Frustration on my JERZY DROZD build. Please help me.

[john_g]

Well, Nov/Dec isn't 6 months.... so your story has now changed. ...And you sent a nasty email to Lorenna? Why? Many builders would return your deposit after that, and tell you to stuff your order.

Ok so its 4/5 months and he shouldnt have to do "research" when he was told it would be 6 months by the company. I suggest he sends another email and ratchet up the nastiness. As the owner of two businesses, there are plenty of times I get swamped, but its no excuse for no communication when you are the one paying the bill. Its not a kidney.

 

[allenhumble]

Communication is important with these kind of instrument orders. Is there a language barrier?
6 months seems awfully fast for a custom build. My elrick was 15 months. I'm at 10 months for a nybw that's close to complete. I was quoted 3 months on this one. Unforseen things came up that continued to push further back. Communication was always top priority.

 

[allenhumble]

You should know the top wood within the first month

 

[Schlyder]

Let me explain a few differences between Jerzy and Fodera. Jerzy also makes his own bridges. He winds his own pickups. He does all the work himself. He does not have a dozen workers. He doesn't use aftermarket pickups and bridges. He does the finishing as well. He sources the wood, and does R&D on new innovations, and models. He does a lot more than sit at a bench carving necks and bodies. All this takes time.

 

[Schlyder]

Communication is important with these kind of instrument orders. Is there a language barrier?
6 months seems awfully fast for a custom build. My elrick was 15 months. I'm at 10 months for a nybw that's close to complete. I was quoted 3 months on this one. Unforseen things came up that continued to push further back. Communication was always top priority.

so over 3 times the quoted completion time. I was quoted a year...and waited 2.5.. that's 2.5 times what I was told... and the OP has waited a whole 4.5 months for a quoted 6 months wait, and he's upset. LOL

 

[allenhumble]

Let me explain a few differences between Jerzy and Fodera. Jerzy also makes his own bridges. He winds his own pickups. He does all the work himself. He does not have a dozen workers. He doesn't use aftermarket pickups and bridges. He does the finishing as well. He sources the wood, and does R&D on new innovations, and models. He does a lot more than sit at a bench carving necks and bodies. All this takes time.

I get it. That's exactly why I think 6 months is way to fast for custom build. Every instrument gets all of that love. If 4 months into build customer still has not picked a top bc he hasn't been shown options communication has failed somewhere.

 

[benchpress11782]

so over 3 times the quoted completion time. I was quoted a year...and waited 2.5.. that's 2.5 times what I was told... and the OP has waited a whole 4.5 months for a quoted 6 months wait, and he's upset. LOL

Then why do they say 6 months build time?

 

[Schlyder]

I get it. That's exactly why I think 6 months is way to fast for custom build. Every instrument gets all of that love. If 4 months into build customer still has not picked a top bc he hasn't been shown options communication has failed somewhere.

Yes 6 months is unreasonable if you have done any research. I suspect the delay in topwood selecting is that Jerzy is in the process of acquiring a selection of wood to choose from. It may be he isn't ready for that stage as of yet. On my build, the neck was carved first and set aside to rest for several months, then when it was time for the body, we selected the woods at that point. And when he decided he wasn't satisfied with that body and wanted to carve a different body, we had to select more wood, and then it had to dry in the kiln for months. I also suspect that the reason Lorrena prefers email to the phone, is that her native language is Spanish, and she may not speak English very well and it's easier to communicate thru email. A little patience goes a long way.

 

[benchpress11782]

At the end of the day I just ask for communication.

 

[benchpress11782]

Yes 6 months is unreasonable if you have done any research. I suspect the delay in topwood selecting is that Jerzy is in the process of acquiring a selection of wood to choose from. It may be he isn't ready for that stage as of yet. On my build, the neck was carved first and set aside to rest for several months, then when it was time for the body, we selected the woods at that point. And when he decided he wasn't satisfied with that body and wanted to carve a different body, we had to select more wood, and then it had to dry in the kiln for months. I also suspect that the reason Lorrena prefers email to the phone, is that her native language is Spanish, and she may not speak English very well and it's easier to communicate thru email. A little patience goes a long way.

Yes but you communicated back and forth.

 

[petrus61]

Nobody knows what they said. We just have to assume that they told you it would be done in 6 months, which honestly seems mighty quick for a bass of the caliber that Drozd produces. Are you sure there wasn't a miscommunication at the outset? During the period of time after you decided on a final build until now, did you bombard them with emails and phone calls every week asking on a status update? Going into a custom build such as this has to be thouroghly thought out, that includes references and records of quoted completion dates, as well as communications sent back and forth. How do you think it's going to look if there was a misunderstanding on your part and you fire off a nasty email to the front office person? If I were the builder, I'd refund your deposit immediately just going by what you've told us. It is most certainly their obligation to keep you reasonably informed, but there's no way for us to know they didn't lay out the terms when you signed off on the build.

