Vintage HiFi Audio Forum

General Banter => The Circular File => Topic started by: vf1000ride on July 12, 2015, 07:43:03 PM

Title: Any news from the shop?
Post by: vf1000ride on July 12, 2015, 07:43:03 PM
Any news updates from the guys at the shop?  Do they have equipment back on the bench yet or an idea for a timeframe to pick up on the repair backlog?
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: vf1000ride on July 23, 2015, 01:52:23 AM
Nobody?
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 23, 2015, 01:56:19 PM
Progressing slowly but not operational yet was the last I heard and saw.  The new bench area is three times larger than the  old one,  and most of the component parts have been sorted/organized.  But not operational yet.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: bmwr75 on July 23, 2015, 02:36:58 PM
If I had stuff at the shop to be repaired, I'd be making every effort to get it back in my grubby hands.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: vf1000ride on July 23, 2015, 10:47:34 PM
If I had stuff at the shop to be repaired, I'd be making every effort to get it back in my grubby hands.

That is the problem with the situation, I have been trying for over a year now to get my equipment returned.  It has been at the shop since Feb of 2013.  This started long before the injury and before the shop moved and continues to this day.  I have tried everything from phone calls to emails and even postal mail and the owners/ anybody from the shop continues to refuse to contact me. I have asked for help from this forum and from the moderators and have gotten no answers from them either.  It seems as if I am "Not part of the club" so nobody justifies responding to me.  It's a 3-4 hour drive for me to go to Pittsburgh in person but really don't feel like wasting a day trip to drive out there just to find out they aren't around or refuse to answer the door also.  You would think if he is not currently making repairs and the shop is otherwise closed that they would have time to answer the phones, emails and send people unfixed gear back to them.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on July 23, 2015, 11:06:18 PM
It seems as if I am "Not part of the club" so nobody justifies responding to me.

I don't respond to these posts because I don't know the answer.   I wish I did.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: ST-Rider on July 24, 2015, 08:06:05 AM
Why hasn't Tom responded? Just a simple update would suffice. I can imagine how frustrating it must be to have your stuff in the shop for that long, and not even get the decency of a reply?  There are tons of people here that know/interact with Tom....the silence is deafening, and there's no excuse to not have an update. 

I'll be honest, this used to be my goto shop for any repairs and vintage audio purchases, but reading this has made me look elsewhere, even if the shop were to open tomorrow.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 24, 2015, 09:27:39 AM
I don't think Tom checks this web site regularly any more.  Cannot positively confirm,  but I am almost sure that is the case. 
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: bmwr75 on July 24, 2015, 09:43:16 AM
Screen capture below shows Tom (OCCD) was last active on the site on July 4, 2015.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Dicky on July 24, 2015, 10:10:54 AM
I don't think Tom checks this web site regularly any more.  Cannot positively confirm,  but I am almost sure that is the case.

Does he have to log onto the site to answer the telephone too? 

It is pretty ridiculous that people have been posting for information on getting equipment back for over a year, and no one can give an answer.  Whatever the reason for the delay communicate with the customer; and either ship the equipment back to them to have it repaired elsewhere or let them know a time when it can be evaluated. 
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 24, 2015, 10:18:27 AM
Scotty - your point is taken.  I will slap Tom (again) on this topic next time I see him.  You need to walk a mile in his shoes to understand the specifics of the situation,  me thinks.   
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: bmwr75 on July 24, 2015, 03:05:39 PM
Honestly, I'm surprised some dissatisfied customer hasn't already served papers on the shop for theft.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: ST-Rider on July 24, 2015, 03:07:13 PM
Doesn't Anders still work there? I understand that Tom had surgery or something, but I thought Anders did a lot of the repair work?
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 24, 2015, 03:35:31 PM
I guess a person could raise a small claims action in the local court against the shop, if they so decided.  They would need to prove that they sent the equipment in,  that it was received, and that the shop has exceeded the reasonable time to respond or complete the repair.  Would cost a few bucks if you use a lawyer,  but you could do it yourself I surmise.  And Tom would respond to the claim by bringing the piece of equipment to court to return and that would be that.

