Buyer beware...slidebone.com

ttf_mmclemore · Post by **ttf_mmclemore** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:21 am

A Public service announcement....

7 months ago I ordered a Basili case from Slidebone.com. I paid all monies up front for a 6 week delivery...after 6 months and excuse after excuse I canceled the order and asked for a refund. Now, a month later, I have yet to see a refund despite being told that one was in the mail. At this point I can only assume that no refund is coming. Save yourself the money and trouble and avoid Slidebone.com. I have kept every email exchange, so anyone wanting proof of my claims can be easily accommodated.

ttf_boneagain · Post by **ttf_boneagain** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:29 am

Quote from: mmclemore on Jun 25, 2016, 11:21AMA Public service announcement....

7 months ago I ordered a Basili case from Slidebone.com. I paid all monies up front for a 6 week delivery...after 6 months and excuse after excuse I canceled the order and asked for a refund. Now, a month later, I have yet to see a refund despite being told that one was in the mail. At this point I can only assume that no refund is coming. Save yourself the money and trouble and avoid Slidebone.com. I have kept every email exchange, so anyone wanting proof of my claims can be easily accommodated.

Please keep us posted when the refund shows up. I had a similar situation, and LOOOONG wait for a refund. I did get it though.

I wonder why Irvin doesn't just cut his losses with Basili? Beautiful cases, but Basili delivery is as poor as the case is good.

ttf_hyperbolica · Post by **ttf_hyperbolica** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:45 am

I also recently had a "couple of weeks" turn into 6 months + at Slidebone with the purchase of a Kanstul. It wasn't really his fault. I eventually got my horn. Communication is not stellar, but I think he's trying to build an east coast version of Horn Guys. Id use him again for stuff that's in stock.

ttf_bbocaner · Post by **ttf_bbocaner** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 12:57 pm

Quote from: boneagain on Jun 25, 2016, 11:29AMbut Basili delivery is as poor

Basili isn't the only weak link in the chain here.

ttf_trmbtrmb · Post by **ttf_trmbtrmb** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 1:18 pm

slidebone has a long record of this kind of stuff. I think he is off the forum now. He does a lot of his propaganda through Facebook now. It is a shame for Basili. Slide bone does not sell Bonna cases or Greg Black stuff anymore but he has/had interesting comments on his site about both. I recently wrote something in support of Bonna as he is a friend of mine and slide bone did everything to shoot me down with unsupported comments.

ttf_sfboner · Post by **ttf_sfboner** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 4:45 pm

By this point all the slidebone threads ought to be aggregated and made into a sticky. Even though I made a couple small orders that went ok some years back, I long ago stopped considering using this vendor out of principle. Back when he still was allowed to post here, he used the forum to viciously attack anyone who had a complaint.

ttf_TNTBONE · Post by **ttf_TNTBONE** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 4:21 am

I'll pile onto this one and echo the first post--stay away from slidebone.. I just went thru a very frustrating experience regarding a ProTec gig bag (good bag by the way).. I'm convinced that I would not have received the bag if I had not emailed him every day about the bag. I too kept all of my email exchanges if anyone needs more specifics.. I saw his add on FB..

ttf_artyart · Post by **ttf_artyart** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 7:03 am

bump, cut to may 9 , 2017, ordered a basili case, was told the turnaround was 3-4 weeks........... 14 weeks later nothing, except a few terse exchanges ...... buyer beware for sure.

ttf_MikeBMiller · Post by **ttf_MikeBMiller** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 8:46 am

Interesting - Irvin was travelling with Doug Elliott on his recent world tour and hung out at my house for about 3 hours while me and another guy got a lesson from Doug. He seemed like a good guy, but I don't have any experience buying from him.

ttf_renbaroque · Post by **ttf_renbaroque** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 9:12 am

Lots and lots of horror stories about that guy. I think this thread may have caused him (Irvin = NYTrombonist) to walk away from the forum. to sure if he has any more aliases.

http://tromboneforum.org/index.php/topic,67590.0.html

I personally had about 75% bad experiences, but those were "just" delivery issues. He apparently had the item (his store brand case at the time) in front of him staring back at him ready to be shipped after one of the inquiries, which for some reason was not get shipped for another 7 months or so. Eventually I got the case, but I was charged twice for it, when order was placed and when it was shipped, about a year apart.

ttf_Ellrod · Post by **ttf_Ellrod** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:42 am

More and more I try to ensure what I am ordering is in stock, whether it's Slidebone or Dillons or Musicians Friend. Mpcs from Dillons were annoying as the webpage gave no indication (that I was able to find) whether they had the mpc in or not. A phone call or email before you order might be a good idea before you give them your money (although, let's be clear, I've had absolutely no problems with Dillon, who cancelled the order and who only charge my card when the item is shipped). It's unfortunate IK bills you without having merchandise in stock.

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:45 am

Irv is a bit scatterbrained and it affects his customer service. He tries to do right, but sometimes gets it wrong.

Deal with him using caution.

