Barefaced-still waiting....

[davehux]

I'm sure Will-Cameltoe will update us with how it sounds, but his Compact is now sitting in his living room, as I saw it with my own eyes last night when I bought his LB212 off him

Edited October 23, 2012 by davehux

[Conan]

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1350924646' post='1845128']
I've (re)joined the Barefaced queue, ordered a Midget a couple of weeks ago to go along with my two Compacts

Si
[/quote]

That's just greedy!

[JonT]

I paid my £100 May 29 and have paid in full since. No cab yet. To be fair I have altered my order a couple of times - original order was gen 2 Midget, which got changed to Super Midget because of gen 3 soon to be released. This I later changed to Super Compact and then BB2 as I became aware of the specs of the rest of the updated range. But I fear I've been bumped to the back of the queue each time :-(
However, I did state from the outset that I was in no particular hurry. A mistake perhaps?

Edited November 30, 2013 by JonT

[clauster]

[quote name='JonT' timestamp='1385814132' post='2292455']
I paid my £100 May 29 and have paid in full since. No cab yet. To be fair I have [b]altered[/b] my order a couple of times - original order was gen 2 Midget, which got changed to Super Midget because of gen 3 soon to be released. This I later changed to Super Compact and then BB2 as I became aware of the specs of the rest of the updated range. But I fear I've been bumped to the back of the queue each time :-(
However, I did state from the outset that I was in no particular hurry. A mistake perhaps?
[/quote]

I'd say an alteration would be wanting to change from metal grille to silver cloth, or adding a tweeter to a Midget. Changing to a whole different model would be more like cancelling and re-ordering. So you'll probably get yours 2-4 months after you settled on the BB2, maybe a bit longer as there seems to be a lot of demand for these G3 BF cabs.

[The Dark Lord]

This is something that really concerns me about suppliers. There is no excuse for ignoring a customer's emails. None whatsoever. No matter how busy you claim to be.

I own a group of companies and our customer service is crystal clear. Tell customers what you will do for them - and then do it. If something happens. Tell them.

If you are taking someone's money and if you do not live up to what you said you would do, you should at least explain the situation. Extremely unprofessional.

Buyers beware!

Edited November 30, 2013 by The Dark Lord

[Musicman20]

[quote name='JonT' timestamp='1385814132' post='2292455']
I paid my £100 May 29 and have paid in full since. No cab yet. To be fair I have altered my order a couple of times - original order was gen 2 Midget, which got changed to Super Midget because of gen 3 soon to be released. This I later changed to Super Compact and then BB2 as I became aware of the specs of the rest of the updated range. But I fear I've been bumped to the back of the queue each time :-(
However, I did state from the outset that I was in no particular hurry. A mistake perhaps?
[/quote]

5 months?!?!

[FinnDave]

I ordered a Super Twelve in May, changed the order to Super Twin when Alex tipped me the wink that they under development. Collected it late September and the the wait was certainly worth it.

JapanAxe: My Super Twelve will be in use at The Wagon & Horses, Wooton Bassett tonight if you want to hear one in use.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1385817848' post='2292499']
Sorry, but I'm not having that.
I've been through the buying process with Alex this year.
I have a stack of emails from Barefaced (pre-order, post-order and post-delivery), mostly from Alex himself, 95% of which were answered with 24 hours.
The last e-mail I had from him was at gone 2am this morning and that was just to make sure everything was OK with the cab they had delivered.
Before I ordered it, I was fully informed of the long manufacturing and delivery times of the 3rd gen series - the buyer was aware!
To the best of my knowledge Barefaced have neither failed to deliver or delivered anything defective that they should have been aware of.
I'm sure there will be someone along in a minute to prove me wrong, as there always is in these cases, but "extremely unprofessional" and "buyer aware" is f***ing harsh man. Doubly so since it concerns a small, but established, UK manufacturer that has done a hell of a lot of work in their field and has satisfied a large amount of customers globally.
[/quote]
Well - there is the OP to consider?

