Props to Jim Dunlop

Dave W · January 20, 2017, 08:10:01 PM

My MXR Bass Preamp/DI pedal suddenly started distorting -- four months after the warranty expired. Figured it had to be the PCB, everything else seemed to be working. I emailed Dunlop to ask if they had an authorized repair station so I could get a repair estimate, and they offered to extend the warranty and fix it for free. Just got it back, all new innards in the existing enclosure.

Pilgrim · January 20, 2017, 09:11:02 PM

Very nice! Isn't it great to find someone who does a good thing for people?

I had a similar experience with my OD pedal, a Digitech Bad Monkey modified by Scott Humphrey to become a Badder Bad Monkey. Scott's website is: http://www.humphreyaudio.com/

I bought the pedal on TalkBass and soon discovered it was the guitar version. I contacted Scott and asked what it would cost for him to modify it to the bass version. He just told me to send it in and changed it to the bass version at no charge! Neither he nor I had any idea who the original owner was, he just did it to be decent. I just paid shipping. That pedal has been on my board for nearly 10 years now. I really find it tasteful and flexible for OD without distortion or fuzz.

And here I am still telling the story a few years later - which he earned.

This puts Jim Dunlop and Scott Humphrey both on the top of my list.

OldManC · January 21, 2017, 12:32:55 AM

I love stuff like this. Thanks for sharing. If I ever have the need I'll be far more likely to check them out first because of this thread.

Lightyear · January 21, 2017, 06:39:11 PM

You would be surprised, maybe not, how many people would have contacted the company & raised hell about it dying right after the warranty expired and demanding it be fixed for free or replaced. It's lost on many people that making a polite inquiry or simply asking for something just how well things can turn out. It's amazing how far a bit of civil discourse goes.

Tim Brosnan · January 21, 2017, 08:14:10 PM

This is really great to hear!

Nocturnal · January 22, 2017, 10:00:46 AM

That is good customer service!! Nice to know that some companies still understand how this works.

gearHed289 · January 22, 2017, 11:47:05 AM

I had a similar experience with VooDoo Labs and my Sparkle Drive. I told the guy I had bought it used and I just wanted to purchase a new switch. He said to send it in and they'd do it for free. I think they even paid the return shipping!

Rob · January 22, 2017, 04:10:43 PM

This is a good thread to immortalize and update as time goes on.

slinkp · January 22, 2017, 10:05:57 PM

I don't have any stories quite like that with bass gear, but a couple stand out:

I once had an input jack go bad on my Morley Diamond Distortion (long gone but in the late 90s it was my favorite overdrive for bass, I used it on many gigs and several albums). I called the company and asked if they knew where I could buy replacement jacks, as it looked like an easy job to do myself if I could find the right part (had to be the right one as the circuit board was mounted to the jacks). After confirming that I wanted to fix it myself, they asked for my address and a week later I had a replacement jack and an extra for free. Just a cheap part and I know cost them pennies, but I had expected to get routed to an authorized repair shop and pay through the nose.

Some years later I was using an Eden head (WT-300 I think) that developed some crackle in one of the tone pots. I popped the lid and found that the way things were mounted it looked challenging to get at the pots for spray cleaning. I called the company and quickly ended up on the phone with David Nordschow himself, who was still at the company at the time. He talked me through how to do it at length and recommended his favorite product for cleaning pots (unfortunately I have since forgotten what it was). How often do you call with a service question and get to talk to the guy that designed the thing?

Psycho Bass Guy · January 24, 2017, 12:37:36 AM

Quote from: slinkp on January 22, 2017, 10:05:57 PMSome years later I was using an Eden head (WT-300 I think) that developed some crackle in one of the tone pots. I popped the lid and found that the way things were mounted it looked challenging to get at the pots for spray cleaning. I called the company and quickly ended up on the phone with David Nordschow himself, who was still at the company at the time. He talked me through how to do it at length and recommended his favorite product for cleaning pots (unfortunately I have since forgotten what it was). How often do you call with a service question and get to talk to the guy that designed the thing?

The pot cleaner is probably one of the DeOxit products, which also make for hella carburetor cleaner and bug killer. Seriously, it knocks even the meanest wasp dead out of the air immediately because it immediately destroys their respiratory system on contact.

I also have spoken with David Nordshow when calling about service docs for my VT-300: very nice guy, and while not as common as it used to be, calling Mesa nets a decent chance of speaking with Randall Smith. I've also spoken with Andy Lewis of Acme Low B cabs when I called about a tech question years ago.