Interesting V****x Effects article on Reverb

Dave_Mc

Saw this on TGP... astounding.

iain.reverb

Dave_Mc said:

Saw this on TGP... astounding.

Me too. I knew people were P**sed off at Vertex but wasn't prepared for that ! I surprised he's selling as many of his new pedals as he claims.

bingefeller

iain.reverb said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Well Reverb have just lost this customer. Running a puff piece on a self-confessed liar and conman is not what I expect from a "community of musicians" (Reverb's words, not mine). The article doesn't even come close to the full truth of the Vertex scams.

Maybe @iain.reverb can attempt to justify this horror show.

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

 I personally think that Mason did not get an easy ride in the interview.  The article in question has since been revised from the original to give a little more background detail with regards to the fraud(s) perpetrated. I don't think that the article was puffery in any way and I think Mason was tasked to answer some pretty tough questions. I saw the interview like yourselves for the first time on Sunday and I knew that this was going to open an enormous can of worms. 
I found the interview really interesting and I'm still trying to figure out. Is Mason a guy who deserves a chance at redemption, or is he a total conman who will never learn ?
Would I ever personally buy a vertex product ? The answer has to be no. 

@iain.reverb you should have mentioned what Dave Phillips posted about Mason - 

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/vertex-dynamic-distortion-anything-else-like-it.1700469/page-17#post-22033704

Gives a lot more background to the story.   

fretmeister

iain.reverb said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Well Reverb have just lost this customer. Running a puff piece on a self-confessed liar and conman is not what I expect from a "community of musicians" (Reverb's words, not mine). The article doesn't even come close to the full truth of the Vertex scams.

Maybe @iain.reverb can attempt to justify this horror show.

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

 I personally think that Mason did not get an easy ride in the interview.  The article in question has since been revised from the original to give a little more background detail with regards to the fraud(s) perpetrated. I don't think that the article was puffery in any way and I think Mason was tasked to answer some pretty tough questions. I saw the interview like yourselves for the first time on Sunday and I knew that this was going to open an enormous can of worms. 
I found the interview really interesting and I'm still trying to figure out. Is Mason a guy who deserves a chance at redemption, or is he a total conman who will never learn ?
Would I ever personally buy a vertex product ? The answer has to be no. 

Then stop giving him free advertising.

There are all manner of professions (law, accountancy, medicine etc) with views about previous criminal behaviour.

Some accept that once a sentence has been served a person should be allowed to attempt to move on. But there is 1 class of offence where that never happens - offences involving dishonesty.

Dishonesty is not viewed the same way as, for example, an assault because dishonesty is deemed a part of a person's permanent character. This is why a person convicted of manslaughter could be permitted to practice law, but a person convicted of stealing a chocolate bar would never be allowed to.

Of course I realise that building pedals does not expose customers to the same level of risk as a lying doctor would cause to patients, but nevertheless I an unconvinced that his character has changed even if the PR machine claims it has.

The interview did give him an easy ride. He was not asked why he didn't report himself to the police.

Sassafras

Nice, professional and, above all, very prominent photos of his new products.
If I didn't know better, I might think it was advertising.
Fortunately, I haven't got a cynical bone in my body.

professorben

simonk said:

impmann said:

Did anyone on here own one of these Wahs and sent it back?

Yup, I've got an Axis wah.

Still? 

I bet bet you could sell it for a small fortune on TGP. 

Beef

iain.reverb said:

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

Well Iain, how dare you, you've lost me as a customer too. However, I would humbly accept a free lifetime supply of Reverb merchandise, then perhaps I would consider coming back to your dastardly website.

iain.reverb

bingefeller said:

iain.reverb said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Well Reverb have just lost this customer. Running a puff piece on a self-confessed liar and conman is not what I expect from a "community of musicians" (Reverb's words, not mine). The article doesn't even come close to the full truth of the Vertex scams.

Maybe @iain.reverb can attempt to justify this horror show.

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

 I personally think that Mason did not get an easy ride in the interview.  The article in question has since been revised from the original to give a little more background detail with regards to the fraud(s) perpetrated. I don't think that the article was puffery in any way and I think Mason was tasked to answer some pretty tough questions. I saw the interview like yourselves for the first time on Sunday and I knew that this was going to open an enormous can of worms. 
I found the interview really interesting and I'm still trying to figure out. Is Mason a guy who deserves a chance at redemption, or is he a total conman who will never learn ?
Would I ever personally buy a vertex product ? The answer has to be no. 

@iain.reverb you should have mentioned what Dave Phillips posted about Mason - 

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/vertex-dynamic-distortion-anything-else-like-it.1700469/page-17#post-22033704

Gives a lot more background to the story.   