[JonT]

I haven't said emails have been ignored - they haven't (I haven't actually sent many) - my post was more of a precautionary tale regarding altering/cancelling-reordering (ie changing) an order in that it can have a significant effect on expected delivery times, which I hadn't anticipated. I changed the order because different information became available to me at different times - I wasn't aware of BB2 until the new gen was made 'public' on the BF site. AC has always responded clearly and courteously to any query I've raised.
It's just that it occurred to me that 6 months was quite a lengthy wait, a bit longer than I'd expected even with the new range release (having not factored in the effect of changing the order, of course). But I'm more than sure it'll be worth it!!

Edited November 30, 2013 by JonT

[Mudpup]

I think they may make them in batch runs so its pretty easy to trigger a delay by switching models rather than tweaking the spec on the same cab.
I popped in to collect my BB2 and they were up their ears with preorders. There is a wall of orders waiting completion and the guys were flat out. Factor in the massive interest in the Gen 3 stuff...........

It'll be worth the wait.

[JonT]

Thanks Mudpup, I'm sure you're very right :-)

[Prime_BASS]

Got the first finished Super Compact a week or so after the reveal on the site.

Still very happy with it, volume, tone and dispersion for days.

A massive improvement on previous compacts.

I can't remember when I ordered but I did change from a regular comps t to the new super one, and I'm ever thankful I did change.

I remember when I had my midget it arrived broken in transit (fork lift had cracked a front panel) and that too took a long tome to rectify, bit only because I basically had to wait for a whole new cab again, that gets put in anever growing que.

Hopefully the upgrades like the CNC machine and outsourced grills will start making an effect on lead times.

[JTUK]

When ordering from small companies, you will expect that they can't handle last minute hiccups very easily or effectively..

But I would expect a custom bass to take a year to make .... as that is the quoted finish time when ordering, but I
couldn't accept half that time for a cab.....
If someone said 6 months to deliver a cab, then the buyer needs to know that and reconcile whether they will wait that long.
But if you put yourself in that position, you better not be needing that kit.

[gjones]

My compact took a long time to arrive but Alex did reply to my emails very quickly. I think it's all about managing expectations. Everybody who orders a Barefaced is aware that their cabinet will take a while to arrive. If it's going to take longer than expected then Alex should be proactive and contact customers if there's going to be a delay. They then have an option to cancel their order (most won't). I think it's the uncertainty that bothers people and not necessarily the timescale.

[Mudpup]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1385827272' post='2292610']
When ordering from small companies, you will expect that they can't handle last minute hiccups very easily or effectively..

But I would expect a custom bass to take a year to make .... as that is the quoted finish time when ordering, but I
couldn't accept half that time for a cab.....
If someone said 6 months to deliver a cab, then the buyer needs to know that and reconcile whether they will wait that long.
But if you put yourself in that position, you better not be needing that kit.
[/quote]

How many basses a week does that custom builder make do you think? Probably not even one. Compared to how many cabs are going out of the door every week.
Apples and oranges imho.

And this thread is degenerating into a mutation of loads of other similar ones re Barefaced wait times..........

Order the cab, expect to wait a bit longer than you think and then enjoy it when you get it. Buy it on that basis and theres no problem.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Mudpup

[JTUK]

30-40 basses a year and they physically can't make any more with a two man team who ship out the things like paintwork.
The shaping might be very labour intensive so that is where the tiime goes.

Pit that against a box and the core conponent is brought in as a finished product.

If I ordered a cab from the States at the wrong time of the order cycle, I might have to wait 6 weeks or so..
anymore than that and I'd go elsewhere but as long as you are ok with any delivery times you are given...you either go for it or you don't...
But you also need to be kept in the loop for any unforeseen delays

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1385816708' post='2292484']
This is something that really concerns me about suppliers. There is no excuse for ignoring a customer's emails. None whatsoever. No matter how busy you claim to be.

