The BRJ Black Friday Thread (Only for updates for/by customers.)[Ad Free]

[Jonathan20022]

I didn't invest money in a build, was extremely turned off by the situations people were in when I read this thread. Didn't feel like putting myself in that position.

But my bank has helped me on numerous accounts of others not holding their end of a deal. It usually ends up worse for them if they avoid the bank on top of everything. And explanation and a realistic time frame is what these guys need, if not their money back.

 

[SpaceDock]

You probably shouldn't be in here just to stir the pot then buddy. Fair warning that a few have been banned for doing it before hence the "customers only" in the title.

 

[downburst82]

^to be fair 5-10 or so pages back I think one of the mods said something like they were not going to enforce the customers only thing anymore..can't remember why but I think they more or less gave free reign for anyone to post in the thread now.

*edit more than 5-10 pages..couldnt find the exact post. I did find one in which the mod said he had "ran out of fucks to give" ..but I thought there was another one that mentioned something more specific, but I might have been mistaken. If I was sorry for posting in this thread

I hope bernie sorts everything out and you guys get your guitars or money back at some point.

 

[glassmoon0fo]

Yup, thread isn't being moderated at all, everyone is free to shit on it as they see fit

 

[Jonathan20022]

You probably shouldn't be in here just to stir the pot then buddy. Fair warning that a few have been banned for doing it before hence the "customers only" in the title.

I don't mean to stir the pot if that what it seems I'm doing, I didn't really catch the rest of the title. I actually came here just to state my opinion on the matter, and I'm hoping it empowers some people to take action. I was a potential customer at one point, I'm sure that won't count but either way. I don't want to seem like I'm shitting on anything either.

Like I said no ill will towards either Bernie, nor anyone. And I wish for nothing but the best, I'll check back and see how everything shapes up in the coming months. Hopefully it gets sorted.

 

[WickedSymphony]

^to be fair 5-10 or so pages back I think one of the mods said something like they were not going to enforce the customers only thing anymore..can't remember why but I think they more or less gave free reign for anyone to post in the thread now.

I know what post you're referring to, and if I may give my take on it, it wasn't that they explicitly gave an invitation for everyone to post in here for whatever reason they wanted, but more that it's unreasonable to expect them to keep track of all the people who do or don't have orders that are posting here and they can't babysit this single thread trying to manage it.

Speaking for myself here, but I'd really appreciate it if those who aren't directly involved exercise some self control when posting in this thread. I come back in here every now and then to see if there are any kind of updates and it's just a shit storm where I can't find anything useful, and it's quite frankly just depressing to read through. All of us in the run know full well what situation we're in, and it really isn't necessary to jump in here and get people worked up. I'd just like it if we can keep the posts in here informative and helpful.

No offense to anyone posting in here, and by all means feel free to continue doing so, but a lot of the conversation in here lately just really doesn't contribute to any kind of productive outcome.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[JP Universe]

It's just the same shit over and over..... we get it

 

[killertone]

I have emailed, texted, and called Bernie and heard nothing back. Anyone talk to him in the last couple weeks at all? I have remained extremely positive through out this entire thing but am seriously losing all hope at this point. I mean fucking reality is setting in here.

 

[JaeSwift]

No offense to anyone posting in here, and by all means feel free to continue doing so, but a lot of the conversation in here lately just really doesn't contribute to any kind of productive outcome.

Just my 2 cents.

great choice of words

 

[spawnsc]

I have emailed, texted, and called Bernie and heard nothing back. Anyone talk to him in the last couple weeks at all? I have remained extremely positive through out this entire thing but am seriously losing all hope at this point. I mean fucking reality is setting in here.

No, his dead for all we know and they buried our money with him.

 

[SpaceDock]

Come on man, we heard less than a week ago that he updated someone, "waiting on cases" and there were a few pics of some other guitars in the last two weeks.

 

[spawnsc]

Come on man, we heard less than a week ago that he updated someone, "waiting on cases" and there were a few pics of some other guitars in the last two weeks.

that just it we keep hearing from other people and we need to hear it from Bernie.

 

[MetalDaze]

I did speak with Bernie on the phone about 2 weeks ago. Ed the paint guy was there too as he joined the conversation at one point.

