Lied to by Music shop and poor repair work.

[SlipperySquid]

Hi all!

Just looking for a bit of advice really on what course of action I could take or expect?

My son bought an amp locally instead of using the internet as I'm a firm believer in supporting your local shops in any hobby I do so decided to pass this on.

Anyway he decided on the amp (Not cheap by the way just under a grand, don't want to name brands or anything as yet)

was over the moon with it until after 6 months it developed a fault, no biggy as it's warranted for 3 years.

Took it back to the shop explained the fault and they said that it had to go back to the manufacturers. All well and good.

Son was disapointed as he had two gigs back to back but these things happen.

After a week I phoned to see if any progress had been made because in a couple of weeks time he would need the amp for recording. I was assured that they would phone the manufacturers and get a estimated time.

After about another 4 days I had no return call but but decided to get one of my sons guitars frets dressed, new heavier guage strings and a full setup. So took that in and got the guitar off to there in house luthier. I asked again about the amp and the guy said they had heard nothing back but would ring again and follow up.

Got the guitar back after a week got it home to find a pretty poor job over all, file marks on all the frets, intonation being out, strings not sitting in the nut correctly and even one of the frets still containing wear! Pissed off to say the least as it was supposed to be part of a Christmas present.

Well today after nearly three weeks I decided to phone the manufacturer themselves to see what was going as as my son is recording tomorrow, to be told they hadn't even received the amp in question! and they would phone the shop in question.

Low and behold within ten minutes the shop where phoning me explaining an apparent mixup (twice I asked and was assured that they would contact the makers of the amp and see what was going on) and the amp had been repaired by there own tech as they had diagnosed the fault themselves. (I was told the amp HAD to go back to the manufacturers to make sure nothing else was wrong with it) and that it was ready to be picked up.

Now I'm pissed off....really pissed off but need some one with a sane brain to explain what I should do to make myself feel better?

It's the lying that's really got me down...more than the sh*tty luthier work.There explanation of why it never ended up going to the manufacturers.....you'll love it. We never had a box to put it in.........

Sorry to vent on the forum but hey ho.....If they had done what they where telling me they where doing then the "Mix up" would have been sorted sooner and my lad would be recording with his amp.

I'll post photo's of the fret dress and set up later....no doubt that will also be another mixup.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='SlipperySquid' timestamp='1387299725' post='2310454']
Hi all!

Just looking for a bit of advice really on what course of action I could take or expect?

My son bought an amp locally instead of using the internet as I'm a firm believer in supporting your local shops in any hobby I do so decided to pass this on.

Anyway he decided on the amp (Not cheap by the way just under a grand, don't want to name brands or anything as yet)

was over the moon with it until after 6 months it developed a fault, no biggy as it's warranted for 3 years.

Took it back to the shop explained the fault and they said that it had to go back to the manufacturers. All well and good.

Son was disapointed as he had two gigs back to back but these things happen.

After a week I phoned to see if any progress had been made because in a couple of weeks time he would need the amp for recording. I was assured that they would phone the manufacturers and get a estimated time.

After about another 4 days I had no return call but but decided to get one of my sons guitars frets dressed, new heavier guage strings and a full setup. So took that in and got the guitar off to there in house luthier. I asked again about the amp and the guy said they had heard nothing back but would ring again and follow up.

Got the guitar back after a week got it home to find a pretty poor job over all, file marks on all the frets, intonation being out, strings not sitting in the nut correctly and even one of the frets still containing wear! Pissed off to say the least as it was supposed to be part of a Christmas present.

Well today after nearly three weeks I decided to phone the manufacturer themselves to see what was going as as my son is recording tomorrow, to be told they hadn't even received the amp in question! and they would phone the shop in question.

Low and behold within ten minutes the shop where phoning me explaining an apparent mixup (twice I asked and was assured that they would contact the makers of the amp and see what was going on) and the amp had been repaired by there own tech as they had diagnosed the fault themselves. (I was told the amp HAD to go back to the manufacturers to make sure nothing else was wrong with it) and that it was ready to be picked up.

Now I'm pissed off....really pissed off but need some one with a sane brain to explain what I should do to make myself feel better?

It's the lying that's really got me down...more than the sh*tty luthier work.There explanation of why it never ended up going to the manufacturers.....you'll love it. We never had a box to put it in.........

Sorry to vent on the forum but hey ho.....If they had done what they where telling me they where doing then the "Mix up" would have been sorted sooner and my lad would be recording with his amp.

I'll post photo's of the fret dress and set up later....no doubt that will also be another mixup.
[/quote]

I've been lied to before as well, and found out by doing the same, eg calling the manufacturer.

I hope they put this right and re-work on the guitar for free. If not, name and shame. You were being supportive of a local store, and this is one of the reasons why internet/distance shopping is sometimes easier!

[Lw.]

I'd treat the two issues separately; the shoddy luthier work should be shown to them & a refund/rework done.

