• 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.

Reed James Custom Pickups - Delivery and communication issues

ninnlangel

ninnlangel

Dec 14, 2005
443
5
France, Switzerland
www.ninnlangel.com
#1
Hi all,

I've ordered a set of pickups from Jim at Reed James Custom on october 14th 2013, and other than a few emails lacking anything vaguely apologetic or viable shipping information, I am left hanging, 5 months later, lacking 335$ and still seeing no pickups.

My efforts to communicate with Jim have made absolutely no difference.

Is anyone else in this situation? What course of action do you recommend, knowing I'm overseas? At this point I just want my money back.

My new bass has been sitting pickup less for 5 months, so I just bit the bullet and ordered from a more reliable manufacturer.

Thanks for your input,

NL
 
#2
Sorry to hear man, my experience with him has very been positive. I received my order in about a week. One of the pickups was noisey and he sent out a replacement in faith that I would send the noisy one back when I replaced it. Communication was good throughout the whole process. I hope your situation gets resolved soon and that Jim gets back to the same level of customer service that I had a year or so back when I ordered from him.
 
#4
I had not so great experiences with communication as well.

I ordered on Black Friday (after you it seems) for a semi-custom but standard order: N-buckers in an EMG 35 shell with no pole pieces.

He quoted me a month, it think it ended up taking at least two months with me hounding him almost daily after the 4th week and still no update.

Keep on him, he's horrid at emails and will promise you things on the phone but I trusted him and he came through.

Good luck!
 
#5
bassvirtuoso said:
I had not so great experiences with communication as well.

I ordered on Black Friday (after you it seems) for a semi-custom but standard order: N-buckers in an EMG 35 shell with no pole pieces.

He quoted me a month, it think it ended up taking at least two months with me hounding him almost daily after the 4th week and still no update.

Keep on him, he's horrid at emails and will promise you things on the phone but I trusted him and he came through.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I am satisfied overall... I was promised pickups in two weeks but it took three months to get them. I knew two weeks would never happen since I was forewarned by a prior customer about long delivery times and unmet promise dates ...so I did expect a wait going in. In my case he was actually still developing the Vintage Vibe line and kept revising and improving them before he would send mine out. So I ended up with better pickups for my wait.

Like the OP, I had lost a lot of enthusiasm about them and had different pickups in my bass by the time the RJ Neos arrived. I ended up letting them just sit for a month or so out of spite. That all changed when I installed them, imo they really are THAT much better sounding and well worth any and all the pain and misery required to get them.

I consider Jim Reed one of the mad scientist pickup guys a la Lane Poor. A bit rough on the exterior and in the communication department (just read his Facebook) but the joy of using his excellent pickups causes all the negatives to be forgotten.
 
#7
shrigg said:
I am satisfied overall... I was promised pickups in two weeks but it took three months to get them. I knew two weeks would never happen since I was forewarned by a prior customer about long delivery times and unmet promise dates ...so I did expect a wait going in.
Click to expand...

I also knew about that going in, although I question my intelligence for doing so. After seeing so many small businesses go south recently (Dr. Bass, SGD) I get gun shy anymore not going through someone you can count on. Luckily I got my stuff from Jim, but I wouldn't suggest him to anyone because of the warning signs he's showing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blindrabbit
#9
Narcissistic ...funny he would single out and bash TBers...as Im going to say 90% or more of his business is prob. a result of this very site. I never heard of the guy until he was mentioned on here a few years back...Obviously its his business to do whatever...but clearly wont be getting mine.
 
#10
Yeah---2 week promise and three month delivery on mine. All of the same experiences.

That being said, I got custom neo's in birdseye shells that are the best pickups I've ever heard. It was an annoying experience but every time I play the bass---seems worth it.

I've talked to Jim numerous times---he's sincere but quite a character. I wish he'd get his shite together---he's a very talented guy---but talent only gets you so far.

I'd probably do it again---knowing that it was going to be a PITA
 
#12
As I said once before...he's a little rough around the edges, but does excellent work. Spalted maple Jazz bass pickups? He's the only one I found that was willing to make them for me. And they sound great, too. Considering I commissioned a "highly respected" (around this forum) wood turner to make me some Spalted Jazz pickup covers that were never done. All paid up front, but never made. I did get a refund...took forever.

Reed James made the covers and the pickups for less than what this wood turner charged for just the shells.
 
#13
I'm not doubting his talent or product in the least bit..and perhaps some of his attitude is b/c of being jaded on here but in the same breathe..this is a business..businesses bring products/services and expectations of people. To say on his facebook page he is a small business owner but not a people person is counterproductive and going to garner comments from folks. Perhaps in his mind he is successful and has met personal goals and is fine with pissing folks off and producing for a small group of people..

In reality its his gig...can do whatever and say whatever he pleases..unfortunately doesnt seem to be very accepting when the tables turn and people speak their mind about him.
 
#16
LightGroove said:
In reality its his gig...can do whatever and say whatever he pleases..unfortunately doesnt seem to be very accepting when the tables turn and people speak their mind about him.
Click to expand...

The reality really is...why do people continue to buy from him or SGD? These thread should bring up the red flags...right? There's so many other pickup builders with impeccable reputation, like Nords. Nords sound great and will also custom build (at least they used to). I had a bass with pickups routed off center (very inexcusable) by approx 3/8th. Carey custom made a set of DCs with the pole pieces exactly under the strings. I understand that some may have ordered without knowing these issues with the companies, but it also appears that many did know about their reputation and still ordered. If you want to play Russian Roulette with your money, use a credit card, get a refund when the order's not fulfilled and then buy some Nords, Barts, DiMarzios, EMGs, Duncans....

BTW, I had good experiences with both Reed and SGD, orders completed without any issues.
 
#18
mmbongo said:
Best Bass Gear now sells SGD so they are shipping immediately if they have them in stock.
Click to expand...

Yup...I saw that. I hope he totally caught up all his backorders. He did good work for me and it was painful to see what was happening to him and his clients. But I guess the beauty of these smaller pickup builders is CUSTOM. Especially Reed James and his ability to make pickup covers out of any wood any size you want.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PawleeP
#19
Funkinthetrunk said:
Yup...I saw that. I hope he totally caught up all his backorders. He did good work for me and it was painful to see what was happening to him and his clients. But I guess the beauty of these smaller pickup builders is CUSTOM. Especially Reed James and his ability to make pickup covers out of any wood any size you want.
Click to expand...

I can say why I ordered from Reed James. It's because he's capable of doing a totally custom neo pickup for a project bass. All of his covers, whether wood or plastic are CNC'd in house and I like what I've heard about his Neo designs. I can't speak for anybody else but my interactions with Jim have been nothing but positive and he's been a stand up dude throughout.

Yeah, his lead times are overly optimistic but he's a one man shop doing totally custom work. Anybody running into issues should just pick up the phone and give him a call.
 
#20
Hi,

I have been waiting for about 6 months for my prepaid set of custom pickups. I have spoken to him over and over. I have an email chain a mile long; parts of which have deteriorated into satire, begging, denial, acceptance, and anger; essentially the full range of human emotion in written form. I really don't know what to say - I would assume a person running a business would have trouble sleeping at night knowing that they have taken payment for goods they have not made good on. I wish I had seen these posts earlier. I still have hope though like I'm glutton for punishment!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back