BE-100, ON THE MEND

[Tone Merchant]

This isn't ment as a bitch thread and not intended to flame anyone but mearly highlight a situation one could find themselves in as i indeed did.

Back in December last year i placed an order for a new Friedman BE-100 with extra mod (BE-HBE switch mod), paid in full and paid via paypal gift as the fees would have been pass on to myself etc.
I had sold my VH4 in order to fund this purchase as i am of limited means etc so it ment that i would be without a decent amp during the period of waiting.

After several delays (2.5 months after its initial build time) it finally shipped on March this year through USPS to England, but somewhere between US and UK it dissapeared....nearly $4000 worth of amp vanished in to thin air with out trace and No-one could account for where it went? USPS couldn't find it, UK receivers/delivery said that it still waiting on it to arrive UK customs?? a case of its gone bye-byes and you ain't seeing it again.

After several weeks I had near enough resigned to the fact that i had lost $4000 and still had no decent amp in the mean time, but was fortunate to have a cousin who had a VH4 which help me out when i needed a good amp.
It has taken many months of over-time working just to get back to where i had started prior to buying the Friedman last year, and was working towards getting funds to get a replacement BE-100.

About a week and a half ago i got a steal on a CLR attomic cab in the US and bought it and was expecting its arrival here in England, i got customs order of amount to pay (little sooner than expected?) and i paid then paid extra for a Saturday delivery (yesterday) and at 9.55 am i got the knock on my door...

Delivery guy didn't have a Atomic CLR... He was standing there with a beat up Cameron amp box in head shape and i was like WTF?? that ain't no CLR??
Signed for it and open it up and there it was the Friedman BE-100. I was completey Gob-smacked!
Given the condition of its box i was like dumb-founded, couldn't really let it sink in that it's here? I was happy yet confused at the same time but was curious as to whether it was in working condition as the box had received abuse, it was shunted on it botton left side and holed and left a damage mark on the bottom left back side of the BE-100 amp.
I also could not believe that a $3500 amp could be shipped internationally in a single box with no packing and just an inch thick corner foam paddings which allowed an inch clearance all around the amp but the feet touching the bottom?? (i thought of Steve-k's Gillyaron perdicament) i mean C'mon, whats with these high$$ stuff being sent out in limited packaging?? when i bought a Diezel Hagen few years back it came double box with packing and 2.5 - 3 inch foam corner paddings etc??.
Anyways... the BE-100 is not working and have tried a band mates power tubes to see it if was minor tube issue... its not and i am like jeez after 7 months from it being declared lost i get it to only have to comtemplate sending it all the way back to LA to get fixed??
Only plus side right now is that i have the amp and its found and means the money is not lost,
Guess i am looking at the glass half full as opposed to half empty when it was considered lost.

The CLR is scheduled to arrive customs on Tuesday and the seller has assured me that its double boxed.

Lessons have been learned and mistakes will be well avoided in future.

hi

can you send me the pictures of the box damage and amp? Dave and I just spoke.
please respond via pm

thanx

rob

 

[brickford]

Did you pay for shipping on top of the amp?

yeah, although extra was paid by the seller

 

[brickford]

This isn't ment as a bitch thread and not intended to flame anyone but mearly highlight a situation one could find themselves in as i indeed did.

Back in December last year i placed an order for a new Friedman BE-100 with extra mod (BE-HBE switch mod), paid in full and paid via paypal gift as the fees would have been pass on to myself etc.
I had sold my VH4 in order to fund this purchase as i am of limited means etc so it ment that i would be without a decent amp during the period of waiting.

After several delays (2.5 months after its initial build time) it finally shipped on March this year through USPS to England, but somewhere between US and UK it dissapeared....nearly $4000 worth of amp vanished in to thin air with out trace and No-one could account for where it went? USPS couldn't find it, UK receivers/delivery said that it still waiting on it to arrive UK customs?? a case of its gone bye-byes and you ain't seeing it again.

After several weeks I had near enough resigned to the fact that i had lost $4000 and still had no decent amp in the mean time, but was fortunate to have a cousin who had a VH4 which help me out when i needed a good amp.
It has taken many months of over-time working just to get back to where i had started prior to buying the Friedman last year, and was working towards getting funds to get a replacement BE-100.

About a week and a half ago i got a steal on a CLR attomic cab in the US and bought it and was expecting its arrival here in England, i got customs order of amount to pay (little sooner than expected?) and i paid then paid extra for a Saturday delivery (yesterday) and at 9.55 am i got the knock on my door...

