metalmaniac93
Well-known member
That is too bad!!! I bought a few guitars, pedals, and cabs from them and dealt mostly with Stu.
J
joepete77
New member
What always gets me about these type situations is that there are always a few ass kissers who repeat useless comments about what a nice guy or how friendly the owner was, or they demand that the thread be locked or deleted. Threads like this are in a way psa's for musicians or fellow forum members and if deleted only lead to more customers and venders getting ripped off. I have more respect for dr z for posting some facts that most likely kept others from getting ripped.
H
hi2nw
Member
joepete77":1z2ifb6o said:
threadkiller
New member
I've done some business with them over the years. Always thought they were a bit prickish but thought maybe it was just me since everything I read always gushes about what great guys mike and the rest of the sales guys are. Went about a month ago and the door was locked. Called them and they said oh yeah we started closing at 3 on wed and thurs "to handle all of our internet business". Went back a week later and the shop looked like shit with minimal inventory and amps just laying around haphazardly. It was obvious something was amiss. Indoor storm looked a little bit like this and handed me the same story right before they "merged" with soundpure. I can certainly understand stores having trouble these days. Its a lot of money to sit on the shelf when it's not moving. I haven't been into soundpure so correct me if I'm wrong but I'm guessing they have a lot of amps on their website and not many in the store. These pseudo internet stores may be the way of the future in order to keep overhead down, which sucks if you like to try before you buy like I do, but there may not be much choice.
Anyway, whole situation sucks. I feel sorry for anyone who got shafted. I hate to see Fat Sound go out of business but I can't forgive Stu for taking deposits and not ordering amps, ordering inventory and stiffing the builders, or avoiding, misleading and outright lying to customers for several months or longer as it seems was going on. If he was getting into trouble, wish he would have just been upfront about it with everyone. Of course, no one has or will hear from Stu so we'll never get his side.
BTW, Mark Kane aka Fret King did some work for me. He is a great luthier and a great guy and only rented space from Fat Sound.
Anyway, whole situation sucks. I feel sorry for anyone who got shafted. I hate to see Fat Sound go out of business but I can't forgive Stu for taking deposits and not ordering amps, ordering inventory and stiffing the builders, or avoiding, misleading and outright lying to customers for several months or longer as it seems was going on. If he was getting into trouble, wish he would have just been upfront about it with everyone. Of course, no one has or will hear from Stu so we'll never get his side.
BTW, Mark Kane aka Fret King did some work for me. He is a great luthier and a great guy and only rented space from Fat Sound.
Docster
Member
I went by Fat Sounds today to take a peek inside (they are closed on Sundays), as I haven't been over their in a couple of months. I only use Fat Sounds as that was the space shared by Mark Kane (Fret King - luthier). As others have said, Mark does very nice work.
It appears that the store may still be open as there are plenty of Dr Z's and other amps in the center amp space. All of the used gear that used to line one wall is now gone, and 75% of the guitar stock that used to line the walls are now gone.
It was interesting to see that Mark Kane's tech space was completely cleaned out. There was also a note on the front door stating that the Fret King (Mark Kane) and both guitar instructors had moved to a different location in downtown Cary. For those that are interested Mark Kane can be reached at 919-210-2410 and his new address is 139 East Chatham St in Cary.
My personal experience was that FSG was a bit high brow. I started playing guitars 4 years ago and after beginning on a solid state Marshall wanted to get a tube amp. I figured a small shop like FSG would be just the ticket if I didn't want to deal with the local Guitar Center in Raleigh. It was pretty dissappointing
I went in there looking to get some decent advice about tube amps and steered toward a low watt starter. It was like I was wasting their time, a strange experience since no one else was in the shop. The guy behind the counter made me feel every bit like the noob that I was. I ended up going to Guitar Center and dropping a ton of cash over the next two years (LP Std, Mesa Boogie Roadster, cabs, pedals, etc.). If the staff treated others like they treated me, then I can understand why the business dried up.
It appears that the store may still be open as there are plenty of Dr Z's and other amps in the center amp space. All of the used gear that used to line one wall is now gone, and 75% of the guitar stock that used to line the walls are now gone.
It was interesting to see that Mark Kane's tech space was completely cleaned out. There was also a note on the front door stating that the Fret King (Mark Kane) and both guitar instructors had moved to a different location in downtown Cary. For those that are interested Mark Kane can be reached at 919-210-2410 and his new address is 139 East Chatham St in Cary.
My personal experience was that FSG was a bit high brow. I started playing guitars 4 years ago and after beginning on a solid state Marshall wanted to get a tube amp. I figured a small shop like FSG would be just the ticket if I didn't want to deal with the local Guitar Center in Raleigh. It was pretty dissappointing
I went in there looking to get some decent advice about tube amps and steered toward a low watt starter. It was like I was wasting their time, a strange experience since no one else was in the shop. The guy behind the counter made me feel every bit like the noob that I was. I ended up going to Guitar Center and dropping a ton of cash over the next two years (LP Std, Mesa Boogie Roadster, cabs, pedals, etc.). If the staff treated others like they treated me, then I can understand why the business dried up.