Not a lot you can really do about lying other than not using the shop again - all they can really do is say sorry & give you a fixed amp back but that won't remove your annoyance. Maybe just put it down to experience & move on.

[Mykesbass]

Are they an authorised repairer for the amp? If they did a dodgy fret dress I'd be very worried about them repairing a £1,000 amp and voiding the guarantee.

[SlipperySquid]

Cheers all for the replies.

Just needed some where to vent really, sorry it fell to you guys

I know I won't be using them again which is a shame really. They are not a service centre but have had the ok to do the work by the manufacturer (had this confimed via email from the manufacturer who where spot on! ) though I'm still pissed as it could be an underlying problem and still may need to go back if the valve change doesn't rectify it. I had offered to pay for the amp to be revalved but was told that it needed to go back. Funnily enough after three weeks of sat who knows where it didn't need to go back at all....

Thanks again.

I'll update as things go on.

[flyfisher]

Just to be sure, is it possible there was a mix-up inside the shop? Could the person you spoke to have genuinely thought the amp had been sent back to the manufacturer by someone else in the shop? Even so, not really an excuse for poor service but could be the reason for the 'lies' perhaps?

A sorry tale though. Even a £1000 amp failing after 6 months is not that great

[SlipperySquid]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1387301385' post='2310481']
Just to be sure, is it possible there was a mix-up inside the shop? Could the person you spoke to have genuinely thought the amp had been sent back to the manufacturer by someone else in the shop? Even so, not really an excuse for poor service but could be the reason for the 'lies' perhaps?

A sorry tale though. Even a £1000 amp failing after 6 months is not that great
[/quote]


No mate, because the person I spoke to, who had apparently spoke to the manufacturer of the amp on two occasions would have known that they never had it. They also assured me that they would personally tell them that it was urgently needed...lol..the more I think about it you can only laugh

I'm not to bothered about the amp failing to be honest as I can understand these things happen...it's what happens after they fail that counts

[winterfire666]

i used to work in a large music shop, i have seen this so many times, sometimes things are busy and just get missed or forgotton about, more often than not its just lazy staff, either way its 100% unacceptable.
best to speak to the manager or whoever is in charge and if its part of a chain get in touch with the head office, give them some grief and get them to chase it personally, get names and direct contact numbers where applicable.
good luck gettin it sorted.

[Alfie]

I am all for supporting good local businesses, crap businesses still exist because they think they can get away with it. Name and shame.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1387300939' post='2310473']
Are they an authorised repairer for the amp? If they did a dodgy fret dress I'd be very worried about them repairing a £1,000 amp and voiding the guarantee.
[/quote]

That's the real problem. I would go in there with a pickaxe to be honest, and then get Watchdog involved, and then put a horse's head in the managers bed.

And then I'd really go to work on them.

Name and shame and save others the pain?

[flyfisher]

[quote name='SlipperySquid' timestamp='1387301745' post='2310489']
No mate, because the person I spoke to, who had apparently spoke to the manufacturer of the amp on two occasions would have known that they never had it. They also assured me that they would personally tell them that it was urgently needed...lol..the more I think about it you can only laugh

I'm not to bothered about the amp failing to be honest as I can understand these things happen...it's what happens after they fail that counts
[/quote]

In that case, I'd write a formal complaint to the manager naming the person responsible. He clearly needs a bit of 'customer orientation' training! Failing that, there's always Beedster's approach.

Fair point about the amp failure. As you rightly say, stuff happens - and it's usually only then that you really find out about the true customer service ethos of a company.

[Beedster]

The more I think about this.......

Cockups and equipment failure, fair enough. Lying to a customer about what they were doing with his legal property, property that he had every right to expect was being legitimately repaired under warranty but which was in fact being repaired by someone who may not only invalidate that warranty but - if the fret story is anything to go by - could leave an unsafe piece of electrical equipment.......

It's a job for Luca if you ask me.

[attachment=150623:lucabrasi.gif]

Again, name and shame

[xgsjx]

If the amp's only 6 months old I'd be asking for a replacement under your statutory rights. No ifs or buts.
I wouldn't leave the shop until you get the replacement either & raise it every time a customer comes in if they won't agree.

[SlipperySquid]

Thanks again chaps for the replies, you've brought up some valid points that I will be pursuing! I will name and shame the shop after I see the guy face to face on Saturday and ask what he thought he would achieve by lying to a customer? I'm sure a face to face meeting will be more embarrassing then the rambling stuttering telephone call I had with them earlier.

Thing is it's a small independent shop and I think it's the manager/ owner I was talking to (will confirm this later). Sad really.

The manufacturer of the amp by the way is BlackStar which where onto the shop faster than lightening! Which if you look at where I live will tell you the shop

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1387308870' post='2310587']
If the amp's only 6 months old I'd be asking for a replacement under your statutory rights. No ifs or buts.
[/quote]
It's not that simple. You can ask for a refund but if the goods were bought months ago it is too long a time period to 'reject' them. If the goods can't be repaired you can then demand a replacement.

