I've had it, im at my wits end....*custom order gone bad*

[UFORocks]

Get together a bunch of stories from other people that have had bad dealings with this guy, and then have them all file complaints with the better business bureau in his state. Also, contact local new agencies in his state/town and provide them with the stories and complaints. Local news stations eat this kind of shit up.

-Steve

[Musician78]

Oh man I can relate… very long read…..

Back in 2001, I had finally saved enough money to get a Jackson KV2, so I went to a certain establishment in Manchester, New Hampshire so buy it. I shopped in the store on many occasions, and they were a licensed Jackson dealer.

The owner told me it would cost $1395.00 and he wanted half down and it would take 3 months. I paid for the whole thing because I had the money. This was February.

When 3 months went by I called him and he said that Jackson was having problems completing their orders; it would be another 6 weeks. Ok. I was disappointed, but what could I do? Not much.

After 6 more weeks, I started getting the “another week or so” spiel. I was not happy. The last time I tried to call him, I found out his phone was disconnected. I drove down to the store and it was gone. Completely cleaned out. I freaked.

After much rigmarole and detective work (and the help of the attorney general’s office), I found out that he moved to Binghamton, New York. Even opened up a store there with the same name.

I went to the Manchester cops and they told me it was a civil matter and I had to take him to court. So I filed the papers and he had a specific amount of time to respond to them. He didn’t. I automatically won without even going to court. He had 30 days to pay me my money. Well, he didn’t. I never found a number for him, so I couldn’t even call him. I don’t know how you can run a business without a listed phone number… I went to the Manchester police and they told me that there really wasn’t anything they could do because he moved out of state. Binghamton police told me there was nothing they could do since it was only a civil matter which took place in New Hampshire. *sigh*

Anyway, I still had his address so I sent him a long letter explaining how he had 30 days to contact me or I was going to contact the Binghamton paper (which I think was called the Bull and Sun Press) with my story in order to inform all the potential musicians in and around that area to avoid him. Still no response. I printed up this brief description of who he was and what he did to me and mailed it to him telling him he had one more week or I was coming down and posting them everywhere. I made about 1500 copies of it at work over the span of a week or so. Needless to say, I didn’t hear from him, not that I expected to….

So I started planning this long ass trip, which was a big deal for me being only 22 or so and never really having done anything like that before (long solo road trip). Every body told me to just write it off because I would “get myself killed”, “kill someone”, or simply “end up in jail”. Fuck that, I wasn’t going to lie down like a little bitch. I asked a buddy of mine if he wanted to go on this long ass wild quest to New York and sure enough, he did, which was awesome.

We drove out there not even knowing if the place existed or not. After a very long time driving, I think 5 or more hours, we were there. And there were open. I couldn’t believe it.

I walked in with a bag full of those fliers and handed him one and asked if it looked familiar. He said it did and tried to play the “I can get you the guitar” spiel again. I told him I wasn’t leaving without either my cash or my moneys worth or merch from his store. He agreed. I told him I wanted a completely itemized receipt in order to assure he wasn’t going to claim we robbed him. He was apologetic and told me he tried to get ahold of me, which was complete bullshit, but I didn’t care… it was like a shopping spree for me… I honestly assumed that money was gone. He even gave me 40 dollars for gas which I didn’t ask for. I only went to get what was mine. Nothing more.

[Brooke]

I would involve the authorities. Knocking on the guy's door is NOT a good idea and walks a fine line between getting your guitar back and having things go very very wrong.

agreed

[Brooke]

Oh man I can relate… very long read…..

Back in 2001, I had finally saved enough money to get a Jackson KV2, so I went to a certain establishment in Manchester, New Hampshire so buy it. I shopped in the store on many occasions, and they were a licensed Jackson dealer.

The owner told me it would cost $1395.00 and he wanted half down and it would take 3 months. I paid for the whole thing because I had the money. This was February.

When 3 months went by I called him and he said that Jackson was having problems completing their orders; it would be another 6 weeks. Ok. I was disappointed, but what could I do? Not much.

After 6 more weeks, I started getting the “another week or so” spiel. I was not happy. The last time I tried to call him, I found out his phone was disconnected. I drove down to the store and it was gone. Completely cleaned out. I freaked.

After much rigmarole and detective work (and the help of the attorney general’s office), I found out that he moved to Binghamton, New York. Even opened up a store there with the same name.