That post from Rackdoctor was a definite eye opener. I didn't realise the extent of the deception he was up to. 

iain.reverb

Beef said:

iain.reverb said:

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

Well Iain, how dare you, you've lost me as a customer too. However, I would humbly accept a free lifetime supply of Reverb merchandise, then perhaps I would consider coming back to your dastardly website.

PM me your address and t-shirt size.................

bingefeller

iain.reverb said:

bingefeller said:

iain.reverb said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Well Reverb have just lost this customer. Running a puff piece on a self-confessed liar and conman is not what I expect from a "community of musicians" (Reverb's words, not mine). The article doesn't even come close to the full truth of the Vertex scams.

Maybe @iain.reverb can attempt to justify this horror show.

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

 I personally think that Mason did not get an easy ride in the interview.  The article in question has since been revised from the original to give a little more background detail with regards to the fraud(s) perpetrated. I don't think that the article was puffery in any way and I think Mason was tasked to answer some pretty tough questions. I saw the interview like yourselves for the first time on Sunday and I knew that this was going to open an enormous can of worms. 
I found the interview really interesting and I'm still trying to figure out. Is Mason a guy who deserves a chance at redemption, or is he a total conman who will never learn ?
Would I ever personally buy a vertex product ? The answer has to be no. 

@iain.reverb you should have mentioned what Dave Phillips posted about Mason - 

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/vertex-dynamic-distortion-anything-else-like-it.1700469/page-17#post-22033704

Gives a lot more background to the story.   

That post from Rackdoctor was a definite eye opener. I didn't realise the extent of the deception he was up to. 

I am led to believe it goes even further than Rackdoctor's short post.  

bingefeller

iain.reverb said:

Beef said:

iain.reverb said:

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

Well Iain, how dare you, you've lost me as a customer too. However, I would humbly accept a free lifetime supply of Reverb merchandise, then perhaps I would consider coming back to your dastardly website.

PM me your address and t-shirt size.................

@Beef you can't argue with that.  

Winny_Pooh

He's already claimed his pedals are made in the USA so.... just a co-incidence that his employees shown in the massive factory photo look Chinese... can't be

UnclePsychosis

The version that went up initially was even more brazen in its puff-piecery. I'll need to see if the internet has it cached somewhere, it'll make you guys laugh (or cry).

Even after edits the piece lets Mason peddle more half truths completely unchallenged, utterly fails to mention that Mason lied about the workings of the boost pedal that the article wanks over, and fails to mention the not so insignificant fact that CME, who own Reverb, just happen to be a Vertex dealer.

Reverb like to rattle on about protecting musicians from getting ripped off when buying gear. Deliciously ironic when they're giving this guy free advertising. "yeah, mason made a little mistake but now he makes this awesome boost pedal, it's totally legit and people are buying it. You should too"

iain.reverb

fretmeister said:

iain.reverb said:

UnclePsychosis said:

Well Reverb have just lost this customer. Running a puff piece on a self-confessed liar and conman is not what I expect from a "community of musicians" (Reverb's words, not mine). The article doesn't even come close to the full truth of the Vertex scams.

Maybe @iain.reverb can attempt to justify this horror show.

First of all I'm really sorry to hear that I have lost you as a customer over this. If there's anything I can do to make it right with you please send me a PM or drop me an email and I'll do whatever's in my power to keep you as a customer. 

 I personally think that Mason did not get an easy ride in the interview.  The article in question has since been revised from the original to give a little more background detail with regards to the fraud(s) perpetrated. I don't think that the article was puffery in any way and I think Mason was tasked to answer some pretty tough questions. I saw the interview like yourselves for the first time on Sunday and I knew that this was going to open an enormous can of worms. 
I found the interview really interesting and I'm still trying to figure out. Is Mason a guy who deserves a chance at redemption, or is he a total conman who will never learn ?
Would I ever personally buy a vertex product ? The answer has to be no. 

Then stop giving him free advertising.

There are all manner of professions (law, accountancy, medicine etc) with views about previous criminal behaviour.

Some accept that once a sentence has been served a person should be allowed to attempt to move on. But there is 1 class of offence where that never happens - offences involving dishonesty.

Dishonesty is not viewed the same way as, for example, an assault because dishonesty is deemed a part of a person's permanent character. This is why a person convicted of manslaughter could be permitted to practice law, but a person convicted of stealing a chocolate bar would never be allowed to.

Of course I realise that building pedals does not expose customers to the same level of risk as a lying doctor would cause to patients, but nevertheless I an unconvinced that his character has changed even if the PR machine claims it has.

