Music shop fails

[EBS_freak]

54 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Walk upto him and say " you are Dave Smart of Twin Jet Superstar fame and i claim my £5 "

... but does he use Rotos on his guitars?

[fleabag]

I wouldn't broach that subject , if i were you

[Burns-bass]

To redress the balance I ordered a set of strings on Amazon 10 days ago. After received my confirmation they’d been sent after about 10 minutes it turns out, 10 days later, that they hadn’t.

[BassTractor]

On 14/02/2018 at 17:00, Monkey Steve said:

Not sure i agree with this - I've had superb service from the bottom end generalist shops 

Of course, but then of course I didn't mean to talk in absolutes but in statistics and only from my own experience going back to the late sixties. IME generally the best service is to be had from specialist shops, but I've had fantastic service from local general music shops and appalling service from a synth and MIDI specialist.

[Bigwan]

Another PMT Online one for you. Ordered a Helix last week on 18 months 0% finance. All smooth until day of delivery. I usually get such things delivered to work as a) it cuts out the unpleasant "how much did that cost" conversation at home and b) I don't have to make runs to courier depots to pick things up since, invariably, there's nobody home.

Get an email from DPD - your driver Joe will be delivering your package between 12.48 and 13.48... Keeping an eye on DPD tracking page shows delivered and I haven't received it (not really out of the ordinary - my work is spread out across 9 units in a  technology park, deliveries usually go to reception or goods inwards rather than individual units)... Ring around reception and goods inwards at work. No sign of it. Somebody in the office must have signed for it when I was out for a meeting. End of the day, still no sign. Off home I go, not worried but a little frustrated. Check postbox on way in the door. Nothing. Not until I open our back door to let dogs out into the garden and trip over the thousand pound box sitting on my back doorstep... Muppets have sent it to the wrong address, despite confirmation email CLEARLY showing delivery address was to my place of work. Now if I were an unscrupulous type I'd be tempted to say it wasn't delivered at all... but I'm not...

Edited February 28, 2018 by Bigwan

[discreet]

23 minutes ago, Bigwan said:

Now if I were an unscrupulous type I'd be tempted to say it wasn't delivered at all... but I'm not...

Is it too late to change your mind? Asking for a friend... 

[EBS_freak]

42 minutes ago, Bigwan said:

Another PMT Online one for you. Ordered a Helix last week on 18 months 0% finance. All smooth until day of delivery. I usually get such things delivered to work as a) it cuts out the unpleasant "how much did that cost" conversation at home and b) I don't have to make runs to courier depots to pick things up since, invariably, there's nobody home.

Get an email from DPD - your driver Joe will be delivering your package between 12.48 and 13.48... Keeping an eye on DPD tracking page shows delivered and I haven't received it (not really out of the ordinary - my work is spread out across 9 units in a  technology park, deliveries usually go to reception or goods inwards rather than individual units)... Ring around reception and goods inwards at work. No sign of it. Somebody in the office must have signed for it when I was out for a meeting. End of the day, still no sign. Off home I go, not worried but a little frustrated. Check postbox on way in the door. Nothing. Not until I open our back door to let dogs out into the garden and trip over the thousand pound box sitting on my back doorstep... Muppets have sent it to the wrong address, despite confirmation email CLEARLY showing delivery address was to my place of work. Now if I were an unscrupulous type I'd be tempted to say it wasn't delivered at all... but I'm not...

It does your head in doesn't it?

I hate to say it, but I've been one of those people where they left my package "in the grey bin on the drive" - the very one that was being picked up by the dustbin men. *facepalm*

It was some diving equipment - and to be fair to the shop, they sent me out replacements straight away and told me to "let us deal with the d1ckheads".

[Bigwan]

6 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

It does your head in doesn't it?

I hate to say it, but I've been one of those people where they left my package "in the grey bin on the drive" - the very one that was being picked up by the dustbin men. *facepalm*

It was some diving equipment - and to be fair to the shop, they sent me out replacements straight away and told me to "let us deal with the d1ckheads".

