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Questionable service at Soundsmith

I sent my Benz Micro for a re-tipping.  After they received my cartridge I get an email on how to check status of the job.  Their website tells you retipping takes 8 - 14 weeks.  Well that came and went, I did not hear anything.  I checked the status now and then, nada.  I started to worry because it's been about a year now.  Finally, I decided to give them a call and find out what is going on.  In my mind, I'm thinking, have they lost my cartridge?  Did they misplace it?  What?  I couldn't get through, goes straight to voicemail every time.  So I decided to email an address I got from their website to ask for help.  I got a response that it will be done soon, they are really back logged.  An hour later, I get another email from another person saying it was done and ready to ship.  What?!  Did they just do a rush job on my cartridge?  Because I started to complain?  That they've had my cartridge laying around for about a year!  And here's the kicker, please pay $450 for the retipping.  Nice.  
rviloria
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,538 posts
 
Peter, met you at the New York audio show in 2014 while you were demoing the excellent Straingauge cartridge in the VPI turntable. You were a gentleman as a bunch of us listened to some great music. Best wishes.
rwwear
2,850 posts
 
I have used van den Hul quite a few times and he does excellent work. But that was when Stanalog was the van den Hul rep. I don't know who is know.
timztunz's avatar
timztunz
78 posts
 
You got what you deserved waiting that long to follow up and exaggerating about the length of time destroys your credibility.  Peter is dripping with class and you sir, have none.
retipper
61 posts
 
I appreciate folks coming to my defense; we are still in business because of you. The reality is that I have 15 employees to manage that I have personally trained in manufacturing, in classic service and classic audio sales, administration, shipping, and phone assistance. We get well over 200 Emails with questions (related to our business, or general audio questions) and many phone calls of the same, each day. It is a lot to manage, and occasionally, mistakes happen. We appreciate the courtesy of most all our customers who understand this IS an artisan business, and not like Amazon - who has spoiled us all (including me).

There are other artisan folks like my good friend Frank Schroeder, who has had very long wait times for his tone arms (1-2 years in the past). Most folks understood these kind of lead times for hand-made items. Frank has since changed some of his business model by having a few designs made by others. I am proud to say that after knowing him for 10 years, he has now trusted Soundsmith to make a unique arm design for him -  the Alto, which will be available this year. Some of the few artisans that are left in this industry are trying to accommodate the rebirth and resurgence in vinyl as best as we can, without compromising on quality and service. 

Peter Ledermann / Soundsmith
analogluvr
859 posts
 
I just sent 2 cartridges to Andy because of the long wait at soundsmith. Both came back with defects. Worst of it was his attitude in the whole mess. Next time I will definitely use soundsmith. 
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