Has anyone read the Darrin Huff thread on Talkbass?

[Fuzzbass_TB]

On 23/01/2016 at 18:25, Twincam said:

I cant believe the whole sorry saga is still going on. I cant believe he also ripped off people with custom yo yo's previously.

Reviving this thread three years later because the sorry saga is still going on, and with a new twist.  As of early last year Darrin Huff started a new company called Zeller Guitars, for which he's building boutique guitars rather than boutique basses. 

No, that does NOT mean Darrin has completed the overdue basses.  According to him, he still has around 20 outstanding, with the oldest being ordered back in 2002 (mine was ordered back in 2003).  He stated that the only way to finish the overdue basses would be to quit his day job to work luthiery full time, and the only way to support himself financially while doing so would be to build a batch of Zeller guitars, because income from the half-paid-up-front overdue basses (fully-paid in some cases) would not cover expenses.

I'm not justifying the logic, just reporting it.  He basically said that this is the only path for him to get caught up, and we'll all just have to trust him to keep his word that he won't abandon the long-overdue Huff bass orders in favor of Zeller guitar orders.

On that note: his most recent promise, back in early February, was that all overdue basses would be complete by his birthday, May 15 (I assume he meant 2019 but he didn't specify).  This implies that the first batch of guitars would also be complete by then.  I've seen progress on his Facebook page (his personal page and D Huff Guitars page; I don't think I followed his Zeller page). Almost all has been guitar work, not bass work -- but no completions that I've seen.

The Talkbass thread linked in the original post is still active, but it's an extraordinarily long read, even just the past ~15 months when the latest twist began, so I figured I'd provide a TL;DR.

 

P.S. Yes, legal action has been researched pretty thoroughly. In short: it would be tough enough even if statutes of limitation weren't a factor, and you can't get blood from a stone.  I've chalked it up as a $2500 lesson learned, and have never been willing to throw good money after bad (and I happen to live on the opposite side of the US from Darrin).  

P.P.S. I'm not saying there's absolute zero chance I'll get my bass, but how optimistic would you be after 16 years?

[NikNik]

I, too, have been following that sad saga, for that is indeed what it  is. Fingers crossed for you, Fuzzbass, come May.

[BreadBin]

Wow, that's a sorry saga indeed. Good luck @Fuzzbass_TB

[TheRev]

This sort of thing is a familiar story on Talkbass - BlastCult and Hammersmith are two bass builders that spring to mind. There's probably a bunch of non-cab building cab builders on there too.

[Wolverinebass]

Not to mention SGD Lutherie. If you fancy a bit of pickup fraud that is.

[LukeFRC]

It seems to be more of a thing in US culture of smaller one man bands setting up semi professionally and then things falling to bits. I guess in the UK we tend to be less entrepreneurial and people would probably keep it small scale rather than try and scale up beyond their abilities. 

[SubsonicSimpleton]

20 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

It seems to be more of a thing in US culture of smaller one man bands setting up semi professionally and then things falling to bits. I guess in the UK we tend to be less entrepreneurial and people would probably keep it small scale rather than try and scale up beyond their abilities. 

This type of thing happens here too - people start making instruments at their own pace, then a bit of a buzz develops around the instruments they are producing, followed by a sudden stampede of orders and if the luthier in question has some sort of real life hiccup like a health issue or family problems they can end up spending customers pre-order deposit money to pay their bills and dig themselves into a hole very quickly, unfortunately this often seems to result in a spiral of bad practice. We had this on here a few years ago (cant remember the guys name off the top of my head, but I think it eventually got resolved) and over on the fretboard there is a current on going situation with another builder.

[Fuzzbass_TB]

Darrin posted this on Friday, just going to leave it here:

"So, originally I was going to ask for some input on the way I finish up the scroll basses. But I have decided against it. No matter what path or decision I make is not going to make everyone happy. I have decided on the path that will get the back log out the door the fastest.

What I am going to do is finish them in the order of the ones closest to being finished to the ones furthest. That will mean some days I am focusing on just one, and some days focusing on 2-3 at the same time depending on the step they are on.

What isn’t working is trying to do a whole stack at once. My shop is not big enough to multi task like that, and it is too taxing on my brain bouncing back and forth. Also I will no longer let “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” get the best of me.

I will announce which ones are next in the next few days. I will not be answering “where am I in the cue?” Texts, emails or messages either. They will be announced as they are being worked on. I am doing what is best for me, and for you by no longer trying to be the people pleaser and instead I am doing it this way. This is the fastest way they will all be finished.

And this bass is going to the person who has been waiting the longest FYI."

 

 

 

[LukeFRC]

Do you think most of the guys would take a “it’s got one cost of tru-oil on it - have it and finish it yourself now, over wait 3 years for me to finish them” 

[Burns-bass]

I love the way his passive aggressive message implies the problem lies with the customer rather than him. He’s obviously got mental health problems, that comes across quite clearly.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

2 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

He’s obviously got mental health problems, that comes across quite clearly.

That's a bit of a stretch. He might just be a wombler.

[ped]

I’d stick a huff up his chuff if he did that to me. 

[Burns-bass]

47 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

That's a bit of a stretch. He might just be a wombler.

