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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
 Posted - 03/09/2006 : 05:44:47 AM
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I have decided to nix this for a while... I have gotten a flurry of emails from John Hall at Bushman offering apologies and explanations. Like I told him, anyone can have a bad day... so I am going to reconsider my purchase decision.
Mike
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Aloha, Mike |
Edited by - slackkeymike on 03/09/2006 09:16:01 AM |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 06:11:10 AM
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Mike,
Sorry to hear about your experience. I do not know Bushman and have never dealt with them.
As administrator of this site, I'm not sure what to do with this kind of post. I generally feel that it can be overly harsh to post complaints in a public forum because there are usually two sides to every story and you might only get one here. Or the mistake of one salesperson should not necessarily label an entire company as 'bad'. So please read this single experience but realize that it is just one person's experience.
I don't like censoring and as consumers the Internet can be a powerful communication tool for both great and not so great experiences. Would love to hear something from Bushman, though. |
Andy |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 06:44:01 AM
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I agree, I really tried to tone it down. Why not call Bushman and see if you get the same treatment?
(800) 783-7996
But I do respect your judgement...and over the years I have managed to slow the burn on my fuze. I am not angry with them, just mystified in this age of fast communication and need for great customer support. I called Taylor once about a guitar I had bought. They made nothing out of the deal, yet called me back, provided info and so on. I am a Taylor fan for life!!
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 06:49:18 AM
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Andy,
If you want, I will remove it. It does sound a bit harsh...perhaps I could just leave a description of the events...
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Fez
Aloha
New Zealand
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 11:07:47 AM
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Kia ora,
Didn't see the original post but my experience with Bushman (bought a Jenny) is that they are highly disorganised.
The right hand has absolutely no idea what the left hand is doing!
I'll say no more |
Arohanui
Fez |
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Rlowenote
Akahai
84 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 12:20:03 PM
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Mike,
I read the original posting on both forums. I notice that it is no longer listed. It sounds like the posting got somebody's attention and some action. I feel postings of this nature can be beneficial for all parties concerned. Sometimes the vendor is not aware of the problems their staff can create until something like this surfaces. Fez's comment about the disorganization makes me think you need to be on your toes with this vendor. It may just be an isolated occurance.
Another specific instrument forum I visit has a section for Dealer Evaluations and also for Ebay experiences. The Dealer threads has both positive and negative feedback for various dealers. It gives a heads up on the good and not so good dealers. The Ebay thread warns of scams and rip-offs and also sellers one can be proud of.
Hopefully you can let us know how everything turns out, since I feel it reflects how the vendor really operates.
Ralph |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 1:12:27 PM
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It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that there is a connection between the price paid for an instrument and the service rendered by the company. One of the reasons Taylors generally cost thousands of dollars is that they are made locally and the company also wants to pay for decent local customer service people. For a cheap-as-hell Chinese made instrument you should not expect any service at all and no warranty either. I bought one for Pulelehua to replace a Fluke that I broke, but I consider it to be essentially a throw-away instrument. We also have a Kamaka that we value and treat much better. The companies that make better instruments and provide better service deserve support and also deserve more money.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/09/2006 1:29:23 PM |
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Fez
Aloha
New Zealand
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 1:31:47 PM
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Kia ora,
I wish people wouldn't go on about these 'cheap chinese ukes'
Has it ever occurred to you that most Labels of guitars have been made in Asia for years just like Jeans and sports shoes.
Some are cheapies, some are excellent.
Dealer service has nothing to do with price and where they are made.
Take Roy Cone for example. He sells Bushman, Lanakai and Koalohas.
He offers a great service the key to which is COMMUNICATION and client responsiveness. I'd never buy another uke off Bushman or Ukulele Pua Pua for that matter.
If these people only new how much first impressions count! |
Arohanui
Fez |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 2:05:36 PM
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quote:
I wish people wouldn't go on about these 'cheap chinese ukes'
OK - how about Cheap Hatian xxxx or Cheap El Salvadoran XXX (or wherever labor is cheapest and local labor & environmental laws are lax)
quote:
Has it ever occurred to you that most Labels of guitars have been made in Asia for years just like Jeans and sports shoes.
Duh... and it is mostly of very poor quality (but only good considering the price) I buy stuff all the time at the Hardware store and lots of other places that I have to take back because it is so poorly made, same with clothing from Target, same with thousands of cheap crappy items made in cheap places and sold for the cheapest price. The problem is that I can no longer find much stuff that has any quality because the cheap crap has driven the good vendors out of business.
quote:
Dealer service has nothing to do with price and where they are made.
Take Roy Cone for example. He sells Bushman, Lanakai and Koalohas.
Yes - and I bought a Jenny from Gryphon. I can easily find a cheaper dealer than Gryphon or even Roy Cone! (From off the web or sum such place) AND I will bet you that the service is worse.
quote:
He offers a great service the key to which is COMMUNICATION
Yes- and COMMUNICATION TAKES TIME, and guess what? You have to PAY someone for that time and that means you must increase your selling prices to pay that someone or else you go out of business.
Of couse there are low quality Dealers and rip-off artists in any line of trade and this will always be the case.
But, it is just plain simple-minded to pretend there is no relationship between price and service or quality.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 03/09/2006 2:12:38 PM |
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Fez
Aloha
New Zealand
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 3:02:47 PM
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Well Lawrence, I think you are missing the message here.
The price of a Jenny at Ukulele World is the same as at Bushman.
What's the difference? Well you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out either.
The difference is SERVICE.
So price and service don't always go together.
God help us all if they did.
There are a lot of people out there doing voluntary work in their spare time.
Don't tell them that because it's free it's crap! |
Arohanui
Fez |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 4:00:33 PM
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As far as prices go, Bushman can't sell for less than their distributors, not if they want to keep the distributors.
I thought John Hall(?) was trying to get out of the retail business and that's why he sold his website. Lacking the original post, now I'm confused as to which firm had the poor service. |
Pauline |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 6:51:37 PM
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It was John Hall's site (jumping flea) which is really not HIS site but some guy named Gary. Its all a bit confusing. But it is true that John Hall is moving to manufacturing and most likely needs to get out of the selling business if he does not want to devote service folks to the task. That said, he did fix it and I am grateful.
Mike (sorry Pauline, my orinal post was a bit...acerbic? once the problem was resolved, I felt there was no point in keeping it up...sounds like many in here are well versed on the issues)
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Aloha, Mike |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 7:30:44 PM
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| Mike, I read your original post, but didn't retain the details. I understand how you would have second thoughts after John Hall tried to make things right. I was complaining about my memory. |
Pauline |
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Boost
Aloha
12 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2006 : 01:00:17 AM
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| not sure whats going on with the original post.. didnt read it. but check out the soon to be available "Pono" line of ukes coming out of Ko'olau. I saw a pic somewhere on the net, and they look really good for the $$'s. I'm gonna get one by summer (hopefully). |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2006 : 03:04:07 AM
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Sorry boost, I do not normally delete an original post (im not doing the crawdaddy!).
However, since John (Bushman) went the extra mile, I did not think it fair to leave it. Now, that said, lets see if it arives in 3-4 weeks as promised!!
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 04/01/2006 : 06:28:21 AM
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Well, time for an update. Had to cancel my order. I asked John to give me an arrival date estimate. He said he had a shipment coming in two weeks (tenor cutaway, venetian.) After 3 threeks I called and was informed that only the florentines came in, and I could have one of those instead since it was going to be another 3 weeks before anything else came in. So I agreed. But the more I thought about it, the more irritated I became, so I cancelled it. Now, I am back at square one. No uke.
mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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