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

[gerrawar]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - 4345 $
Deposit or full payment - full payment
Date of deposit or bought spot - deposit on 28-sep-2011 / full payment on 06-apr-2012
International - yes
Bought spot from someone else? - no
Legal action sought? -
Contact received throughout build - last contact from him was on the 22-gen-2013

 

[Lirtle]

Just thought I'd spread some good news. Not encouraging you guys to hold out any longer after what we've all been through but my guitar finally shipped.

 

[xwestonx]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - $2700
Deposit or full payment - full payment
Date of deposit or bought spot - Initial deposit on 08/2012, Final payment two weeks later (08/15/2012)
International -No
Bought spot from someone else? - No
Legal action sought? - BBB, sought action through my bank to no avail
Contact received throughout build - last contact from him was around Dec 15th 2012

 

[ovation22]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - $900
Deposit or full payment - deposit
Date of deposit or bought spot - May 11, 2011, full custom
International - no
Bought spot from someone else? - no
Legal action sought? - BBB, FTC, CA AG, local PD
Contact received throughout build - Multiple initiated by me, replies with "in progress" (lies), June 2012 he admits to having lost my order and never started my build, BBB reply that I'll get my refund in November 2012, last reply from Bernie Jan 25, 2013 "I will have your refund with in two weeks" (another lie)
Last known state of build - never started

 

[MetalThrasher]

Guitars owed - One
Money spent - $1,500
Deposit or full payment - Full Payment
Date of deposit or bought spot - Bought spot back in July 2012 $600 then Bernie emailed me about two weeks after that confirming my spot and said guitar was almost ready and sent a payment link to pay balance of $900 which I did.
International - No
Bought spot from someone else? -
Legal action sought? - No
Contact received throughout build - Last contact was back in Jan 2013 and he did say that he was sick. No further contact afterwards. I would prefer not to pursue legal action but may consider it later down the road. I would just like to hear some honest answers for all of us as to what's going on in the shop with our guitars.

 

[JP Universe]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - $600
Deposit or full payment - deposit
Date of deposit or bought spot - 17/02/2012 bought spot
International - Yes
Bought spot from someone else? - Bought Thrshers spot
Legal action sought? - No leg to stand on, All I can do is hope. Preparing to just eat the $600 unless there is a dramatic change in a few years time
Contact received throughout build - Actually pretty decent contact... As soon as Chris G requested full payment before I'd seen a pic of the finish being applied was on I became extremely wary. last contact 11/12/2012
Last known state of build - Out of the woodshop with control layout drilled out. Finish was going to be applied

 

[Ill-Gotten James]

Just thought I'd spread some good news. Not encouraging you guys to hold out any longer after what we've all been through but my guitar finally shipped.

I hope your guitar is flaw free dude. You've waited long enough for it and I wish for you the best.

 

[JerichoCheng]

Guitars owed -1
Money spent - $2397+350(Shipping)
Deposit or full payment - Full payment
Date of deposit or bought spot -28/03/2012 bought spot from "IB-studjent"
International - YES
Bought spot from someone else? - Bought "IB-Studjent" spot
Legal action sought? - No
Contact received throughout build -last contact from ChrisG 11/12/2012, said the guitar is final assembly and ready in just under 2 weeks, and ask me pay for the balance (but i've full paid already since Mar 2012)

 

[Hollowway]

Guitars owed -1
Money spent - $600
Deposit or full payment - Deposit
Date of deposit or bought spot -day of BFR sale
International - nope
Bought spot from someone else? - No
Legal action sought? - BBB, FTC, etc.
Contact received throughout build -last contact from Bernie was a text last week. He asked if I sold the spot or if it were still mine. I said it was still mine, and I'd still like it, and asked when it would be shipped, but didn't get a reply back. As I last saw in the fall it just needed the hardware installed.