Yes I've had that experience before too... Recently we also had somebody drop a parcel over our gate to the dogs once, while we were in the house! Not any great value (well, £20 worth of Playmobil - Christmas present for my nephew). I looked out to see our Lurcher cross giving a small green troll a real chewing! That wouldn't have been so bad, but to add insult to injury he'd stopped to leave a card explaining he'd left the parcel in the back yard on the garage windowsill. Doubt he would have got near it with the dogs outside!

[bartelby]

Years ago I ordered a radio for the kitchen from amazon. Came home from work to a card from Yodel saying the item was left in the recycling bin. I looked, bin was totally empty. It being bin day an all. Emailed amazon, they sent a replacement that arrived the next day. Two days later the neighbour knocks on my door.

”hiya, sorry about the delay, I’ve been away with work, but I took this off a delivery driver just as he was putting it in the recycling bin. He said he’d leave a card explains where it is”

So the neighbour and I had matching radios in our kitchen from then.

 

[Kevsy71]

27 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

It was some diving equipment

Scuba tank + bin lorry crusher = booooommmm!!!! 

 

 

[EBS_freak]

1 minute ago, Kevsy71 said:

Scuba tank + bin lorry crusher = booooommmm!!!! 

 

 

Ha yeah! Although compressed gas cylinders are usually on the courier prohibited items list - or insist that they are empty. How they could ensure that I don't know.

Anyway... 

 

[uk_lefty]

I had a parcel left on the doorway of my block of flats. Just when I was living a few mins walk from Leicester city centre. And the parcel force driver forged my signature. I called them and made the person on the phone poo themself by saying "do you know what was delivered?" And when they said no "old family photos going back nearly a hundred years, your compensation does not cover that at all". It was really some sports equipment worth £90 and luckily someone in an office over the road took in the parcel for me and tracked me down, but I just couldn't believe the cheek to forge a signature but also the stupidity to leave a parcel in a doorway in a city centre.

[EBS_freak]

5 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

I had a parcel left on the doorway of my block of flats. Just when I was living a few mins walk from Leicester city centre. And the parcel force driver forged my signature. I called them and made the person on the phone poo themself by saying "do you know what was delivered?" And when they said no "old family photos going back nearly a hundred years, your compensation does not cover that at all". It was really some sports equipment worth £90 and luckily someone in an office over the road took in the parcel for me and tracked me down, but I just couldn't believe the cheek to forge a signature but also the stupidity to leave a parcel in a doorway in a city centre.

Nothing surprises me. In that case, it becomes a 50/50 so the driver's word against yours. Horrible times.

It seems to be a daily basis that I witness the pure horrible nature of people not caring any more... or at least being some power happy chump.

[discreet]

20 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

I just couldn't believe the cheek to forge a signature but also the stupidity to leave a parcel in a doorway in a city centre.

It's pretty crap I'll admit, but I'm sure these drivers are under great pressure, not only to deliver an undeliverable number of parcels, but to avoid bringing a certain percentage back to base. Hence the packages I keep finding in wheelie bins, on doorstep, in back garden, etc. I can understand it more when it's myHerpes, Yodel, or some other low-rent outfit, but when you pay top dollar for PorcelFarce and they still balls it up, it's very annoying to say the least.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Rich]

On ‎13‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 22:08, EBS_freak said:

Me - could I take a look at that Sadowsky please?

Them - * 7 shades of stock licks before passing it to me *

Me - first gig of the year or something?

Me - 'Could I take a look at that <insert name of very nice bass here> please?'

Them - *30 seconds of slappity tappity wick-wack-wocky nonsense* 'Here you go.'

Me - *plays two notes*  'Nah, don't like it.' *hands it straight back, walks out*

I have actually done this, and it is tremendously satisfying.

[Monkey Steve]

1 hour ago, EBS_freak said:

Nothing surprises me. In that case, it becomes a 50/50 so the driver's word against yours. Horrible times.

It seems to be a daily basis that I witness the pure horrible nature of people not caring any more... or at least being some power happy chump.

One of my local Amazon delivery drivers thought he'd come up with a cunning plan.  My house has a paved over front garden/driveway big enough for a couple of cars, and I leave the two wheelie bins in the far corner by the pavement and the fence to next door.

