How much have to lo$t from a Builder?

[RedPlated]

Hear about this type of thing way too often. Unbelievable.

I take zero deposit when I mod amps. Nothing up front and no payment until it’s ready to ship. I don’t really see the point of a deposit in the scenario.

I also absolutely hate keeping anyone’s amp for more than a week or two max. I’ll start turning down more amps if I get too far behind so that I can’t meet that personal requirement.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

The FB group is a wild time. It's usually pretty quiet, but sometimes on of the people he's fucked over tracks his ass down and posts where they found him. $2500 on a guitar is pennies compared to the other fraud he's committed. Tens of thousands in computer equipment theft, farming equipment, all kinds of wild shit.

So essentially he strung you along just past when you could make a valid CC claim knowing your odds were essentially close to zero after the fact. I guess the moral of the story there is to give them only a few months and then call the CC company.

 

[shredi knight]

I lost a substantial amount to this contractor named Bob (never got his last name), who was to do renovations to my home and demanded $5000 up front. After he received the money, he calls me and makes it known that he expects me to help out with the repairs. WTF? Obviously, I said no, then he disappeared.

No Bob, YOU can fix it! It's what I paid you for!

Thieving prick.

 

[NinjaRaf]

So essentially he strung you along just past when you could make a valid CC claim knowing your odds were essentially close to zero after the fact. I guess the moral of the story there is to give them only a few months and then call the CC company.

Yeah, to some degree. I think most CCs and banks will allow a charge back up to a year. For whatever reason, this particular credit union was only 3 months. I was pissed about that, too, and closed my accounts before I left the day I went in there to file a complaint. Not enough time. Sadly, had I used my other CC, I would have been able to get my money back for another 9 months. On top of that, when I did actually go to the bank, I was only 2-3 days past their charge back time period, and they refused to make an exception, which was also pretty ridiculous.

 

[rottingcorpse]

There was this Canadian Facebook builder named Steev who scammed me for a $1000 down on a barnboard top explorer build. He eventually flaked, went under and went to work with that Mork Verdun fuck. Turns out they were pulling the same scam...taking down payments from multiple customers for the same single guitar build. They would keep putting the buyers off until it was too late to reverse the charges. Wound up buying a Mork Verdun explorer used off Craigs list from a guy in Amarillo for a grand. Nice guitar, well worth what I paid for it.

 

[Devin]

Never been scammed luckily


The only custom piece I ordered was a Balaguer and the process was smooth as silk

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Problem for me was, because I had trust in the guy and the first purchase was so smooth, I sent an E transfer for materials and was to pay the balance when I got the amp. Live and learn. I am also pretty sure that he created another account to be the "friend" who was helping him get to orders.. you know, string it along further by saying he is getting help to get to all the orders and the work will be completed, just delayed.

 

[NinjaRaf]

There was this Canadian Facebook builder named Steev who scammed me for a $1000 down on a barnboard top explorer build. He eventually flaked, went under and went to work with that Mork Verdun fuck. Turns out they were pulling the same scam...taking down payments from multiple customers for the same single guitar build. They would keep putting the buyers off until it was too late to reverse the charges. Wound up buying a Mork Verdun explorer used off Craigs list from a guy in Amarillo for a grand. Nice guitar, well worth what I paid for it.View attachment 425293View attachment 425292

Same guy. The FB group is for people who’ve been scammed by Steve. I think he just changes names as he goes and keeps scamming people because Canadian law enforcement won’t do anything about.

 

[mnemonic]

I remember on a different forum there was a time when someone would pop up and post some builds, and people would trip over themselves to send them money for custom orders. Then they disappear, cue 50 page thread of complaints, then it starts all over with someone else.

Luckily I was a broke student at the time so I never got wrapped up in any of that. I’d like to think I would have had the good sense not to get involved in custom guitars from literal who’s but I dunno.

Closest I’ve got to thinking I was scammed is when I commissioned a custom painted and aged ash telecaster body from a guy in Northern Ireland just before Covid hit. The estimated timeframe came and went with no communication but it wasn’t a lot of money for me at the time so I let it ride. One day I got an email, here is your body is there any more aging details you want done to it?

