New Instrument With Some Tuning Problems

[lmc]

Hi all, I posted this in the repair forum but maybe it is more of a general question.

 

A while back I posted a problem I was having with an 18b Stagi I had just gotten...The E left hand side buzzed on the pull. Since the instrument was new and under warranty I sent to vendor who fixed the problem...except...It now has several reeds that are out of tune. I began to play the instrument when it was sent back, playing a couple of tunes and doing scales and noticed that some of the notes sounded different on the push or on the pull, and a couple were really off in both directions. Using one of those digital electronic gizmos, I discovered that with the exception of 5 buttons most were off a wee bit in either one direction or both...Now, obviously the notes that sound off to my amateur ear are not acceptable but how about the other notes that are just a little off, or fine in one direction and not the other? Do I send it back again to the vendor to have it tuned? Do I give up and send to someone else?

 

I read the previous post where the guy had a similar problem with a reed sounding different on the push/pull and fixed it on his own but since I am a newbie to the instrument and it is under warranty (albeit the repeated UPS charges back and forth ) I don't dare fiddle with it. What would it cost to tune it?

 

Thanks for input,

lmc

[Pete Dunk]

Hi all, I posted this in the repair forum but maybe it is more of a general question.

 

A while back I posted a problem I was having with an 18b Stagi I had just gotten...The E left hand side buzzed on the pull. Since the instrument was new and under warranty I sent to vendor who fixed the problem...except...It now has several reeds that are out of tune. I began to play the instrument when it was sent back, playing a couple of tunes and doing scales and noticed that some of the notes sounded different on the push or on the pull, and a couple were really off in both directions. Using one of those digital electronic gizmos, I discovered that with the exception of 5 buttons most were off a wee bit in either one direction or both...Now, obviously the notes that sound off to my amateur ear are not acceptable but how about the other notes that are just a little off, or fine in one direction and not the other? Do I send it back again to the vendor to have it tuned? Do I give up and send to someone else?

 

I read the previous post where the guy had a similar problem with a reed sounding different on the push/pull and fixed it on his own but since I am a newbie to the instrument and it is under warranty (albeit the repeated UPS charges back and forth ) I don't dare fiddle with it. What would it cost to tune it?

 

Thanks for input,

lmc

 

This is a difficult question to answer. I remember recommending that you contacted the vendor about the problem so as to avoid invalidating the warranty. Now the instrument has been returned to you with the original problem fixed but other major defects evident. If you were in the UK I would recommend that you contacted Trading Standards to voice your concerns, they would be obliged to investigate and if necessary intercede on your behalf. I know nothing about US law, do you have a regulatory body to protect consumers?

 

If so I would contact the vendor again and inform them of your problems, requesting that they offer to repair or replace the instrument at their expense (including carriage) or offer a full refund of the original purchase price and compensation for additional expenses you have incurred during the failed transaction i.e. return to base carriage charges for faulty goods. Give them a reasonable time to respond ' If you fail to reply within 14 days....' Then if you get no satisfaction from the vendor it's time to call in the statutory forces and leave them to sort it out.

[lmc]

Hi all, I posted this in the repair forum but maybe it is more of a general question.

 

A while back I posted a problem I was having with an 18b Stagi I had just gotten...The E left hand side buzzed on the pull. Since the instrument was new and under warranty I sent to vendor who fixed the problem...except...It now has several reeds that are out of tune. I began to play the instrument when it was sent back, playing a couple of tunes and doing scales and noticed that some of the notes sounded different on the push or on the pull, and a couple were really off in both directions. Using one of those digital electronic gizmos, I discovered that with the exception of 5 buttons most were off a wee bit in either one direction or both...Now, obviously the notes that sound off to my amateur ear are not acceptable but how about the other notes that are just a little off, or fine in one direction and not the other? Do I send it back again to the vendor to have it tuned? Do I give up and send to someone else?

 

I read the previous post where the guy had a similar problem with a reed sounding different on the push/pull and fixed it on his own but since I am a newbie to the instrument and it is under warranty (albeit the repeated UPS charges back and forth ) I don't dare fiddle with it. What would it cost to tune it?

 

Thanks for input,

lmc

 

This is a difficult question to answer. I remember recommending that you contacted the vendor about the problem so as to avoid invalidating the warranty. Now the instrument has been returned to you with the original problem fixed but other major defects evident. If you were in the UK I would recommend that you contacted Trading Standards to voice your concerns, they would be obliged to investigate and if necessary intercede on your behalf. I know nothing about US law, do you have a regulatory body to protect consumers?

 

If so I would contact the vendor again and inform them of your problems, requesting that they offer to repair or replace the instrument at their expense (including carriage) or offer a full refund of the original purchase price and compensation for additional expenses you have incurred during the failed transaction i.e. return to base carriage charges for faulty goods. Give them a reasonable time to respond ' If you fail to reply within 14 days....' Then if you get no satisfaction from the vendor it's time to call in the statutory forces and leave them to sort it out.

 

I have written a detailed account on the tuning problems and will send the instrument back requesting a tuned replacement...we'll see. I guess the lesson learned here is to stick to known and reputable vendors. Hopefully, this will be resolved to my satisfaction, if not I will certainly follow up with further action.

 

Thanks for your input.

lmc