Valveamp Bass from the ad up top ^

[SpankyPants]

I would like to help and this is what is happening here.

1) The guitar you got mounts a set of Wilkinson EZ Locks tuners. This is just a previous model with different hardware.
You can have perfect tuning with this guitar without spending any additional money. Please just follow my dedicated video on my youtube/fruduatv channel (how to keep a standard tremolo in perfect tune).

Remember that I said he's using the guitar as it was received - "set-up in Italy by the same trained luthiers who handcraft our Frudua brand before shipping to America." At least, that's what the stickers attached to the guitar said. He knows how to properly tune a guitar.

One of the first things you say in your video is:
"Keep in mind that you can improve the tuning stability for your guitar by the replacement, for example, the original tuners for locking tuners..."

I'd also like to add here that the tremolo arm won't stay in the bridge and falls out constantly. The volume pot also fell off after moderate usage, and I had to reattach it.

Really you bought the guitar for 180 USD? This is just the price of the custom shop Duncan pickup (160USD)!!

No, that was a rhetorical question.

2) You still want the new tuners? No problem.

That'd be great.

The price Lorenzo gave to you came up as follows: 15USD for the tuners (are you happy for this price for a set of locking tuners like Sperzels?) + 69 euros UPS shipping..

Too much for shipping 15 bucks of stuff? I agree.

Standard postal service asked us 54 USD (you can check the italian postal service site price list). So we thought UPS for the difference cole make a better and faster service to you.

Do you agree?

Wait, so the regular post office asked only half the price? I don't know why this wasn't even mentioned in one of the emails?

The only alternative is putting them inside an envelope. In this case is 5.80 euros not sure how they will arrive though. If it is ok we can proceed.

Again, it would have been nice to have at least been told or give the option. Communication is what makes good customer service, isn't it?

3) Regarding the feedback I checkd and you've been a bit nasty here :
you wrote me on jan 5 at 9.52.
I replied to you on jn 5 at 4.38 (PM).
you wrote me on jan 20, 8.940AM
Lorenzo replied jan 21 9.49 AM
You wrote jan 21 14.38 your time
Lorenzo replied jan 21 8.39 AM our time
You write again on jan 27 11.46 your time
We did not reply SORRY our fault. We have this email so no excuses.
You wrote again on feb 17 10.47PM your time
Lorenzo replied on feb 18 10.22 AM our time
I replied to you on feb 18 4.35 AM your time
You wrote again on feb 19 20.37PM our time
Lorenzo replied on feb 22 9.40 AM our time
You wrote again on feb 22 4.33PM our time
Lorenzo replied on feb 23 3.50 PM our time

Except for one email which we are sorry for I am sure you will agree this is perfect feedback.

No, let's re-do the math.

I sent you an email Jan 5th explaining the mix-up and requesting an exchange
I received your reply on Jan 5th
I sent pictures on Jan 20th
I received your reply on the 21st that you'd revert to me the next day
I received Lorenzo's first email on the 21st saying that the tuners were actually the correct ones
I sent an email on the 21st asking to clarify
I received a reply on the 21st clarifying that he said they were the right tuners
I sent an email on the 27th again to offer an exchange, explaining that the tuners didn't work at all - No response
I sent another email on Feb 8th to politely "check in" - No response
I then sent *you* an email on Feb 17th with the email correspondence
I received your reply on the 18th, asking me to try to contact Lorenzo *again* to order more parts
I sent Lorenzo *another* email on Feb 19th
I received an email on the 22nd with the pricing info
I sent an email on the 22nd to clarify if that was the "discounted price"
I received an email on the 23rd saying that it was
I sent an email on the 23rd to let Lorenzo know that I won't pay for your paypal fees and have yet to receive a response.