I have much respect for custom builders, but reasons such as unexpected circumstances and long wait times are why I would never commission one to begin with. You have to approach it with reasonable expectations. For the amount of money, it's probably worth even paying a visit to the shop beforehand. That way you can see how streamlined they are and get an idea of whether they are up to your standards with regards to staff, completion times, and integrity.

 

[Schlyder]

At the end of the day I just ask for communication.

I understand. It can be frustrating. But that is just how it is. sometimes Jerzy's comms can be slow. But he is going to build you a beautiful bass, and it will take how long it takes. Just relax, be patient, and join the custom bass wait support group thread LOL

 

[Schlyder]

Yes but you communicated back and forth.

yes. but there were some spotty times of communication. I didn't go crazy over it. I did my homework and knew that with Jerzy custom builds take time, and communications were sometimes long between contact.
That is just how it is.

 

[benchpress11782]

Thanks guys. I sent apology. If I had communication it would have never gotten to this point.

 

[benchpress11782]

yes. but there were some spotty times of communication. I didn't go crazy over it. I did my homework and knew that with Jerzy custom builds take time, and communications were sometimes long between contact.
That is just how it is.

I understand. Thank you

 

[Schlyder]

LOL everyone I know who has a custom Jerzy Drozd has had to wait a lot more than 6 months. That is why I believe it was a miscommunication. I am more inclined to think your bass would be started sometime within 6 months.. not completed.

 

[two fingers]

Well when your work is in demand, and you are low production, sometimes a waiting list occurs. Sometime unexpected things occur during a build that hold things up. In my case, there were a couple things that caused some delays, but it wasn't anyone's fault. Just how things go. During my bass' build, a second body needed to be carved because Jerzy wasn't 100% satisfied with the first one. This required finding more wood, and then needed to be dried in a kiln before it could be worked.
Necks are left to acclimatize for months after initial carving to stabilize. Production basses usually get priority over custom basses. There are many factors. ...and Jerzy is a perfectionist and an artist as well as a craftsman, so he isn't just going to slap your sh1t together. In the end the buyer will get a bass that EXCEEDS their expectations. I can assure you. My bass was worth every penny, and worth every second that I waited for it.

also... if the OP did some research, he would have found out that 6 months is extraordinarily fast for Jerzy to complete a custom build. Just ask anyone in the JD club how long their custom basses took to complete. I suspect a misunderstanding in your build timeframe. It was likely "get started" within, or in 6 months time, and not completed. As you just placed your order a couple months ago, I am sure your bass will be at the bottom of the batting order, and that there are several basses in line ahead of you.
As I said .. relax. In the end your bass will be flawless, and awesome.

If ALL of that is stated up front that's great. You get what you AGREED to. But being an "artist" and a "perfectionist" (which I read to mean an emotional basket case...but maybe I'm reading too much into it) does NOT excuse you from communicating with your customers. If your work is so expensive and so in demand PAY someone to yell questions back to you in the workshop and answer emails.

Again, of the deal going in is "I am incredible artist and perfectionist and I'll get to your bass when I darn well feel like it" then it's on you to deal with such an ego. But if that wasn't stayed up front then somebody better answer my questions and tell me what top is going on my bass in the next couple years or so.

 

[Schlyder]

As I said earlier. Prior to my ordering my bass there was a two year wait list just to get an order in.

 

[Thrillhouse]

Bottom line is that if you're quoted a time by a builder and receive no information after repeated attempts to communicate as the quoted time is approaching, that's just not good business practice. It doesn't matter how busy the builder is or how long others have had to wait or the quality of the product. All it takes is a phone call or email. Just a few minutes to let the customer know what's up. If they're paying or have already paid, they deserve that much.

 

[petrus61]

If ALL of that is stated up front that's great. You get what you AGREED to. But being an "artist" and a "perfectionist" (which I read to mean an emotional basket case...but maybe I'm reading too much into it) does NOT excuse you from communicating with your customers. If your work is so expensive and so in demand PAY someone to yell questions back to you in the workshop and answer emails.

Again, of the deal going in is "I am incredible artist and perfectionist and I'll get to your bass when I darn well feel like it" then it's on you to deal with such an ego. But if that wasn't stayed up front then somebody better answer my questions and tell me what top is going on my bass in the next couple years or so.

I dunno. The guy took the time to write and provide a free of charge book that for all intents and purposes, is a boon to the bass community. Most builders tend to be on the more practical, utilitarian side of their craft, with a the artistic flair as a bonus...at least the ones I've met. The builder definitely owes the client clear communication, but do we just have to assume he's offered the opposite without him being here to defend himself? Just going by the initial posts (firing off nasty emails), I'm not so sure OP has put his/her self to be in the position of benefit of the doubt.