The interview did give him an easy ride. He was not asked why he didn't report himself to the police.

This is the thing I don't understand about Mason though, Please believe me when I agree with you that a leopard never changes its spots, especially when it comes to dishonesty.

But this is whats weird......
He held his hands up (only because he was caught)
He issued refunds to the people affected. (dodgy accounting included)

But he still puts his name to a line of new pedals!
The man either has a neck made of the absolute finest brass or there is a terrifying character defect going on. 

Vertex as a brand is now mud. Quick Google and the first page list of results is all about how he is a con artist. But he still insists on going on with the Vertex line. I genuinely can't fathom why he would go through all this hassle. It's absolutely fascinating from a people watching point of view. 

As far as the free advertising goes I don't think it will encourage many people to buy any of his pedals anytime soon. If anything I think this has just dragged up all the old (and a few new) skeletons in his closet. I'd pretty much forgotten all about the whole sorry story until the interview came out. 

I would say it's caused a mini Streisand effect but we haven't seen anything back from Vertex yet.

Beef

@iain.reverb ;I was just pulling your leg, but hey, I'm not one to turn down a free t shirt!

I'll take a large one. 

Sporky

iain.reverb said:

As far as the free advertising goes I don't think it will encourage many people to buy any of his pedals anytime soon. If anything I think this has just dragged up all the old (and a few new) skeletons in his closet. I'd pretty much forgotten all about the whole sorry story until the interview came out.

I'm curious as to what Reverb thought they'd achieve with this. I'd have either refused him a platform or properly torn him apart; as it is Reverb has damaged their brand by association without achieving any advantage. Seems risky.

iain.reverb

Sporky said:

iain.reverb said:

As far as the free advertising goes I don't think it will encourage many people to buy any of his pedals anytime soon. If anything I think this has just dragged up all the old (and a few new) skeletons in his closet. I'd pretty much forgotten all about the whole sorry story until the interview came out.

I'm curious as to what Reverb thought they'd achieve with this. I'd have either refused him a platform or properly torn him apart; as it is Reverb has damaged their brand by association without achieving any advantage. Seems risky.

I don't have a whole lot to do with our editorial and news section so I'm hazarding a guess here. I suppose by doing it we have stimulated discussion and discussion and controversy can sometimes be a good thing, and this in turn has probably led to a spike in traffic for us. I genuinely feel that the interview was incredibly interesting and gave an insight into something that few people outside of TGP, the Fretboard, Hugeracks etc may not have known about. 

Sporky

iain.reverb said:

I don't have a whole lot to do with our editorial and news section so I'm hazarding a guess here.

Understood, and I don't mean any of this as an attack.

iain.reverb said:

 I genuinely feel that the interview was incredibly interesting and gave an insight into something that few people outside of TGP, the Fretboard, Hugeracks etc may not have known about. 

I think the problem is that the article reads as if Reverb doesn't know the story and is being hoodwinked by that scumbag fraudster into giving him free publicity and excusing his criminal past.

dindude

I think @iain.reverb is getting an unnecessary hard time here. A). He didn't write or place the article himself, although he is representing reverb I do understand, and b) The article isn't the fawning adtorial that people are making it out to be.

People would clearly love to read a hate filled, aggressive article, but to what end, especially for a company (Reverb) that needs to retain its progressional edge. 

There's enough there that you can't make up your own mind with regards to the integrity of Vertex, just as if you had read an interview with Nigel Farage, you don't need blatant, unprofessional journalism to establish that he's a twonk.

So pitchforks away, all this article has reminded me of is that I personally would never buy a Vertex product. 

iain.reverb

Sporky said:

iain.reverb said:

I don't have a whole lot to do with our editorial and news section so I'm hazarding a guess here.

Understood, and I don't mean any of this as an attack.

iain.reverb said:

 I genuinely feel that the interview was incredibly interesting and gave an insight into something that few people outside of TGP, the Fretboard, Hugeracks etc may not have known about. 

I think the problem is that the article reads as if Reverb doesn't know the story and is being hoodwinked by that scumbag fraudster into giving him free publicity and excusing his criminal past.

Understood completely, we're not on TGP thank god ! I think we gave a fairly good account of Masons misdemeanors but perhaps were not as hard on him as we could have been. I thought the previous comment asking why we didn't ask Mason why he didn't call the police on himself was an absolute belter of a question. Yes we could have not done the article and yes we could have gone harder on him and run the risk of there not being an interview at all. I personally think this interview has backfired on him. I'm waiting to hear what his response will be.