A lesson learnt

Discussion in 'Internet for Musician' started by jefft, Jul 21, 2021.

  1. jefft

    jefft Producer

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    Whats going on here? I was looking for a cheap guitar amp, and decided on a line 6 spider v30, doing an internet search on Google, Amazon came up the cheapest at £165 supplied by BAX Music and they had 18 in stock. No problems there. AnywayI decided to check the price on the BAX Music website, they quoted £166, just a pound more, so no sweat and they had an in stock notice. Next I went back to Amazon only to find that Amazon no longer had any stock. This sort of thing has happened on several occasions, making me totally distrust internet shopping. Has anyone else had similar experience's
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
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  3. BEAT16

    BEAT16 Audiosexual

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    No, I haven't seen what you have yet.
    It gets more expensive for me sometimes. when I visit the site again.
    The AlgoRhytmus to earn money. What do you learn from it, you get ripped off.

    I prefer to buy musical instruments here, exchange rights and a 3-year guarantee.
    https://www.thomann.de/de/line6_spider_v_30_mkii.htm

    Wow,,, built-in tuner, drum loops, metronome USB recording & playback, a Display (cool)
     
  4. Ŧยχøя

    Ŧยχøя Audiosexual

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    Better than a Blackstar for sure,
    and maybe better than a Fender Mustang too..

    But better than a Vox VT?

    Talking about Tone..
    For a bone fire all of them are equally as bad lol
     
  5. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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  6. Ŧยχøя

    Ŧยχøя Audiosexual

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  7. JMOUTTON

    JMOUTTON Audiosexual

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    It happens sometimes. It has happened to me as well.

    I think it has something to do with the way Amazon and large retailers sync availability.

    For a lot of large systems sync isn't granular unless they keep stock at an Amazon warehouse which wouldn't be practical for large retailers or stores as it would be a duplication of stock. Syncs are usually done by a cron worker script that just overwrites the SKU listings that retailer has on Amazon with price and stock info, this usually also requires an intermediate file format as the databases between a store legacy DB and Amazon's own BDRMS are most likley going to be 1:1 compatible. I worked at a place a long time ago where we had to have a text file generated by 1 DB as CDLF by a cron get sucked up by an offsite cron and rebuilt into a different SQL for table format and paradigm in order to sync offsite and onsite stock availability.

    It seems medieval but it is a cheap, easy and reliable way when dealing with really old legacy systems and newer more real time systems. It could be done with push and RTRM but most legacy retailers are just not interested in the cost or time that something like that would take to build and manage and generally don't see the benefit as most are still using dumb terminal consoles and 1990s mini computer databases or MSSQL server based products from the early 2000s which would fold under... TLD...

    It happens.
     
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  8. DKB

    DKB Producer

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    I had a issue with bax a few weeks ago I ordered the behringer x touch £329 when I ordered it was in stock and said it would ship within two day , Monday came no x touch I contacted them and they said it was out of stock and 9weeks till they’d have it . I cancelled my order took 15days to get my money back and two days after I cancelled it was in stock for £20 cheaper ffs £309 . As soon as I got my money back I went to gear for music and ordered the x touch and extender for £569 and was at my house the next day . I did think about Thomann as they’ve always been a good shop to order from but since brexit it works out more to ordered there than Uk with vat and import charge .
     
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  9. RobertoCavally

    RobertoCavally Rock Star

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    I'll share this about recent purchase at Thomann 's, because why not - when a store does a good job.

    I was upgrading NI's Komplete CE 12 to 13. Time+Space had a "special offer", like ~10 € cheaper and some "free" libraries on boxed product vs the others. Anyway, as I was getting some other HW studio stuff and didn't really want to test how much PITA the UK-EU costums are, I went with Thomann. Everything (stock) was checked before my CC was charged and I had everything delivered in a couple of days. :wink:

    There was a hiccup on the Time+Space side meanwhile (as I was reading on another forum). It even wasn't their fault and AFAIK they solved everything - so it was just a week or two of delay and bit of nerves for those who ordered.

    Maybe something to keep in mind if you are located in "continental" Europe. And could be vice-versa for UK customers.