Nah, if you read the whole thread (or even a snapshot of it) it’s clear the guy has his problems. It’s not a pejorative either, I think it’s quite sad that this has happened.

[Beedster]

28 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Nah, if you read the whole thread (or even a snapshot of it) it’s clear the guy has his problems. It’s not a pejorative either, I think it’s quite sad that this has happened.

Culturally we tend to blame people for their mental health. His mental health appears to be part of the problem of both the backlog and his apparent aggression. It’s tough. Had the guy been fighting cancer for ten years, been in and out of hospital and was able to say ‘it’s the chemo, it makes me aggressive’, things would probably have been different. 

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

Culturally we tend to blame people for their mental health. His mental health appears to be part of the problem of both the backlog and his apparent aggression. It’s tough. Had the guy been fighting cancer for ten years, been in and out of hospital and was able to say ‘it’s the chemo, it makes me aggressive’, things would probably have been different. 

Absolutely Chris. My grandad had manic depression and had fits of energy where he’d overstretch himself, then pits in which he’d sit mute for weeks on end. I work with a number of mental health trusts and don’t mean to perpetuate any stigma around the issue.

[BassTractor]

3 hours ago, Beedster said:

Culturally we tend to blame people for their mental health. His mental health appears to be part of the problem of both the backlog and his apparent aggression. It’s tough. Had the guy been fighting cancer for ten years, been in and out of hospital and was able to say ‘it’s the chemo, it makes me aggressive’, things would probably have been different. 

This is what I wasn't able to write but would have wanted to write.
Well done, and thanks!

[Fuzzbass_TB]

20 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I love the way his passive aggressive message implies the problem lies with the customer rather than him. He’s obviously got mental health problems, that comes across quite clearly.

His statement does seem amazingly arrogant, but while I won't defend the choice of words I somewhat understand where it's coming from.  His basses are incredibly complex, and on top of that he allowed extensive customizations: extra laminates, pretty much any pickups, electronics, fancy figured woods, etc.  So, he's blamed his entire predicament on being too much of a "people pleaser": trying to do almost anything for anyone.  (He also gets some drive-by flaming on Facebook, though he shouldn't be surprised by it).

Of course the reality is that 17-18 years has been plenty of time for him to deliver all promises made to his 30? customers (20 still waiting).  But he has confessed to being mentally overwhelmed by the realization that he bit off way more than he could chew, and at one point (10 years ago?) put a selfie video on YouTube in which he was literally weeping about how distraught he was by the backlog.

Some insist it's all an act and he's nothing more than a thief.  He's often been guilty of shady behavior over the years, but after weighing all the evidence*, I lean toward mental issues.  Ask me again next year: if by then he's completed a batch of Zeller guitars and zero overdue Huff basses, I reserve the right to lean the other way.

 

* I am aware of the yo yo fiasco, but last year he finally completed this bass and sent it to a customer on the wait list.

[bazzbass]

no longer trying to be the people pleaser

delusional perhaps?

 

[Fuzzbass_TB]

Quote

Darrin Huff

April 9 at 5:45 PM · 

 

So I went into a local pawn shop today, the guys there have always treated me good. They had a Fender Thinline on the wall for 449.00., I checked it over and it was an actual 1969 Fender (neck is April69) which was modded with humbuckers.

I did the right thing today (which hurt like a mother flipper) and told them they didn’t have it priced right. I hope it helps refill my karma bank for the cow poop I have put others through....

Update 4/10- I received this message from Greg who works for the company (it is a comment within this thread)-
Darrin is a man of integrity. As he stated in his post he has a relationship with and hopefully treated well by those who run it. AND... he will indeed be rewarded for his honesty and integrity.

I like the forum's naughty word censor.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Fuzzbass_TB

[acidbass]

Who remembers LOUD cabinets? 

[NikNik]

On 11/04/2019 at 15:43, Fuzzbass_TB said:

I like the forum's naughty word censor.

So do I. I got banged for a week for saying the F word elsewhere. Big Daddy Mod got a hard-on over it.

[NikNik]

Karma yo-yos. 

[ped]

22 hours ago, NikNik said:

So do I. I got banged for a week for saying the F word elsewhere. Big Daddy Mod got a hard-on over it.

Rules are rules, TB have a set and you have to stick to them if you want to use it. Fair enough I’d say. 

Mods often get a hard time but they don’t do the work for the enjoyment of correcting sweary members, believe me. 

[NikNik]

19 hours ago, ped said:

Rules are rules, TB have a set and you have to stick to them if you want to use it. Fair enough I’d say. 

Mods often get a hard time but they don’t do the work for the enjoyment of correcting sweary members, believe me. 

I totally appreciate what you're saying. 

My misdemeanor was not on a bass forum. I expected a filter to catch it (it was a play on Facebook) but there was none. My mistake. Didn't expect a John Hall level of 'cease and desist', thoug.) Lesson learned. 

Edited April 14, 2019 by NikNik

[LukeFRC]

20 hours ago, ped said:

Rules are rules, TB have a set and you have to stick to them if you want to use it. Fair enough I’d say. 

Mods often get a hard time but they don’t do the work for the enjoyment of correcting sweary members, believe me. 

I feel for mods sometimes, Basschat is usually fairly well mannered but some other sites.

plus we should all be old enough to find inventive ways to insult people without needing to swear at folk