This does not bode well for the 5 string version that will be "available soon" according to the website. Of course it has said that for FOUR YEARS!!! Hire some help Fred!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Has anybody ordered a darkstar recently?
- Thread starter carlos840
- Start date
yeah, i've been hoping for a 5 string dark star for a loooooong time now as well 
i hate to say it, but i'm glad fred is who he is and his pickups are what they are. i'm glad they're not mass produced and are still "special". i admit it's frustrating to wait, but i've waited longer than 2 months for custom stuff that gives alot less value and functionality.
i hate to say it, but i'm glad fred is who he is and his pickups are what they are. i'm glad they're not mass produced and are still "special". i admit it's frustrating to wait, but i've waited longer than 2 months for custom stuff that gives alot less value and functionality.
I think it would be surprising if he did have stock available. Isn't this whole thread about his backlog of sold units? If he's 2 mos. behind building sold (revenue in pocket), why would he waste time building inventory (revenue in theory; hopefully someday revenue, but for the time being unusable cash sitting on a shelf)?
And...How mad would you be if your paid for pickups were even further delayed because he was busy building stock inventory?
Good for him! He has a great product, a backlog of orders, and no worries about payroll tax, providing health insurance, paying workman's comp - disability - vacation pay, employees getting sick - getting injured - slacking off - doing shoddy "monday and friday" work, inventory and/or parts walking out the door, etc..
Providing he can build them fast enough to stop order cancellations and earn a living doing it; sounds like the perfect gig to me!
Well, i managed to get him on the phone...
As soon as i told him who i was the line cut!
Tried to call back loads and he wont pick up!
I am getting really pi**ed off and disappointed, and starting to wonder if im ever going to get those pickups.
As soon as i told him who i was the line cut!
Tried to call back loads and he wont pick up!
I am getting really pi**ed off and disappointed, and starting to wonder if im ever going to get those pickups.
Well, good news, just got a mail from him saying the pickups will ship tomorrow!
I really hope that i get them soon and that this thread can be closed with a good news.
I really hope that i get them soon and that this thread can be closed with a good news.
Evidently he has managed to keep up an inventory without going broke. It just takes a really irate customer to get him to pull from it...
Or he got p/u's that were initially for someone else, or... his pickups got completed.
Your naiveté is showing; what would be the point of ignoring sold orders, stifling cash flow, and alienating your existing customers by utilizing your production time to "keep up an inventory"?
I think the OP understandably got spooked by the Dr Bass stories and jumped the gun by airing laundry on an open forum.
The problem with that is that it can quickly snowball out of control.
This one complaint alone post garnered these responses from potential customers;
*sigh* I might as welll never order then
Buying handcrafted items isnt like buying machine made, mass produced, imported goods at Wal-Mart (or GC
), it takes appreciation for the process; and usually a little patience.
I think it's just like ordering a new custom bass from someone like Nino or Fodera or Thompson - a small shop will take its time to make sure everything is exactly the way its supposed to be.
I realize when you get a quote of "3-4 weeks" you should expect a delivery close to that quote - then again, **** happens. If you can't wait - buy a Fender/Fralin/EMG/etc/etc/etc...
IMHO, of course...
I realize when you get a quote of "3-4 weeks" you should expect a delivery close to that quote - then again, **** happens. If you can't wait - buy a Fender/Fralin/EMG/etc/etc/etc...
IMHO, of course...
Same thing happened to me....Jimmy had to call him and they finally arrived......but they were worth the wait.....
Or he got p/u's that were initially for someone else, or... his pickups got completed.
Your naiveté is showing; what would be the point of ignoring sold orders, stifling cash flow, and alienating your existing customers by utilizing your production time to "keep up an inventory"?
I think the OP understandably got spooked by the Dr Bass stories and jumped the gun by airing laundry on an open forum.
The problem with that is that it can quickly snowball out of control.
This one complaint alone post garnered these responses from potential customers;
Buying handcrafted items isn’t like buying machine made, mass produced, imported goods at Wal-Mart (or GC
Just want to make things clear!
I dont think i jumped the gun, i was just wondering if i was the only one in this situation or if it was a usual problem, I think that whether it is a custom order or not, it not right to give a 3 week quote and then keep your customer in the dark not answering emails and calls 7 weeks later! I wouldnt mind if he told me 8 weeks from the start... Thats it!
Also i was never "airing laundry" on an open forum, none of my post where direct attacks towards Fred or his business, i was really cautious not to start that, and i dont think i did in any way.
I was just getting information from other of his customers...
Hey guys,
Good news, the pickups have arrived today!
They look amazing and i cant wait to receive my body to put the bass together!
In the end it took a bit over 8 weeks for me to receive them.
Was it worth the wait as everybody says? I dont know, havent tried them but i will post pictures and sound clips and review from the bass when done.
I do have one last question:
The pickups came without a lead, is installation just soldering a wire to each little lug, and is red live and blue ground?
Good news, the pickups have arrived today!
They look amazing and i cant wait to receive my body to put the bass together!
In the end it took a bit over 8 weeks for me to receive them.
Was it worth the wait as everybody says? I dont know, havent tried them but i will post pictures and sound clips and review from the bass when done.
I do have one last question:
The pickups came without a lead, is installation just soldering a wire to each little lug, and is red live and blue ground?
Dark Star Users.....How do they perform as far as hum in a Jazz Bass?
I've gotten so accustomed to my Dimarzio DP123s that I'm hesitant to order anything that might hum. I can remember in my previous J's that I couldn't use them on some stages (lighting, AC power issues).
I've gotten so accustomed to my Dimarzio DP123s that I'm hesitant to order anything that might hum. I can remember in my previous J's that I couldn't use them on some stages (lighting, AC power issues).
Not from personal experience but from things i have read, they are meant to be extremely silent.
Glad to hear you finally got them.
Are you saying that they came without lead wires soldered to them?
probably, because that's how mine came. Red=hot, blue=ground (but honestly it'll probably work either way.)
When I ordered mine, IIRC the wait time said 2 weeks, and I got them in just over a month. Seems like Fred's at least trying to be realistic in adjusting it to 4 weeks.
These are well worth the wait and Fred is a stand-up guy (even if a little hard to get on the phone)
probably, because that's how mine came. Red=hot, blue=ground (but honestly it'll probably work either way.)
When I ordered mine, IIRC the wait time said 2 weeks, and I got them in just over a month. Seems like Fred's at least trying to be realistic in adjusting it to 4 weeks.
These are well worth the wait and Fred is a stand-up guy (even if a little hard to get on the phone)
OK. Just curious...
They will put out sound either way, but the lug that the ground wire is attached to also has a ground wire that attaches to the metal chassis of the pickup- if you were to make that the "hot" connection, then you would lose the shielding benefits, and might also get some nasty popping and buzzing anytime you touched either the metal casing or the polepieces!
I'm surprised he doesn't sell them with leads attached, because I recall specific posts from him before (on the Dudepit) warning to use care when soldering these pickups lest you inadvertantly overheat/damage the more sensitive coil windings. Seems like installing the leads himself would make this much less likely to happen via a novice solderer!
FWIW- I had my Darkstars sent to a luthier that was doing the routing for me years ago and they came nearly 2 weeks after the estimated delivery then as well. A 2 week or so buffer just seems to be Fred's thing- definitely well worth the wait though...