Apparently he thought he was gonna get put out of business by Covid lockdowns but he ended up getting more orders than he’d ever had before. Luckily he had the skills to manage all that, unlike some others. It’s a real great body also.

 

[BABMusic]

Ed Roman.


Just kidding, I only spoke to him once. I've read the stories though...

 

[Music&Chaos]

Ordered a guitar from a custom builder. Was an already built model.

Had issues that were clearly present before shipping, including a twisted neck.

Tried ghosting me for a bit, but after a while ended up refunding the guitar minus exorbitant "shipping costs".

Found another builder who was absolutely amazing though.....Lacello.

 

[Bardagh]

Is $10k enough for a Banker Explorer?

 

[MYLILSS]

I got Scammed or rather Screwed over on a deal for Ford Mustang parts, and while it wasn't music related it was very much some BS. I bought the parts and the seller shipped them and then sent me tracking. During shipping the stuff was damaged enough that UPS decided to send it back to the shipper. I get an email from him stating the parts were damaged and they shouldn't have been shipped anyways, so he was keeping my money too. I outed him on the forums and everything. the whole forum sided with me, and when he refused publicly to give the money or the broken parts to me he got banned, but I still ended up with nothing.

It's the only time I've ever dealt with anything like it, but man that feeling sucks. I don't see how anyone can do that to another human being.

 

[Fusionbear]

I almost got scammed by a client. He was a regular. Very well to do. Prominent attorney who was on TV many times and was even a regular commentator. I had done a lot of work for him over the years, so I thought I could trust him. I sold him a 2007 SLO and restored a very early SVT bass amp and 8x10 cab. I had to send the head shell and empty cab to a local guy who is now retired. The retolexed cabs and original hardware restoration were incredible! It cost me a lot! I recapped and retubed the SVT with NOS tubes. It was one of the early ones with the plate cap on the power tubes.

Anyway, the dude took the SLO home and told me to let him know and he would have his secretary send me a check...

Well the amp was done and I let his secretary know and the wait began... after a couple of months I took things into my own hands. He shared a rehearsal space with another friend of mine and I went and took my SLO back home.

I also called the secretary and let her know i would call the TV station and complain if I didn't get a check in 48 hours...

That did it...lol...

I had a check delivered by overnight FedEx

I then delivered both the SLO and SVT rig...

Never did anymore work for him...lol..

I believe he is retired now, I haven't seen him on TV in a long time...

 

[stratjacket]

These horror stories suck, awful. I’ve been lucky so far I guess.

Those guys deserve an attitude adjustment from the guy in Office Space

 

[311boogieman]

Some of you guys got hit big on the whole Cameron fiasco. Did anything ever trickle down to you years later? Some of you even lost the physical amp I think. That would be a pisser. Another reason to only buy what you know you will get.

FUCKED 15 right here:

1. ed84246 (Charles) - 6/30/09 - $1500
2. MODDEDMARSHALL (Paul) -1/15/2010 - $3000
3. johnpace2 (John) - 3/30/10 - $2700
4. turtlefingers (Bruno) - 4/29/10 - $2700
5. Ampaddict (Todd) - 6/19/10 - $3000
6. Doubleneck (Eddie) - 6/??/10 - $3000
7. mdc1mdc11 (Mark) - 7/29/10 - $3000
8. Seitz333 (Chuck) - 9/08/10 - $3000
9. chameleon (Jose) - 9/08/10 - $3000
10. riffsfordaze (Wyatt) - 10/04/10 - $3000
11. sansoldati (Sergio) - ???
12. tlingen (Tim) - 10/09/10 - $2000
13. JeffHilligan
14. NewReligion - 8/04/2016 sent Marshall amp
15. dawnofdreamx97 (Nick)
*16? @drumdude (see if Cameron were in jail thread)


This data mostly came from multiple threads including one from Brad King himself.

Edit: Also, I've asked multiple times that if any of the info above is wrong or has been rectified please let me know. Happy to fix. No dog really.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Seems like RT is the perfect place to shop for victims..

 

[311boogieman]

Seems like RT is the perfect place to shop for victims..

I would say, seems like RT is the perfect place to not become a victim

Post Brad that is