Delivery guy didn't have a Atomic CLR... He was standing there with a beat up Cameron amp box in head shape and i was like WTF?? that ain't no CLR??
Signed for it and open it up and there it was the Friedman BE-100. I was completey Gob-smacked!
Given the condition of its box i was like dumb-founded, couldn't really let it sink in that it's here? I was happy yet confused at the same time but was curious as to whether it was in working condition as the box had received abuse, it was shunted on it botton left side and holed and left a damage mark on the bottom left back side of the BE-100 amp.
I also could not believe that a $3500 amp could be shipped internationally in a single box with no packing and just an inch thick corner foam paddings which allowed an inch clearance all around the amp but the feet touching the bottom?? (i thought of Steve-k's Gillyaron perdicament) i mean C'mon, whats with these high$$ stuff being sent out in limited packaging?? when i bought a Diezel Hagen few years back it came double box with packing and 2.5 - 3 inch foam corner paddings etc??.
Anyways... the BE-100 is not working and have tried a band mates power tubes to see it if was minor tube issue... its not and i am like jeez after 7 months from it being declared lost i get it to only have to comtemplate sending it all the way back to LA to get fixed??
Only plus side right now is that i have the amp and its found and means the money is not lost,
Guess i am looking at the glass half full as opposed to half empty when it was considered lost.

The CLR is scheduled to arrive customs on Tuesday and the seller has assured me that its double boxed.

Lessons have been learned and mistakes will be well avoided in future.

hi

can you send me the pictures of the box damage and amp? Dave and I just spoke. Who did you get the amp from?

please respond via pm

thanx

rob

PM,d you & sent pics to Dave

 

[King Guitar]

Hey Guys

I am on the road in California and just saw this. The op bought this amp from me and I had it direct shipped to England from the production facility via USPS Air Express 2 day service which i paid for at my expense to expedite delivery as an upgrade and then they (USPS) lost the package. I have no idea why it was in a Cameron box, that's strange.

That is showed up finally is amazing. I filed an insurance claim with USPS which was still investigating the trace last I checked (probably they found it and then delivered it it seems after months of being missing). Anyway I must say I am glad it is no longer lost, please let Dave Friedman now what the malfunction is and I am sure he will remedy it.

As always I will help any way I can as well.

Brad

 

[Jofipe]

It's kinda hard on the dealers and slightly unfair to just blow it out there like that... Causing total panic without knowing the full background, and who or what actually packed and shipped it. Did the dealership not insure the package? They must have... Did you never file a claim for insurance cause of the lost package?

 

[abrackas]

Maybe there's a theft ring at USPS where they snare expensive amps and make them disappear? A relative of mine bought a custom gun and waited and waited. Turned out there was a whole slew of people at UPS and dealers who were stealing the guns in hopes or reselling them. The Feds got involved and everything - eventually - was taken care of. The arms builder said he wanted the item back so he could test that it was still up to his standards. This was a domestic case (not international) but could explain the different box and bad condition it finally arrived in. Not to mention the delay.

 

[philb]

Damn, more reason for me to drive to RI when mine gets delivered to Brad.

 

[brickford]

Just to update
Dave is being super cool about this and is working towards making it possible to get Dan Gower to give it the clean bill of health.
Rob is looking for a Butt to kick for the incorrect boxing and packing etc

Just in that last mile now til this amp does what it was ment to do many moons ago

 

[brickford]

Maybe there's a theft ring at USPS where they snare expensive amps and make them disappear? A relative of mine bought a custom gun and waited and waited. Turned out there was a whole slew of people at UPS and dealers who were stealing the guns in hopes or reselling them. The Feds got involved and everything - eventually - was taken care of. The arms builder said he wanted the item back so he could test that it was still up to his standards. This was a domestic case (not international) but could explain the different box and bad condition it finally arrived in. Not to mention the delay.

Spent many nights wondering if some 'tard at USPS stole this amp and was havin' a blast at my expense!
I did notice i slept slighty better last night.

 

[joepete77]

Maybe there's a theft ring at USPS where they snare expensive amps and make them disappear? A relative of mine bought a custom gun and waited and waited. Turned out there was a whole slew of people at UPS and dealers who were stealing the guns in hopes or reselling them. The Feds got involved and everything - eventually - was taken care of. The arms builder said he wanted the item back so he could test that it was still up to his standards. This was a domestic case (not international) but could explain the different box and bad condition it finally arrived in. Not to mention the delay.

