ambient Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1495015694' post='3300413'] I thought I should update this thread. I have still had no response from Stringbusters after they took my money. No response on the phone, no emails, and I even sent them a Facebook message which has been read but ignored. I opened a dispute with PayPal which has been escalated. They have until the 23rd to respond but so far there hasnt been any acknowledgement whatsoever. I would recommend that nobody uses these guys again. It's fair enough for a company to run into problems, but there's absolutely no excuse for this behaviour. I cant even buy replacement strings elsewhere until I get my money back because buying Elixirs in bulk isn't cheap! Anybody know of anywhere else I can get these without paying through the nose? [/quote] DV247 sell Elixir strings. Whether they're a good price I don't know, I don't use them. I recently bought some a 6 string bass set of Thomastiks from them and they were £30 cheaper than anywhere else. [url="http://www.dv247.com/search/0/0/Relevance/Descending/elixir+strings/1/"]http://www.dv247.com/search/0/0/Relevance/Descending/elixir+strings/1/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GILLY Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 I had a problem with them some weeks back when waiting for strings. I did get through on the phone and was told by the owner that he had had some serious health problems and that someone was running the business on his behalf (badly it seems). If I recall, they were out of stock of a set I ordered that showed as being 'in stock' but they had omitted to tell me this was the issue. I was offered an immediate refund but chose an alternative set and these arrived ok, but the overall experience was maybe two weeks from order to receipt and I lost confidence in them at that point. It's a shame really because, up until then, I found them to be really on the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyKnees Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 I've used them a fair bit down the years and never had a problem. Last ordered off them a couple of months ago without issue. However given the current issues, I think I'll avoid them in future. Shame as they have always had a great selection of strings, in spite of the rather 'clunky' website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 I had problems with them earlier in the year, ordered 3 sets of strings (listed as in stock). A week later, nothing. No email confirming dispatch, nothing. After 2 weeks of emails and voicemails trying to get some sort of answer with no response, I had to chase up a refund via paypal. Never again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1495031604' post='3300684'] Unbelievable. Did you pay using PayPal? Buyers protection is a godsend. I should have my money back next week. Even if they respond at the last minute offering to send my stuff I'll decline. I'm not doing business with people who treat their customers like that. [/quote] No I paid via the online card service so unless they do something the moneys gone. Thankfully not thousands lost but if they are that carefree about customers money no matter how small the amount then............hmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1495033521' post='3300716'] I've used them a fair bit down the years and never had a problem. Last ordered off them a couple of months ago without issue. However given the current issues, I think I'll avoid them in future. Shame as they have always had a great selection of strings, in spite of the rather 'clunky' website. [/quote] Yes I think I may be with you there . Unless something tells me its a good idea to try them again, but until then...hello Strings Direct ect. Again shame as they were really good in the past but these recent reports here on basschat plus my own recent bad experience all add up to a depressing picture. If the owner is in poor health then I'm really sorry to hear it. Can't be easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 [quote name='bassjim' timestamp='1495034117' post='3300725'] No I paid via the online card service so unless they do something the moneys gone. Thankfully not thousands lost but if they are that carefree about customers money no matter how small the amount then............hmmmmm. [/quote] Get in touch with your bank or credit card issuer. They'll refund you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 It took 16 days for me to receive my order. This is longer than I am prepared to wait for strings that are listed as being in stock. Won't be using again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 I ordered a clip on tuner from them a few years back, but it didn't turn up after a week or so. I got in touch with them, and they sent out another one, which did arrive. I used to buy strings from them, but they aren't as good value anymore, as you can buy the same strings for better value elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1495034489' post='3300730'] Get in touch with your bank or credit card issuer. They'll refund you. [/quote] Thanks for your advise. I did this. My bank said they needed to investigate. Within 20 minutes they called me back and advised I had now been refunded. So in all....three weeks of phones calls here and there, put on hold for best part of half an hour just to get through to my bank, still no strings but at least refund (with the bank intervening to achieve this) and since gone elsewhere. If I were selling anything to do with bass guitars be it strings to straps or even basses, I would take into account the fact we bassists talk to each other a lot here, and even if we don't join in we still read what is said on this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi 2 kenobi Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Hi, how do you get a refund - what did you say to your bank ? I also paid by credit card with zero delivery. