You decide about his SME 3009 rewire option....Alfred's Canadian Website says that he charges $350.00 for rewiring using top quality parts, includes any original SME parts to make the arm as good as new(bearings etc). Includes manuals, tools and templates and Top LIne Swiss made Neutrik 18k gold RCA connectors. Seems like a good deal. After emailing SMEtonearms Canada inquiring about this service, Alfred called me and said it was in USD as most of his work is with international clients...I said ok...but you should make it clear on your website...so i sent him my tonearm. He then received my tone arm and called me...said it was actually 400 usd...he said he hadn't gotten around to updating his website. I said absolutely not...I will only pay 350...he agreed, but then said parts would be extra....I was busy so I said email me a quote....He sent me a Paypal invoice to for 680.54 USD. 350 for rewiring, 35$for shipping, 295.00 for parts and taxes. I emailed Alfred, included a "cut and paste" from his website with costs, told him it says these parts are all included in the 350.00 rewire charge on the website and to return my tonearm without doing the work.. Alfred emailed and said call me...your tonearm is in pieces in an acid bath. So I called him. I asked him why the extra charges....he again said he hasn't had time to update his website. He actually was getting angry with me for questioning his charges...i had to calm him down before things got out of hand...he told me all these excuses about how much NOS parts were worth now and that the price he quoted me was the best he could do...and that my tone arm was in pieces. It was in great shape when i sent it, I just wanted to upgrade the internal wiring. The only way for me to get my tonearm back was to pay the invoice. I figured I would file a complaint with PayPal after I received it.
After 2 months from the day I shipped it to Alfred, I received it today. Alfred had charged me $35.00 usd for express shipping...he actually said he doesn't use Canada post as it takes too long....so he sent it Canada post parcel which cost him $19.35 CAD I unpacked it. The tone arm looks good, but the cable looks cheap...no name on the phono cable but very thin. Those Top Line Swiss 18k gold Neutrik connectors(made by WBT) he said would be put on are ones made in Europe, but not Top Line. The ones put on are made by Rean which can be bought online for $2.49 each. In the head shell, one of the connectors is broken off the wire which I will have to get resoldered. He did not upgrade the wiring in the head shell...still original. You would think as well, the ground wires would have a spade connector on them...they were clipped very short and i have to strip and get my own spades. The templates were included but no manuals. Original tone arm tools....i guess that is the very tiny hex key included. So...from the original time i read his website...that price of 350 plus shipping turned into 835.00 cad plus 42 cad shipping....sure hope it sounds good once i get the head shell clip resoldered...and it will sound a little better if Paypal give me a partial refund.
