Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

[V!N]

In January 2003, I bought myself a split channel JCM 800, unseen. I thought it would give me the exact same distorted sound as the "regular" ones, plus a handy clean channel should make this a versatile and perfect amp for my use ! But it didn't sound anything like the JCM 800 I've grown to love.

So I went on the internet, found a magician and on Valentines Day 2003, Jeff and I agreed he'd make me a board I could slide right into the amp and have the sounds I wanted.

Since May 2006, that board is packaged and ready to be send to me. Since then, it has been a lot of promises that he'd send it out, or somebody he knows and I've offered countless of times to find somebody pick it up. A couple of hours ago, I received this message:

"Vincent, I no longer know what to say.... your "amp" has been sitting in the back floorboard of my car which has been "impounded" for the last two months... I can't afford to get it out, and have no intentions of even trying anymore.
I'm sorry I've wasted your time and hopes... please just let it go!!!

JEff"

After all these years, all the trouble I got into because I believed in him and all the money I spend on rentals and phonebills, this will not do !

Is there a way one of you could go to the police and ask if you could get the package before the car ends up at an auction ? Needless to say, I'll be glad to pay for the fuel and time spend on it ? Or get the car out with me paying for it ?

I'll also pay for the shipping, either to the Netherlands or my next residence in Tampa. Yes, I already have an address there.

Please help !

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Wow dude, that sucks so hard it's not funny. I really hope someone like Jake is able to get it out for you.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Huh? I'm missing something here...

Whose car was it in when it was impounded? Who is telling you to eat the cost of the amp?

Seriously...we need to know this.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Jeff Seal's car, and he's telling V!N to eat the cost (I believe).

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

I've never heard of Jeff ever screwing anyone. Have you actually paid for the board? If not and it's in the impound lot, the only person out any money is Jeff. If you paid for something not delivered, then obviously Jeff owes you money. You might want to elaborate a bit. Jeff is a long-standing member that has a lot of our respect.

 

[V!N]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

It's Jeff's car with the package with the parts for my amp in it.

Nobody is telling me to eat the cost, I'm offering to pay to get it out.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

But didn't you pay Jeff for it already? Not to get it out, per se, but for the actual parts?

 

[V!N]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

After about three quarters of the first year, Jeff offered to lower the price to compensate for the long wait.
After a couple of years, he offered to compensate for the long wait by sending me the board for free.


I've spend the equivelant of thousands of dollars on rent of equipment, because the new deadline was too close to spend money on buying an amp that would be replaced by the amp of my dreams "in a matter of weeks" anyway.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

It's Jeff's car with the package with the parts for my amp in it.

Nobody is telling me to eat the cost, I'm offering to pay to get it out.

Is it YOUR amp in Jeffs car?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

After about three quarters of the first year, Jeff offered to lower the price to compensate for the long wait.
After a couple of years, he offered to compensate for the long wait by sending me the board for free.


I've spend the equivelant of thousands of dollars on rent of equipment, because the new deadline was too close to spend money on buying an amp that would be replaced by the amp of my dreams "in a matter of weeks" anyway.

If you spent thousands of dollars on rental equipment while waiting for a few hundred dollar board, something is out of proportion. It is regretable that Jeff has had an issue with delivery. Not the best of business practices. I do have to figure there might be another side to this story. But, at some point, you kinda have to move on.

As far as my experience with Houston's impound lot (20 years ago), anything in that car was probably stolen the minute it was hauled away. Trust me on this. There's nothing of value left in that car.

You dont' want to hear this, but lick your wounds and move on.

 

[V!N]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Regrettable ? Move on ? You have no idea what I've been through in all those years. I'm not giving up just like that.

But is there anybody who could help ?

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Man I understand. I would definitely help if I lived anywhere close. I really recommend you ask Jake, since he lives in Houston (or near it). But I don't want to volunteer him or anything.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

But is there anybody who could help ?

I would be surprised if the impound lot would let anyone else but Jeff in to get something from the vehicle.

Your best bet would probably be a bill of sale for undelivered goods and showing up in person and hoping a member of the force there would know what the hell you're looking for as well as being sympathetic.

Basically...you got hosed. You rented gear for gigs under your own power. Jeffs auspices of whether he would send you something or not is irrelevant.

You might want to get some nice Dijon mustard and maybe a little pepper...because this one you're probably going to have to eat.

 

[V!N]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Man I understand. I would definitely help if I lived anywhere close. I really recommend you ask Jake, since he lives in Houston (or near it). But I don't want to volunteer him or anything.

Dropped him a PM, thank you.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Yeah for sure. They're probably right, you're most likely screwed. But there's no way I would give up.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Sorry man!Sad to hear it!I hope you get her back!

 

[V!N]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

That would be really sick and twisted .. Despite all of this, I think of Jeff as a friend.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

I agree..you need to move on Bro. Can't get apple juice from an orange.


BTW...*not* to discredit Jeff's abilities..but I cannot believe he's the only person you found here in the states that could do this for you. There are TONS of good modders/builders out there. This just doesn't make sense...to wait years for this....even if Jeff was giving you a killer price...the money you've spent on rentals I'm SURE would be much more than what you would have paid for a more high profile Amp Tech to build it for you (i.e. cameron, voodoo, blah blah blah)

I just don't understand how it ever got to this point... :shrug:

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

That would be really sick and twisted .. Despite all of this, I think of Jeff as a friend.

It's called Stockholm Syndrome.

Get help.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Need some URGENT help from Texas ! Houston area (Jeff Seal related)

Sorry man!Sad to hear it!I hope you get her back!

If I'm reading all this right, there's nothing to get back. Nothing was ever sent. No money exchanged hands either. I can understand the extreme disappointment for sure. Promises were made then not kept. That is not too cool but stuff does happen. God, I know. Personal issues can set in, family time creeps up, stuff happens. Regretably, he didn't just end the project months ago and tell you it was not going to work out.

I still contend there is a great possibilitiy that there is another side to this story.