Me,  I still believe the shop will come back to life soon and that the first priority will be to take care of the repair backlog.  The equipment sent in will return to its owners a tad more vintage than when it arrived.   I base this on my ongoing conversations with Tom when I do see him.  He is as anxious as any of us to get the shop going again soon.   

As for Anders, he can comment himself,  but I understand Anders has a real full-day job somewhere else - his contributions to the shop are/were sporadic. 

OBG
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Dicky on July 24, 2015, 04:34:39 PM
I don't see anywhere that the customers want to go to court, they all have come here to ask for information, I.e. Communication.  "When" is the one asked the most.  Here is a post from exactly one year ago, http://vintagehifipgh.com/forum/index.php/topic,2968.msg28545.html#msg28545 (http://vintagehifipgh.com/forum/index.php/topic,2968.msg28545.html#msg28545)
Same question, no answer, and people still come to defend this situation. 
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on July 24, 2015, 05:09:12 PM


Me,  I still believe the shop will come back to life soon and that the first priority will be to take care of the repair backlog. 

I hope so.   This whole issue is very hard for me to comment on because I have nothing but appreciation and respect for Tom, but I also more than understand the concerns of his customers.

When I first got married our finances were a terrible mess for many reasons that I won't get into here.   An eviction is part of what brought me back to PA from Boston.   When my car was repo'd, a good friend told me I could have his second car for $500 (this was 25 years ago), and I could pay him when I was able.   Well, I had every intention of paying him, but of course in that position the line of people wanting money from you is long.   As a few weeks turned into a few months, I started avoiding my friend because I felt so guilty.   Months turned into years and I thought the whole incident (and my relationship with this person) were ancient history.   

Then one day I got a letter from him.   He apologized to me for not understanding how desperate my situation was and letting a few bucks come between us.   I was floored.   The whole thing was completely my fault and he was expressing sorrow to me for the loss of our relationship.   I was a gigging musician at the time and had two basses.   I immediately sold one and sent him back the $500, along with a letter telling him how grateful I was for the overwhelming grace he had extended me.

Our friendship (though states apart) is as strong now as it has ever been.   I guess my point in this is that I understand how "in the hole" Tom must feel and I also understand the impulse to want to avoid all of this unpleasantness.   I don't condone it, but I do understand it.   People are more important than stuff and I believe this will all work out when and how it's supposed to.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Resident on July 24, 2015, 06:03:11 PM
"Then one day I got a letter from him.   He apologized to me for not understanding how desperate my situation was and letting a few bucks come between us."

What you have there if I may say is a true friend. 

I have a lot of people I know, but I only have 3 friends. They are just like the person you described, and those you value forever.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on July 24, 2015, 06:48:00 PM
Absolutely.   I am forever grateful to him.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: bmwr75 on July 24, 2015, 08:38:28 PM
Great story Mark.  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on July 24, 2015, 09:00:33 PM


Me,  I still believe the shop will come back to life soon and that the first priority will be to take care of the repair backlog. 

Our friendship (though states apart) is as strong now as it has ever been.   I guess my point in this is that I understand how "in the hole" Tom must feel and I also understand the impulse to want to avoid all of this unpleasantness.   I don't condone it, but I do understand it.   People are more important than stuff and I believe this will all work out when and how it's supposed to.

Great share - thank you for posting!
Title: Re: Any news from the shop?
Post by: Jim Pittsburgh on July 25, 2015, 07:42:14 AM
Nice poignant story... much appreciated... wife and I have similar and have done our best during the intervening years to do for others as friends have done for us, including Tom. I believe that once the houses are sold he'll be in a better place. Especially tough situation for him with his health problems.