs everythime.
The bass community needs more cool basses.
It’s definitely hit and miss with quality control when it comes to small builders out there. I would be hesitant to spend 3-4k on a bass without a high level of confidence in the builder. Makes you respect guys like Shawn May, Brady Muckelroy, and Devon Smullen who receive such high praise from their customers because of their consistency of quality.
I just want to chime in with MY experience as the owner if a Beardly Customs bass as it couldn't have been more different.
I commissioned my bass in summer of 2023. I told him to take his time and have fun with it. I was in no rush. My bass was delivered in August 2024. I couldn't be more pleased with the bass he created for me. A true work of a master craftsman. He somehow gave me the bass that had lived in my head for years. Everything about it is excellent. It has become my number one. I play it every single day since I got it. It has bolstered me as a bassist. It excites me and encourages me to play it even more. I am actually grateful to be the steward for this bass. I feel very privileged. And I would've easily paid $2k+ for this bass with the majority of custom builders.
But, as much as this, is the experience I enjoyed during the build process. Rick was incredible to work with and naturally he has become a friend. Super guy with a heart of gold and intense drive and passion. I would 100% recommend commissioning a Beardly Custom build.
Understand that I'm not commenting on the O.P.s posts regarding his experience. It does seem odd to me that this super cool guy I talked to three or more times a week for over a year and created my incredible bass, would have two more dissimilar experiences.
Some people like cucumbers better pickled.
I commissioned my bass in summer of 2023. I told him to take his time and have fun with it. I was in no rush. My bass was delivered in August 2024. I couldn't be more pleased with the bass he created for me. A true work of a master craftsman. He somehow gave me the bass that had lived in my head for years. Everything about it is excellent. It has become my number one. I play it every single day since I got it. It has bolstered me as a bassist. It excites me and encourages me to play it even more. I am actually grateful to be the steward for this bass. I feel very privileged. And I would've easily paid $2k+ for this bass with the majority of custom builders.
But, as much as this, is the experience I enjoyed during the build process. Rick was incredible to work with and naturally he has become a friend. Super guy with a heart of gold and intense drive and passion. I would 100% recommend commissioning a Beardly Custom build.
Understand that I'm not commenting on the O.P.s posts regarding his experience. It does seem odd to me that this super cool guy I talked to three or more times a week for over a year and created my incredible bass, would have two more dissimilar experiences.
Some people like cucumbers better pickled.
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...but most people like their custom made basses made at least half decent I would guess? I don't think this is just a case of different strokes for different folks. Did you not see the poor quality or workmanship in the OP's pictures?
Your bass does look cool and I'm very glad to hear it worked out for you and appreciate you providing your experience with this builder as a good contrast to the OP's experience.
That was kind of my point - I just can't wrap my head around how my Beardly is perfection in almost every way, yet O.P. had so many issues with his. I researched Beardly quite a bit prior to ordering mine. I'm pretty sure that I didn't run across one complaint online, but scores of awesome basses.
I'm really confused about how it could have gone so far off the rails. If you look in the albums on the Beardly page, you'll find step by step pics of the construction on each bass he's built over the last decade or so. Very transparent builder that kept me involved in every step of the build sometimes with multiple updates in a day.
I would just encourage fellow bassists to do their own due diligence and not summarily destroy the builder and his business based upon one person's experience out of hundreds.
I've only ever commissioned two instruments: one each from two luthiers: an Octave Mandolin, and a 1960 Jazz Bass replica.
The JB was built by someone very well-known and respected in the UK. Two things I asked for that didn't appear on the bass I received were the slim Jazz Bass neck profile, and the indented ring that made the tone knob 'click' into position. Instead, I got a rather well-rounded neck profile, and tone knobs that did not have indented ring. I lived with the latter, though it bugged me, but the neck annoyed me so much that I had to contact the luthier. He said he'd accept the bass returned, but in correspondence I got impression there was bad feeling arising. I decided not to go ahead with the return, and sold the bass privately.
Both these commissions were back in the day, before I read the WARNING! horror stories on here, These stories have convinced me never to commission an instrument again.
Glad the OP got a refund.
