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Author Topic: ACCORDEONS MELODIE  (Read 23978 times)

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melodeon

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #20 on: October 27, 2010, 03:15:11 PM »

That is EXACTLY my assessment

When I contacted them 25 days after their last promised date of July 20.....
They answered my query with, "what order".. "I have no order"
Followed by a very long uncomfortable pause and what sounded like shuffling of papers,
then :  " I think we can have AN accordeon ready for you by Sept 25"
Which would be 65 days after their last and delayed promise of a completion date of July 20
Note: we can have "an" accordeon... not "your" accordeon ready by such and such date.
Understand I have already paid in full....

I suspected this all along. I do believe it is possible:
A. They made and sold my accordeon at the Carrefour Mondial, or elsewhere
B.  Forgot the order and rushed by grabbing what was available and slamming strap brackets on it.
That would explain..
Wrong color box
Wrong color buttons
No Thumb Groove
Wrong tuning.

Note my contact to them after the initial deposit and promise date was 8 months 2 weeks, not before. And then I only asked HOW they would be shipping the box because of my remoteness and limited delivery options. And to correct an address on their initial deposit invoice.  
Their reply was, July 20 , mail ,and please send the balance of your payment. Which I did.
Then the contact after that missed promise date. 25 days after.
I never badgered them  or annoyed them with continual contact.
I understand delays, I do not understand:
No contact
Missing promised due dates
Making an accordeon I did not order
And the reply I just got.


More later.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2010, 11:45:37 PM by melodeon »
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Québécois

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #21 on: October 27, 2010, 03:22:48 PM »

Clearly they sent you an accordion that was built for someone else hoping you would just take it.  I'll bet they are way behind and hadn't even started building yours when you began to query them at 8 months past the due date.
...and that someone else will probably get an accordion that was built for another someone else! Chain reaction. Unfortunately this seems to be a problem with many artisans and small businesses, not only in the musical instrument sector. People can't manage their schedules, they make unrealistic promises, keep switching priorities depending on who screams the loudest, make up excuses to tell their customers... not a good way to stay in business!
 

« Last Edit: October 27, 2010, 05:29:06 PM by Québécois »
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Andrel

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #22 on: October 27, 2010, 03:26:36 PM »

Clearly unacceptable. They should build you right box, in a timely manner. Meanwhile enjoy the one they sent you and return it when you get yours, at their cost, and no quibbling about a few nicks and scratches.
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melodeon

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #23 on: October 27, 2010, 03:30:45 PM »

SO,

My fault for not constantly contacting them : )

Believe me... in the past 10 days I have made up for this.

When I get their next reply...  which I have asked to be ONE WORD... not
a page that did NOT  address my one and only question....

If the response is not what I want and expect..
then and only then will I post the letter I just got from them and my reply letter.

If they do the right thing.. I will post that, and not reveal the contents of their letter, or mine.

I truly believe we all have a right to know how makers deal with their customers, good and bad.


Andrel...

They have already declined..and offered an absolutley ridiculous response as to why they would not....

Here it is  ....
" We will not build another accordeon because the accordeon you have is the color  "naturel", the color you ordered  ,and ,
because it has a strap bracket and your name on the inside and we could not sell it"  Unquote.

Now the real absurdity of the color response  is that they then went on to tell me how they stained the box because it brought out the grain, and because the maple they chose would not look good without a stain... what ? I mean.....  What ?

And, I have absolutley NO confidence in them.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2010, 05:13:10 PM by melodeon »
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Andrew Culwell

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #24 on: October 27, 2010, 03:58:24 PM »

Perhaps you should inform the maker that this thread exists and that many prospective customers will be reading it.  I recall another thread that got the attention of an accordion maker in Australia and the thread wasn't even critical about the quality of his work.  Perhaps the maker of Melodie accordeons should be made aware of the public forum where his work and customer service failures are being commented on.  Sometimes the public airing of dissatisfaction is enough to get some redress.
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melodeon

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #25 on: October 27, 2010, 04:27:10 PM »

Absolutely NOTHING I have posted here is news to MELODIE.
I have posted perhaps 1 % of the actual correspondence and telephone contact.
They are fully aware of my dissatisfaction, not only with the wrong accordeon but of their response.

They have offered NO apology
They will not admit wrong doing
They have made a critical false statement in their recent letter and did not address a very specific question...
They have refused to make another accordeon
They will not explain " why did you make and send the wrong accordeon ?"... no response exccept to say that is the accordeon I ordered

They will....
Take the box back.. cut a groove in the fingerboard, replace the buttons and retune it

I have steadfastly refused  because the box is the wrong color
With a groove and tuning and black buttons I will still have a stained accordeon
I do NOT like stain.... to my eye...it looks artificial and dirty...
I ordered an accordeon in "naturel" not stained any color.