So let's count. I sent Lorenzo an email on Wednesday Jan 27. Then Wednesday Feb 3rd passed with no reply. Then Wednesday Feb 10th passed with no reply. Lorenzo never got back to me despite the follow-up email. You only replied on Thursday Feb 17th after I gave up on contacting Lorenzo. That's 3 emails over a course of four weeks. I can resend you the correspondence if you'd like. I still have them all.

I understand you wanted to push us someway and decided to post here this way. I am sorry about this. Frankly you choose the wrong way possible to react with me.

Customer care is what I am famous for in Italy and it's totally prioritary for me.

Like I said, I feel like I tried to work it out with you, and you just asked for more money. I felt like the rest of these potential customers should know. If customer care is what you're known for, then why is it bad that I make this known? Why do something unless you could do it with integrity? If you're proud of your customer service, then why aren't you proud now?

This given if you still want the tuners your price remains 15 for them and 5.80 for the shipping. I will of course be glad to present them to you
given that you at least make 100 videos of you playing the Eruption which we will put on our youtube channel

I'm sorry, but I simply cannot afford to pay any more money. However, we already filmed the "surprise" when my guitarist received the instrument at practice, and we will most likely be making more live videos featuring the guitar.

Just trying to make this right. It seems this guy got lost in the middle somewhere. I am not currently selling these instruments, though it does seem like I will be pretty soon. If it were me, I would ship him the correct tuners, free of charge. That is what he thought he was getting when he bought the guitar. While it is true that one can make the guitar stay in tune using the tips in your video, AND that Van Halen's first album was recorded with a guitar without locking tuners on it (the floyd rose wasn't invented yet!), the fact remains that this guy bought a GTR that was supposed to have locking tuners on it, period.


Lee

Thank you. I don't think I'm being unreasonable here. I would have paid for shipping (on my end) if they had ever taken me up on the "exchange" offer.

If customer care were truly a priority to you, you would have sent him the correct tuners regardless of shipping costs without this long winded runaround you're offering. Whatever they cost to ship will be much less expensive than the lost business you're creating for yourself.

I have to agree. This could have all been prevented. The ball has always been and continues to remain in your court. I'm done playing, so now it's your move. However, it's your prerogative to continue as well. But I think your remaining clientele would feel much more at ease knowing that you fixed this of your own accord.

 

[bongomania]

Frudua, seriously-- You should have sent him the correct tuners, free of charge, as soon as he pointed out your mistake. All of this back-and-forth, and charging him money to fix your mistake, is a further mistake, and you will regret it.

 

[FromTheBassMent]

Frudua, seriously-- You should have sent him the correct tuners, free of charge, as soon as he pointed out your mistake. All of this back-and-forth, and charging him money to fix your mistake, is a further mistake, and you will regret it.

Really. I wonder how many TBers at this point have absolutely no interest in ever purchasing one of this company's products?

If the first response to Spanky had been, "Our mistake, the correct tuners are on their way to you via airmail free of charge," it would have been a good save, and the whole thing would have blown over.

But all this talk about shipping costs and watching videos and EVH's guitar just makes them seem like a bunch of slimeballs.

 

[blendermassacre]

"I'll send you tuners that you already should have paid for if you make youtube video's of my product for free."

Ca-lassic "superb customer service" :scowl:

Telling your customer that they don't know how to properly operate your product because they haven't seen your Jesus-esque how to video, when you sent them the incorrect product in the first place is laughable. It's like if you sent him the wrong pickups, but tell him that if he uses a specific string, or eq's his amp in a certain way, it wouldn't matter. This is getting insanely bad, fast.

 

[strappa]

Really. I wonder how many TBers at this point have absolutely no interest in ever purchasing one of this company's products?

I would purchase again.