Yeah, I wondered that also. My Marshall jmp decked out with mods disappeared from the fed ex hub in cali on its return from Dave. Nobody at fed ex could explain what happened to it but my guess is one of the workers was a guitar player or just new it was valuable and took it. Luckily Dave was really cool and took care of it/me. It sucks being without an amp while things are sorted out though. Shipping co's are getting more expensive yes delivering less professionally.

 

[Tone Merchant]

we had Axe FX 2s go missing from fed ex. 2 axes and an mfc all just disappeared. We later heard the driver got fired. Not sure if it was for stealing or not.

 

[Mailman1971]

Sorry to hear about the amp. Glad it showed up though.
I am sure there are guys out there willing to risk their freedom and job to steal something from the mail.
They are watched....and I know if they get caught in USPS....its Prison time.

Once it leaves the US....its out of the hands of USPS. Sounds like it was in a warehouse someplace sitting on a shelf forgotten. But a few guys will give a bad name to the thousands that do the right thing.
Not just in the Mail system. But thats any job.

 

[cardinal]

I'm still confused. I realize the OP said he used PayPal gift, but implies that when the amp was lost he was out $4,000. Is that really how it went down?

 

[mystixboi]

I never heard of a dealer or store asking to pay with Paypal gift option

 

[Heritage Softail]

This isn't ment as a bitch thread and not intended to flame anyone but mearly highlight a situation one could find themselves in as i indeed did.

Back in December last year i placed an order for a new Friedman BE-100 with extra mod (BE-HBE switch mod), paid in full and paid via paypal gift as the fees would have been pass on to myself etc.
I had sold my VH4 in order to fund this purchase as i am of limited means etc so it ment that i would be without a decent amp during the period of waiting.

After several delays (2.5 months after its initial build time) it finally shipped on March this year through USPS to England, but somewhere between US and UK it dissapeared....nearly $4000 worth of amp vanished in to thin air with out trace and No-one could account for where it went? USPS couldn't find it, UK receivers/delivery said that it still waiting on it to arrive UK customs?? a case of its gone bye-byes and you ain't seeing it again.

After several weeks I had near enough resigned to the fact that i had lost $4000 and still had no decent amp in the mean time, but was fortunate to have a cousin who had a VH4 which help me out when i needed a good amp.
It has taken many months of over-time working just to get back to where i had started prior to buying the Friedman last year, and was working towards getting funds to get a replacement BE-100.

About a week and a half ago i got a steal on a CLR attomic cab in the US and bought it and was expecting its arrival here in England, i got customs order of amount to pay (little sooner than expected?) and i paid then paid extra for a Saturday delivery (yesterday) and at 9.55 am i got the knock on my door...

Delivery guy didn't have a Atomic CLR... He was standing there with a beat up Cameron amp box in head shape and i was like WTF?? that ain't no CLR??
Signed for it and open it up and there it was the Friedman BE-100. I was completey Gob-smacked!
Given the condition of its box i was like dumb-founded, couldn't really let it sink in that it's here? I was happy yet confused at the same time but was curious as to whether it was in working condition as the box had received abuse, it was shunted on it botton left side and holed and left a damage mark on the bottom left back side of the BE-100 amp.
I also could not believe that a $3500 amp could be shipped internationally in a single box with no packing and just an inch thick corner foam paddings which allowed an inch clearance all around the amp but the feet touching the bottom?? (i thought of Steve-k's Gillyaron perdicament) i mean C'mon, whats with these high$$ stuff being sent out in limited packaging?? when i bought a Diezel Hagen few years back it came double box with packing and 2.5 - 3 inch foam corner paddings etc??.
Anyways... the BE-100 is not working and have tried a band mates power tubes to see it if was minor tube issue... its not and i am like jeez after 7 months from it being declared lost i get it to only have to comtemplate sending it all the way back to LA to get fixed??
Only plus side right now is that i have the amp and its found and means the money is not lost,
Guess i am looking at the glass half full as opposed to half empty when it was considered lost.

The CLR is scheduled to arrive customs on Tuesday and the seller has assured me that its double boxed.

Lessons have been learned and mistakes will be well avoided in future.

So I guess you are on the way to being taken care of now after talking with Tone Merchants?

From your post above, this was the first actual contact with them, true?

 

[snowdog]

Sorry to hear your amp was MIA, at least you finally got it.

It was a pretty poor way to handle the situation by posting this before you even contacted Dave. It's not Dave's fault the amp showed up DOA...who knows what was done with it before you got it.