Because I am a furniture maker by profession, I know that cutting a groove requires; re staining and refinishing...
it cannot be done satisfactorily without making and entirely new keyboard... not offered..they will  repair only what I have.

Not acceptable. This is not the accordeon I ordered.

Keep in mind:

12 1/2 months... not 5-6-8.... 12 1/2 months
I am out of pocket over $3100  US



Post Script.

I have played the accordeon for a very few minutes when I first got it., then back in the box.
I photographed the accordeon and put it back in the box.
This is their accordeon, not mine.
I will not play it. It is not mine to play.
They deserve to have the accordeon back in the same condition as sent.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2010, 05:11:09 PM by melodeon »
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blafleur

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #26 on: October 27, 2010, 05:34:58 PM »

Mistakes, though frustrating, are understandable when dealing with humans. What is completely unacceptable in any profession is lack of communication and lack of responsibility. Simply doing the right thing.

Like Rees, us part time builders have some built in schedule de-railers, but that can be easily discussed before hand, and there are acceptable delays, and unacceptable delays.  I agree with your course of action, and am interested to see how it turns out.

Québécois

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #27 on: October 27, 2010, 05:44:27 PM »

This is a painful situation. Did you sign anything regarding the conditions of the sale? Do you have a written confirmation of the order, with all the details of the box you wanted?

When you pay everything in advance to a supplier (who is also located far away) it is difficult to negotiate a return or a refund, even if they made a mistake, especially for a custom-made article. They visibly sent you 'an' accordion, not the one you ordered. If they received the full amount, then it is no longer "their' accordion, unfortunately.
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blafleur

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #28 on: October 27, 2010, 05:55:49 PM »

Yep, a sticky situation indeed.  The bad thing is not being able to see to accept the finished product without shipping.  One hopes they do the right thing.  How much of this type of publicity can a company take.  Shame that some companies allow their reputation for their product cause disregard for their reputation of taking care of a customer.

Andy in Vermont

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #29 on: October 27, 2010, 07:12:16 PM »


I know that several customers from outside of Québec have gone to Mélodie in part due to my recommendations, and I have to say that if Mélodie does not resolve this issue for Jeff, I will no longer feel comfortable continuing to recommend Mélodie to others.  I think that they are amazing one-row boxes, but I just won't be able to recommend them any more if the customer can't count on receiving what s/he requested, especially where tuning is concerned.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2010, 07:30:59 PM by Andy in Vermont »
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Andy in Vermont

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #30 on: October 27, 2010, 07:39:03 PM »

They visibly sent you 'an' accordion, not the one you ordered. If they received the full amount, then it is no longer "their' accordion, unfortunately.
That would be true only if Jeff paid after delivery of the item, where payment would appear to be an acceptance of the accordion.  According to what you are saying, they could have sent him a Hohner and it would have fulfilled their side of the deal, and I doubt that Canada is that ridiculous in its consumer laws.  It surely can't be the case that someone is screwed simply because he paid in advance. 
« Last Edit: October 27, 2010, 07:57:02 PM by Andy in Vermont »
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melodeon

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #31 on: October 27, 2010, 09:00:34 PM »

On the deposit invoice
Naturel
Thumb groove

Not on the invoice, but in 2 earlier e mails and 2 phone conversations with an English speaking representative of Melodie:
BLACK Buttons
A very very small amount of tremolo, just enough to tell there are 2 reeds.
And this person suggested 5-7 cents....

I have never seen a Melodie with white buttons.. black is their standard, and trademark look... I got white
They, not I, suggested 5-7 cents.. it is 12..Sounds good  for what it is, but not what I ordered

The main issue is color ,and  no thumbgroove

They cannot, and will not,  correct the color
They cannot reasonably put in a thumbgroove and do a credible job of re-stain and refinish...
Improbable, if not impossible, from my  perspective as a professional wood worker of 20 years... ( amateur for another 25 plus)
This would require a new keyboard
They are NOT willing to replace anything except the black buttons... only repair/modify  and retune

« Last Edit: October 28, 2010, 01:12:47 AM by melodeon »
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melodeon

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #32 on: October 28, 2010, 01:45:42 AM »

I want to clarify the point about color.

1. When I placed the order for an accordeon, I did so with an English speaking representative of Melodie.
It was made absolutely clear ,and repeated,   natural (naturel)   and specified and discussed... no stain

2. When I got the accordeon it had a brown stain. I notified the English speaking representative who told me to
contact The actual maker at Melodie

3. The maker claimed that the accordeon was "naturel" ,and I ordered "naturel"

4. The maker then went on to explain that the maple he chose for the accordeon would look best if it had a brown stain to bring out the figure.

