waiting my turn: is there a deadline for changing an order...

[nicolasd]

so i contacted my local guitar center on an EBMM i want.

not in stock. 6 month wait.

ok. i can deal. here's the question. 6 months puts me into january '07.

namm january 18-21, 2007 in anaheim.

so here's the thing. what's the protocol for changing an order once you've made one? if something perfect for me comes out in january, and i need to change an order, do i go to the back of the "line" again and wait until july '07 for my instrument?

is there a point of no return say 2 months before estimated delivery, where a (custom) order can no longer be changed?

 

[bovinehost]

If you order a bass through a dealer, that bass has your name on it. Music Man doesn't build it until you ask for it.

This is why we generally go with a 'non-refundable' deposit upon order.

1. ...what's the protocol for changing an order once you've made one?

Depends on the dealer. If a customer wants to change something before the bass is started, that's no big deal, usually. If the bass is under construction.....different story.

2. ...if something perfect for me comes out in january, and i need to change an order, do i go to the back of the "line" again and wait until july '07 for my instrument?

Easy answer is "yes". The other consideration is that your dealer is on the hook for the bass you said you wanted and that was built just for you.

What is it you think might show up in January that will render obsolete the 8 million choices you have right now?

3. ....is there a point of no return say 2 months before estimated delivery, where a (custom) order can no longer be changed?

If the dealer wants to go ahead and pay for 'your' bass.....? I think you need to make up your mind and order what you want. January won't change things, I would hazard to guess.

And even if something new does show in January, there's going to be an even longer wait on a new model.

Bongos showed at NAMM in January of 2003 and didn't hit the shelves until November of that year. Long wait.

Jack

 

[nicolasd]

well i have no desire to put a dealer on the hook for a bass i don't purchase. that's just not cool.

but if construction hasn't begun yet, there's no issue, right? you replace one build number with another and the deposit if any is applied to the new instrument. no?

 

[bovinehost]

It depends on how you look at it.

When someone orders a bass through me, I'm thinking they've given it some serious thought and know what they want. When I submit their order to MusicMan, I assume it's going to be just what he/she wants and so on.

I don't enjoy calling SLO and changing/cancelling things. I think it makes me look like an idiot, which I can do quite nicely on my own, without any help whatsoever.

I guess my point is - order what you want.

On the other hand, you're not ordering it from me, so perhaps I should just shut up!



Seriously, you don't want to get a reputation as "that guy".

 

[nicolasd]

What is it you think might show up in January that will render obsolete the 8 million choices you have right now?

Jack

well that's exactly what i don't know. i'm at two disadvantages:

i haven't on the forums long enough to see what kinds of things appear at shows like NAMM. new colors, redesigned pickups, different hardware, new options etc.

second, and perhaps this is a misperception on my part... i can't go buying a dozen EBMM's until i have a couch-full to photograph. i want my purchases to be as right-on as possible.

i have to make my purchase(s) as regret-proof as possible. you understand, right?

 

[tommyindelaware]

well i have no desire to put a dealer on the hook for a bass i don't purchase. that's just not cool.

i like this guy already......

 

[nicolasd]

i like this guy already......

and that's just it. i want to know all the rules and procedures before i go ordering so i know exactly what my guidelines are so i DON'T hang a dealer out to dry or piss off BP and Co.

i'm already a black sheep of one family, thankyouverymuch.

 

[koogie2k]

and that's just it. i want to know all the rules and procedures before i go ordering so i know exactly what my guidelines are so i DON'T hang a dealer out to dry or piss off BP and Co.

i'm already a black sheep of one family, thankyouverymuch.

That's cool. I can understand where you are coming from. However, if you think of it this way, you want to order up a bass, yet you might change your mind after the NAMM show. Well, the waiting period can get even deeper...guess what, another NAMM show....changed minds yet again....longer waiting period. You get my point. We have peeps here (Foggy comes to mind) that have a gazillion pics in all the colors and configurations you could possibly want. Check those out. I just got out of the NAMM show and have quite a few picks of all the basses and guitars that were shown....plus, they have my fingerprints all over them!

Seriously, pick what you want out of all the options available now and be done with it. I promise you will love it! I am trying to convince my wife that I need a 30th Stingray right now....so, do some research and know you are getting what you want.

 

[Dr Stankface]

See, you could be one of the few and proud owners of a Dargie Delight and the wait is only until November. Ya get what i'm sayin???

 

[Freddels]

It depends on how you look at it.

When someone orders a bass through me, I'm thinking they've given it some serious thought and know what they want. When I submit their order to MusicMan, I assume it's going to be just what he/she wants and so on.

I don't enjoy calling SLO and changing/cancelling things. I think it makes me look like an idiot, which I can do quite nicely on my own, without any help whatsoever.

I guess my point is - order what you want.

On the other hand, you're not ordering it from me, so perhaps I should just shut up!