Dave, Brad and Rob are top notch people and I wouldn't hesitate to do business with any of them.

 

[brickford]

This isn't ment as a bitch thread and not intended to flame anyone but mearly highlight a situation one could find themselves in as i indeed did.

Back in December last year i placed an order for a new Friedman BE-100 with extra mod (BE-HBE switch mod), paid in full and paid via paypal gift as the fees would have been pass on to myself etc.
I had sold my VH4 in order to fund this purchase as i am of limited means etc so it ment that i would be without a decent amp during the period of waiting.

After several delays (2.5 months after its initial build time) it finally shipped on March this year through USPS to England, but somewhere between US and UK it dissapeared....nearly $4000 worth of amp vanished in to thin air with out trace and No-one could account for where it went? USPS couldn't find it, UK receivers/delivery said that it still waiting on it to arrive UK customs?? a case of its gone bye-byes and you ain't seeing it again.

After several weeks I had near enough resigned to the fact that i had lost $4000 and still had no decent amp in the mean time, but was fortunate to have a cousin who had a VH4 which help me out when i needed a good amp.
It has taken many months of over-time working just to get back to where i had started prior to buying the Friedman last year, and was working towards getting funds to get a replacement BE-100.

About a week and a half ago i got a steal on a CLR attomic cab in the US and bought it and was expecting its arrival here in England, i got customs order of amount to pay (little sooner than expected?) and i paid then paid extra for a Saturday delivery (yesterday) and at 9.55 am i got the knock on my door...

Delivery guy didn't have a Atomic CLR... He was standing there with a beat up Cameron amp box in head shape and i was like WTF?? that ain't no CLR??
Signed for it and open it up and there it was the Friedman BE-100. I was completey Gob-smacked!
Given the condition of its box i was like dumb-founded, couldn't really let it sink in that it's here? I was happy yet confused at the same time but was curious as to whether it was in working condition as the box had received abuse, it was shunted on it botton left side and holed and left a damage mark on the bottom left back side of the BE-100 amp.
I also could not believe that a $3500 amp could be shipped internationally in a single box with no packing and just an inch thick corner foam paddings which allowed an inch clearance all around the amp but the feet touching the bottom?? (i thought of Steve-k's Gillyaron perdicament) i mean C'mon, whats with these high$$ stuff being sent out in limited packaging?? when i bought a Diezel Hagen few years back it came double box with packing and 2.5 - 3 inch foam corner paddings etc??.
Anyways... the BE-100 is not working and have tried a band mates power tubes to see it if was minor tube issue... its not and i am like jeez after 7 months from it being declared lost i get it to only have to comtemplate sending it all the way back to LA to get fixed??
Only plus side right now is that i have the amp and its found and means the money is not lost,
Guess i am looking at the glass half full as opposed to half empty when it was considered lost.

The CLR is scheduled to arrive customs on Tuesday and the seller has assured me that its double boxed.

Lessons have been learned and mistakes will be well avoided in future.

So I guess you are on the way to being taken care of now after talking with Tone Merchants?

From your post above, this was the first actual contact with them, true?

True, i hadn't had contact from Tone Merchants til tonight as i didn't go direct when purchasing this amp back in December last year.

 

[shgshg]

paid in full and paid via paypal gift as the fees would have been pass on to myself

The moment I read that the alarm bells started ringing.

 

[brickford]

Sorry to hear your amp was MIA, at least you finally got it.

It was a pretty poor way to handle the situation by posting this before you even contacted Dave. It's not Dave's fault the amp showed up DOA...who knows what was done with it before you got it.

Dave, Brad and Rob are top notch people and I wouldn't hesitate to do business with any of them.

I had emailed Brad prior and thought i had emailed Dave too but it seems not but communications are open right now and things are in there last mile.
I did mention that i wasn't out to flame.. was just saying how my weekend went fxxkin' bizarr with this arrival showing up outta the blue.

 

[glip22]

Sorry to hear your amp was MIA, at least you finally got it.

It was a pretty poor way to handle the situation by posting this before you even contacted Dave. It's not Dave's fault the amp showed up DOA...who knows what was done with it before you got it.

Dave, Brad and Rob are top notch people and I wouldn't hesitate to do business with any of them.

I had emailed Brad prior and thought i had emailed Dave too but it seems not but communications are open right now and things are in there last mile.
I did mention that i wasn't out to flame.. was just saying how my weekend went fxxkin' bizarr with this arrival showing up outta the blue.

I have found its better for claim purposes when a package is lost rather than damaged.