More with Electronics Service Labs

It was good to see relatively recent feedback about ESL and Jeff. For the benefit of those waiting like myself, below is the review I posted on Yelp. It does appear to be a common thread that the work quality is pretty good (when it's actually done) but the customer service is absolutely horrible and does make you want to think fraud/theft/etc. even when you know it isn't really realistic. Slow is OK as long as it's good, but the PR is really horrid. I'm posting this just so others know what to expect and will update if/when I ever get my deck back…I know many people are in the same boat that for some of this equipment that is well=worth repairing, they are pretty much the only game in town.

I have a limited edition nakamichi 1000zxl that has been there for almost two years. It took $600 for a pelican case + a fair sum to fedex (ground) it there (100 lb huge case). The deck is worth over $10k and it was agreed it would cost only slightly less than that to work on it. I selected them because I only want to do this once and they have the best stock of parts and the reputation for quality work as well. I pre-approved work to expedite the repair with the above estimate in mind. Things were ok for about 3 month at which time I was told the servicing was complete. I asked for the invoice so I could pay and have not been able to get it (or obviously t deck since. At first calls were answered and it was always "will be done in a few days", "will be done by the end of today", etc. I even spoke. Once or twice to a worker who said Jeff gets distracted, etc., and agreed there was no excuse for the delay. Since then all calls go to voicemail and are never returned. E-mails are e other never answered. I am getting ready to file a complaint with Connecticut's consumer protection agency/licensing board but won't get time to finish the paperwork for another month. I gather their license is up for renewal in August. I still believe the work is q uality (although I have no evidence yet, obviously), although I wonder how many of t he rubber replacements are now permanently. In some shape or degraded just for om sitting packed. In the case on the loading dock. The person who said it makes you s unspectacular fraud certainly hit it on the head. I will be happy to update this with better news should I ever get my deck back. I doubt they ever read this, though.

 

I would have visited them in person a long time ago............

 

Stick a fork in 'em, they're done.

EDIT: "Jeff" sounds like someone who's descending into an addiction or something. Your tape deck might have been sold.

 

That is what it feels like, but it doesn't appear so to the recent posts from this thread on this board:

Problem with Electronics Service Labs. No response.

plus, as I've said, other relatively (within the last year) info. Also, it is a small, but not single-person shop. When I could get people,
they seemed fairly transparent about the excuses they were making (i.e. they were not 4xcusing the poor communication/delays, but also
didn't sound like they were covering up anything else, either; just not able to do much other than pass on the message as he's the boss.

As I said, it seems to be a common complaint about the communication, to the point that everyone that receives it feels like their equipment has been stolen, pawned, etc.
But the worst case I've read is that someone got his deck back unrepaired even after a whole lot of time. Clearly not good, but not even in the same league as having equipment stolen/pawned/damaged, etc.
There are no reports I can find of anyone having actually lost anything (eventually), so, despite the emotional desire to go thet direction, I don't think it is warranted.

Yes, I would have visited them long ago if they weren't 3000 miles away. I don't have the time or ability to make that trip.

 

I would file a complaint with the city/town/village where his business address is. After that, call the police department and find out if they can pay him a visit. This is bordering on deceptive business practices /theft after this much time. If you don't want to go there in person hire an attorney in his area on your behalf. This is no longer "slow or shoddy service".

 

The police visit souds like good idea; thanks. I'll look into that. The lawyer (being out of state) is my last resort due to cost and hassle. I plan on filing with the commision that has to renew his license (I think I remember it being due up in August when I looked it up), but they want written detailed stuff and I won't have the time to get all of that together for another month or so.

 

The police only handle 'criminal' matters not civil matters which this is unless you can prove otherwise.

You should file with the CT Attorney General or the county Attorney as well as the BBB providing he is a member. See what they have to say. The last recourse is to hire an attorney and have him send a letter and if that doesn't work take out an action against him. I have no idea what the Small Claims limit is in CT but you'll have to file in the county in which the business resides.

 

The police normally do "welfare checks", a quick in person visit, to see if a person is alive or has disappeared, etc. They might do that.

 

Bad news. I turned Fisher rebuilds in two weeks- guaranteed. I had some late nights though..

 

Goes with being your own boss.

 

Items worth more than $10,000 that have been "in the shop" for two-plus years? That's fraud for sure, probably plain old theft. I would call the police in that locality and try to pursue theft charges, no doubt. Unless you agreed to let that the servicer keep the item indefinitely, they have stolen your equipment. $10,000 reaches felony theft status in most states. Also, consider that there are likely multiple other "customers" (read victims) as well. Call the police.

 

Wethersfield CT is less than two hours drive for me. Let me know if you want me to pay them a visit.

 

Wow! I tip my hat off to your generosity. A virtual high-five coming your way.

 

The closest thing that happened to me was a 2K guitar being worked on by a supposed wizard, the very best there is.

6 months later, after many phone calls and excuses, I put my foot down, was quite firm and angry, and told him to just give it back to me. No work had been done whatsoever. The guy didn't even have the guts to answer the door and sent his poor wife to hand me my guitar.

