Help! Advice needed

reverend1

reverend1

Kick Henry Jackassowski
So in November I ordered a custom Tele from Roadhouse guitar works. Nothing crazy he builds the bodies to spec, then uses a Korean or USA neck depending on which model you go with. The pricing is very good, pretty low actually.

I ordered an alder body with a light relic, and supplied my own pickups for the guitar (TV Jones Starwood Tele set). The pickups were slow in coming from TV Jones so I sent them to him in mid December.

I knew from others experiences that it would be a slow process, no big deal. However, once I paid for the order and shipped the pups, I had zero communication with them. After two unanswered emails, he responded in late February that the guitar would ship in a few weeks. Ok cool.

So I sent an email on 4/20 unanswered as well as one last week also unanswered. The tone of my emails was friendly. Not in any way demanding anything just looking for a progress update. At this point I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't just cancel and do whatever it takes to recover my money and pups. This whole thing has soured me on the guitar which I just ordered to have something fun. The most irritating part is I wouldn't;t care if it take a year, just communicate with me once and a while.

Opinions?


Here are the emails, just so you can see the tone of them.

2/23:
Hi Mike,
I wanted to try to check in with you again, and see how things are going.
Again I am not trying to rush or pressure you in anyway. I just haven’t heard anything since you received the pickups for my guitar.
I’m a little concerned you haven’t answered my last two emails. I know you are busy and I completely understand. Again Take all of the time you need, I just looking for an update.
Thanks Mike,

his response 2/23

Good morning Sir,

I should have her wrapped up in the next few weeks.

As for emails...I have not received any from you recently.

Mike G
No worries Mike.
Thanks for the update. I apologize that you didn’t receive the email. I was just checking in.
As a said before no rush at all. Please take all the time you need.
I just wanted to check in with you.
Thanks again,


last two emails

4/10

Good morning Mike,

I hope things are going well. Just checking in to see how things are going.

Terry

4/27

Hi Mike,

How are things progressing ?

Terry


Am I out of line here?
 
No. I’d do a search for this guy on TGP and see what else he is known for customer service-wise.
 
It doesn't seem out-of-line to me. Sadly, some business people suck at communication. In customer service work, we were taught to always keep the customer up to date on what is happening; frustration often comes from having no clue as to what is happening.
 
Mark Wein said:
No. I’d do a search for this guy on TGP and see what else he is known for customer service-wise.
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My local Mom and pop order 4 guitars from him. they got them in two batches of two about a month apart. They took about 3 1/2 months to get them and communication was a problem for them as well.
 
I would send one more email asking him to either reply within a week or you will be asking for a full refund and the pups back. There is no excuse for a consistent lack of communications, even in a small shop setting. Especially when he promised the guitar about 6 weeks ago.

Though I think you are totally within your rights to ask for the full refund right now, and I get how the lack of communications could sour you on the guitar.
 
@Mark Wein @Denverdave

I didn't find anything negative on any of the forums, he also has goos reviews on Reverb. He is the email I just sent him.

Mike,

I have to be honest. I’m extremely disappointed that you have chosen to ignore my last two emails. That is a total of five emails ignored once I paid you and sent the pickups for the guitar.

I completely understand that this is a long process and things happen. I also know that my guitar is not the only person who you are building a guitar for. That being said, all I was looking for was a progress update. If it was going to be 3-4 months that would have been fine, just communicate that with me. I am also a business owner and I can tell you that a customer will be fine with a lot of things provided that there is good communication. The last time you responded to my email was late February and at that time you thought it would be a few weeks. I didn’t bug you about it, but I sent another email on the 10th of April, and the 27th and got no response.

I don’t know what it going on, and I can not seem to get an update as to what’s happening. At this point I am considering asking for a refund and having my pickups returned. I’m not upset about the time the guitar is taking, I’m upset with the lack of communication and my emails being ignored.
 
I don’t know why he doesn’t respond and e-mail back. Although posting progress updates can eat up time that is a premium, who doesn’t e-mail back when asked a question?
 
telecaster911 said:
I don’t know why he doesn’t respond and e-mail back. Although posting progress updates can eat up time that is a premium, who doesn’t e-mail back when asked a question?
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Strangely enough, small builders in the guitar business seem particularly bad about corresponding. I’ve had this issue with pedal builders and guitar builders. I think a lot of people are glorified hobbyists who over commit and then just can’t be bothered to follow up.
 
Glad to hear you have it sorted out.
Once I have skin in the game, I'm a proponent of picking up the phone and calling after a few emails go w/o a reply. I know things get hectic for most folks but calls seem to often take preference over emails for most.
 