Edited December 17, 2013 by BetaFunk

[SlipperySquid]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1387308870' post='2310587']
If the amp's only 6 months old I'd be asking for a replacement under your statutory rights. No ifs or buts.
I wouldn't leave the shop until you get the replacement either & raise it every time a customer comes in if they won't agree.
[/quote]

Already thought about that but it doesn't work. It's down to the manufacturers choice.

[Thunderbird]

If it was me I would treat the incidents separately I would demand a refund from the shop for the poor fret dress and set up but as for the amp I think you may be best off talking to the manufacturer regarding the issue and repair as if the shops own "tech" has fixed it it may have voided the warranty even though they sell the gear does not mean that they are authorised repairers so it may void any future warranty but also if you speak to the manufacturers and tell them about being lied to etc etc by the shop they may wrap the shops fingers so to speak as it makes them look bad as well as the shop and also they may offer you a new unit who knows it is worth a try, and what would also worry me is if there guitar set up was that poor do you really want to trust them to fix electrics? I wouldn't

[yorks5stringer]

First thing I'd do If I had a £1k amp go down and I was gigging would be expecting the supplier (shop) to loan me one until it was returned....

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1387310270' post='2310609']
It's not that simple. You can ask for a refund but if the goods were bought months ago it is too long a time period to 'reject' them. If the goods can't be repaired you can then demand a replacement.
[/quote]
[quote name='SlipperySquid' timestamp='1387310307' post='2310611']
Already thought about that but it doesn't work. It's down to the manufacturers choice.
[/quote]

It's not the manufacturers choice. It comes down to the Sale of Goods and Services Act. If you know about this, and how to use it, you'd be surprised as to how much time can pass by and you'd still get a refund or replacement. Warranty says no.. but reasonable usage says yes.

I've quoted this act twice in correspondence with sellers, and won both times. And one of them was for a complete new exhaust system on a Land Rover, and had I not fought, I would have just accepted what the dealer told me.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1387311367' post='2310632']
It's not the manufacturers choice. It comes down to the Sale of Goods and Services Act. If you know about this, and how to use it, you'd be surprised as to how much time can pass by and you'd still get a refund or replacement. Warranty says no.. but reasonable usage says yes.

I've quoted this act twice in correspondence with sellers, and won both times. And one of them was for a complete new exhaust system on a Land Rover, and had I not fought, I would have just accepted what the dealer told me.
[/quote]
What i've said is correct. You can come to an agreement with the retailer but that is nothing to do with the Sale of Goods and Services Act. Read my post again as it has a lot to do with the time you have physically had the goods and that's a fact.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

So much advice here already . What can I add? After you have had your face to face meeting( if it doesn't go well), send owner link to this thread .
Also upload pics of the horror setup you got n your bass . You should do this anyway .Regarding the amp; contact the manufacturers again and tell them you are unsure whether the am is fixed properly (could be a bodge job for all you know ). It may not last long. If all else fails, torch the shop Rammstein style !

Edited December 17, 2013 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[Sean]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1387307066' post='2310566']
The more I think about this.......

Cockups and equipment failure, fair enough. Lying to a customer about what they were doing with his legal property, property that he had every right to expect was being legitimately repaired under warranty but which was in fact being repaired by someone who may not only invalidate that warranty but - if the fret story is anything to go by - could leave an unsafe piece of electrical equipment.......

It's a job for Luca if you ask me.

[attachment=150623:lucabrasi.gif]

Again, name and shame
[/quote]

Beedster, Luca Brazzi and retribution. Threads don't get much better :-)

[karlfer]

I would be asking Black Star (both our guitarses use them) if this is the sort of shop they want representing them.
I would be letting Black Star know the problem with this equipment, and the handling of that problem, is being discussed by the flapper mouths of a 28,000 strong bass players community.
A lot of whom work with a couple of guitarses.
A little "picture painting" can go a long way.

[HowieBass]

I think it always helps to state how disgruntled one is in writing; in your case you might write a letter to the shop; even though you've already spoken to them; and indicate you're copying it to Blackstar too. One could imagine having a problem shipping an amp back to a manufacturer abroad but Blackstar are only in Northampton for heavens sake! I wouldn't threaten the shop with naming and shaming yet - but indicate that should they continue to mess you about that you'll make sure their shoddy service gets known about. And for all the trouble they've caused, I reckon they ought to offer the luthier work at a heavily discounted price.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1387312944' post='2310654']
What i've said is correct. You can come to an agreement with the retailer but that is nothing to do with the Sale of Goods and Services Act. Read my post again as it has a lot to do with the time you have physically had the goods and that's a fact.
[/quote]

I'm sorry, you miss understand me. My whole point is about the time you have physically had the goods. Under the SoGaSA you can have physically owned and had the goods in your possession for a great deal of time longer than any warranty or other agreement with a retailer and still get your money back, or indeed have goods replaced.