I was in my early 20s, back then. Today, I wouldn't have waited a month! Can't believe anyone would let this go on for 2 years. Hope it all gets resolved soon and with a happy ending. At this point, I'd consider getting the turntable back repaired or not to be a victory.

 

I wasn’t familiar with what a Nakamichi 1000ZXL was, so I Googled it. It’s the largest cassette deck I’ve ever seen in my life! The thing is HUGE!

 

You're quite right.

Oops! Mistakenly typed turntable instead of cassette deck. lol

 

Thanks for all of the input. Regarding the police, I did have in mind something like a "welfare check." Despite the frustration, the evidence seems to
warrant that nagging a lot of patience will be more productive (in the long run) than excessive force. I have to think of the case of what happens if
something isn't right, or is damaged in shipping, etc. It's all well and good to say I should take it to someone else, but that is not an easy choice, especially if
mechanical parts are involved. So I'd rather remain on good (if gaurded) terms.

I spoke to the person on the other thread who had also been waiting (albeit not as long) and had gotten an e-mail finally with the cost and a promise to ship the deck (if repairs paid for)
at the beginning of the year, and he did get his deck. He said he might have a few others he wants work done one but would like to take them in personally to avoid some of this issue: again the shop's work and so forth still seem great, just the service is abysmal
(and, yes, one could say bordering on illegal). If he goes, I may send him to get it to the FedEx facility.

BIGGER Dave: Thank you for your kind offer to go by; I may take you up on it. But I want to be able to devote some time to the task when I get back to it; right now I'm just feeling out what the possibilities are. I am on an academic work schedule so expect more freedom in a bout a month or so, at which time I hope to get my complaint forms all lined up for the state authorities, and will try and purse the police "welfare check" then.

Size: Yes, it is very large. It's about 40 lbs. The case it was shipped in is this one: 0500 Protector Transport Case | Pelican
35 x 19 x 25 (inches). Total shipped weight: about 100lb. If I recall, total shipping cost about $1k ($600+ for the case $300+ for the shipping FedEx ground.

Will post more if it happens to come through or if I need more suggestions, probably in a couple of months.

 

ESL is supposed to be top when it comes to any Nakamichi cassette deck servicing ...

 

Follow-up: for the record, I've filed a complaint with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. ESL does have a license under their jurisdiction, which at one point I thought I noticed was up for renewal in August (although I can't find that info any more to verify it). Anyway, we will see what happens.

@BIGGER Dave: I may still take you up on your kind offer if it is still available at the time, if this does not lead anywhere. Litigation is the last step as it is painful, expensive, and hard out-0f-state and long-distance.

 

I am a bit high and dry now as I have the Dragon and CR-7A that need to be serviced ...

 

Well, if it costs "just less than the $10000 value" to do some unspecified service on the deck, that's what, two or three three solid weeks of 8 hour days at $80/hr for your one piece of equipment?? A Nakamichi isn't 20x more complex than a deck that can be serviced for $200. Maybe if you agreed to pay less they'd spend less time?

Seems like a case of the wedding flowers or the BMW service center, they charge more because they know you've got more to spend. In this case, because he used to be a Nak authorized repair shack.

The deleted posts in the other thread showed how to get hold of via neighboring businesses and personal numbers that might be answered, and it was sort of confirmed that they at least haven't closed up shop and retired to Hawaii.

 

Some people just do not have good self-management skills. I had to take a year off of work to care for my BIL & sister. Cost me a lot of money, but no one was available. (They both died).
But, while I was caring for them I was bored. Started rebuilding Fisher tube gear in my BIL/sisters house as I could not leave.
Care was 7 days a week. It was complicated with many daily special procedures that a nurse thought I was a doctor after training her about the patients. I just did exactly what the doctors did. IVs, everything.
Anyways, I was doing about four to five Fishers a week in no time. I got lucky and some audiophile stated I built the best sounding Fisher he ever heard. Business just poured in. The deal was to rebuilding the gear as fast as possible. I was shipping product within 4-5 days after received. Customers loved the fast turn-around.

It appears this Jeff guy lost his way. You have to get product out ASAP or it will build up out of control. Like milking a cow, it has to be done as the cow cannot wait for you. (glad I am not a dairy farmer).

BTW- my regular job is so much easier than rebuilding electronics and pays more.

 

Really sorry to hear that and wish you all the best!

 

I sent my CR-7a to ESL in May of 2017. My experience with ESL is that he had my CR-7a for about 6 months, and then I started calling him. For about 3 months I called him and called him, mailed him letter after letter, and finally got through to him by phone... he actually answered. My deck was done, and sitting in his shop. He charged his repair fee to my credit card, and sent it back to me the next day. That was just last February, that I got it back.

It works perfectly now; he did a perfect job of repairng it.

 

This reminds me of when Layne Audio, and the original M&K, closed their doors. Tons of gear waiting for repair, then sold at auction, to clear 'inventory'. Gear sold, that belonged to others. Sad.