Seriously, you don't want to get a reputation as "that guy".

I don't see why it would make you look like an idiot. People change their minds. It's not like a bass is being ordered and it's being produced immediately. There appears to be quite a long wait. If the change is the color or pickguard and the order hasn't been put into production yet, I wouldn't think this should be such a problem. Any changes that have a different price such as pickup configuration would have to adjust the end price.

He's still purchasing the same bass but just some changes to it. Even if he doesn't it just means that the next person in line gets his a day early. There doesn't appear to be a shortage of customers.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

As long as the bass hasn't been started yet I have no problem changing a customer's order because Jack' s the one who has to call the factory not me.

Seriously, I think that perhaps you need more time to evalaute what it is you want, model, pickup configuration, color etc...

Tell us what your thinking of now.

 

[SR5EasyPiezos]

International Customer Opinion

Seriously, I think that perhaps you need more time to evalaute what it is you want, model, pickup configuration, color etc...

Tell us what your thinking of now.

Sounds to me you're looking for a good dealer who can communicate with you at the right level and help you think everything through; and then you can place one special order for the one bass that's good for you, knowing that when it arrives, it will be done right and you will be hooked for good with no regrets.

Fact is, I've been holding out for NAMM '07 announcements knowing it would be 6 months from then before I would see whatever I may want to order; I was down to 2 final colour choices.

Then Dargie Delight came along and twisted me, a diehard SR5 HPlover, into a BONGO5 shaped pretzel.

Now my biggest problem is finding a Canadian dealer I can trust; and I'm actually a good customer who's had prepaid special order problems before; life is too short and the SLO special order line is long enough already for any nonsense.

(Lucky me, Beth has already given me a phone number to ease my worries.)
SR5EP

 

[jongitarz]

I don't see why it would make you look like an idiot. People change their minds. It's not like a bass is being ordered and it's being produced immediately. There appears to be quite a long wait. If the change is the color or pickguard and the order hasn't been put into production yet, I wouldn't think this should be such a problem. Any changes that have a different price such as pickup configuration would have to adjust the end price.

He's still purchasing the same bass but just some changes to it. Even if he doesn't it just means that the next person in line gets his a day early. There doesn't appear to be a shortage of customers.

You do not know what is involved in the production process. I would not speculate. There is paperwork, computer work etc involved. It's a lot more than you would think.

 

[bovinehost]

What Jon said, and to be clear, the guys I talk to are absolutely wonderful about taking good care of me and, by proxy, you guys.

But I think it's best to not change things once it's underway. I don't want to be a bigger problem than I already am. I don't want Dan McPherson talking about me at the water cooler! (I know he does.)

Some of you know I will do it if it has to be done. Part of the job. I'm just saying that for the original question in this thread, you don't want to get into the mindframe of being able to change things way down the road.

Or waiting for NAMM every year to order a bass.

 

[jongitarz]

What Jack said. But keep in mind that monkey wrenches in the works slow down the process. I'm just sayin.

 

[bovinehost]

What Jon said.

Plus, um, you know, what Jon said.

 

[jongitarz]

What Jon said.

Plus, um, you know, what Jon said.

Hola menso. Que onda?

 

[Tom F]

*Hangs head in shame...*



I wouldn't have done it if there was no Dargie Delight. See, it's not my fault!

 

[Freddels]

You do not know what is involved in the production process. I would not speculate. There is paperwork, computer work etc involved. It's a lot more than you would think.

I understand that once the information has been entered into the CNC machine that it would be more difficult to change. But if someone puts in an order today and the delivery date is 7 months out, I doubt that the build codes for that particular instrument has been entered into the build system. I'm sure that the order has been put in the computer and accounting and every other unseen part of running a business has been set in motion but I wouldn't think that it's impossible to make a change on an order. I wouldn't think a change made with enough time before production would cause a major inconvenience (but I could be mistaken).

Just like this DD Sterling that was built. I don't know when the decision was made to produce these but if it was recent I'm sure the one that was finished in the MOG color wasn't originally set to be that color but was one in the production line already.

 

[bovinehost]

I wouldn't have done it if there was no Dargie Delight. See, it's not my fault!

Nothing to worry about. I DO hate to change things, but I also realize that stuff comes up - like, say, just for instance, green basses.

I'm sure that the order has been put in the computer and accounting and every other unseen part of running a business has been set in motion but I wouldn't think that it's impossible to make a change on an order. I wouldn't think a change made with enough time before production would cause a major inconvenience

Don't get me wrong, okay? It's not impossible and as long as the bass isn't actually on the line, no one at SLO has ever made me feel like a dumbass for changing things.

It's ME. It makes me cringe to do it. Again - no one at Music Man has ever made the slightest bit of noise to me about it. They're very, very easy to get along with.

But again, let's look at the original post in this thread, and the author has already decided to re-think his approach.