I've come home on a few occasions to find that the driver has left a parcel on my doorstep, but to disguise it from anybody walking past, has pulled one of the bins over, so that you can't see the parcel.  however, what you can see is a wheelie bin blocking my front door, where neither I nor any of my neighbours would ever leave our bins. Basically a big flag to bring to everybody's attention to the fact that something's been left there.

In fairness, I've never lost anything, and he did once catch me at home and asked if I minded him doing it (and said that he would never leave a parcel in the bins, just in case it was collection day).  i suggested that a much better idea would be to leave the parcel behind the bins, rather than moving the bins to be in front of the parcel

Edited February 28, 2018 by Monkey Steve

[bazzbass]

my fave shop since 1979 went bust last year. I tried my best, bought an Am Stnd P bass, ABG, MarkBass amp, Hartke cab, Tascam portable recorder, Epiphone Les Paul guitar etc, and a bunch of pedals. All of these were price matched to the cheapest Australian online price. They were actually making a loss on some items, my Hartke cab had gone up by $100 whilst I awaited delivery and they wore that lol

 

There is no way a bricks and mortar shop can sell strings anywhere near the online prices. They only sell to those needing strings right NOW lol

[Horrorhiker]

On 2/12/2018 at 22:44, MarkG3 said:

My local music shop is terrible. Way over priced and has had the a lot of the same stock for about 5 years now.

I simply wanted a pack of strings that I could afford. I was then offered and tried to be sold a set of strings with the G missing for a bargain £15. I laughed and walked out. They aren't very helpful

I honestly don't know what's keeping them open.

What are some of your experiences of fails like this???

I went to Peach Guitars in Colchester the other day after browsing the website a bit. Very impressive complex with lots of guitars, separate rooms for acoustics, a whole floor of custom  stuff, a room full of pedals. First impressions..this will be amazing.

You have to buzz to be let in, like an office block/block of flats intercom thing, which kind of puts you off guard from the off. That may just be me. 

The guy answers the door asks what I was after. I said I was an experienced bass player and was looking at basses £500-700. Leads me to the basses and grabs a MIM precision, explains to me that 'This is a Fender Precision bass', and gives me basic, slightly inaccurate, suitable for a 12 year old beginner, Fender history lesson and promptly sits down on a stool and furnishes me and the wife with samples of his playing.  

He finally hands me the bass that I take out of politeness (I'm not actually interested in a MIM Fender) and the guy disappears for ages. I put the bass I didn't really want to try in the first place back myself after awkwardly sitting there with it for a while thinking he'd soon be back, and looked around the sparse (in comparison to the guitars) bass choice.  Guy eventually comes back, half heartedly asks how I liked the bass literally while checking messages on his phone. I said I was after something passive, but not keen on the P. "Stingrays are popular". Righto thanks. 

I said I'd have a think but will check out the pedals on the way out. (A separate room upstairs). He followed me to the smallish pedal room and stood so close I could literally hear him breathing the whole time I was in there. No talking, just breathing. And It didn't feel like:  'I'm just hanging around in case you want something'. Very much: 'I'm here so you don't nick anything'. I'm not exaggerating that I felt properly tense while in there and tangibly relieved when I got out. 

IMO a potentially great and impressive shop held back by either paranoia or a lack of cctv, and a definite lack of staff interest. Hopefully it was an off day.

I had a look on the site when I got back and they have staff biographies. The guy that saw to me is on there. They make a big joke out of him being an enigma, something about him always wandering around and eating. Quite funny. I even chuckled to myself as I considered where I would go next time instead of back there. 

[MarkG3]

33 minutes ago, Horrorhiker said:

I went to Peach Guitars in Colchester the other day after browsing the website a bit. Very impressive complex with lots of guitars, separate rooms for acoustics, a whole floor of custom  stuff, a room full of pedals. First impressions..this will be amazing.

You have to buzz to be let in, like an office block/block of flats intercom thing, which kind of puts you off guard from the off. That may just be me. 

The guy answers the door asks what I was after. I said I was an experienced bass player and was looking at basses £500-700. Leads me to the basses and grabs a MIM precision, explains to me that 'This is a Fender Precision bass', and gives me basic, slightly inaccurate, suitable for a 12 year old beginner, Fender history lesson and promptly sits down on a stool and furnishes me and the wife with samples of his playing.  