    Amazon is another story. Have to say I got everything delivered promptly (knock on wood as I have to place an order tomorrow), but I always go for amazon's choice or popular items, which probably means the items are at their warehouse.. oh, and I wouldn't be surprised about their prices fluctuating
     
  10. RitchieM

    RitchieM Rock Star

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    honestly, Thomann was always my goto for stuff I needed without trying, but since Brexit, just not worth the hassle. Long story, but my boss bought me a ESP KH2, so thought, need the Hammett Wah! Order from Thomann as only place with stock, but getting it here, any other year I would have guessed it was actually touring Europe with the band before coming to me! And yes, I was a remainer, so fuelled my anger even more!

    I haven’t used BAX, something always felt off with it, but GAK, G4M, PMT, always excellent and prompt service, with Anderson’s being the best of them all (just ignore the slightly cuntish videos). We are spoilt here.
     
  11. jefft

    jefft Producer

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    Intresting comments here, I eventually ordered a Mustang LT25 from Amazon as its only for practice and this suits my needs, but my reasoning for buying through amazon is the easy way of returning it if I dont like the sound ( Amps with smaller speakers can sound Boxy) If the sound prooves to be boxy then I will return it and go for the Line 6, although this may proove to be unreliable ( line 6 Spiders are known for faults) Not sure about the Vox VT series, they seem to be a one trick pony.

    Talking about Tone..
    For a bone fire all of them are equally as bad lol[/QUOTE]
    Should that read " Bonfire" lol
     
  12. DKB

    DKB Producer

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    I looked at Andersons but there prices was to high the x touch was £50 notes more in there but they had ten in stock so could price there products higher . The cheapest was thormann but with import and vat it worked out more . I got the last in stock at gear for music £569 xtouch and extender . A lot of shops in Uk which have stock there prices are just so high . I want to order a second klark teknik kt76 and get two of the pultec eqs eqp kt prices here are ridiculous I’m Uk and eBays even worse , people selling second hand for more than brand new .
    As for bax I never had problems before just this time .
     
  13. BEAT16

    BEAT16 Audiosexual

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    One thing is Brexit - the tax advantages are gone, look at your bill to see if the tax is due.
    In Germany it is 19% tax. The other is scamming criminals on ebay.
     
  14. JMOUTTON

    JMOUTTON Audiosexual

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    @BEAT16

    UK VAT is 20% DE VAT is 19% if someone has to cry over paying £1 more per £100 spent they shouldn't be buying whatever it is they are buying.

    ---------

    On an other note if we are talking about scammer I find the biggest scams and run around on Reverb/com.

    That site is pure poison and the CS people are about as helpful as a vending machine when it comes to understanding what you are saying to them. It's like talking to some 1950s science fiction robot who just keeps telling you 'it does not compute.'

    As far as amps if you don't find you sound with the Mustang LT-25, give a Katana a try or I have Positive Grid Spark that I like as a toy. The smart phone backing tracks and gimmicks are trash, but the amp itself and the modeling are pretty good and flexible. Small amps are always as PITA because things can only get so cheap before they are just the same crap with a different branded sticker on the front.

    GL
     
  15. jefft

    jefft Producer

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    Thats £20 ontop of £100, making it £120, thats almost a quarter of the value of the amp. Here in the UK we have no choice.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 24, 2021
  16. JMOUTTON

    JMOUTTON Audiosexual

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    You would still pay £119 on a £100 regardless as there is no getting around VAT in online sales in the EU if the UK isn't collecting it the other member state will claim it. You should never get double VAT stacked unless someone is taking you for a ride.

    The only difference now that you pay the tax an import duty fee versus it being rolled up into the price and you don't have to pay VAT twice. If an EU retailer charges you VAT and then Customs charges you import duty you have the right to get a refund on the foreign VAT (at least for now.)

    Also under £135 the agreement with the Brexit agreement states the UK will not charge import duties on. However the originator still has a right to collect VAT so for a £100 amp you would be on the hook for cost + origin VAT. Anything over a £135 would be considered and export / import and the origination VAT would either be removed or you should be supplied with a customs form to claim a refund from the originating state (good luck with getting in under two months if you have to do it that way.)

    Nobody should charge you VAT of used goods but some retailers will try.

    Back before things shut down I was that guy that kept all his receipts so that I could get back 20% of almost everything I spent at the airport when I flew out. There are somethings you can not get a refunded for...


    https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/buying-goods-online-coming-within-european-union_en

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 24, 2021
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