5. I said that a stained accordeon is not "naturel", but stained, I ordered "naturel", no stain

6. When Melodie sent me a letter, they said that they called this color "naturel" and that this is the lightest color accordeon they make

7. I have had in my possession for over a year, a photo of a Melodie accordeon in "naturel' , no stain.. when compared with this accordeon the difference is obvious..  one is "naturel"  one is stained.  I have proof that Melodie makes accordeons with no stain, lighter than the accordeon they sent me which they say is the lighest color accordeon they make

8. I was recently sent another photo via e-mail of another "naturel" Melodie accordeon without stain, when compared with this accordeon the difference is obvious

9. I am sending to Melodie  photos of lighter "naturel"  accordeons as well as a photo of their accordeon next to my Bart Reiter Regent banjo which is "naturel" without stain. Their insistence my accordeon is naturel , and they do not make a lighter accordeon appears to be a false statement.

 Their contention is:
A. The accordeon I got is what they call "naturel"
B.  I ordered "naturel" so there for I ordered an accordeon with stain
C. They admittted staining the accordeon because the wood they chose would not look good without a stain
D. They said they do not make any lighter color other than the color on the accordeon I got

So, based on their admission that they stained this accordeon, and contrary to their statements in their letter that this accordeon is the lighest color they make when I have photos of Melodie accordeons with no stain and "naturel".... I believe they have not only a problem in making what the customer ordered , but in presenting truthful information.

They have made an accordeon I did not order and it is my opinion that they are attempting to evade and obfuscate and make excuses rather than face up to the facts and correct their errors.

Just my opinion.

They got their money, all of it, on time.
I got an accordeon I did not order, and I got it late... very late.. with repeated missed promise dates.
I got excuses and misinformation as a response to my dissatisfaction, as well as a refusal to admit fault and willingly and cheerfully accept responsibity and correct all of their mistakes to my satisfaction.



Considering they are so far behind in their orders,  How long do you think it would take them to find another buyer.??

I already have offers, but this is NOT my accordeon, so I can't really offer it for sale.

It would become mine only if I accepted their bungling; which I have  not.


Incidentally, I proposed other options which Melodie has also refused.
It is all their terms or nothing at this point.

« Last Edit: October 28, 2010, 02:59:14 AM by melodeon »
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johnners

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Re: Saga of ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #33 on: October 28, 2010, 10:03:16 AM »

I've been following this post with some interest, as I'm sure many of us have - and there's bound to be a feeling of 'this could happen to me'. That's why the post has become important - though a relative newcomer to the site, I believe that some (all?) of us would aspire to acquiring a 'lifetime box' at some stage in our various musical careers - however this defines itself.
Music - self-generated music (for me it's Morris) - is an important and worthwhile occupation in our short lives and the means/wherewithall of doing this is dependent on everyone being helpful, honest and truthful at various stages of its pursuit. From its ordering, initial build to playing-in and use over the years - the melodeon's 'cradle to grave' if you like.
The 'colour stain question' and its associated factors are important points in this transaction, Jeff; and I believe you've got the upper hand here regarding any litigation you might be considering. $3100 is a lot of money in anyone's book and you're absolutely right when you state that this is NOT the melodeon you ordered, in many respects.
I'd like to think that almost everyone on melnet supports you and looks to a soonest and decent outcome of this sorry tale.
Good luck, Jeff, and hang on in there.
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Clive Williams

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #34 on: October 28, 2010, 10:18:49 AM »

Yep, good luck Jeff, and with my admin's hat on, thank you for keeping your commentary on this factual and avoiding making unproved derogatory comments about the situation. Your restraint does you great credit.

ladydetemps

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #35 on: October 28, 2010, 10:27:26 AM »

If that much money was at steak I would have asked them to send a photo of the exact box they were sending you before sending the balance? Plus in the days of the internet how hard is it for them play on webcam for the customer to see the box in use?
But then I'm paranoid about this stuff.

Hope you get it sorted out.

Owen Woods

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #36 on: October 28, 2010, 11:24:07 AM »

The chap that I am going to get a new charango from (Lois from Charangostore.com) sends people pictures of the charangos before he sends them. I think that it is an important condition.
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rees

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #37 on: October 28, 2010, 11:42:06 AM »

Grrrr! This kind of thing really winds me up and from our phone conversations, I know it does you, Jeff.
Therefore, may I echo Clive's comments regarding the way that you have presented the facts of the case on this forum.

Melodie really should offer you a full refund. They can easily sell the accordeon to another customer.
OK, so it has your name on it. It's a simple job to rout out your name and insert a plate with a different name on it.

You, sir, have been shafted! I sincerely hope that you can resolve this episode to your satisfaction.
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blafleur

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #38 on: October 28, 2010, 11:50:03 AM »

Ladydetemps, that is an excellent idea about the video. 

Theo

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Re: ACCORDEONS MELODIE
« Reply #39 on: October 28, 2010, 12:10:49 PM »

Ladydetemps, that is an excellent idea about the video. 

Maybe a song along the lines of "United Breaks Guitars"
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