 

[JaeSwift]

Just a tip, you guys may want to add a "last known state of build" to the description

 

[Adrian-XI]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - $600
Deposit or full payment - Deposit
Date of deposit or bought spot - 09 April 2012, Bought spot
International - Yep
Bought spot from someone else? - Yes, from ticklemeasian
Legal action sought? - don't really have any avenue worthwhile of taking...
Contact received throughout build - None since initial takeover of the spot
Last known state of build - unknown

 

[Rap Hat]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - $1700
Deposit or full payment - Full Payment (Dec. 2011)
Date of deposit or bought spot - Sept. 2011, Bought spot
International - No
Bought spot from someone else? - Yes, from JBCrazy
Legal action sought? - tried for chargeback through bank, gave all info to my family lawyer and waiting to hear back
Contact received throughout build - Bernie called me to confirm spot, had some emails confirming specs, lots of texts regarding build, had a couple of 2+ hour phone convos with Bernie talking about how he was doing his best, and one final text asking for final payment like 8 months after I paid in full.
Last known state of build - has only needed installation of hardware since Oct or Nov of 2011.

 

[aiur55]

Guitars owed -1
Money spent - $600
Deposit or full payment - Deposit
Date of deposit or bought spot -day of BFR sale
International - Yes. Canada.
Bought spot from someone else? - No
Legal action sought? - No
Contact received throughout build -He emailed me a picture of the sample BFR slant top and then told me the neck was warped. Last contact he asked what kind of control lay out I would like.
Last known state of build - needs hardware.

 

[Ill-Gotten James]

Guitars owed - 1 (Jekyll 7-string)
Money spent - $3060
Deposit or full payment - Full payment
Date of deposit or bought spot - May 2, 2012
International - No (usa)
Legal action sought? - Police report filed for fraudulent activity, BBB contacted, Credit Card company notified and dispute process started.
Contact received throughout build - I only spoke with BRJ twice on the phone prior to purchasing a left over reserve build. After paying in full, all of my contact was via email. First excuse as to why my guitar was not finished was "Need to get cases." Second excuse was "fingerboard, or neck damage." Next excuse was "Sorry man, really busy, doing the best I can." Next contact was an email stating (1 from BRJ, then another from Chris G.) "Guitar is complete, you will have it before Christmas." Then the 4th excuse came via text in January when I asked why I did not receive my guitar before Christmas, "Sorry man, waiting for cases." The very last contact I had with the man was 1 week ago, when he emailed me in response to one of my emails. I was told that my guitar will be shipped within 2 weeks.

 

[Khoi]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - $2050
Deposit or full payment - Full Payment
Date of deposit or bought spot -Paid deposit on 11/27/2010, full payment on 1/9/12
International - No
Bought spot from someone else? - No
Legal action sought? - Filed with the BBB
Contact received throughout build - Yes, last contact was 6/27/12.
Last known state - Needed a refinish

 

[ras1988]

Guitars owed -2
Money spent - $5150
Deposit or full payment - Full Payment
Date of deposit or bought spot -Fully paid first instrument 10/27/2011, deposit on second instrument 11/19/2011, full payment on second instrument on 1/8/12
International - No
Bought spot from someone else? - No
Legal action sought? - Filed with the BBB
Contact received throughout build - Yes, last contact was 1/21/13.
Both instruments purchased as in-stock builds which carry a 90 days to completion timeline according to BRJ policy.
Last known state: one instrument needed to have the fretboard reworked, other had finish issues.

 

[Larrikin666]

Just thought I'd spread some good news. Not encouraging you guys to hold out any longer after what we've all been through but my guitar finally shipped.

I think we'll all be eagerly waiting to see what happens when it arrives on Wednesday.

 

[gerrawar]

I think we'll all be eagerly waiting to see what happens when it arrives on Wednesday.

yep, we all want to know the condition (sorry for my english) of the guitar.

 

[spawnsc]

Guitars owed - 1
Money spent - 1100
Deposit or full payment - deposit
Date of deposit or bought spot - September 2011
International - No
Bought spot from someone else? - No
Legal action sought? - BBB, FTC, spoke with my bank about getting money back no can do since its over a year now..
Contact received throughout build - Hardly none.
Last known state: In the wood shop..

 

[AwDeOh]

Just 17 responses so far and the total is already in excess of US$50,000.