I own a group of companies and our customer service is crystal clear. Tell customers what you will do for them - and then do it. If something happens. Tell them.

If you are taking someone's money and if you do not live up to what you said you would do, you should at least explain the situation. Extremely unprofessional.

Buyers beware!
[/quote] I get what you are saying but disagree with your conclusion. I work for a company which started last year as two folk in a bedroom and then managed to do very well and we've been swept off our feet with orders, more staff were taken on - but each time we do the additional staff help increase orders again. We're now up to 12 hour days and the owners work 7 days a week trying to keep up.
It's only been in the last week or two where they brought someone in to do the customer service side - before they couldn't afford to. I don't think its unprofessional, just unfortunate to find demand outstrip supply to such a degree you can't keep up with the emails.

[0175westwood29]

i can kinda see where he's coming from 6 months is to long to be waiting for a cab that costs as much as a barefaced? the waiting time and price put me of getting a dubster or big baby a year or so ago as i needed a cab.

even if alex is a nice guy (he is i have had a quick chat about what would be best for me when i considered going bf) the waiting time seems to be a big problem thats not totally be addressed

you wouldnt wait 6 months for any other bass cab would you?

andy

[Beedster]

Alex was 100% professional and communicative when I bought my '69er. It wasn't the quickest turnaround I've had on a cab order, but then I don't expect McDonalds-esque speed when I'm ordering at a Michelin restaurant. I also don't expect a craftsman to be on email all day, I expect him to be crafting. I've had far worse problems than that described by the OP with far better known amp and cab manufacturers.

[waynepunkdude]

I have no issues with Alex and I'm sure he is a great guy but it does seem members go easier on members than if it was someone who wasn't on here. Maybe the restraint we give to members should also be given to other manufacturers.

[Paul S]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1385930446' post='2293817']
Alex was 100% professional and communicative when I bought my '69er. It wasn't the quickest turnaround I've had on a cab order, but then I don't expect McDonalds-esque speed when I'm ordering at a Michelin restaurant. I also don't expect a craftsman to be on email all day, I expect him to be crafting. I've had far worse problems than that described by the OP with far better known amp and cab manufacturers.
[/quote]

This, really. I bought a Compact and then a Midget, both took longer than originally predicted. Now I have them I really couldn't be happier and any minor irritation I might have felt at the time over delays are long gone. As someone said, Alex doesn't have a bad bone in his body, his company is just a victim of its own success. If the orders are late is isn't because he isn't on the case, it would be for a genuine reason. For me they represent the very best value cabs out there.

Edited December 2, 2013 by Paul S

[Guest bassman7755]

He'd have a much shorter waiting list if he hiked his prices. I guess the fact that he hasn't done so shows a commitment to not charging more than he thinks the cabs are worth. Got to say that if it were me Id just keep upping the prices until the waiting list fell below say 1 month, but obviously alex has a better business ethic than I do

[Salt on your Bass?]

I think it is about managing expectations. I'm waiting for my pre-order big twin 2 and when it arrives it'll be fine. Alex is pretty good on emails but the continued marketing during long waits is rather infuriating at times with the likes of Facebook.

Comms just need to be clear and consistent. Maybe as they run batches then there could be a series of standard emails about where your order is in terms of completion.

Obviously a successful business though presently and like I say all will be forgotten when it arrives.

[discreet]

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1385922623' post='2293689']
...you wouldnt wait 6 months for any other bass cab would you?
[/quote]

Personally, no - but any other bass cabs are ten a penny.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1386015620' post='2294691']
Personally, no - but any other bass cabs are ten a penny.
[/quote]

I'm sorry but IMO Barefaced are not the be all and end all of cabs, sure they may suit some people but I fear most of the press is hype related, I've A/B'd an RS210 Vs a Barefaced compact and in my opinion the RS210 was far superior.

I wish people would stop this over-hyping of what is just another option.