Eventide support part II

[stratotone]

Before everyone thinks I'm here just pissing and moaning - yeah, I am doing that to some extent - but I want everyone to know about my experience with Eventide. I've always been a fan of how they sounded, and was really stoked when I bought the pedal. Well, not so much anymore.

Brief recap: Did a firmware update to the Eventide pedal, it bricked it, even though I followed their directions totally and there were no weirdnesses on my end like power cut outs, PC crashing, etc. It just ran and failed. Got another software updater (an old one) that didn't work either. Read more than one message on the Eventide board about how people had the exact same issue, and in one case in particular the guy just kept updating until it finally took. I gave up after about 4 wasted hours and a guess of around 50 attempts.

Just got an email from Eventide stating the following:

1) Pedal has a hardware issue and has to come back to them for repair. Ok, fine. Then again, the proof he gives me for the hardware repair (error 3 comes up on the updating software) was the same issue guys on their message board had and they just kept trying until it worked. Sounds like their software to me.

2) They will fix it for free even though it's NOT under warranty. Well, fuck you Eventide, I bought the pedal late last year NEW from Guitar Center. I asked for clarification on this point, either Eventide is full of shit or GC OKC sold me a used pedal as new. For the record, Eventide let me register it as new on their website before they would allow me to access any updates. Wouldn't you think if it was a used or out of warranty pedal they might have told me when I registered it before I did their update?

Regardless of it's warranty status, THE EVENTIDE UPDATE BRICKED IT. Pedal worked great before I did this, now it's useless because I used software and instructions provided by Eventide. So here's the real kicker - if you have an Eventide pedal and it's out of warranty, NEVER update it. If you are buying one new or used, ask what the firmware is and check their website to see what features it has and what it works with as far as PC software (they apparently have an eventide app for the pedals).

 

[Devin]

That's gimped out, man. I used to have a Timefactor and ran the very first update they released for it, but luckily it was smooth sailing. Ended up trading it to gsxrbusa here on the forums - I wonder if he's every tried updating it since?

 

[vchizzle]

Why are they such huge d-bags!?!? I'm really disappointed because I was ready to buy one. Sucks you can't hardly call them out til after it's fixed.

 

[snowdog]

They will fix it for free even though it's NOT under warranty

While I will agree that it is bullshit a $500 pedal is messed up for whatever reason and their customer service may not be the greatest, they are offering to fix it for free, what else do you want from them ?

I can't see what difference it would make if it's out of warranty or not as far as upgrading the software goes ?

Have it repaired and sell the fucking thing.

 

[stratotone]

I posted this so people could avoid this from happening to them. If I would have known upgrades have a chance of screwing up their pedals, I wouldn't have done it.

1) If you look at the message boards, this shit has gone on for YEARS. They should have either a good way to upgrade the firmware (fixed whatever is bricking these things) or given users ample warnings. You know, something like "applying our firmware could fuck up your pedal and it's going to be considered your fault." I don't think that everytime I do a firmware upgrade I should have to be an internet detective, but I should have been I guess.

2) The fact that they are acting like they are doing ME a fucking favor by 'fixing' it. Their upgrade bricked it, not me. Not my fault. Pedal is a few months old and they also said it was out of warranty. Should I be grateful that they are fixing this for free but telling me that my warranty is only good for a few months?

3) I also have to pay shipping to them. And wait for their fucking mistake to get fixed. never did get an ETA on this. I play several gigs a month and use the pedal. Or did.

Snowdog, do the three points above help you understand this? indeed.

Pete

They will fix it for free even though it's NOT under warranty

While I will agree that it is bullshit a $500 pedal is messed up for whatever reason and their customer service may not be the greatest, they are offering to fix it for free, what else do you want from them ?

I can't see what difference it would make if it's out of warranty or not as far as upgrading the software goes ?

Have it repaired and sell the fucking thing.

 

[bigdaddyd]

Pete's right. Just because they are fixing it for free isn't good customer service. He bought it new. They shouldn't act like they are doing him a favor for by fixing it, especially when their own update broke it, and when it is a common situation on their own site.

Rivera fixed an amp of mine that I bought used (and they knew it.) There was no warranty since I bought it used. I contacted them and told them the issue, and they told me to send them the amp and they would take a look. When they got the amp they realized it was the first KHR 55 of the series, and told me that if I wasn't in a rush, they would rebuild the entire amp to new spec at their expense if I paid some nominal charge. All I had to do was let them do it on their time. Since my amp was one of the first ones built and they had changed specs, they wanted to bring it up to date, even though it only required a minor fix. This required essentially rebuilding the entire amp.

Since I didn't need the amp, I was of course down with that. They not only rebuilt it to their new spec, but called me and asked me how I wanted it to sound and built it to my tube preference, tweaked it for me and programmed for me. All of this for someone who bought the amp used. They sold me some new tubes as well and shipped it back. I think they charged me for 4 hours of bench time or something and that was all. That is customer service. Rivera has done similar things for me a few times. What Pete is going through with Eventide is subpar for any company and is ridiculous for a company that charges what they do and that has such a great reputation. He is doing the right thing by informing us. At least I am grateful for it.

 

[university81]

disappointing for sure, especially for a piece of kit that expensive =(

hope it get's resolved soon

 

[Dave L]

Seems to me like Eventide were ill prepared for shipping that vast amount of units and the amount of customer service that goes along with it. I´ve seen it a few times before, when companies that are accustomed to selling a certain small number of high-dollar units suddenly find themselves having a hundred times more customers.

With that said, I really like my Pitchfactor... even though I probably won´t be updating it any time soon

 

[Bob Savage]

It's crazy that upgrades like this can't be similar to firmware upgrades on various IT gear where there's a backup created during the upgrade that can be reverted to if the upgrade fails for any reason. There are probably good reasons for it such as cost, complexity, etc., but the ability to keep a device from being rendered useless after a botched upgrade is out there.

 

[stratotone]

The Kemper probably has the best/easiest way to upgrade I've seen yet - you load everything on a flash drive, and then plug the flash drive into the unit to load or backup everything from firmware updates to individual rigs to an entire backup of the system. No software to install, no worrying about a connection from your PC to the device (midi, USB, whatever) either. Plus a flash drive is so compact and easy to carry you can bring a 'backup' to a gig and reinstall in case of an emergency. I wish more devices would upgrade like this.

 

[thiswaythatway]

They're from NJ. Don't expect cheery personalities.