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 [quote name='obi 2 kenobi' timestamp='1495119136' post='3301436'] Hi, how do you get a refund - what did you say to your bank ? I also paid by credit card with zero delivery. Thanks [/quote] Just phone them. There should be a section that deals with problems like this. I had a problem with a company a couple of years ago. I'm with Natwest, I had to send them screenshots of my correspondence etc. I got the refund within a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 I had my refund issued today. I have also just received a call from Adam at Stringbusters asking if I had received an email from PayPal, which I confirmed I had. He also asked me if I would like an explanation as to what happened, but I politely stated that I was not interested. The time for excuses would have been within a few days of taking my money. I appreciate them calling me, but in my opinion this is too little too late and I will never be taking my business there again. It does however mean there's a chance that other people who have been left out of pocket will be put right eventually though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1495121090' post='3301458'] I had my refund issued today. I have also just received a call from Adam at Stringbusters asking if I had received an email from PayPal, which I confirmed I had. He also asked me if I would like an explanation as to what happened, but I politely stated that I was not interested. The time for excuses would have been within a few days of taking my money. I appreciate them calling me, but in my opinion this is too little too late and I will never be taking my business there again. It does however mean there's a chance that other people who have been left out of pocket will be put right eventually though! [/quote] Shame that we don't know what his side of the story is (though I fully appreciate your position). The link I posted earlier (for anyone who hasn't checked it out) had one post from someone saying that they'd checked the published accounts and the business seemed to have changed hands (I'm not sure that's true - a quick Google of public records shows that two directors resigned in 2014 but that Adam is still there and nobody new was added) and looked to be going down the toilet, so he suspected that they had let the stock run down and were funding supplies from orders that had been placed. I don't know how true that is but it's a theory that does seem to fit the known facts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 [quote name='obi 2 kenobi' timestamp='1495119136' post='3301436'] Hi, how do you get a refund - what did you say to your bank ? I also paid by credit card with zero delivery. Thanks [/quote] Just call your banks customer service and tell them whats going on. They will ask you all the relevant questions and then turn it over to the dept that deals with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 (edited) Hi all, I had the same problem with an order from a couple of weeks ago... Today, I thought I'd try ringing them one more time before escalating things with paypal... and someone answered! We had a good chat and he explained that there have been some family problems dating back to November last year (though he did ask me not to elaborate), but he was very apologetic and reiterated a number of times that it didn't make any difference what the problems were, and that it wasn't good enough. I told him that I'd now ordered elsewhere and he promised to sort the refund today or tomorrow. We all go through bad stuff at some point in our lives, so I cut him some slack! The upshot is that I don't think any of this is malicious and with a bit of luck people will find things being sorted for them soon. Hope that's of some help/comfort! Edited May 22, 2017 by daflewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I had to wait to a fortnight for strings marked as in stock , and really poor comms , I don't mind a wait if someone tells me to expect it , but a message costs next to bugger all and saves a lot of frustration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Totally agree, I've been getting pretty p!ssed off with things not being done or made properly recently - it seems like a very high percentage of what I 've bought in the last year or so has either had to go back, or there's been a problem with delivery - even the thomann order for strings I put in after the stringbusters grief took 10 days to get to me! - not Thomann's fault at all, I might add - it had got from Germany to within 10miles of my home by the following day. Then Parcelforce decided to try and destroy the package... 😖 On the subject of Stringbusters I should have posted earlier, but just to say that my refund did arrive a couple of days after I spoke to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingdownslow Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 I had always had good service from Stringbusters. My last order and next day delivery was in January, it was for the last set of LaBella M42S short scale strings. I have been checking frequently but they are always showing 'out of stock'. It is a pity as they were the only place I have been able to obtain them, unless someone knows different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassManGraham Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 (edited) I had no delivery or response from Stringbusters for an order worth £119 made online back in June 2017. I emailed twice and phoned several times, but got no response. After waiting a couple of weeks I reordered from Bass Direct, which although strings were a couple of quid more, they were delivered to Republic Of Ireland within the week. I raised a dispute through Paypal, and have only just been refunded around about 4 weeks after I raised the dispute and 8 weeks after my order. This experience is very disappointing, as I have had several successful orders from Stringbusters over the last few years. Lessons learned:- 1. I will not order from Stringbusters again 2. Always pay with a Visa Credit Card (In my experience they refund much quicker than Paypal) 3 Use Paypal as an additional level of buyer protection. Edited August 10, 2017 by BassManGraham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgano Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 (edited) Have Stringbusters gone bust? Their Website is still up, but I haven't received the strings I ordered in 24th July 2017. They are still marked as 'Awaiting dispatch'. I've tried phoning several times, but there's no reply. Edited August 23, 2017 by morgano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 [quote name='morgano' timestamp='1503489103' post='3358617'] Have Stringbusters gone bust? Their Website is still up, but I haven't received the strings I ordered in 24th July 2017. They are still marked as 'Awaiting dispatch'. I've tried phoning several times, but there's no reply. [/quote] Ordered some TI flats on 31st - arrived first class post next day or so. Never tried phoning. try email? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Anyone have any further news to report? I'm getting to the point where I need to order several sets of new strings...are SB back up and running or should I think about looking elsewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgano Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 I couldn't establish any communication with them; either by phone or email. In the end I went to my bank who put a chargeback on the order and refunded me. I don't know what is going on with Stringbusters but I won't be ordering from them until I know that 'normal service is resumed'. It's a shame really, as I preferred using them as their prices were often better than Strings Direct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 That is a shame; I always liked them as well. Perhaps it's time to give Strings Direct a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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