Looking for advice RE: TKS

[Contrebasse 5]

Hi,

Does anyone have an order in with Tommy at the moment? He's not been replying to my emails for the past 6 weeks and I can't get him on the phone.

I ordered a cab in early September and he acknolwledged the payment 11 weeks ago.

Around the time the cab should have been arriving (4 week lead time, starting the following week), he emailed to say that he'd had delays in the workshop, but didn't mention whether the cab had been started or when it might be ready. No reply when I asked about that, nor to any messages since.

In my last email I asked for a refund, as I'm not comfortable with any of that and by now I need to buy a cab locally. No reply though.

Stupidly I paid with a bank transfer, so there's no way to get my money back without his say so. I know a lot of members here have had great experiences with TKS, which is part of the reason I was comfortable ordering/paying like that. I was hesitant about posting this because I don't want to harm someone's reputation. I'm sure there's a good explanation, but I do need my money back.

I'm not really sure how to proceed, so if anyone has any advice it would be very gratefully received. Thanks in advance!

Edited November 27, 2019 by Contrebasse

[itu 725]

There was some news months ago that had something to do with his health or similar. I admit that I have no idea, what might be going on, but if the question is about health, I would rush slowly.

[Pea Turgh 710]

I was going to post this.  Unfortunately my recollection of events is equally vague sorry.

[Mykesbass 689]

Have a look on his Facebook page - I was browsing just out of curiosity. Looks like good news!

[Contrebasse 5]

Thanks very much for the replies. I'll keep you posted.

[potato bass 6]

Have only had wery god contact with Tommy, thoug  I think he have

some serius health problems

I heard somthing like that, not shure.(long time a’go)

At á time I was not able to get in contact with him, but wen I did get

in contact Tommy built me the lightest & best Sounding Cab I ewer heard! Transparent & clear as á bell with out sounding thin,

& with Authority.

some of the other higend cabs I had before was Great but sounded Mudy or wooly compared to the tks with the same amp’s,the built time was around 2 weeks

my impresion of Tommy is that he is á Werry honest guy & super easy to deal with.

so if somthing is not feeling right their is a serios reason for that & Tommy will get back to you as soon as he’s able to do so.

He’s one of the Good Guy’s

Sorry to hear this, my gues is

Health problems

know it’s hard be patient

I Cross my fingers for Tommy

Edited December 14, 2019 by potato bass

[Contrebasse 5]

10 hours ago, potato bass said:

...

He’s one of the Good Guy’s

Sorry to hear this, my gues is

Health problems

know it’s hard be patient

I Cross my fingers for Tommy

Yes, thanks.

I got in touch with the former UK distributors a couple of weeks ago and they said the same. My fingers are crossed for Tommy too, and under the circumstances it's not hard to be patient at all. I hope he's doing okay.

[Contrebasse 5]

This situation is still unresolved and is feeling quite strange.

I thought perhaps I should post again because it seemed that several people were concerned for Tommy's wellbeing. As far as I know, he's ok. He sent a round-robin email on December 30^th, talking again about the delays in his workshop, and explaining that the stress of this and having had to take on a full-time job had meant he was unable to face correspondence with his customers. He said he was about to go back and read his emails.

I sympathise with some of that, but he's had my money for 4 months when I ordered on the basis of a 4 week lead time. I've had to make other arrangements in the meantime (I'll probably need to buy the cabs I've been borrowing).

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for a refund on that basis, and also because the lack of communication – and the evasive, nonspecific communication when it comes - feels like a lack of good faith. I'd imagined that I might order a second cab if I liked the first. I wouldn't be comfortable doing so now.

It's a real shame because I don't doubt that these cabs are amazing, and that Tommy's usually as reliable and straighforward as everyone says, but I don't think I'd be comfortable with the nicest guy in the world taking my money and ignoring me for 4 months.

I've emailed a couple of times since his round robin to ask again for a refund. No reply.

[EBS_freak 3,021]

Tricky situation. Nothing to add I'm afraid but am sorry for the situation that you have found yourself in

[Jakester 195]

Sorry, ignore me - was asking about payment but saw it was bank transfer. 

Edited January 10 by Jakester

[wateroftyne 2,747]

This is so sad. Tommy is a lovely guy, so whatever situation he's in is a real shame for him, and of course you. I really hope it's sorted in a happy way ASAP.

[Crawford13 274]

I think it’s understandable to feel the way you do, and I hope it’s sorted out soon.

[mrtcat 534]

Yes I agree, you have every right to feel the way you do. Like many others here, my dealings with Tommy have all been excellent and he comes across as a really good guy. However, business will need to be looked at at some point and really he needs to at least put people in the picture. 

