I think this is OK. Pissed at myself and Carver Audio Repair...

Debassige

Well-Known Member
I debated about posting this but figured if it happened to me then it could happen to anybody else.

I don't know what the general consensu is of Carver Audio Repair and there are probably only a few who have dealt with them and I'm one, but will never again.

Besides bitching I'm also looking for some advice. As of right now I have payed the bill.

I purchased an M-400 (cube). It was suppose to be working but wasn't. I came across carveraudiorepair.com and it seemed like the right place to have it fixed. I emailed them and asked if they would look at my amp and give me an estimate on returning it to it's former glory. There had been a few mods done it so this added to the problem. I contacted CAR and they said to send it to them and they would look at it. I emailed again saying I would and that I just wanted and estimate. By now you've probably figured out my problem.

I sent my amp to CAR and after about a month of no response I emailed again for a sitrep. I was told amp arrived but no contact info was available so they did not look at it (probably my fault, I assumed our email correspondence, combined with the obvious visible mod that I mentioned in my emails and my return address on the package which corresponded with my emails, well I assumed wrong).

So I emailed my conatct info and again stated I wanted an estimate.

About a month later I receive a phone call telling me my amp was done (the work had been done without an estimate, as in I never gave him the go ahead) and the bill was.....

What the hell am I suppose to do? Obviously I should have just said put it back to the way it was and send it back to me (and this is why I'm pissed at myself)

I am in no way bitching about the cost but if I had know how much it was I would never have had the work done. I was told by CAR that this was there standard rebuild fee, how was i suppose to know (I see nothing on there web page and it was never mentioned in any emails to me)

:rant:
 
Do you have the amp back? Does it work? Do you have written proof that you only asked for an estimate? Did they tell you what they did besides "rebuild"?
 
I think the problem is the fact you did your business online, rather than use a walk-in shop where you could go and bug them every day. I would REFUSE to send ANY of my gear to someone off the net to fix it. I would find someone local whom I can shake hands with and talk in person.

I understand you are upset, but conversely, what do you expect in these days of anonymous email commerce?
 
I know this is too late to help you on this item, but if you (or any of our other AK fellows) need Carver repair in the future, I would recommend Rita's Vintage Audio Repair. Rita is the real expert on vintage Carver, and Bob Carver himself regularly stops by the shop to sign repaired/refurbished units if requested...

edit: in your position, I would also be pissed. I don't know what your recourse is in this situation, but a request for estimate of repair should always be honored. I also looked over their website, and saw nothing anywhere about "flat rate" repairs.
 
Last edited:
Do you have the amp back? Does it work? Do you have written proof that you only asked for an estimate? Did they tell you what they did besides "rebuild"?

I just paid for the amp on Fri night so I'm hoping it's on it's way back (maybe I should have waited). I do have written proof (my sent emails) and what the rebuild entails I'm not sure exactly.
 
I think the problem is the fact you did your business online, rather than use a walk-in shop where you could go and bug them every day. I would REFUSE to send ANY of my gear to someone off the net to fix it. I would find someone local whom I can shake hands with and talk in person.

I understand you are upset, but conversely, what do you expect in these days of anonymous email commerce?

I don't think doing business online was my problem. I live in a small town where there is nobody who does this work so my options are limited. I would love to walk into a shop and actually talk to the person who I dealing with but again, small town.

There are many here who do business online and are praised for their work, should I dismiss them as they are anonymous to me?
 
I realize your comunication was via email.

Did you enclose any instructions with the unit itself as to what you expected?

I ask this because you say in your post that you expected them to take all the info they needed from the return address on the box.

The guy who handles the office stuff and the tech who actually does the work may not always be the same person.
 
The guy who handles the office stuff and the tech who actually does the work may not always be the same person.

This is a good point. Companies are not machines, people make mistakes. It happens. Not saying it's OK, but sometimes things can and do get mixed around.

Most places I've dealt with in the past charge time for estimating the cost of the repair whether it's repaired or not. At $70/hr or more, consider how many strange, weird problems/units come across their bench, the biggest part of the cost is identifying the problem in the first place.
 
I realize your comunication was via email.

Did you enclose any instructions with the unit itself as to what you expected?

I ask this because you say in your post that you expected them to take all the info they needed from the return address on the box.

The guy who handles the office stuff and the tech who actually does the work may not always be the same person.

No I did not enclose anything with the unit itself (yes, my fault). I realize that the person who handles the office stuff and the tech are probably not the same person. The only info I expexted them to take was my name and location (again, my fault)

My point is simply that the individual I was communicating with was the one doing the repairs, I made it clear in my emails I wanted an estimate. I never got an estimate but yet the repairs were done.
 