Sorry about Spanky's troubles, but i am not hearing anything to deter me from doing business with Frudua

I purchased an Exlusive SuperB 5 thru Mike
The setup was excellent - best out of box i have seen
and the instrument is great

communication takes two
Frudua has not ignored spanky so i would take both sides with a grain of salt

every company gets complaints - every company even the best

so no i am not deterred by this complaint

 

[SpankyPants]

Frudua has not ignored spanky so i would take both sides with a grain of salt

You sure about that? Did you see my last post... about my emails being ignored for more than a month? If you'd like, I could post all of the emails for you. That way you could ignore the salt.

And my intention was not to deter anyone from buying, but rather I wanted to explain my experience with their customer service and express that I have been deterred from buying anything in the future. Maybe your bass arrived as advertised, but if it hadn't, you'd be SOL (if you received customer assistance like I have). If you have a problem with your bass or a faulty part, you might be singing a different tune. But maybe not. Who knows?

All I know is what transpired between me and Exlusive. And as far as I know that's the only time Frudua has exercised his famous customer care with his new US market. If someone is scamming consumers, why would I let them continue? Why not warn other customers about the contract they enter by purchasing these instruments?

Could Dr. Bass' scams have been prevented? Bebensee? Buzzard Bass? T.C. Electronic's faulty pedals? Or should everyone keep quiet and let their fellow paying musicians get nailed to the floor?

 

[SpankyPants]

But if you've had a good experience, I'm glad for you. I hope you will continue to have good experiences and will receive no complications with your bass or the manufacturer in the future.

 

[stflbn]

Something always felt 'iffy' to me with those basses. Not necessarily the basses, but the whole pitch and approach. Then the mass sell off via Talkbass.

 

[FromTheBassMent]

every company gets complaints - every company even the best

But that wasn't really my point. I agree that every company gets complaints, and often times the complaints they do get are ridiculous. Spend half a day reading reviews of just about any kinds of products online and you'll see that people do find the oddest things to complain about.

The problem here is that everything Frudua has posted since Spanky's original complaint has amounted to, "The customer is always wrong, suck it up and watch my instructional video or pay $100 to fix my mistake." He has bent over backwards to prove his point, which appears to be that product misrepresentation and "no service after the sale" is perfectly okay.

Strappa, I'm stoked that your bass came through in pristine condition and is giving you satisfaction. But what do you suppose would have happened to you if your bass had arrived with the wrong pickup configuration or whatever, and you wanted it set straight? I suspect you'd be enjoying an experience similar to Spanky's... and that is what's going to turn off other TBers.

 

[your idol]

 

[Frudua]

mmhh nobody here seems to have cought the humor behind "i'll send the tuners but you make me 100 (a hundred) videos" etc...

Again, despite can send the tuners or a whole new guitar the Eruption first release had EZ lock TUNERS.
This is what you bought.

It was THEN upgraded with the new Locking tuners (second release).

Feder has recently upgraded all strats with staggered tuners.
If I bought the previous model before they did, do I have the right to ask them to send me the new tuners for FREE?

Just asking to understand. Maybe in USA is different law or usance than here.

Spanky there is a small hex screw just under the bridge plate on the rear of the sustain block to fix the arm. You can see it in a photo I am sending you privately (banned for posting photos before).

Please use same hex key of saddles height. Regarding the tremolo please follow the video. The Wilky tremolo you have on the Eruption is already totally modified like I explain in the other 5 videos to keep perfect tuning. Write if any.

 

[SpankyPants]

Feder has recently upgraded all strats with staggered tuners.
If I bought the previous model before they did, do I have the right to ask them to send me the new tuners for FREE?

Just asking to understand. Maybe in USA is different law or usance than here.

Well, if you bought a guitar from Musicians Friend that was advertised as having locking tuners but received a guitar with different parts, Musicians Friend or Fender would replace the parts or exchange the guitar.

I know this from first hand experience. In fact, I bought a used Fender bass body that was missing the battery cover. Fender sent me the $12 part for free.

 

[SpankyPants]

Thanks for the tip on the tremolo.

 

[bongomania]

Spankster, are the tuners that it came with a "locking" type at all, or are they totally normal tuners that don't lock in any way?

