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Is Avantguard a SCAM?
- Thread starter oo.viper.oo
- Start date
I'm not going to put a pic of the offered piece up - but suffice to say, it was not what I had asked for.
The first time I contacted him, I asked for a refund.
He replied my order was done and sent me a picture of a regular Jazz Bass pickguard. Except mine was a custom order to fit an Ultra Jazz Bass (3 holes on the right horn instead of 4) so I knew right away this was not my order.
François has done similar things very often..
He replied my order was done and sent me a picture of a regular Jazz Bass pickguard. Except mine was a custom order to fit an Ultra Jazz Bass (3 holes on the right horn instead of 4) so I knew right away this was not my order.
François has done similar things very often..
I am giving him the full four months before I make a chargeback, as he initially got back to me with a 'completed' order within that timeframe. I'm not impressed that he cheekily suggested I pay the remainder after I told him that the order was not in line with what I had asked for. The lack of follow-up from his end several weeks later - after waiting the '2-3 weeks' that he said the correct spec pg would be ready - doesn't bode well.
Shame, as the Avantguard that I bought used is absolutely amazing.
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Hello guys.So I have met François from Avant Guard yesterday.
Definitely 100% not a scam, he is just overwhelmed by the numerous orders, is several months late and doesn’t know how to handle customer relationship since some customers were quite invasive and time consuming.
From my understanding, he is working hard to get the orders delivered ASAP but, as single man business, this is taking time, on top of many other temporary issues that are affecting his business.But if you guys are patient enough, you’re getting the absolute best possible pickguard ever. Period. I am so happy to have chosen Avant Guard ! Look at my Ultra Jazz Bass under the sun !!!!
Definitely 100% not a scam, he is just overwhelmed by the numerous orders, is several months late and doesn’t know how to handle customer relationship since some customers were quite invasive and time consuming.
From my understanding, he is working hard to get the orders delivered ASAP but, as single man business, this is taking time, on top of many other temporary issues that are affecting his business.But if you guys are patient enough, you’re getting the absolute best possible pickguard ever. Period. I am so happy to have chosen Avant Guard ! Look at my Ultra Jazz Bass under the sun !!!!
Never ordered from Avantgard. The PGs look very cool for sure. Hoping your situation ends up positive.
Yeah, in my two experiences with ordering from a custom cab maker, they always posted standard completion timeframes.
However, I learned in both instances, he timeframes were a guideline, not a rule and subject to change. (Sigh).
Both went bit late. The first instance, I did finally get a finished product which was top notch. He did have good communication skills, even it kept getting pushed back.
The second instance , timeframes WENT WAY LATE and I was the only one initiating contact to find things out, so I ended up having to ask for my deposit back, which I got, thankfully with no drama.
I know a lot of custom makers are one man operations, but the waiting and waiting is frustrating for sure.
Yeah, in my two experiences with ordering from a custom cab maker, they always posted standard completion timeframes.
However, I learned in both instances, he timeframes were a guideline, not a rule and subject to change. (Sigh).
Both went bit late. The first instance, I did finally get a finished product which was top notch. He did have good communication skills, even it kept getting pushed back.
The second instance , timeframes WENT WAY LATE and I was the only one initiating contact to find things out, so I ended up having to ask for my deposit back, which I got, thankfully with no drama.
I know a lot of custom makers are one man operations, but the waiting and waiting is frustrating for sure.
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Beautiful guard, but I just entered a chargeback against my order - having heard nothing for a month after the forecast date of completion. I'll have to be happy with just the one guard I have.
I see that AvantGuard is transitioning from made-to-order to limited ready-to-ship releases. This is probably a better business model for Francois. Hopefully, this will reduce the number of complaints about long shipping times as he really does have a great product.
He does have a brilliant product, and I think making batches of guards and then releasing them for purchase is a far better model.
It’s the non-response to email and Instagram correspondence that is the real headache. He repeatedly failed to reply to my inquiries over the course of weeks and months. A chargeback was the only option in the end.
Luckily, I found an Avantguard guard on Reverb yesterday.
So after 10 months, being 6 months late, and after last few months of complete ghosting my pickguard surprisingly showed up in post today. It is a work of art. Whole endeavor does leave a bitter taste in mouth though.
Wait, are you telling me it took 10 months for someone to order a sheet of tortoise-shell-pattern plastic, cut it to shape, chamfer the edges, and drill some screw holes?
Sheesh!
I don't even WANT to know how much you paid for that.
Sure seems it would have been easier to buy the material and a coping saw yourself, make two with errors, and by the third one you'd have it down.
Sheesh!
I don't even WANT to know how much you paid for that.
Sure seems it would have been easier to buy the material and a coping saw yourself, make two with errors, and by the third one you'd have it down.
Looks like the same material everyone else uses, with a ton of surface scratches that could have been avoided.
Yeah, all these people acting like you have to be some kind of plus-four-standard-deviations master craftsman to cut a piece of plastic to shape, edge it, drill some screw holes, and do some polishing.
WHAT!!!!!
E250 for a piece of plastic, cut to shape? You gotta be kidding me!
Man, I thought flute players were the most gullible musicians on earth, but this...
Well, it’s not plastic, it’s celluloid. I had high quality plastic that I replaced with this one. They’re two different things, though no arguing or trying to convince you.
