Is this reasonable?

HAL9000

My six month old Blues Cube Stage started developing a fluttery-farty noises as the notes were dying away. I took it back to Andertons on 30 December. I received an email from them today saying that it is back with Roland who need to order parts which are expected to take 6-8 weeks (although it might be sooner). Bearing in mind that they have already had the amp for over a fortnight this seems excessive. Thing is though that I've never had to have an amp repaired until now so I don't actually know if this is normal or not.

Should I be banging on Andertons counter demanding a replacement? Something to tide me over? Or just accept it takes as long as it takes?

To be fair I'm fortunate enough to have a backup. Unfortunately it's an old Katana 50 which has been relegated to 'gathering dust' duties as it simply doesn't motivate or inspire me to play.

ecc83

I would be querying why Roland need to order spares?

Customer service has gone to shit but I blame the customer for a lot of it. Always chasing the last quid!

Dave.

sw67

Thats longer than i would be happy with. I would be pushing Andertons to sort out a replacement. They were good with me when a Line 6 amplifi was faulty - the gave me credit towards something else.

webrthomson

Nope two months seems excessive, I would not be happy with that

ICBM

It's fairly normal for companies like Roland unfortunately.

I would take it up with Andertons though - since the amp is only six months old, under warranty and (I think) still a current model, I would push them to give you a replacement rather than a repair. They're within their rights to refuse, but it can't hurt to ask.

Sassafras

It's not like they haven't got dozens of demo amps lying around they could lend you as a "courtesy" amp.

HAL9000

Thanks. Just emailed Andertons suggesting that due to the excessive wait time that they ought to be providing, or putting pressure on Roland to provide, a replacement unit. Let's see what happens.

midlifecrisis

Roland told me my katana would take 5-6 weeks to repair as they were waiting for spares (new motherboard) couldnt complain as they fixed it free, even though out of waranty and collected and delivered back to me free too.

p90fool

I've been waiting on Anderton's since November for a repair or refund on a faulty Line 6 wireless receiver which was only three months old, still no joy. 

There's lots of to-ing and fro-ing about parts issues from Yamaha etc, but I don't really see why I should wait any longer, it IS my money after all.  

HAL9000

HAL9000 said:

...it is back with Roland who need to order parts which are expected to take 6-8 weeks...

midlifecrisis said:

Roland told me my katana would take 5-6 weeks to repair as they were waiting for spares...

p90fool said:

I've been waiting on Anderton's since November...
...parts issues...  

How is this even acceptable? Surely there is nowhere in the world so remote that it need take more than a couple of days to get some parts delivered.

impmann

Perhaps that’s a reflection of the repair policy of Roland (and Yamaha for that matter) where board swap is their only option. However, I would contact the manufacturer to check that is *actually* the case (not accusing anyone of lying but horses mouths and all that).
There are other manufacturers who are managing turnaround times in their workshops of less than 24hrs and yet I’ve had customers of other stores complaining of excessive turnaround times... in those cases, the repair sat in the corner for (in one case two months) a while before the store got around to sending it in... and blamed the manufacturers.

Contact Roland customer service - and don’t be fobbed off by the “you need to speak to your store” line some manufacturers use. Yes your contract of sale and warranty is with the store but it reflects *badly* on the manufacturer...

HAL9000

HAL9000 said:

Thanks. Just emailed Andertons suggesting that due to the excessive wait time that they ought to be providing, or putting pressure on Roland to provide, a replacement unit. Let's see what happens.

Well Andertons replied today. They are happy to either give me a replacement BC Stage or to give me the equivalent value towards something else. Credit where credit’s due. They certainly didn’t have to offer this - after all they are getting it repaired FOC. I’m more than happy with their response.

p90fool

I'm happy too, turns out my Line 6 wireless base unit can't be repaired and they're not getting any more in because it's such a common fault, so I used the credit and discount they gave me against a Mooer Red Truck. 

It took a while, but it sounds like it genuinely was out of their hands and everyone I spoke to at Anderton's was a pleasure to deal with. 

HAL9000

p90fool said:

...everyone I spoke to at Anderton's was a pleasure to deal with. 

^ This.

jpfamps

As someone who deals with Roland / BOSS it can be very frustrating getting spares out of them.

They always quote 2-3 weeks, but 6-8 weeks is not uncommon. 

I frequently get customers who are amazed that I don't have the spares they want in stock!

One problem is that you can imagine how many spares Roland need to carry across their entire range of products.

Another problem is that after sales service has to be paid for out of profits, and margins have been eroded massively by internet sellers; you can't have it both ways.

ecc83

jpfamps said:

As someone who deals with Roland / BOSS it can be very frustrating getting spares out of them.

They always quote 2-3 weeks, but 6-8 weeks is not uncommon. 

I frequently get customers who are amazed that I don't have the spares they want in stock!

One problem is that you can imagine how many spares Roland need to carry across their entire range of products.

Another problem is that after sales service has to be paid for out of profits, and margins have been eroded massively by internet sellers; you can't have it both ways.

This is indeed a problem . Blackstar did not have anything like the product range of Roland 6 or so years ago and do not even today but there was a room with four Dexion racks that carried 'heavy' spares such as transformers cabs and metalwork. PCBs and smaller electronic parts were on 3 more racks in the workshop. I cannot imagine how many £1000s all that cost to hold.

"Waiting for parts" is of course the service man's get out of jail card when he cannot say "I can't fix the fekker"! But often enough it IS true.

The situation will persists until legislation makes repair a built in requirement for equipment and of course the punter will have to be made to see that this will add cost. The cheap as shit, pile'em high,' disposable society must stop.

I understand a 'Must be Reapairable' law has been passed in som US states?

Dave.

HAL9000

Old thread resurrection....

I took Andertons up on their offer of returning the BC Stage and went home with a Blackstar Studio 10 instead (which I'm well pleased with). This was roughly five weeks ago.

Anyway, Andertons contacted me yesterday to let me know the BC Stage is all repaired and ready for me to pick up!!

Fortunately, I'm an honest chap but could easily have ended up with a free amp.

57Deluxe

my 59 Bassman was with Fender and retailer for 5 months until I pulled the plug and demanded a refund...

menamestom

Andertons were the same with my Line 6 stomp.  Gave me the official replacement time but when I said it wasn’t good enough they sorted it right away.  Good communications through the repair process. 

Wazmeister

HAL9000 said:

HAL9000 said:

Thanks. Just emailed Andertons suggesting that due to the excessive wait time that they ought to be providing, or putting pressure on Roland to provide, a replacement unit. Let's see what happens.

Well Andertons replied today. They are happy to either give me a replacement BC Stage or to give me the equivalent value towards something else. Credit where credit’s due. They certainly didn’t have to offer this - after all they are getting it repaired FOC. I’m more than happy with their response.

I wouldn't expect anything else from Andertons; always great service.