Note: he's a fine trombone player and a friend of Doug Elliott. Not that either of those matter relative to his sales.

ttf_slide advantage · Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:49 am

Buyer beware

Is he on Angie's list?

ttf_Doug Elliott · Post by **ttf_Doug Elliott** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:55 am

I will try to find out about that Basili case for you. I know some Basili cases were coming from Brazil while we were on the road, and then were stuck in Customs.

ttf_artyart · Post by **ttf_artyart** » Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:02 pm

Thanks for looking into it Doug, at this point its 15 weeks..... seems a bit long

ttf_Doug Elliott · Post by **ttf_Doug Elliott** » Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:01 am

I think Basili is a one man operation, like my business. Sometimes it takes a while. I know I'm perpetually behind.

ttf_Michael Egan · Post by **ttf_Michael Egan** » Sun Aug 27, 2017 8:47 am

Doug has it...Irv is a good guy, but busy....lives in a place that's hard to do business. All my dealings went smoothly. Got a case once a few years ago and just simply didn't like it; sent it back and money was promptly refunded - prompting me to do more business.

ttf_artyart · Post by **ttf_artyart** » Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:16 pm

Quote from: Doug Elliott on Aug 23, 2017, 12:01AMI think Basili is a one man operation, like my business. Sometimes it takes a while. I know I'm perpetually behind.

I understand that well Doug, I really want to give Irv the benefit of the doubt, I was told the case was done 6/27, if something was lost, screwed up in customs, etc, it would have been better to to communicate that to me, rather than just remain silent...... the only communications we've had were relatively pleasant. It's now 16 weeks and counting.......

ttf_BHolley85 · Post by **ttf_BHolley85** » Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:54 am

I wish I'd checked out TTF before ordering from Slidebone. I ordered a custom midnight blue leather Basili in March with the "six weeks" bologna. That turned into six months of excuses from Irvin.

Shortening (and cleaning up) what I was originally typing:

Irvin and I both decided to give up on Ciro getting my case finished and shipped any time soon. We agreed to go the Marco Magi route.

After waiting the "two weeks" on that, Irvin seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. Fed up, I asked him to send me a nylon Basili and the $50 refund (leather/nylon difference). He agreed and said it'd go out "today or tomorrow."

Ten days later, no case. Irvin then confirmed that it hadn't been shipped yet. Entirely fed up at that point, I asked that he cancel the order and send my entire refund. (Sick of him and I didn't want the nylon because of we have two giant dogs that shed a lot).

He didn't cancel the order or give me a refund. He sent the nylon case overnight. No $50 refund, either. (The overnight fee had to be covered, right?!)

I have since cancelled that card, sent the case back, had the delivery refused, and paid return shipping to UPS. The sending of the case back to Irvin was on the advice of my CC representative. Bad advice. That's why I cancelled the card.

So I now have a brand new Basili screw bell case with black nylon exterior and gray interior in the Classifieds section on here.

Trying to be fair: Irvin was always pleasant enough. He's just a terrible, terrible businessman.

ttf_FlamingRain · Post by **ttf_FlamingRain** » Sun Nov 05, 2017 3:07 pm

I have a Cronkhite case that I have ordered from him that I have been waiting on for about a month and change now...

To be fair, it sounds like it is being made over at Torpedo.

I've also been waiting almost the same amount of time for a tuning slide to get made for me at Edwards...

ttf_FlamingRain · Post by **ttf_FlamingRain** » Sun Nov 26, 2017 3:10 pm

Would like to go ahead and update this topic with my experience so far, for what it's worth:

I ordered a case from him on Oct. 4th, paid up front - have not received anything, an invoice at all or anything like that.

I expected to wait about 6 weeks to get a case, and have tried to follow up with him often to see how things are going and what the status is. Nothing of substance.

It's now November 26th, and I'm wondering if this case has even been ordered through Torpedo yet. I asked if he has even ordered the bag through Torpedo yet and email after email simply deflects the question. If the answer is no I would like a refund so I may simply order directly (what I should have done the first time).

I have been trying to talk with him to find out what the ACTUAL status of my bag is, and it seems to me that he seems to think that I am questioning his credentials... keeps talking about who he's done business with and his gigging life in NYC... Great for him, not important to me at the moment when I am trying to figure out where $400 of mine has gone... I'm not in any rush to get it but I do want to know where my money went and to have some confidence that it didn't evaporate into the aether.

Soon, I might consider this a loss and just see if I can order one directly. I REALLY don't want to have to pull the 'Square Fraud Services' card, but it's on the table if it REALLY has to come to that.

ttf_MikeBMiller · Post by **ttf_MikeBMiller** » Mon Nov 27, 2017 12:07 pm

I think that disputing the CC charge is the smart move. It certainly gets the merchant's attention pretty quickly. Maybe Irvin would have more time to get things done if he didn't spend all his time on the FB Trombone Marketplace group trying to hijack every thread with a plug for something from his store.

ttf_MikeBMiller · Post by **ttf_MikeBMiller** » Mon Nov 27, 2017 12:07 pm

I think that disputing the CC charge is the smart move. It certainly gets the merchant's attention pretty quickly. Maybe Irvin would have more time to get things done if he didn't spend all his time on the FB Trombone Marketplace group trying to hijack every thread with a plug for something from his store.