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

[will_shred]

^ you are correct, criminal charges cost nothing but time.

I have not had much luck though. I don't know that anyone else has done a report. It seems like this will fall on deaf ears if I am the only one trying to call him out.

I think that if we can show all the people who were screwed out of their money, there would be plenty of evidence for a criminal case. Actually, couldn't this thread itself count as evidence? With plenty of documented photos, testimonies, and (though I haven't read though the whole thing, I assume there is going to be some evidence of communication with bernie before he dropped off the radar). I really don't know much about criminal law so I can't say that I actually know what i'm talking about, just speculating. I like the idea of "making an example" of Bernie however the most practical thing to do is just to try and make sure he never works in the guitar industry again (assuming he will even show his face in the public light) and recognize the reg flags of a bad builder, which many of us are quite familiar with at this point. Just generally use common sense.

 

[TemjinStrife]

I really don't know much about criminal law so I can't say that I actually know what i'm talking about, just speculating.

Unfortunately, this is true. I'm not an expert on criminal law and what causes DAs to want to bring cases, but you are far more likely to get *anything* that you want (restitution, damages, whatever) through a civil suit (breach of contract, etc.) than through the punitive measures of a criminal one. Even if you managed to convince the DA to take your case, and even if he was convicted or pled guilty, you'd still have to bring a civil suit to recover anything.

 

[Chokey Chicken]

Unfortunately, this is true. I'm not an expert on criminal law and what causes DAs to want to bring cases, but you are far more likely to get *anything* that you want (restitution, damages, whatever) through a civil suit (breach of contract, etc.) than through the punitive measures of a criminal one. Even if you managed to convince the DA to take your case, and even if he was convicted or pled guilty, you'd still have to bring a civil suit to recover anything.

At this point it really just seems a lot of folks want to see him stopped. If they can get their money back that's great, but at the very least he should be stopped before he can do it again which he very well might be doing.

Basically this will prevent future people from getting burned.

 

[TemjinStrife]

At this point it really just seems a lot of folks want to see him stopped. If they can get their money back that's great, but at the very least he should be stopped before he can do it again which he very well might be doing.

Basically this will prevent future people from getting burned.

Well, there's no guarantee. Unless he is incarcerated, most criminal penalties won't stop him from working in the guitar business again. The same goes for civil penalties as well, really.

Also, regardless of what you want to do, you'd better move soon; the Black Friday Run is getting further and further away, and the statute of limitations is ticking (it might even have run out, depending on who is involved and what the time of breach may be).

 

[Chokey Chicken]

Well, there's no guarantee. Unless he is incarcerated, most criminal penalties won't stop him from working in the guitar business again. The same goes for civil penalties as well, really.
.

Yeah, well it's better than sitting on thumbs while the prick continues on. Better to be a thorn in his side than do nothing. Not too sure why you'd even argue against it. It's a shame that it appears only one guy is trying to do anything at all about it.

 

[spawnsc]

Thought I would step by and see what's going on. Looks like nothing has changed and this will always haunt me knowing I gave free money to someone else on a failed promise. I agree crazy or not, he knew what he was doing and if his wife didn't know of his wrong doings she should have left his ass. I knew she tried to step in at one point and got grilled. Any heard any updates on his status?

 

[Axel_Blaze]

Just by reading through this thread, as well as reading the reviews on SoCal's Facebook page, I definitely will NOT be doing business with them anytime soon. I was going to contact them and get a quote on a new 7-string, but after sfter reading all that, I don't trust this guy on his word as far as I can kick him- let alone trust him with my money.

The sad thing about it is that his guitars look absolutely gorgeous, and I jammed on a buddy's Hesperian 627 (which he ended up selling, go figure) and it was pretty sweet (I'm a sucker for rosewood). Bernie obviously has a lot of talent for building guitars, but I'm not going to get suckered into an abusive relationship just because of a pretty face (mixing metaphors obviously, but IDGAFF).