He finally hands me the bass that I take out of politeness (I'm not actually interested in a MIM Fender) and the guy disappears for ages. I put the bass I didn't really want to try in the first place back myself after awkwardly sitting there with it for a while thinking he'd soon be back, and looked around the sparse (in comparison to the guitars) bass choice.  Guy eventually comes back, half heartedly asks how I liked the bass literally while checking messages on his phone. I said I was after something passive, but not keen on the P. "Stingrays are popular". Righto thanks. 

I said I'd have a think but will check out the pedals on the way out. (A separate room upstairs). He followed me to the smallish pedal room and stood so close I could literally hear him breathing the whole time I was in there. No talking, just breathing. And It didn't feel like:  'I'm just hanging around in case you want something'. Very much: 'I'm here so you don't nick anything'. I'm not exaggerating that I felt properly tense while in there and tangibly relieved when I got out. 

IMO a potentially great and impressive shop held back by either paranoia or a lack of cctv, and a definite lack of staff interest. Hopefully it was an off day.

I had a look on the site when I got back and they have staff biographies. The guy that saw to me is on there. They make a big joke out of him being an enigma, something about him always wandering around and eating. Quite funny. I even chuckled to myself as I considered where I would go next time instead of back there. 

I hate it when people play for you, yea it's a really nice bass. Ok let me decide that. Grrr lol You know it's bad if you feel better when you leave the place

[Horrorhiker]

4 minutes ago, MarkG3 said:

I hate it when people play for you, yea it's a really nice bass. Ok let me decide that. Grrr lol You know it's bad if you feel better when you leave the place

Yeah its ok if you're someone looking for their first instrument but that's the only time you'd want it. I see it as an attempt to assert their dominance from the offset, which is enough on its own to make me go elsewhere. 

After I left it really started to sink in what a poor experience it was more and more throughout the day. 

[discreet]

18 minutes ago, MarkG3 said:

I hate it when people play for you...

 

11 minutes ago, Horrorhiker said:

...I see it as an attempt to assert their dominance...

I don't know what it is. Whenever anyone plays a bass before handing it to me I'm never impressed with their playing.

And potentially I'm going to be playing that bass, not them. What do they think, I'm going to ask them to dep for me or something..?

[FinnDave]

I (in a rare spirit of generosity) assume it's because they encounter a lot of customers who have no idea of how to play, and are buying their first instrument, so they demonstrate it for them. The other explanation is that the shop staff are egotistical flip wits, but obviously  that could never be true!

(I'd like to add here that neither the staff in my nearest PMT, in Oxford, nor the guys in my all-time favourite music shop, WM guitars in Ashburton, Devon, have ever behaved in such a way).

 

[Horrorhiker]

1 hour ago, discreet said:

 

I don't know what it is. Whenever anyone plays a bass before handing it to me I'm never impressed with their playing.

And potentially I'm going to be playing that bass, not them. What do they think, I'm going to ask them to dep for me or something..?

I know. Do they expect a round of applause? Sometimes I feel myself in the ridiculous position that I dumb my knowledge and playing down a bit to not come off as competitive with them, which I know is pretty stupid. It's a famous, age old, stereotypical problem too. I really wonder why shop owners don't pull their new guys aside on day 1 and say "Don't do X, Y and Z". 

Edited March 1, 2018 by Horrorhiker
speeling

[Horrorhiker]

10 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I (in a rare spirit of generosity) assume it's because they encounter a lot of customers who have no idea of how to play, and are buying their first instrument, so they demonstrate it for them. The other explanation is that the shop staff are egotistical flip wits, but obviously  that could never be true!

(I'd like to add here that neither the staff in my nearest PMT, in Oxford, nor the guys in my all-time favourite music shop, WM guitars in Ashburton, Devon, have ever behaved in such a way).

 

Yeah at best my guy was a bad listener. I went to PMT in Norwich a couple of times and found the staff to be quite good. I was after an electro acoustic guitar and the only weird thing was when I remarked that I'd need a ladder to get to the fretboard on most of the guitars, and I don't think the guy saw the funny side. Ended up buying one though and was fairly happy overall.