the bebensee arrives today!!!!!!

[bassmonkeee]

Unbelieveable....$5K and he couldn't even get the woods correct?

So, his heart isn't in building anymore? Apparently his heart had no problem cashing checks, though.

I don't care how well a bass played--if it wasn't what I ordered, I'd expect a refund. Period. You didn't pay $5k to build someone else's dream bass. And, if he's tough to get ahold of, I'd have no problem dropping another couple hundred dollars on a plane ticket to show up at his door to "talk about it."


I've just lost a huge deal of respect for Ken.

 

[CTbass&birdsong]

the truth is, I dont ken would have 5K to refund
I gave him half 3+ years ago. and its absolutely impossible to get a hold of him.
.
I could always sell it new if I wanted. if you didnt know the backstory youd probably pay the 5K.

iF YOU ARE NOT REALLY SATISFIED!!! TAKE ACTION.....GO THRU COURT..FIND OUT YOUR LEGAL OPTIONS!!! it sounds like you kept good records and for what you put out ,it really seems you can do what you need to ,to be completely satisfied because it sounds like you are trying to be happy with only a "good" instrument!! You deserve better for what you put out!!! $5,000.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[klocwerk]

I don't know about legal action, but it is pretty crappy that he got the woods wrong!
And 5 grand after you supplied the majority of the wood? And that much is wrong?

That's messed up. If I were paying that much for a bass I'd freakin demand constant communication from the builder, and everything better be spot on or he'd better back up his reasons for changing it. :scowl:

 

[excane]

Absolutely. I can understand the bass might play and feel fantastic, but for me it's really the principle of the whole thing.

$5000 is not pocket change. If you have letters, emails, or anything in writing that lists all the specifics of the bass, I would take some kind of action to correct the issue. That's just me. I would absolutely take legal action if I had paid that much money for a bass.

I would want EXACTLY what I paid for.

 

[michele]

I think good communication between the luthier and the customer is a must. Having an instrument built to your specs is a process that must end with you being 100% satisfied because it all started with YOU wanting something and HIM accepting to give you what you want for some money (in this case big money).
If you’re not satisfied with something that you left to his will then it’s your fault, mea culpa. But if you explained clearly what you want and he did something else he better have a good reason for it.
Did you pay him 5K with $1 notes featuring George Washington with blonde braids?

 

[THIRSTYGUMS]

Very sorry tribal, id be stabbing the door with a fork, hey 4 years and 5000 dollars? ill fly out to your home, live in your garage and build you better under your nose in 9 weeks for that sort of commitment!
oh well-- If you dont post it back to him (you should, i would) enjoy i guess

 

[tribal3140]

Well I asked him for a refund now well see what happens
the thing that totally ruins this bass for me is that I send him this email to concrete the 1:! scale drawing I sent with the wood this was in 2003! no less
the next reply was in march of 2004!!!!!!!!! thats 4 months


"Just checking in to see where you are at in the construction of my bass.
>Your probably not there yet but I wanted to tell you before you router the
>pickup cavities, I play in the sweet spot. Standard neck/bridge pickup
>config will not work for me I need the neck pickup to be like right next to
>the brigde pickup. It is the most important thing that they are in the
>perfect place.( I rest my thumb on the edge of the pickup as an anchor when
>moving!)
>Thanks. reply soon.
>Todd
> >From: "Ken Bebensee" <[email protected]>
> >Reply-To: <[email protected]>
> >To: "mr.ed thehorse" <[email protected]>
> >Subject: RE: ZIRICOte!!!
> >Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 10:04:12 -0800
> >
and the bass came with thte standard 2.75" between the pickups.
that is just bugging me that much
I'll eat the $200 I payed for the ziricote I just dont have a use for this bass.

yea it sux I know.

 

[bassmonkeee]

So, he got the wood wrong, the pickup spacing wrong, the finish wrong, the inlays wrong, and took 3+ years to do it?

Unbelieveable....

 

[Kosko]

wow, i'm really floored by this. sorry to hear it, hope all else is well though. And as you said too, its still a monster of a bass.

 

[narud]

doesnt suprise me at all. i jammed with him around 10 years ago and he told me that when guys would ask him about the progress on basses he was building he would purposely take longer on them.

 

[Ed Goode]

Man, I feel for you, to wait that amount of time and have major playability details missed has got to be tough. I can fully understand that the bass is probably quite nice, and if you hadn't expected it to be a certain way you might even, in fact, think it was great.

I just picked up a custom bass a few weeks ago that was built to my specifications, and it is exactly what I expected it to be (and more, to tell the truth). The luthier was in constant touch with me for the almost 8 months it took, and double/triple checked everything with me every step of the way. I ended up with my dream (for about 60% of the cost you paid).

Yeah, I feel for you .... I can't imagine ending up with so many issues after such a long time and so much money. I really hope it all works out for you ......

 

[dion mauer]

my condolences, tribal.

 

[needmoney]

As us Aussies say... What a wanker!

To be honest the whole thing looks a bit Wishbassy to me Just look at that Cavity Plate

 

[smperry]

I'm speechless. I hope you get your money back.

Marshall

 

[west*coast*bass]

I can't believe what I am reading in this thread...I would be so pissed.

I hope it all works out for you Todd. Keep the pressure on him for a while and make him sweat. To send out a bass with so many errors is unacceptable and unforgiveable.

 

[Bass Viking]

And send him the link to this thread for good measure!!!

It's too bad that an otherwise nice looking bass has to leave such a bitter taste in your mouth.

Thanks for warning us.

 

[Carver]

doesnt suprise me at all. i jammed with him around 10 years ago and he told me that when guys would ask him about the progress on basses he was building he would purposely take longer on them.

Wow. That's no way to do business. :scowl:

Best of luck to you Todd.

 

[Lokire]

I would pretty much gaurantee you that you won't get a refund out of Ken. I asked him about refunding me $80 for a set of knobs he made me, which...didn't work out too well, and he said "If I wasn't a poor man I would offer a refund."

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Disgusting. Say the word and I'm sure all of TB will bomb his email with complaints. Don't let him get away with saying he doesn't have the money to refund you. The courts would find a way to make him repay you. It's $5k here- that's no small claim.

 

[CTbass&birdsong]

Disgusting. Say the word and I'm sure all of TB will bomb his email with complaints. Don't let him get away with saying he doesn't have the money to refund you. The courts would find a way to make him repay you. It's $5k here- that's no small claim.

Say the word and the emails will begin and back you up!!!! UNITY AND FAIRNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!