I went to the Manchester cops and they told me it was a civil matter and I had to take him to court. So I filed the papers and he had a specific amount of time to respond to them. He didn’t. I automatically won without even going to court. He had 30 days to pay me my money. Well, he didn’t. I never found a number for him, so I couldn’t even call him. I don’t know how you can run a business without a listed phone number… I went to the Manchester police and they told me that there really wasn’t anything they could do because he moved out of state. Binghamton police told me there was nothing they could do since it was only a civil matter which took place in New Hampshire. *sigh*

Anyway, I still had his address so I sent him a long letter explaining how he had 30 days to contact me or I was going to contact the Binghamton paper (which I think was called the Bull and Sun Press) with my story in order to inform all the potential musicians in and around that area to avoid him. Still no response. I printed up this brief description of who he was and what he did to me and mailed it to him telling him he had one more week or I was coming down and posting them everywhere. I made about 1500 copies of it at work over the span of a week or so. Needless to say, I didn’t hear from him, not that I expected to….

So I started planning this long ass trip, which was a big deal for me being only 22 or so and never really having done anything like that before (long solo road trip). Every body told me to just write it off because I would “get myself killed”, “kill someone”, or simply “end up in jail”. Fuck that, I wasn’t going to lie down like a little bitch. I asked a buddy of mine if he wanted to go on this long ass wild quest to New York and sure enough, he did, which was awesome.

We drove out there not even knowing if the place existed or not. After a very long time driving, I think 5 or more hours, we were there. And there were open. I couldn’t believe it.

I walked in with a bag full of those fliers and handed him one and asked if it looked familiar. He said it did and tried to play the “I can get you the guitar” spiel again. I told him I wasn’t leaving without either my cash or my moneys worth or merch from his store. He agreed. I told him I wanted a completely itemized receipt in order to assure he wasn’t going to claim we robbed him. He was apologetic and told me he tried to get ahold of me, which was complete bullshit, but I didn’t care… it was like a shopping spree for me… I honestly assumed that money was gone. He even gave me 40 dollars for gas which I didn’t ask for. I only went to get what was mine. Nothing more.

Did you get your guitar?

[Musician78]

Did you get your guitar?

Not that day. I got a whole bunch of shit, including a Jackson KE3. But yes, eventually I did. Although I changed the order from black to tobacco sunburst. And I think all that must have happened in 2000 because I ended up getting the guitar in November of 2001.

[quiksilver]

I've had the same experience, more than once. I have ordered many custom pieces, and I have specifically dealt with Christopher Woods. Every time I do this with any one-man custom builder operation, it's the same. The builder is a nice guy, but overburdened. The product is extremely late and not exactly what I ordered. I expect your experience with Woods will be the same.

I ordered a neck from Christopher Woods, which was promised to be done in a few weeks. It took a year. Over the year, I'm sure there were at least 70 emails, with innumerable promises made and broken. In the end, I got a super neck. Not what I had ordered, mind you (it was supposed to have a Bubinga skunk stripe Super Wizard replica; he must've misunderstood, because he made a 3-piece, with Bubinga for the center piece - but I wasn't about to wait another year).

I had the same experience with Legacy One, another custom builder.
1. I ordered and paid right away, with promises of quick custom service
2. Time passed with no neck, lots of communication
3. More time passed, with very spotty communication
4. In the end, I finally got my neck, not exactly as I had ordered it, and WAAAAAY later than promised, but it was still nice, and I was so relieved to finally get it, I hung onto it.

I have also ordered custom necks from Musikraft and Warmoth. Both were better than the one-man operations listed above. Musikraft still shipped the necks late and not as I had ordered. Warmoth was the only one to actually ship when they promised, and to ship what I had ordered.

I don't think Woods will rip you off. I think you just have to stay on him and be prepared to wait a LOOOOOOONG time and to get a product that is very high quality, but perhaps not exactly what you ordered.

[Shawn Lutz]

I would involve the authorities. Knocking on the guy's door is NOT a good idea and walks a fine line between getting your guitar back and having things go very very wrong.

Matts right but damn...we need the days of a goold ass kicking to come back instead of lawsuits and bullshit. A good old fashion ass-kicking and this dude wouldnt fuck anyone else over...

[Cleveland Metal]

I agree with Shawn.... Good luck on this deal tho...