Trading up question

[bjc]

Hello,

Can not tell y'all how much I love this forum. I have learned so much about mandolin in such a short time...Awesome site!!! Hats off to Scott.
Now, to my question:I am going to trade up (slightly) at Folk Of The Wood. I have a Gold Tone GM-70. I am looking at the GM-100 (the Gold Tone Rigel copy) or another MK(I have a Legacy O and love the feel and the sound), probably the Evolution. Now here is the X-factor: In a few months money will be extremely tight, so I'm not in a position to go much over $100 investment upgrade (this includes shipping). If anyone could offer feedback, I'd appreciate it. Everyone has been real helpful in the past.
Now, I know some people have said that their credit cards were charged for the full amount and had to wait until the original mando sold. The last time I traded up I just sent them a check (or money order) for the difference and had no problems.
So again, if anyone has any insight on this or has other options within my limits I'd appreciate it.

[Greenmando]

If you only have $100 to upgrade with, I would take your current mandolin in for a full set up.

[good_ol_al_61]

bjc:

I too own a GM-70 and am pleased with this mid-level performer. I recently played the Gibson F-9 and that mando made me sound good! So I looked at the investment of the Gibson and said, no to myself. Then I looked at the features of the Gibson and noticed one important factor. The frets were higher on the Gibson than the Gold Tone. I played several more mandos paying attention to the fret height. The higher ones played easier to me. So my GM-70 is getting a refret job right now. I have back in a couple of #weeks. Next I saw a luthier in Birmingham that has his own special bridge. It is supposed to make the mando louder and add to the sustain. I will visit him when I get my GM-70 back for that upgrade.

All of this to let you know that if money is tight, you can upgrade the item of your choice a piece at a time over a period of several months. That will reduce the immediate pain of big bucks for a new axe. Then everytime you get a new piece put on the GM-70, it will be like getting a new mando because the tone or playability will change. Best wishes on your mando adventure.

[bjc]

Thamks for the feedback to this point. To answer the first repsonse...Tom, the mando is set up very nicely...but you are right that is a quick way to improve the axe...especially if it has a horrible set-up...and Al...that was the thing I noticed about the MK vs. the GT...the thing is Folk Of The Wood gives you 100% credit for any mando bought through them towards a trade up...so I figure for a $100 or so, I could get a new toy...
This MAS is much worse than GAS (maybe because I have 10 guitars already...tee hee)...Anyone with any other opinions, especially folks who've traded with FOTW would be appreciated....

[lightningbug]

I had a bad experience with FOTW. I placed an order for an MK and was told it would be in one week. A week later I called and asked if they had shipped it yet. I was told that the mando would take two more weeks because MK had new ownership, and they were setting up new production lines. Since I didn't want a mando from a new production line, and I didn't want to wait 2 more weeks (bad MAS!) I cancelled my order. Then I ordered from another outfit that had an MK in stock on that same day.
About 5 weeks later a box showed up at my door from FOTW. I refused the shipment and called them immediately. They said that they didn't have any record of my cancellation. They also charged my debit card. After I called them several times they finally agreed to refund my money (they already had the mando back), but they never followed through. It took me a month, but finally I got my bank to get the money back, through a transfer.
I was very disappointed and will never deal them again.

[Linda Binder]

I traded a Rigel from FOTW for a high end Breedlove oval hole over a year ago and have yet to see a refund. I've spoken to James several times and emailed several times and have been told to be patient, the Rigel will probably sell soon. Well, I would really like to have the $1600 they owe me. I can't believe this. It's close to a year and a half now. I don't even see my former mando listed on their used instrument list. Is the BBB the way to go here? Lawsuit? What to do?
-Linda

[J. Mark Lane]

I feel strongly that people who enjoy and benefit from this wonderful website, which Scott offers to us all for no charge whatsoever, should support the businesses that are Cafe sponsors. All you have to do is go to the home page of the Cafe and see them listed there, on the right side of your screen. Click and go. Plain and simple.

As for others, I would suggest a little research before doing business with them. For example, Google your way into the music groups on Usenet and do a search with the name of the business. Could be a very educational way to spend a half hour....