Hope you get a resolution soon.

[Contrebasse 5]

Thank you for the replies, everyone. As I'm sure you can tell, I don't know what I'm doing in this type of situation, so I appreciate the moral support.

I really hate posting about someone who's presumably having a very difficult time, and I don't want to make it any worse. If the moderators wanted to nuke this thread once the matter was resolved and it was clear that TKS was running smoothly again, I'd understand that.

In the meantime, thank you all again for your perspective! I haven't really known what to think, but you've helped a lot. I'll keep you posted.
 

[wateroftyne 2,747]

FWIW, your situation definitely isn’t unique.

[zitherman 7]

I know very little about tks gear but i do know that dealing with one man or very small gear builders especially overseas ones is an extremely risky undertaking.in my case my speakers arrived damaged and neither courier or constructor would accept liability leaving me to repair them myself.caveat emptor

[mcnach 2,253]

So sad to hear... I hope it's just a temporary glitch, I thought he was moving to a larger workshop sometime in the past few months and that his health was better. He builds superb cabs. I've owned six of them (keeping a pair of S112 as a compact, light and great sounding solution)... I hope he's ok, and that he catches up with the backlog soon. As sympathetic as I am towards him, the OP should not be in this position.

Fingers crossed!

@Contrebasse did you buy other cabs by now or are you still waiting to resolve this first? 

[Al Krow 3,960]

.

Edited January 13 by Al Krow
Misposted to wrong thread. Clearly going senile...

[Al Krow 3,960]

@dave_bass5 if you want more evidence: I started playing a couple of songs in the wrong key recently too.... won't be long before my bandmates put me out to pasture.

[dave_bass5 2,028]

23 hours ago, Al Krow said:

@dave_bass5 if you want more evidence: I started playing a couple of songs in the wrong key recently too.... won't be long before my bandmates put me out to pasture.

Im just surprised you put an ad up to sell your KS for half of what you paid for it 😂

[olicor 5]

I emailed TKS two times, one few monthes ago and last week too.

Never had any answer. I think i m gonna spend my money somewhere else. It s a pitty cause it seems many people were satisfied with these cabs but how can i trust a company that don t answer back ?

If Tommy has health issues of course we wish him the best and if it s serious of course he has to face that  before business.

But he could just explain a little bit what's going on , when will he be able to start again and of course refund people who paid for a cab they did not get.

I hope you ll get your money back Contrebasse.

 

[Contrebasse 5]

Still no joy here. Over 8 months since placing the order.

The European Consumer Centre have been very helpful in chasing it up for the past few months, but their people in Sweden have been 'unable to obtain any response' from TKS.

They suggest either using an Online Dispute Resolution platform, which sounds like it would need Tommy's cooperation - and obviously he's gone dark, or taking legal action.

As a first step, I'll be firing off another email to him, but I doubt I'll be holding my breath for a response by now.


 

[wateroftyne 2,747]

2 minutes ago, Contrebasse said:

Still no joy here. Over 8 months since placing the order.

The European Consumer Centre have been very helpful in chasing it up for the past few months, but their people in Sweden have been 'unable to obtain any response' from TKS.

They suggest either using an Online Dispute Resolution platform, which sounds like it would need Tommy's cooperation - and obviously he's gone dark, or taking legal action.

As a first step, I'll be firing off another email to him, but I doubt I'll be holding my breath for a response by now.


 

Well, that's depressing. I really hope you get sorted eventually. And I hope Tommy's OK.

[Contrebasse 5]

Getting weirder here. Still no actual communication from TKS, but I've had an email from a courier about a shipment scheduled for pickup from Sweden in three days, with a new email address for someone I assume is working for Tommy.

I think it was prompted by my emailing Tommy to explain that I was going to have to start a small claim if I didn't hear from him in the next week, and that I'd appreciate it if he'd look out for my Letter Before Claim (I didn't know for sure that mail would still reach him at the address on the invoice).

Bearing in mind that this order was placed more than 9 months ago on the basis of a 4 week lead time, and all emails/calls and requests for a refund have been ignored in the meantime. Pretty bad faith by now. I don't want the cab, and I still want my money back.

I've sent Tommy another email - no answer on the phone - and one to the new email address from the shipping information, asking them not to send the cab and to refund my money. Tomorrow I'll get on to Citizen's Advice to check what I'm supposed to do if there's no reply and the cab ends up here, but if anyone has any advice here I'd be very glad of it!

[EBS_freak 3,021]

Oh man. What a complete stinky poo show.