No idea why I got some attention because he was unresponsive to me for a long time too. I've been involved from the beginning so I've read this entire thread and experienced all of the emotions that go with it.

My feeling after getting off the phone is that Bernie has no plans to close shop and run for the hills. However, it also doesn't seem like he's figured out exactly how to get out from under this weight either. So, he's still chipping away at the list, but I expect this whole thing to go on for a while.

 

[JPMike]

I like whining.

 

[HRC51]

I did speak with Bernie on the phone about 2 weeks ago. Ed the paint guy was there too as he joined the conversation at one point.

No idea why I got some attention because he was unresponsive to me for a long time too. I've been involved from the beginning so I've read this entire thread and experienced all of the emotions that go with it.

My feeling after getting off the phone is that Bernie has no plans to close shop and run for the hills. However, it also doesn't seem like he's figured out exactly how to get out from under this weight either. So, he's still chipping away at the list, but I expect this whole thing to go on for a while.

Thanks for the information.

 

[SpaceDock]

I think he isnt responding because all of the spec, ownership, and build changes were slowing him down and since he has to take all of the pics, calls, and emails he is wasting all of the build time being a secretary. We should all just back off and let the man work.

 

[teleofseven]

I think he isnt responding because all of the spec, ownership, and build changes were slowing him down and since he has to take all of the pics, calls, and emails he is wasting all of the build time being a secretary. We should all just back off and let the man work.

every person that starts a business of any kind should know that not only do customers come first but also that being the "man" in a company basicly means bye bye free time.

if you've got to cut time from work you should never cut it from being in contact with your customers. that's actually the most badic rule.

as they say, you don't bite the hand that feeds you. i.e in this case, you do all you can to keep your fans and customers happy.

and he clearly is not doing that.

there's now what like 150 pages of total misery about how he runs his business and how things are really fucked up at times.

you can read all that crap he comes up with from time to time, all the stupid excuses and delays and some quality problems.

it is clear as day that he doesn't have the business in controll and he wont put the time in required to make thins as they should be.

and i fucken know, i've watched and been part of my brothers business journey, and he's like a fucking animal when it comes to doing things right!

he runs his company 10hrs a day, and then gets home and sits on his computer for several hours, planning the next moves and days and sending emails to customers and partners, contacting workforce ect ect.

HE calls to his customers atleast once a week, just to let them know where the project is at and asks if it's ok to buy this and telling them what he thinks the project needs. the customers never call him, because they've got absolutely no questions whatsoever. my brother keeps them well informed. JUST to avoid ANY possible problems with them.

then comes my job (which doesn't really matter here, but i'll say it anyway).
i handle the customers and workforce face to face. i sometimes set up a date with them to show them the state of the project were working on.
i listen to the workers and tell my brother if we need more workers or if somebody should be sacked, or if theres need for certain consumables.

bottom line is, we keep in contact with our customers even if they don't fucking want to, and i think it's just because of that, because of happy customers that in a year, we've grown from just me and my brother to having 4 large projects at once, workforce of over 25 people, 5 new management staff and 6 cars.

in a year.

we don't even know how were it's all going, cause it's growing so fast. but things don't get out of hand because as soon as there's too much shit to handle for one person, we hire another.

that's what i think bernie should do. if he's got his stupid fucking hands filled and cant fucking take the time to answer to his customers, then he should hire somebody to handle some of his stuff.

2 rules i think in business:

1.take care of your customers
2.got too much shit on your plate? hire somebody to have some of that shit to theirs.


and i'm sick of reading people complaining in internet forums about when they paid for something and somebody didn't deliver, but complaining just keeps on going. if i'm not getting a product that i've paid for in the time i was told, and then getting no answers as to why that happened, to me that means automaticly: "gimme my fucken money back, your shit is done. i paid you motherfucker and you didn't deliver when you told me yaddayadda..."

luthiery is a business same as any. no room for delays and definetly no room for made-up excuses. especially when thenre's thousands of the customers money involved in it.

rant done, i don't give a fuck about bernie.

 

[SpaceDock]

TL DR

Doesn't help to rant. Bernie is behind, what's new? Don't like it? Move on.

 

[elq]

Move on.

How can you move on (i.e. sell your spot) if he doesn't reply?

 

[SpaceDock]

I don't even think he has a spot.