De Agostini - 'The Beatles Vinyl Collection' mail order set via subscription

Just got past masters it's great, Should have been the end but I have emailed customer care for replacement AHDN and they say it has been rectified and waiting for stock to come in, Did get a replacement of AHDN by going the customer care phone line route a way back but just got the same copy with error. Maybe better luck this time, all in all it's been a gas and this forum has been well interesting too for the most part, Will miss reading it though.

 

Hi all

Have any subscribers received their final two of the collection yet? I’m sat here hoping the good postman will have a parcel for me this morning?

I also see on my account page, my storage box hasn’t been shipped yet.

 

Haven’t received mine yet

 

Do my ears deceive me? The 2017 Past Masters is as fine a slab of vinyl as I’ve heard in many a long day. Sure shows my 1988 reedy-sounding original a clean pair of heels.

 

Nor me. Hopeful for today. Account shows dispatch on 27 Dec and payment on 3 Jan. Only thing to arrive recently was a replacement copy of “1” as my original wasn’t it good shape. They didn’t want the first one back despite offering to send it.

If this is meant to be the final delivery (it should be) then I’m expecting Blue and Past Masters, a free notepad, the second storage box and that blasted USB power bank I should have received back in September. Somehow I doubt it will all turn up.

 

Noticed that the accompanying booklet is ©️2018, while the record remains ©️2017. No mention of ©️1988 anywhere.

Rats. Was hoping it would be my first 2018 LP.

 

Well guys the postman came, no delivery for me today. 5 mins later, a knock at the door...”Sorry I forgot to give you this” they have arrived. That’s the best bit just a shame both have a small crease on one corner.

What would you guys do? I’ve no doubt they’d replace them as they have before. Do I just live with it? A shame when all the others in the collection are in great crease free condition.

 

I was expecting two redeliveries this morning, so I stayed in when I do have things to go out and do. One was/is a package of two very early Alex Harvey LPs when he was a bluesman in the sixties (recent reissues.) So somewhat disappointed that I'll have to chase that up and wait in on another day. Of course, I was really looking forward to both that AND the 'repaired' AHDN... At least I can enjoy that. Hah!

I ripped the tape from the packaging and peeped inside. Oh, whhhaaaattt???!!! Why on EARTH would they send me a copy of Abbey Road? And WHY one that is unsealed has just a tiny bit of shrink-wrap left on the back of the sleeve?! Although the record inside looks ok at a quick glance, I suspect there is a reason it's in this state. In other words, a faulty. I will play it to see. Oh and the sleeve looks like a very heavy pile of records has been sitting on top since the start of this series - it's formed the shape of the inner disc!

This is some sort of wind-up, right? I'm beginning to think of taking back anything positive I've said about them. I know I've not had anywhere near the problems of some but it hammers it home to you, what some of the subscribers have gone through at the hands of these... arghhh! Next thing we know is that they will be saying I have to wait again, for a replacement. I ain't letting them off the hook though!!

 

Why wouldn’t they replace them? Of course they will, just write and I am certain there’ll be no quibble.

 

Their service with the Jazz vinyl has been incredibly bad, but the records are nice and we got there in the end! I even ended up with some free records as I refused to return the wrong records they sent me. It wasn't my fault and I'm far too busy. I told them that and they just said keep them. I ended up with three copies of an LP I didn't order in the first place!

 

And they’ll probably make their way to @OneStepBeyond at some point anyway

 

Out of interest, what did you receive? We’re you expecting the storage box, free gifts, etc.?

 

I'd have had a bit of a 'conscience' about doing this before but now, I'd just email them and ask for another... saying what you received is faulty. Which is true! Of course, to different people, they will have different tolerance levels. I've a mind to ask for copies of the 3 or 4 I got from the newsagents that have very obvious creases on the back. It's not so much that it devalues them in a monetary sense (I'd have no intention of selling for the foreseeable) but the packaging IS part of the whole product and we have paid a lot for this series. Although I let it go until now, I'm definitely going to be asking for another Help! to replace mine that has the issues with it.