RedRider
New member
Wow. I am on the opposite side of the spectrum for sure. I was/am good friends with all the guys that worked there. They have all been to my house multiple times and know my whole family. Both mikes have always been great to me....and I am stim an a solute noob. ! Lolol. What happened at the shop is totally on stu and not the mikes. And it was not due to lack of business sense, it was personal issues....I really feel bad for all involved. For a shop with thier reputation to be literally destroyed like this is just a bad thing for all of us. It just gives power to the big box stores to run things
I hope it doesn't hurt the small builders too much but I know it will affect a lot of them
I hope it doesn't hurt the small builders too much but I know it will affect a lot of them
zakk99
New member
I have been friends with Stu since he was in High School! You people need to just chill with the remarks about his or his employees' character ... because you don't know what you are talking about ... anybody that feels they have been mistreated in his store ... probabley think too much of themselves to start with ... this stuff is happening to GOOD people everywhere ... and don't think you know the man if you don't ... i guarantee if he owes anybody ... he knows it ... this man has just lost everything he has worked for his entire adult life ... but go ahead and say your unimformed BS ... as you sit with your tens of thousdands dollars worth of equipment that has never seen a gig ... or understand anything about the music business .. but think people ... think about what you are saying ... and shut the hell up if you don't have a clue ... this is an honorable man you are trashing.
Bob Savage
Well-known member
zakk99":3k1lfrvu said:
You were doing so well and then... <burp><flush>
S
Shiny_Surface
Active member
Bought 2 Uberschall's from that store back in the early 00's...first time good service/support second time shitty didn't even use the original factory packaging to ship even though brand new in the store lol. Pretty shoddy packing was worried but it survived and that was in '04.
Only reason I bought from there was TGP praise posts major lesson learned.
Only reason I bought from there was TGP praise posts major lesson learned.
carlygtr
Banned
New member
zakk99":88cnrxun said:
As opposed to sitting on tens of thousands of dollars of other people's gear and money.
threadkiller
New member
Hate to hear that Stu has lost everything and is going through something like this. My post, which I stand behind, is that after hearing about all the great customer service from Mike and the crew, I never saw it. I didn't say I was treated badly. I was just sort of ignored most of the time. I always left the store feeling like the sales crew had sized me up, decided I wasn't in the golden Fat Sound circle and decided I wasn't worth wasting a whole lot of time on. In fact, the one time I actually dealt with Stu directly I really felt like I got good information and guidance to help me find what I was looking for, and I ended up buying an amp from him that day. It was one of the few big purchases I did make at Fat Sound over the years. So, just an honest personal report about my dealings with them. I guess it doesn't matter now. Sorry if Stu got into financial trouble, lost his business, lost his life savings, etc. I'm sure everyone can understand and feel compassion for him. But the "honorable man" you are defending straight up lied to people, and that's a big problem. It's the truth. If it chaps you ass, have a chapped ass.
J
jcj
Well-known member
zakk99":3hpq8mon said:
Shouldn't have bumped a week and a half old thread; should have let it go away. Very few here care about Fatsound.
Now if you REALLY want to read some nastiness, head on over to the TGP thread, and have at it
steve_k
New member
jcj":2ywyqx8f said:zakk99":2ywyqx8f said:
Shouldn't have bumped a week and a half old thread; should have let it go away. Very few here care about Fatsound.
Now if you REALLY want to read some nastiness, head on over to the TGP thread, and have at it
TGP has returned the favor before, Josh.....
OldSkoolNJ
Active member
Good guy or not, regardless of nut swingers... if you have peoples money and didnt send the product or complete you're end of the transaction you are fucking scumbag period, no if's and's or but's about it..
zakk99
New member
Bob .... you are exactly right … after I posted that it bothered me … my frustrations of some of the things I have read on this forum in the past had no place in my post … but … I was mad … I was seeing the character of somebody I care about being trashed by the anonymity of the internet … when complete facts of the situation are unknown …
don't even get on here enought to know how to take a quote from someone eles's post to reply to it ...
but one other thing .... does anybody happen to have knowledge if assets have been frozen?
don't even get on here enought to know how to take a quote from someone eles's post to reply to it ...
but one other thing .... does anybody happen to have knowledge if assets have been frozen?
L
LukeCurd
New member
zakk99":37j2iy1f said:
zakk99":37j2iy1f said:
J
jjnewbold
New member
Stu had my PWE Event Horizon 100 head for sale on consignment there. He never once tried to contact me about getting it back to me when the store was closing. I have since repeatedly called him, emailed him, and messaged him on facebook. No response. And I spent thousands of dollars there over the years. He's a thief as far as I'm concerned.
fuzzyguitars
Active member
thief
zakk99
New member
Doubt if it makes anybody that lost equipment or money from the fall of Fat Sound feel any better ... but just so you know ... Stu is very broke and his life is in shambles ... he didn't just take the money and run ... and he has lost a lot more than just his reputation and his store ..
ejecta
Active member
zakk99":1a36mm4s said:
I really doubt it makes them feel better. That said there is never an excuse to steal people's gear and or money. Never.