I guess my point is that I'm really sorry this situation had to even transpire, and I'm just as mad as you guys are. No business- big or small- should EVER treat their paying customers like pieces of shit (it's why I don't play games from EA, Capcom, or Ubisoft anymore). I really hope he gets what he deserves.

 

[ikarus]

Bernie obviously has a lot of talent for building guitars

 

[TemjinStrife]

Yeah, well it's better than sitting on thumbs while the prick continues on. Better to be a thorn in his side than do nothing. Not too sure why you'd even argue against it. It's a shame that it appears only one guy is trying to do anything at all about it.

My point is that if you want to actually *accomplish* something, you need to do it yourself, and not just leave it up to some overworked DA's discretion.

 

[Axel_Blaze]

I know what you're thinking, but I did cream a little when I laid eyes on the Vixen

 

[ikarus]

I know what you're thinking, but I did cream a little when I laid eyes on the Vixen

No this was a hint on his mexican connection. Do a little research.

 

[Axel_Blaze]

No this was a hint on his mexican connection. Do a little research.

I shall do that, for you have aroused my curiosity

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

Has anyone had any luck here?

 

[SpaceDock]

^ that is a hard one to answer...

While the police here in CO were super helpful, the police in CA have pretty much told me "yeah we have real crimes to deal with" with the exception that they told me their was an inquiry but they could not give me details. Im not sure if that means these things move slow or what, Im not that well versed in legal stuff.

I will say that these efforts to scare him and gearhounds off seemed to work a bit. Their FB went dead, their phones are dead, any redemption those guys were planning seems to have been squashed. Lets all just be sure to keep our eyes open for them resurfacing and expose them again if needed.

 

[clubshred]

^ that is a hard one to answer...

While the police here in CO were super helpful, the police in CA have pretty much told me "yeah we have real crimes to deal with" with the exception that they told me their was an inquiry but they could not give me details. Im not sure if that means these things move slow or what, Im not that well versed in legal stuff.

I will say that these efforts to scare him and gearhounds off seemed to work a bit. Their FB went dead, their phones are dead, any redemption those guys were planning seems to have been squashed. Lets all just be sure to keep our eyes open for them resurfacing and expose them again if needed.

If I know the liar and thief that he is (and trust me, as a former pseudo-employee, I do), his response to all of it would be like, "awww brah... come on... that ain't right, dooood. I was always good to you..."

Really?? I mean, really?? Asswipe...

 

[Speculum Speculorum]

^ that is a hard one to answer...

While the police here in CO were super helpful, the police in CA have pretty much told me "yeah we have real crimes to deal with" with the exception that they told me their was an inquiry but they could not give me details. Im not sure if that means these things move slow or what, Im not that well versed in legal stuff.

I will say that these efforts to scare him and gearhounds off seemed to work a bit. Their FB went dead, their phones are dead, any redemption those guys were planning seems to have been squashed. Lets all just be sure to keep our eyes open for them resurfacing and expose them again if needed.

So basically... not enough people have filed police reports for an investigation into him? Because if everybody who lost a significant amount of money actually filed, aren't we talking about quite a bit of money? I mean - if I stole a house... I would probably be arrested, right? So I'm assuming most people just gave up. Stupid.

 

[SpaceDock]

I won't fault anyone for not filing, I got started way too late and the process is very painful.

 

[Velokki]

I'd always been interested in Bernie Rico Jr. guitars since I saw Michael Keene's Jekyll.

I must say, now that I started reading more about BRJ in the thoughts of possibly buying one, I'm positively astounded at how big of a shitstorm can one individual start. He's got to be the Blake Judd of custom shop guitars.

What's the most recent information people have of their instruments? And possibly of Bernie's whereabouts?

 

[mcsalty]

What's the most recent information people have of their instruments? And possibly of Bernie's whereabouts?

This thread pretty much.

 

[MetalDaze]

Anyone think BRJ will show his face at NAMM? Not as an exhibitor, but just an attendee.