Monday morning QBing the deal isn't going to change anything so take whatever lessons you learned from this experience and just enjoy your amp.
 
I don't see where you've stated what you paid for the repair, but maybe the estimate would have been close to that cost anyway?

No one ever said estimates are free and when I take my car in for work on electrial problems, they do have a minimum charge (was like $129) even if just for an estimate of what they need to do to fix it.

Did you ask their policy on the cost of an estimate?

BTW, I strongly second the use of Rita's Vintage Audio Repair and she just fixed and upgraded my Sunfire Signature (replaced 12 caps, a resistor, and a propriatary part).
 
Last edited:
From a realistic standpoint, once you've sunk the cost of the estimate and shipping into the job, unless there's real surprise you're most often going to do the repair.

This is not an excuse for the shop's lack of communication.
Since you've paid I assume you find the repair cost reasonable, or that the value of the gear was worth the ransom.

Now you're looking for an apology for the lack of communication and unauthorized work. Have you called the owner? I'd wait until I got the unit back and evaluate the work done, then call him and express your concerns. Email him this thread. My momma always said if you don't wanna read about it in the paper don't do it.

Get back here as well and let us know how this all turned out.

It would be nice to have a resource for reporting and evaluating technicians, though there are so many here who form a real community that the thought of going outside the AK tribe except for the most esoteric gear, or the (shudder) factory returns.
 
I don't see where you've stated what you paid for the repair, but maybe the estimate would have been close to that cost anyway?

No one ever said estimates are free and when I take my car in for work on electrial problems, they do have a minimum charge (was like $129) even if just for an estimate of what they need to do to fix it.

Did you ask their policy on the cost of an estimate?

BTW, I strongly second the use of Rita's Vintage Audio Repair and she just fixed and upgraded my Sunfire Signature (replaced 12 caps, a resistor, and a propriatary part).


300 plus shipping (40.00). For me it's not worth it. Although I was not expecting a free estimate I believe this should have been communicated to me (or even posted on their website), or I should have asked.

I realize many may be trying to label me a sucker or condone what CAR did, either way I'm pissed and will never do business with them again.
 
From a realistic standpoint, once you've sunk the cost of the estimate and shipping into the job, unless there's real surprise you're most often going to do the repair.

This is not an excuse for the shop's lack of communication.
Since you've paid I assume you find the repair cost reasonable, or that the value of the gear was worth the ransom.

Now you're looking for an apology for the lack of communication and unauthorized work. Have you called the owner? I'd wait until I got the unit back and evaluate the work done, then call him and express your concerns. Email him this thread. My momma always said if you don't wanna read about it in the paper don't do it.

Get back here as well and let us know how this all turned out.

It would be nice to have a resource for reporting and evaluating technicians, though there are so many here who form a real community that the thought of going outside the AK tribe except for the most esoteric gear, or the (shudder) factory returns.

The costs may be reasonable to some but had I known before he did the repair I would have had him send it back and sold the amp as a parts unit.
 
I paid Carver Service $189 to repair my cube over 20 years ago which is what a local shop was going to charge me. I hope you find that in a month or two after the cost shock has worn off that the quality of the amp and your enjoyment of it will make up for it. That's how it went for me, anyhow.

Regards,
Brian
 
Yeah that is really not acceptable behavior for a business. I do computer repair and if I find anything that would require me to charge the customer anything more than my normal labor fee (which we discuss prior) I call them immediately.

I get the impression that we're talking about a pretty hefty sum of money here. I'm sure they know how to work people on this issue. They know that once they've done the work you're options are pretty limited and that most will just pay. They gambled that they could get your money and they won.
 
check the city ordinances where the guy does business. in my city a repair business is required to provide an estimate for repair work if its going to exceed XX amount of dollars.


as far as shipping stuff out for repair. yes, id rather save on shipping but unfortunately there isnt a tech worth his weight in mud in miami fl except for one guy that does mostly guitar amp stuff.
 
300 plus shipping (40.00). For me it's not worth it. Although I was not expecting a free estimate I believe this should have been communicated to me (or even posted on their website), or I should have asked.


Seems a bit steep, but not really unreasonable. I paid Rita's a flat rate fee of $199 (+ shipping) for Sunfire Signatures last year. She is now at $249.

If you needed semiconductors, those could have been pricey.

I understand that it is a chunk of change for an older unit and perhaps you could have done better replacing it..., if they would have given you that option.
 
Back
Top Bottom