Grateful Dead Music Forum

Did the recent thread "Fair Warning on Shakedown Amps" get killed?

I can no longer find references to the thread. It could be my work computer & compatibility with the search engine. It is not appearing to me in "Active Topics/Recent Posts." If it is still visible then I apologize for creating a ruckus.

If it has been killed, please reverse this censorship. I will say absolutely that there is information stewing in PM's that potential consumers need to know. If this vendor is being protected, it is almost certainly to the detriment and integrity of the equipment acquisition portion of this entire enterprise.

We could also use a vendor rating system similar to Ebay (as per Jam35Gr3g0ry). This would help folks with GAS get to the Kind Goods.

Please advise!
Peace
M

I'm pretty sure that's not the only thread that's disappeared in the last few months. I was looking for one recently from earlier this year and I looked everywhere and searched content and contributors with no luck. Maybe it was just me, but...

I agree, it is at a minimum distasteful to selectively edit and manipulate information whether based on ideology or relationships. The truth doesn't need this kind of "help". Plus the posts were very respectful and tempered.

It's easy to see that it was removed, if you google "Fair Warning about Shakedown Amps" the top link is the RUkind thread. Clicking that will lead to a notification proclaiming:

"The requested topic does not exist."

Unfortunately, it was removed before Google was able to crawl it, so a cached version isn't even available. This has piqued my interest, however.

It would appear as though forces at work are neither kind, nor fair.

Total crap! Freedom of speech! If the guy is a douche canoe, then the good people here need to know. I was skeptical at first, but now after the thread being removed, am a bit more hesitant about Shakedown!

I think people need to start posting their stories openly in response. No more coy PM-me nice guy business. Bring it on right here, in the open. Sorry, but I hate censorship with a passion.

It was taken down at my request (I posted it) there was nothing nefarious done by the operators of this site. It was solely done by me. I believe in giving people a chance to make things right. I will post a review In due time. Some artist/ craftsman may get caught up in their own craft on their schedule. Joe makes it clear he cares about about what he does and might be an over the top perfectionist. I will certainly let all those interested of the outcome. Don't make judgements just yet. Redemption just may be the result.

Searing75 wrote:Total crap! Freedom of speech!

I think "freedom of speech" is something that a vast number of people proclaim, but they have absolutely no idea what it means.
"Freedom of speech" protects you from government charges (when applicable) and that's it. If I write an opinion piece in the WSJ that bad mouths a politician, I should expect that people will call me names, and the WSJ can ban my writing from their news outlet. I cannot, however, go to jail because of my words. This is in line with freedom of speech. A private citizen or organization can freely censor what I have to say at any point, and it complies wholly with "freedom of speech".

Sorry, this was my late-night rant for the day. Carry on!

I will share the brief version of my own experience. I've called this back from the grave. I don't like the negativity, and I'll attempt to be fair and accurate.

I can't in good conscience not divulge what I know.

Ebay sale for what would be my first JBL's (E-120's). Never shipped. Multiple contacts. Had to go through the Ebay process, then the Paypal process. I did get my money from Paypal, but they flagged everything I did for a year. Total pain in the ass. The upshot is that I've score a kind stash of K's & a D-120 on CL that all work perfectly, and I could hold them in my hand. People go through stuff. I got my money. It irked me, but if this guys is churning out good stuff now I didn't feel the need to haunt him.

That was then.

Secondly, the PM's shared with me are really what is driving this post.

Know this … If you choose to buy a Shakedown amp, be prepared to pay 1/2 down (approximately $900) and wait 1-2 years to see anything if history is any measure. Also be prepared for major communication issues, and a run-around.

I have no reason to doubt these issues raised by fellow members. Some who have had this experience are very senior here. The stories shared are striking similar.

I cannot pass judgement on the quality, tone or any other aspect.

If I was still building my first analog rig I would want to know. In two years I may have changed my interests from great GD music to vintage Star Wars figurines.

I'll say again…the world is either beautiful or a hell hole depending on your eyeballs…and I hate contributing to the hell hole.

But when it comes to it…this needs to be out there.

Peace
M

I will also add that most vendors here take time to build in small shops. That is not what I'm addressing.

I've bought from Wald Electronics, Sarno Music Solutions, Scarlet Fire and others.
The difference is…they communicate and do what they say they're going to do.

schmidtz wrote:

Searing75 wrote:Total crap! Freedom of speech!

I think "freedom of speech" is something that a vast number of people proclaim, but they have absolutely no idea what it means.

That is total horseshit! Most Americans are just as aware, educated and knowledgeable as YOU and know exactly what Freedom of Speech means.

The other forums I'm on allow the OP to delete his own thread himself if he chooses to. I would prefer being able to do that here, too.

cripeowner wrote:It was taken down at my request (I posted it) there was nothing nefarious done by the operators of this site. It was solely done by me. I believe in giving people a chance to make things right. I will post a review In due time. Some artist/ craftsman may get caught up in their own craft on their schedule. Joe makes it clear he cares about about what he does and might be an over the top perfectionist. I will certainly let all those interested of the outcome. Don't make judgements just yet. Redemption just may be the result.

So, you started that thread and opened the "can of worms" just as a ploy to maybe get him motivated to do the right thing and then delete it? Or did you think the thread was a mistake, after the fact? I don't get it. Seems calculated and convoluted.
We all know that extenuating circumstances can cause inadvertent situations, but keeping someones money (especially upwards of $900 that was mentioned) is just unacceptable. There are no excuses. There can only be forgivable compassion for him if there is legitimate reasoning from him, personally. Not from a "spokes person".
He has great Jerry chops and has built/modded some great amps, but I chose not to deal with him a few years ago, for good reason.

I don't have a dog in this fight. I've never dealt with this vendor.
But I will say this. With regard to freedom of speech, this forum, to the best of my knowledge, is a privately run entity.
The mods have the right to delete as they see fit.
I'm not saying I agree or disagree with the deletion of the thread, but one should factor in to the equation that the members posting aren't subject to the lawsuit that RUKIND would be if things went south.

And since I've been on this forum this was the first....dark....thread I've come across.
Just my 2 cents.

Smile, smile, smile.

Bill