Mark

[Linda Binder]

I agree Mark. The reason I went with FOTW instead was that I was afraid of buying a mandolin without being able to play it first or even have someone I know and trust play it and advise me. The idea of a 100% trade-in policy sounded like a safety net in case I wasn't quite satisfied. Of course, I was working on the assumption that the trade-in policy was something that would actually be valid. I'm still hoping it is valid but it's certainly not timely...Live and learn.
--Linda

[Linda Binder]

btw, I have purchased instruments and accessories from a few of the Cafe sponsoring businesses as well and haven't yet had a bad experience with any of them. They do seem like a good and reputable bunch, especially in supporting this site, which helps so many of us.
--Linda

[mmukav]

When trading up with FOTW you have to know one thing. Whatever you trade up to will be sold to you at full price, it won't be discounted. (believe me, I know this through experience). Even though they'll give you 100% trade-in value, the savings will be eaten up by that. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[Mandobar]

hrimaly, if you go to the better business bureau website you can look any business up and see how many complaints and the nature of those complaints. i believe that you can also file your own complaint against them on-line. you might want to have someone you know contact the store and ask about buying your mandolin. if they say it is sold then you should go ahead and contact the attorney generals office in their state. most times small businesses like these are so cash strapped (especially at this time of the year) that they need to use every penny (even if it is not their own) to make ends meet. there are many shops that keep consignment funds an extra month or so after the approval period. i have never heard a logical explanation from any of them for this, but then again, i wouldn't do any business with them either.

[Jim Garber]

Linda
You are not alone in strange dealings with FOTW. Check out this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=20245;hl=fotw).

Jim

[delsbrother]

Yechh.. Now I'm really wondering whether I should try to trade in my FotW-bought A9. What did they say about a "bird in the hand"?

[mtnrose]

Well I just talked to Paula Jean at Weber and she confirmed that an instrument is indeed in the works for me so they do seem to be trying to please. For now Ill give these Folks the benefit of doubt and say that perhaps they are just very disorganized.

Becky

[Frank Russell]

I've been watching this thread and others about FOTW with interest. Two or more years ago, I had a problem with a really crummy Morgan Monroe I got thru them, and voiced my concerns on this forum. I got a good smack-down from many vocal FOTW supporters who came to their rescue. I don't see many of those supporters recently. Now, FOTW eventually made good on the problem I had, and I have done a little more business with them, but it seems like lately I see more and more negative things about this store. Has Mickey Cochran sold to someone else? What's changed at Folk of the Wood? Just wondering. Frank

[mpeknox]

There is indeed a BBB report regarding FOTW. I cannot link to it from this site but you can find it from here. (http://search.bbb.org/search.html)

[Stephen Perry]

I suspect FOTW grew (and may continue to grow) faster than they can handle. The transition from small to medium in size is extremely difficult. This doesn't excuse errors and certainly doesn't excuse the response to errors.

Reasonable alternatives appear to go with bit established places or to find a small, personable supplier. I suspect people with different personalities and backgrounds prefer different things. I get a lot of remote buyers who (like me) don't like cities. But I also get plenty of city people calling. Always interesting to talk with city people. I can tell they're a long way off from my world!

This thread also demonstrates that keeping good records is important, as is reading all the conditions and disclaimers.

Being in the industry, I suspect that the number of bad experiences for retailers from bad customers is likely higher than the other way around, so try to be a good customer. Even though my shop is very small I've had some exceptionally rude and worse experiences with completely bizarre customers. Some of these people may well file complaints and so on with BBB.

Here's a generic type of unhappy customer. Customer buys used instrument without warranty labeled "as is." Spends 2 hours hassling about this and that, gets briefed on instrument's flaws, seems happy about it. Later calls complaining about something, points to 100% trade in policy. Then has a chargeback run on the credit card, but doesn't return the instrument. What is one to do with such people? The more business picks up, the more time gets wasted with this type of nonsense. Hard for a small business to predict and handle these types of problems, to estimate and plan for the time consumed with them.

The real test is how a business handles their errors. Things that look like errors get handled instantly by me personally in my business. Errors are probably inescapable, but resolutions are not.

I'm sort of concerned about becoming overwhelmed by growth myself. I've gone from having time to simply barely being able to keep up. But experiences as reported with FOTW, Jim Laabs, Guitar Center and so on have me concerned about getting even one employee!

Steve

[Fred G]

I have dealt with FOTW a few times over the years with mixed results. The thing is the dealings always ended up with me happy, it just took a little more work on my part than I had hoped for. I agree that I think it is organizational more than anything. If you really have a problem, I would e-mail Mickey directly.

[fatt-dad]

I suspect people with different personalities and backgrounds prefer different things. #I get a lot of remote buyers who (like me) don't like cities. #But I also get plenty of city people calling. #Always interesting to talk with city people. #I can tell they're a long way off from my world!
Is it cities you don't like or city people? Please recognize that this is not a cheap shot, it's just if I was in a social setting and I heard these words, I'd get my cockles up. Way to much generalization for me. Living in the city and working in the country (geology and all), I find good and bad everywhere (even on this board - ha). But really, I know folks in the country that will try to pull a fast one just like the city folks.

Also, as a city dweller, you may just find that I'm not too far off of your world. Matter of fact, embrace the city dweller, 'cause if they change the country will suffer (i.e., do you really want all of us to join you in the country?)

f-d