 

So what was the total cost for those who subscribed?

 

My billing invoice that came included stated 2nd storage box included with record numbers 22 and 23.

I half expect it to turn up sometime next week, no mention of the other free gifts.

 

This is the one glimmer of hope. Keep on at them and they will come through - pretty annoying all the same. I mentioned (about a month ago or so?) about I might start a separate thread, with a poll to ask whether subscribers were satisfied with their service. More out of interest and fairness all-round really... it seems that the majority have had to jump through hoops with them, at some point. But the ones that are happy might just have had not all that much to report. It will be something I do in the next couple of days, now this particular series has finished.

The handful of Jazz at 33 LPs I got have all been wonderful and Time Out just floored me (really the album that got me into jazz and made me a bit of a Brubeck fan too! Got a few copies of that one now - NOT all De Agostinis though! LOL) Same with the Beatles ones - I've separated them into two cases... one has the sixties 'original' albums in, in order of release and the other has the post-breakup ones along with the folder and its magazines.

 

Well, I've got a Discogs account so can sell them there.... if anyone on here would like me to relive them of their surplus copies. You never seen this guy then? The amount of copies of Abbey Road he ended up with...



One time, I wondered if they were doing these things to him as a punishment for uploading videos about them.

 

Got my final delivery this morning! (I’m writing off the usb power bank and notebook)

Lovely to finally squeeze all of them in those two boxes. Managed to fit core albums and Past Masters in one box and then all the rest in the other (though it is a tighter fit). All the mags are nicely in the folder type thing that came with the first issue. Replacement AHDN on its way too. Overall very happy! Only grumble is the lack of differentiation between the boxes.

Wondering if I should apply some small non damaging sticker to the side to denote the difference on the shelf (no plans to sell ever!)

 

Just got my second box delivered. Package says 1 of 2, so I’m assuming Past Masters/1967-70 is in box 2 of 2, but no sign of that one yet....

Chris

 

I love this guy! He's hilarious and his delight when something goes right and he opens and listens to the records is endearing. He loves them!

Please check your PMs. Thanks.

 

Yes - a lot of the time I can see what what's just about to say, especially when he gets something he's right into! And that despairing look to the camera, when he pauses (probably trying not to scream LOL) just reminds me of...



I'll check the PMs - I see there's one there.

 

Oh, my 'new' Abbey Road plays like a dream. If I recall correctly, the one I bought has a few minor clicks at the start of side one - so I'm going to pop the disc in the other sleeve! Was worth it after all... I've now emailed about the other little problems, anyway....

 

I had the opposite this morning. Parcel of 2 of 2 has arrived, the albums, but no box (1 of 2 presumably). This happened with the first box, which arrived the next day. I could do with it as I’m running out of space to store these. Albums look in good shape although I’ve not split the shrink wrap yet...

The dispatch note mentions the storage box as part of the delivery and says the notebook is out of stock. No mention of the USB powerbank (I’m not writing it off. I WILL get it!).

I haven’t had the energy to request a third copy of AHDN yet (I still need to do the same with the Bowie Heroes album) but might add that request to the “Dude, where’s my powerbank?” email.

At least I have all the albums now. I don’t regret doing this although I’ve yet to tot up the total cost.

 

It should be around £380. Not bad for a complete set of high quality Beatles vinyl pressings and sleeves (if they sort out the AHDN opening chord!) as well as nice boxes to store them.

DeAgostini's product, along with the Jazz vinyl series, is superb. I've not had any complaints myself with the records and have read very few. They do need to sort out their customer service and subscriptions though. They also need to try and get their records into more shops. These would sell so much more if people were aware of them and they were available in record shops. Nobody goes into newsagents thinking of buying a non mainstream Blue Note jazz vinyl reissue for £15!

 

For those that have sought replacement AHDN are you subscribers or are replacements also being sent to customers who bought this disc in the shops?