But we should also let people know about poor business practices and outright lying to customers. Let people decide on their own.
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- Apr 29, 2003
- 9,078
- 9,800
- Disclosures
- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
I learned the hard way to stay far away. He makes good products, if you can get them, but like others have said, its not worth the headache, lack of professionalism and potential abuse along the way. He is not a fan of me either, as I have pointed out these things to other potential customers in the past as a heads up.
In the end, even if theyre *that* good, where you put your money says more than what you say. So I put my money into the other companies that I feel a whole lot better about supporting. No shortage of companies with great products and integrity to match for your hard earned dollars.
Sorry Jim, but this is exactly what happens when you behave the way you do in a business climate. Cause and effect, simple. Stop blaming others for your M.O.
In the end, even if theyre *that* good, where you put your money says more than what you say. So I put my money into the other companies that I feel a whole lot better about supporting. No shortage of companies with great products and integrity to match for your hard earned dollars.
Sorry Jim, but this is exactly what happens when you behave the way you do in a business climate. Cause and effect, simple. Stop blaming others for your M.O.
If you want a set of Reed James pickups, watch the Classified section. Even if you have to wait for a year to find what you want, it will be a shorter wait.
Definitely lied to me. I called him up after nearly a year (and my order was not custom at all, just some four string EMG dimension that as I recall said "in stock"), he seemed surprised it had been so long since I ordered, or that I had waited so long, and he insisted he'd ship them but seemed a bit intent on getting me off the phone. Busy? Or shady? I insisted on getting the tracking number over the phone, and he emailed it to me. It never shipped, never updated, nothing ever showed up.
I hope he bought something with my money that broke right after the warranty expired. Never again.
That's very common. You'll get tracking info and then nothing will ship, only excuses, for months.
Yes, with UPS at least, it's possible to start a tracking number w/o every actually dispensing the package to UPS. GC does it for sure, because I'll get a tracking number up to a whole day before UPS even picks up the package.
So, I assume the perpetrator just started a tracking number & then told UPS to postpone the pickup indefinitely.
So, I assume the perpetrator just started a tracking number & then told UPS to postpone the pickup indefinitely.
Reed usually uses USPS. Same situation, you print a label and then put it on the shelf.
Just a login on USPS.com is all you need. If you have a postal scale and a tape measure, it's super easy. I do that all the time when I sell stuff on TalkBass or Reverb.
Yeah, but according to the folks in the "inexpensive scale for weighing basses" thread, that's the ONLY time you should weigh an instrument! 
My order is 3 years out and I have received nothing. He stopped answering phone and email a long time ago. I saw he was posting on facebook yesterday so I asked for my order. Now I'm either blocked from his page or he took it down....
He was also complaining on Facebook that Talkbass ruined his business and how he was leaving the music industry. Whatever business he goes in to next, I'm sure those people will actually expect to receive whatever he is selling too.
He was also complaining on Facebook that Talkbass ruined his business and how he was leaving the music industry. Whatever business he goes in to next, I'm sure those people will actually expect to receive whatever he is selling too.
- Apr 29, 2003
- 9,078
- 9,800
- Disclosures
- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
It must be difficult being a victim of your own horrendous business practices.
because I didn't know it bro! Stepped into one of his RJ neovibe and loooooved it. And because I am an instrument builder myself, I fell for it. Now I feel that I have to 'sage' the instruments before I touch it
Unfortunately I was also “had” and still sometimes look at the pickups I ordered and waited months for, through all the aforementioned stories and other excuses for delays (yes, including tracking numbers that went nowhere, attitude, “no soup for you”, etc.)
After reading enough horror stories from TB,
I finally wrote him a long detailed message threatening legal action including Attorney General notification. He responded angrily and we argued, my point being what could be the reason for abusing a customer AND that customer’s trust? Just ship them! P
At any rate I finally received the pickups another month later - and they were too large for the cavities. We were talking about individual pole pieces under the wood covers and the pickups are sealed, so there is no way to tell if the pole pieces will be in alignment with the (custom, unusual) string spacing even if the sides can all be planed down to fit. I messaged many times over the next six months, not receiving any answer until finally he said he didn’t remember the pickups.
My bass is a one-of-a-kind custom instrument made by Alembic and Modulus in 1982. The pain of dealing with this guy and his callousness has made me reluctant to replace the original custom hand-built EMG’s with something containing his awful nasty vibe, and the reminder that I was deliberately deceived by someone who is that messed up. Character-wise, from his FB page it’s easy to see the workings of his mind and his belief systems, which are really bigoted and ugly. There is no way to make this right, other than to accept the loss and move on. But your story reminded me. There are all kinds of people in this world, and I’ll be looking for other Neo pickups elsewhere. From being a student of Eastern spirituality for my whole life with some very powerful teachers who have blessed that instrument, I know that any object or artistic pursuit also carries the consciousness of the individual who created it. After seeing this sad person in action and principle, I don’t even want his vibe in my bass.
thanks brother. This took me by surprise a bit since I kind of closed the chapter on Jim Reed; still quite angry at his persona and doings but I let it go. I don't believe in violence as a response of any kind but I have to confess that I would probably enjoy punching him in the nose and even if regretting it later. That's the primal in me though. Most of the time I feel pity for him; it must be horrible the be in his skin and I actually wish him that he could find some clearer water to be...
Back to your response, it was quite healing actually. I am also finding deep inspiration in the eastern music traditions and culture and as an instrument maker, I just try to follow and recreate whatever is 'bouncing around in my head'. I that pursuit I've played around with quite a wide range of different woods (most of times (re)descovering that two pieces of same wood doesn't necessarily sounds the same etc and at the end finding that the best part of the sound signature it's actually in the wood itself and of course our fingers. That said, the pickups taking on the role of fidel transducers... which Jim's pickups actually doing a great job. I have to confess that I still have them in few of my instruments, believing I guess that even the 'murkiest water' could be cleaned through cleaner vibes.?? or in other words, maybe his products was the best of him? which is fine with me, as long as I don't have to deal with his other sides.
Anyhow, I thank you again for your input. And I would love to hear a snippet of how your lovely instrument sounds in your hands. I'll try to do the same.
Be joy
Julian
- Apr 29, 2003
- 9,078
- 9,800
- Disclosures
- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
I’m a lifelong subscriber of this right here.
I had to check; looks like the lies continue...
Maybe if everybody on this site called him; 100 times
The RJ website is under construction will be up soon any back orders please contact at all back orders will be filled before new website is up [email protected] or
209-271-3937
Reed James Custom Pickups
We have been in business since 2006, and we pride ourselves on providing customers with the best-quality products and personal service. You can order from us using our online catalog, order over the phone, or visit one of the retail locations that carries our products.
If you have any question please feel free to call us at
209-271-3937
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Maybe if everybody on this site called him; 100 times
The RJ website is under construction will be up soon any back orders please contact at all back orders will be filled before new website is up [email protected] or
209-271-3937
Reed James Custom Pickups
We have been in business since 2006, and we pride ourselves on providing customers with the best-quality products and personal service. You can order from us using our online catalog, order over the phone, or visit one of the retail locations that carries our products.
If you have any question please feel free to call us at
209-271-3937
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Yeah on his FB page he has a recent post to the effect of his taking six months off for some reason. With his history of stories and cover-ups you’d like to give the benefit of the doubt, but since he counts on that it could truly be anything. He really plays the “suffering bastard” schtick too.
Complicated dude...
But like others say here, he doesn’t have to take a simple transaction and turn it into an adversarial drama - or does he?
Complicated dude...
But like others say here, he doesn’t have to take a simple transaction and turn it into an adversarial drama - or does he?
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