Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Acoustic Image service


Happy Jack
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 3 weeks later...

@Happy Jack Did you make a decision on this? I've just picked up a Coda+ which at some point has taken a tumble and the faceplate on the head has bent out. I contacted AI to enquire how easy they felt it would be to bend back and they've replied that it would be covered under warranty and I should send it to them for repair. 

I've made it clear I'm not the original owner but that doesn't seem to matter. They seem happy if I send it back and they'll refurb it under warranty. The only slight downside is they've quoted $75 each way for shipping. I picked up the amp at a pretty good price so I'm tempted. 

Have you ever sent your amp back to them for servicing? Just wondering if your not keen for cost/risk of couriering or something else. 

Edited by MrTea
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still stalled on this, struggling to believe that AI don't have a British / European / EMEA service partner. Having to send everything to Raleigh seems a mite parochial, even for the Yanks.

Nothing on my Clarus II is actually broken and the amp still works, it's just that the control panel seems to do remarkably little and I don't know whether it's my dodgy hearing or a dodgy control panel. 

Sending the amp to Cowdenbeath or Garmisch-Partenkirchen to have it checked out is one thing, but paying their standard fee PLUS US$150 for postage to wait three months to be told "they all do that, Sir, it's a feature" is not really an option.

 

 

Edited by Happy Jack
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Clarus 2 is essentially the same head as in my Coda isn't it? Happy to shoot some video of the range on the tone controls etc if it helps. 

Sounds like you have almost the opposite opinion of their service to me! Sure it's a PITA to send my head back to the US but not being the original owner of expected to pay dearly for the privilege. 

 

PXL_20200922_154407375.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

"Taken a tumble"? That looks like 20 years of hard living to me! 

🙂 You see why I'm keen for the offer of a refurb. 

@wateroftyne I'd already thought this regarding customs. I presume there's some way it gets marked as going out so it's allowed to come back in but I'll check. It's bad enough paying the extortionate 'handling fee'. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, MrTea said:


@wateroftyne I'd already thought this regarding customs. I presume there's some way it gets marked as going out so it's allowed to come back in but I'll check. It's bad enough paying the extortionate 'handling fee'. 

I've looked into this a couple of times, but it looks like an absolute minefield so I've always avoided it..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Done it from Belgium @Happy Jack. Had some weird sounds before going into security mode on my Acoustic Image Focus 2 head. Send it to them. Absolute free repair except for the shipping fee. Their amps are covered by a lifetime warranty to any owner.

I phoned the customs first to know how to fill the documents the right way to avoid any customs taxes as it was a repair. They told me exactly how to fill them and it took 10 days to have my amp back from AI. Really fast and easy.

Here is the email from Rick from AI explaining how it works to avoid the customs taxes :

IMG_20200922_222740.thumb.jpg.27af18a583b677fb0d1ed0f0492cf122.jpg

That said, try their European branch (in the UK) first and ask for Laurence.


Acoustic Image UK
88 Lansdowne Crescent
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA3 9EP
Mob: 07790 528674

Email: [email protected]

 

Edited by Hellzero
New name and email address put, landline phone deleted
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm watching this thread with interest as I have two amps that need to go in and I've been wavering because of the cost. Nothing major mind you.

Even if there was a mass shipment and pooling of postage I'm sure there would be some savings.  I don't need it back in a hurry, it's not like I'm gigging at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

Done it from Belgium @Happy Jack. Had some weird sounds before going into security mode on my Acoustic Image Focus 2 head. Send it to them. Absolute free repair except for the shipping fee. Their amps are covered by a lifetime warranty to any owner.

That said, try their European branch (in the UK) first and ask for Laurence.


Acoustic Image Europe
88 Lansdowne Crescent
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA3 9EP
Tel: 01228 590597
Mob: 07790 528674

Email: [email protected]

 

Good to hear from you again Tony, and that is absolutely gold-dust info ... many thanks.

I'll contact them in the morning.

B|

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Error Icon

Address not found

Your message wasn't delivered to [email protected] because the domain acousticimg.eu couldn't be found. Check for typos or unnecessary spaces and try again.

The response was:

DNS Error: 24481001 DNS type 'mx' lookup of acousticimg.eu responded with code NXDOMAIN Domain name not found: acousticimg.eu

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:
Error Icon

Address not found

Your message wasn't delivered to [email protected] because the domain acousticimg.eu couldn't be found. Check for typos or unnecessary spaces and try again.

The response was:

DNS Error: 24481001 DNS type 'mx' lookup of acousticimg.eu responded with code NXDOMAIN Domain name not found: acousticimg.eu

Rejection is hard to take.

IIRC, that is/was kind of Overwater who used to handle these over here. It might be worth asking them directly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I've just spoken to Laurence Blackadder ( @bassadder ) who handles all UK servicing for Acoustic Image.

The company closed down the .eu website as part of their preparations for Brexit and replaced it with

[email protected]

The landline was closed down at the same time.

Laurence's address and mobile number remain as per @Hellzero's post (above).

Laurence asked me to mention here that any amp older than a Series 3, and probably some that are older than a Series 4, have circuit boards for which spares are very hard to find, so the boards have to go back to the States to be refurbished.

Luckily, my SL-2 is a Series 4 so he has replacement boards for it.

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Just to update this thread for future reference ... I sent my head to Laurence at AI Europe (@bassadder ) and he's done a fantastic job servicing it. Couldn't be happier with the response from him. 

The only slightly odd thing is that AI in the us didn't mention this to be an option until I confirmed it with them. I would have thought it's far easier for them to offer servicing in the UK than have everything shipped back to the states?

@Happy Jack Did you get your amp serviced in the end?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MrTea said:

The only slightly odd thing is that AI in the us didn't mention this to be an option until I confirmed it with them. I would have thought it's far easier for them to offer servicing in the UK than have everything shipped back to the states?

I'm in pretty much the same situation. AI told me to ship back to the USA. I guess given I'd have paid postage both ways it makes no difference to them.

Add me to the list of happy @bassadder users. He shipped me a replacement preamp, no fuss and very quickly.My CODA III is now firing on all cylinders again.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...