it's hard to get high-end gears at the place where I live and I always purchase my gears on line, never had a problem till now and it's a long and frustration story.
episode 1:
recently I finally have the budget to buy my long await Manley Dual, I checked at Sweetwaters and the sales person told me they can send the Manley for $2160 + free shipping, I thought it's a good deal so I placed my order on 2/17, before I place the order they can receive and reply my every email without problems, but after that strange things start to occur, few weeks without any information, I send several email to them but no reply, I use their website to contact them, and then their sales person reply an email telling me that I have to wait for a few days because BLAH BLAH BLAH and they didn't receive my email. until "FEW DAYS LATER", at 3/12 they told me they ship my order by DHL, later I ask them for a tracking number because I still not contacted by DHL and at 3/25 they tell me that the Manley is actually send by Fedex and it is already here since 3/14 and I have to pick them up myself before the unit is returned to US or I'll have to pay for the shippment fee, what an bullshit!
with anger I send a very unpolite email because they still not giving me the tracking number and I can't retrieve the shipment myself, when give me the tracking number at 3/28 it's already too late, the unit is being send back and Fedex told me that Sweetwaters gave them wrong address and wrong phone numbers so they can't contact me properly.
episode 2:
Sweetwaters's sales manager send me a apology email and told me they will send the Manley again at 4/2, I told them to recheck my shipping information but still they gave Fedex the wrong information again, after all the hassle I finally get my Manley at 4/14, with excitement I read the manual and connect everything, turn on the switch, plug in my microphone............................. my god!
it's a defective unit, channel A has a very low and distort output, try switch tubes but not helping, I just lose all patience and anticipate for this whole event. at 4/18 I send back the manley for a replacement.
episode 3:
I never return anything before so I didn't tell the customs that I'm return for a replacement, and the result......... I have to pay the tax again for the replacement unit, two times tax total $480 in USD, I take it as a charges for tuition. I recieved the replacement today, open the carton, first thing I notice is a missing power cable, and I check the Manley, there are few scratch on the side, and some strange white material at the back looks like it's being repair before.
this is just like a never ending nightmare, after spending $2640 for it and waiting over two months, I still can't get a proper unit, with all those big ads on the mags I never thought Sweetwaters could behave like this, and the question is I just purchase the stuff shouldn't they send me a whole new replacement?
can anyone give me some advice what should I do with this?
andrew