Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Little Guys Going Belly Up?!

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Me too! Paul. I would add both Jimmy Gordon (Filisko guild) and David  
Payne(Elkriver Harmonicas) to your list of little guys, and I'm sure there  are 
more neither one of us is thinking of at the moment...as you've said.
 
Fairly recently I put my money where my mouth is and bought 4 custom  
diatonics from Chris Michalek. He'll have to show me how to play 'em at SPAH ;)  
Right now they're purely (very beautiful) objets d'art in my harp case.
 
To reiterate something I've previously written here, I'VE never had trouble 
 with the items (primarily harmonicas) I've bought from Doc at  Harp Depot, 
and over the last 4 years I've bought a LOT...as have the people who  
attend every SPAH, Buckeye or GSHC Convention I've been to and where I've spent  
some time watching the crowds who frequent his store. He's  also gotten 
awards from SPAH for his service to the harp community, so  something doesn't 
quite 'fit' with all this HD trashing.
 
Could the person trying to get hold of Harp Depot not have read their  
disclaimer about the specific days and times they're absolutely not available by 
 phone, or allowed for the possibility that they could have been  away at a 
convention and/or getting ready for SPAH? I certainly don't know  and can't 
speak for them, am simply suggesting possibilities, so  please...those of 
you who think anyone defending 'the little guy' should now be  sent hate 
email; this is fair warning not to deluge me with  offlist stuff as happened 
last time I dared speak up for them and against  the trashing.  I'm not their 
Rep, nor am I interested in your anecdotes.  Now that it's onlist keep it 
there, or not...I'm not the outlet for your  frustrations.
 
Even so, this is an anecdotal complaint aired on harp-l and with the  
others who jump on the bandwagon has the possibility of ruining an  individual's 
business.
 
So since I counted most of the responses as attacking HD, I'll put in my  
own two cents about the other 'big guy' mentioned, Musician's Friend (since  
everybody ELSE has been either kudo'ed, or trashed, smashed or dumped on, 
why  not?) 
 
 MF sent my very first order of harmonicas (expensive ones  too) somehow 
omitting to include any cushioning materials in  the package so the heavy box 
of my very first Super 64 broke the  hinges off another chromatic box, 
flattened another box to the point I had  to throw it out, bent the button on a 
12-hole chromatic, and even  chipped a good-sized chunk out of the front of 
the comb of the first  brand-new double-sided Echo I'd bought in over 30 
years. How's THAT for  disastrous service? 
 
I called the provided number fully expecting they'd replace them right  
away (I was running out of time to go to my first Buckeye) was ready  to return 
the damaged items pronto assuming they'd expedite the  replacement order, 
only to be scornfully informed that it was 'impossible'  for the packing 
material to have been omitted from any box because of their  quality control 
(they supposedly scan boxes for the amount of items  within each before 
shipping), ergo I must be either 'mistaken' or  wrong. Essentially.... I was lying 
to them. They repeated this for  several minutes completely shouting down my 
insistence, were satisfied they were  correct and I was sh-(eer) out of 
luck.
 
I didn't trash them in public because I'm not made that way and it  was my 
personal issue to deal with, anymore than I would trash a Macy's or  other 
Department store or any store or vendor for that matter,  in a letter to my 
local newspaper if an item I bought there  was flawed or faulty or the 
service lousy. Isn't the correlation the same?
 
I'm only curious as to just how many times people here run into 'lousy  
service' in other aspects of life...whether it's to do with autos, auto  
repairs, electronics, furniture, Banks, on their jobs, whatever.... deal with it  
or let it go without a public word, yet somehow feel empowered to  use this 
forum as a way to jump onto the bandwagon in what sure comes across (to  me, 
anyway) as an attempt to ruin one particular business.
 
Incidentally, nearly four years later I ordered a lot of book/cd play  
alongs from Musician's Friend since they had what I wanted at the time and the  
lack of packing material wouldn't make a difference (the cd's are protected  
within the pages of the books). Big mistake! The books (when they finally 
did  slowly trickle in over a period of months) were mostly fine apart from a 
 couple of bent corners. Except they left out the most expensive one (a $40 
 double volume), substituting a cheap, throw-away diatonic in the box  
(presumably so their scanning machines could 'prove' there had  been the correct 
number of items in the package). 
 
This time I refused their 'blame the customer' response...and  after much 
consultation with his supervisor, the person 'helping' me offered to  
back-order the book (pretty much proof I couldn't have gotten it in the  first 
place since it hadn't been in stock). Their realization of  their admission of 
that fact is most likely the only reason I prevailed.
 
I'm quite happy with the items I did get from them this last go-round, but  
I'll never buy anything from Musician's Friend again. They've had two  
chances and have lost me as a customer. I believe in voting with my pocket  book 
too.
 So much for the 'big guys'.
 
Elizabeth
PS...I also wonder just why a company like MF got to the point of  
automatically assuming/deciding a harmonica purchaser/customer is lying?  Could it 
be because so many harmonica customers in the past HAVE played  harmonicas 
they've ordered, changed their minds (perhaps because they don't have  enough 
good sense to do their homework first)  returning a used harmonica  as 
new...so people like me who have legitimate  complaints are now stuck with the 
fallout? 
 
Complain enough onlist in public and eventually nobody will want to deal  
with selling harmonicas to anyone, and you'll all have won. 
 
 Umm...tell me again exactly what it is you'll have 'won'?
 
"Message: 9
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:29:27 +0100
From: Paul  Routledge <kingley@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Little Guys Going  Belly Up?!
To: Harp L L _Harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:Harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx) 

To suggest to "not buy from the little guys" is probably one of the   
most stupid statements I have ever heard!
I can understand and do  sympathise that yuo have had a bad experience  
with one supplier. But  to lump all of them in together is just  
stupidity!

People  like:
Brian Purdy  - Harpgear Amps
Scooter - Meteor Amps
Sonny Jr  - Sonny Jr Amps
Jeff Spoor - Cumberland Cases
Jeff Spoor - Harp Mic  Gaskets
Joe Spiers - Spiers harmonicas
Chris Michalek - Buddha  Harps
Joe FIlisko - Filisko Guild
Richard Sleigh - Filisko Guild
Peter  Blythe - Harmonicas Direct

to name but a few, are the "little  guys".

They keep us all playing and provide top quality service at  great  
prices!
I for one will be spending whatever money I can  afford to with as many  
of these guys as I can. I value their services  as I'm sure most people  
in the harmonica world do.

Sorry for  the rant but that sentence infuriates  me!

Paul

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