Lerxst said:
Glad to hear you have it sorted out.
Once I have skin in the game, I'm a proponent of picking up the phone and calling after a few emails go w/o a reply. I know things get hectic for most folks but calls seem to often take preference over emails for most.
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I didn't mention it, but I did call and received no answer, returned call.
 
Going on two and a half months later and I still don't have the guitar. I sent one email a month ago and once again it went unanswered. I sent him the email attached below yesterday. So far I have not gotten a response. If I don't get one by the end of the week I'm going to file suit against him. I'll do it here in Ohio, he's in NC so that will make it extra fun for him. I lied about having gigs I wanted to use it at but I was trying to convey the fact I'm basically over it and the experience has been so negative I really don't even want it any more.

I checked him out on TGP and Reverb and he has good reviews, which is odd since I know a few folks that have ordered from him and all have had customer service issues.

I have not mentioned it until now but the company is Roadhouse Guitar Works.

Mike,
I regret I have to write this email. I’ve become extremely disillusioned by my experiences so far. When I ordered and paid for my guitar in December, we talked about a time frame of a couple of months. To me that’s 2-3 months. Had you said 6-8 months that would have been fine. As you know I have sent several emails that went unanswered. The last time you answered my email you stated the guitar would be ready in a few weeks. Ok, fine. That was on April 30th, it is now July 9th and the summer gigs I intended to use the guitar for have mostly past.
Your recent social media posts offering to sell several guitars at “any reasonable price” concern me. I’m starting to wonder if there is more going on than you just being overloaded with work and not having enough help to get product out of the door. I hope that is not the case. If I had some contact with you detailing an issue or set back you are having with the guitar, that would be one thing, but since you don’t respond at all I am very concerned.
At this point I have determined there is only one way to remedy this situation. I ask that you please ship the guitar to me no later than August 8th or you refund my money and return my pickups. if you are unable to do so let me know so we ca work something out. I think 30 additional days is more than reasonable at this point. otherwise I will be forced to turn to litigation to resolve this issue.
I am extremely frustrated and disappointed that we find ourselves here, but with the total lack of communication I feel like I have no other option.
 
reverend1 said:
Going on two and a half months later and I still don't have the guitar. I sent one email a month ago and once again it went unanswered. I sent him the email attached below yesterday. So far I have not gotten a response. If I don't get one by the end of the week I'm going to file suit against him. I'll do it here in Ohio, he's in NC so that will make it extra fun for him. I lied about having gigs I wanted to use it at but I was trying to convey the fact I'm basically over it and the experience has been so negative I really don't even want it any more.

I checked him out on TGP and Reverb and he has good reviews, which is odd since I know a few folks that have ordered from him and all have had customer service issues.

I have not mentioned it until now but the company is Roadhouse Guitar Works.

Mike,
I regret I have to write this email. I’ve become extremely disillusioned by my experiences so far. When I ordered and paid for my guitar in December, we talked about a time frame of a couple of months. To me that’s 2-3 months. Had you said 6-8 months that would have been fine. As you know I have sent several emails that went unanswered. The last time you answered my email you stated the guitar would be ready in a few weeks. Ok, fine. That was on April 30th, it is now July 9th and the summer gigs I intended to use the guitar for have mostly past.
Your recent social media posts offering to sell several guitars at “any reasonable price” concern me. I’m starting to wonder if there is more going on than you just being overloaded with work and not having enough help to get product out of the door. I hope that is not the case. If I had some contact with you detailing an issue or set back you are having with the guitar, that would be one thing, but since you don’t respond at all I am very concerned.
At this point I have determined there is only one way to remedy this situation. I ask that you please ship the guitar to me no later than August 8th or you refund my money and return my pickups. if you are unable to do so let me know so we ca work something out. I think 30 additional days is more than reasonable at this point. otherwise I will be forced to turn to litigation to resolve this issue.
I am extremely frustrated and disappointed that we find ourselves here, but with the total lack of communication I feel like I have no other option.
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you also need to send the same 'letter' in the actual mail. and send it registered, signed receipt requested. that way you have an actual legal document for your court date. if he refuses the letter, then you have that. if he signs it, then you really have that.
just sayin' cover you legal bases.
 
mongooz said:
you also need to send the same 'letter' in the actual mail. and send it registered, signed receipt requested. that way you have an actual legal document for your court date. if he refuses the letter, then you have that. if he signs it, then you really have that.
just sayin' cover you legal bases.
Click to expand...
good call sir!
 
Yeah - it's been a bit longer than "a few weeks" since February 23. Since you're giving him an additional 20 days, I think you're being more than reasonable. Good luck - I hope you either get your guitar or your money back in the next week or so...
 
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