It's too bad really, there are probably lots of good outcomes we never hear about, just the horror stories. It's very difficult for most one-man or small output shops to make any money when you can just buy one of an almost unlimited array of perfectly serviceable basses off the rack, essentially hassle-free. Unless you really just have to have something entirely unique, working with a custom builder will always include some element of risk. I build for my own fun and to tailor a bass to my hands and taste, but too slowly to ever be viable as a custom builder. Most are lucky to make what amounts to minimum wage for such a high-skill/high risk job. I don't think most players realize the level of care and precision that goes into building a bass, it's a lot of dealing in .001" increments, which makes CNC use almost mandatory to be economically viable. There are exceptions, like Carl Thompson, who still build largely by hand, but I think his waiting list is into years now.
It only gets worse. A short while after receiving my refund, I receive a notification that the “buyer has filed a charge back with their financial institution”.
Turns out that Rick sent part of my refund through PayPal, but then charged back the refund amount through his bank. PayPal has been unable to do anything.
Rick now has my money and the bass he built for me. People need to know what kind of person they are doing business with and this needs to stop within the community.
Furthermore, today, it seems he is spreading misinformation about this situation, and somehow putting me in the wrong for wanting a quality bass guitar.
Rick Link is a thief and a scammer.
Turns out that Rick sent part of my refund through PayPal, but then charged back the refund amount through his bank. PayPal has been unable to do anything.
Rick now has my money and the bass he built for me. People need to know what kind of person they are doing business with and this needs to stop within the community.
Furthermore, today, it seems he is spreading misinformation about this situation, and somehow putting me in the wrong for wanting a quality bass guitar.
Rick Link is a thief and a scammer.
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I dont know what to say...my experience couldn't be further from what you've described. I likely recommend a Beardly at least once a week to others.
I just got done recording all morning with my Beardly Custom bass and it performed flawlessly. The craftsmanship and attention from Rick Link throughput the 12+ month build process Is evident. The electronics are so versatile!
I thought I'd share what an absolutely fabulous build from Rick Link /Beardly Customs. Check out some pics because it is gorgeous!
I just got done recording all morning with my Beardly Custom bass and it performed flawlessly. The craftsmanship and attention from Rick Link throughput the 12+ month build process Is evident. The electronics are so versatile!
I thought I'd share what an absolutely fabulous build from Rick Link /Beardly Customs. Check out some pics because it is gorgeous!
I'm sure looking at your photos will more than make up for the OP's lossCheck out some pics because it is gorgeous!
I don't have skin in the game, but unless someone thinks I'm wrong (which please let me know), I'd argue in general you should really put more weight in a negative experience than a good one, no matter more are good than bad (assuming all the bad weren't farther in the past).
Now obviously specifics do matter, but if a guy has been nice to 1000 different people, but he literally beat his wife up until the day he died, that would indicate he was not a good person. Now obviously there's no domestic violence going on, but I just think in general it's very tribal almost selfish thinking to be like "well he was always nice to me so he must have been a good guy"....I just think personally if I was in the market for a new bass I would be very hesitant in this case because I at least view it more as a "there's no guarantee I have a good deal and I'm giving $$$$$ to them" instead of a "well most people have had a good deal so it's safe".
Plenty of builders out there have an immaculate track record...again I don't doubt OP but in a general sense obviously a person has to try to suss out both sides because often there are problem customers who will never be satisfied with the results and will even lie in reviews etc. So in general, unless you have money to BURN I think for every builder it's important to really do your research.
Hell in the guitar world there's been some builders who had perfect records until recently, so for me personally I'm very hesitant to do any custom ordering.
Now obviously specifics do matter, but if a guy has been nice to 1000 different people, but he literally beat his wife up until the day he died, that would indicate he was not a good person. Now obviously there's no domestic violence going on, but I just think in general it's very tribal almost selfish thinking to be like "well he was always nice to me so he must have been a good guy"....I just think personally if I was in the market for a new bass I would be very hesitant in this case because I at least view it more as a "there's no guarantee I have a good deal and I'm giving $$$$$ to them" instead of a "well most people have had a good deal so it's safe".
Plenty of builders out there have an immaculate track record...again I don't doubt OP but in a general sense obviously a person has to try to suss out both sides because often there are problem customers who will never be satisfied with the results and will even lie in reviews etc. So in general, unless you have money to BURN I think for every builder it's important to really do your research.
Hell in the guitar world there's been some builders who had perfect records until recently, so for me personally I'm very hesitant to do any custom ordering.