 

[SpankyPants]

There's no locking mechanism. The Wilkinson tuners are supposed to "lock" into the string-holes in the tuning peg, but that's like making a door with a different handle and calling it a lock. It works about as well too. And by that I mean not at all.

Edit: To clarify, stringing the string into the hole is the "lock." Like I said, there's no mechanism, just the idea that stringing the guitar means that it's locked. Must be why they changed to real locking tuners.

 

[FromTheBassMent]

Again, despite can send the tuners or a whole new guitar the Eruption first release had EZ lock TUNERS.
This is what you bought.

It was THEN upgraded with the new Locking tuners (second release).

But if your customer buys an instrument based on the way it is shown in photographs and a written description on your web site, then THAT is the instrument you must send him! This isn't Italy versus US... that's asinine! It's common sense! You can't show him one thing, send him something else entirely, and then tell him "but this is what you bought." Yeah, we have a usance for that in the USA. It's called "fraud."

Are you telling us that if you pictured a guitar with a flame maple transparent red finish on your web site, and an Italian customer purchased it, you'd feel perfectly good about sending them a guitar with an opaque blue finish, and justify it by saying "I sent you the old model, the red finish is newer model"?!? Are you telling us that an Italian customer would respond, "Oh, okay, never mind, it doesn't bother me that you didn't send me the guitar that you pictured on your web site and that I ordered"?!?

Give me a break!

Frudera, let me share with you an expression we have here in the USA: "Digging yourself in deeper all the time."

 

[Frudua]

I know this from first hand experience. In fact, I bought a used Fender bass body that was missing the battery cover. Fender sent me the $12 part for free.

I totally agree but we advertized the guitar to have EZ locks till a new version with lock tuners came out and we started adverstising this new one.

You went in the website, saw the new version and thought we sent the wrong guitar. This is not the case.

You simply bough the old stock model which arrived in USA BEFORE we upgraded the guitar.

This given we want to give to you and anyone the best assistance as always. No matter the pro or cons. No matter the way you hanlded this. I just say that I do not approve your behaviour but fortunatly it's rare.
.

 

[Frudua]

"Digging yourself in deeper all the time."

Man I respect your point of view. You just miss some infos.

Anyway my thought is that facts matter. Everyting will be ok soon. We had difficulties and still have. We lost a distribution in the wrong moment. We are in a different country, fighting USA/euro change, talking different languages, distances.

There's another part of the curtain you do not see.

Not your fault of course. I am with you but maybe, with the world changing so fast it's time for more awarness in forums too... I am ok and serene. I repeat. Everything will be ok soon.

You'll be able to check wonderful new instruments improved in quality and be serviced the best way possible.

But forget to have me in good mood by acting like Spanky.

 

[bongomania]

Who gives a flying monkey's ass whether you are in a good mood? Your mood has nothing to do with it! You advertised one product, and sold him another. That is fraud. If there was "old stock" (and I have to ask how "old" could it be, since your company just got here) then it should have been upgraded to match what you currently advertise. Failure to do so is shameful. We are not talking about a product that was hanging around in a store, where Spanky happened to walk in and buy off the shelf. No, he ordered a brand new item, based on what was presently advertised.

 

[SpankyPants]

Everyone seems to be interested in selling us in USA but nobody saying "I buy". Just "send for free and let's see".

Who's asking for free instruments? The only time "free" has been mentioned is for you to honor your advertisement by not charging customers for the correct parts - parts they were told had already been paid for. Real companies do it all the time. That's what customer service is.

You'll be able to check wonderful new instruments improved in quality and be serviced the best way possible.

But you'll only be able to buy the old stock.

But forget to have me in good mood by acting like Spanky.

I'm not sure what you mean here? I feel like I've been respectful to you. I've not been aggressive, only matter-of-fact. I've not made any attack on you; I just spoke the facts.