Outstanding Customer Support

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I've stared this thread so that everybody can share their favorite companies to deal with on the phone.  or by whatever form of communication.

I'll start.

I use a Rivera tube amp and everytime I have a question I call the factory (the number is right on their website) in California.
Every single time I phone Paul Rivera Jr. answers the phone, (except for one time when he was in frankfurt for an expo).  I'm talking directly to the guy who demo's all the equipment, and i can usually hear him playing with something like a drill in the background. I get this image in my head of him with a cordless propped between his shoulder and ear while he's busy building amps.  I called him last week to ask about a feature.  I called him just to say thanks for the cab he sent me...  Its a real great grassroots kind of feel.

as my co-guitar player said to me. "I have a snowballs chance in hell of getting Jim Marshall on the phone."

Share your experiences.
 
A long time ago I owned a Rivera 55/12 - and I too phoned up Rivera about some stupid thing or another...
... and I got Paul Rivera himself on the phone!  Nice guy - answered my stupid question and took the time to talk. 
Great folks.

Some other folks that gave me great customer service:

Lollar pickups. The folks at lollar are top notch.  They normally have to jump through some hoops to authorize international shipping, but for me it was a quick email exchange to get it sorted.  Then for the second set of pickups, they remembered me and automatically authorized the shipping.  That was cool.

Bose gave me good customer service for my L1 towers (they replaced some stuff for free, even though I bought the equipment used), but I imagine that it would change depending on the person you happened to get on the phone

Lastly, HipShot gave me great service on my latest bender.  when I recieved it, I happened to notice that the back plate was 'bent' (haha I slay me) a tiny bit.  I send them an email suggesting that they change the packaging, and the offered to replace the whole thing - and this is an over $300.00 item we're talking about.  I delcined, saying I put it right myself, but they responded saying if there was ever a problem, I could exchange it.  Nice guys.



 
I recently bought a bunch of patch cables from MF - but didn't notice when I ordered them that they were TRS type. So I called them up and this groovy chic let me exchange them without sending them back. She had a really nice voice too.  :laughing7:
 
I've had a not so pleasant dealing with Hipshot, albeit I was probably the source of it.  Miscommunication about I.D. and O.D. of hole sizes and what not.  But issues with the person that could answer my question not being there during working hours, my item(s) being 3 weeks late only to call and have it sitting there on their desk, and another person taking maternity leave and not filling anyone in on my situation, so I had to start all over with a 3rd person.

EMG was always pleasant to deal with. 

Oh, and of course Domino's.
 
A Fralin Pickups guy was really easy to deal with on the phone when I called once, he steered me in a direction which turns out to be very very right, now that I have played the pickups in question.

Also, believe it or not, the landlady of my apartment complex is wonderful to deal with on the phone.
 
Warmoth, of course.

Other than that, I've had pleasant experiences with a local music store called Westphal Family Music, they do great repairs, answer questions knowledgeably and are friendly people in general to deal with.

I'm starting to greatly dislike Long & McQuade though...
 
Best Bass Gear, Brian and the folks at his company are just outstanding.  Not only do they sell great stuff at very good prices, they ship almost immediately, for the cheapest shipping around, and it gets across the US in three days.  I had some issues with wiring a Nordstrand pickup, and he talked to Carey Nordstrand about it because he didn't know the answer.  Then he called me to explain the issues and discuss options and ideas to get what I was after.  Everything was worked out, and I will shop there rather than going in town to buy anything for my bass projects because of the way I was treated by Best Bass Gear. 
Patrick

 
Xplorervoodoo said:
I'm starting to greatly dislike Long & McQuade though...

aaarrrrgggggg!  Don't get me started about Long & McQuade!  Freaking Boneheads!
 
For you americans..  Long & McQuade is our version of Guitar Centre.
Lots of stuff, lots of salesmen. no knowledge, no service.
 
Good experience:

warmoth
crimson guitars(!!!!)
bareknuckle
J. Moore pickups
dimarzio
Wymore Guitars
Several buyers on Ebay
Thomann in Germany
Lace pickups (very nice folks!)

BAD experience:
Dutch version of guitar centre (its called 'feedback', how cheesy!)
all other dutch music stores
Some buyers on ebay

thats it I guess. not really a story.

Oh, and ENGL; bad experience!!! I emailed them 9 months ago, still no response! Well, I'm happy that the store where I bought it, was very helpfull though :)
 
Patrick from Davis said:
Best Bass Gear, Brian and the folks at his company are just outstanding.  Not only do they sell great stuff at very good prices, they ship almost immediately, for the cheapest shipping around, and it gets across the US in three days.  I had some issues with wiring a Nordstrand pickup, and he talked to Carey Nordstrand about it because he didn't know the answer.  Then he called me to explain the issues and discuss options and ideas to get what I was after.  Everything was worked out, and I will shop there rather than going in town to buy anything for my bass projects because of the way I was treated by Best Bass Gear. 
Patrick

I'd have to second Brian at Best Bass Gear.  (For those products that Warmoth does not carry of course!)  Great guy and great service.  Carey is awesome as well.

Also in the bass community I'd have to recommend Fred at Bee Basses (www.beebasses.com) and Lee Barker at Barker Basses.  Both are true gentlemen and are deeply about their basses and customers. :icon_thumright:
 
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