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Why is this part so hard to come by in Europe?


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My main rig consists of a JTV 89f, a Helix, and a Firehawk 1500 amp. Is that enough to consider me to be a Line 6 fan? Five weeks ago I asked the store where I bought the gear how long it would take to get a new input jack assembly for my Variax. I need a new one because the old one got heavily damaged in an unfortunate accident (for which I only have myself to blame, btw, this has nothing to do with any warranty issues). They answered 'distributor says it's in stock, shouldn't be more than a week'.  That was 5 weeks ago, and  I still don't have a clue when the part is going to arrive. I'm not blaming the store, 'cause they depend on the distributor (Yamaha?), but this really sucks. Do I really need to call upon friends in the U.S. to order it for me, and then send it to me (I'm in Belgium), causing extra costs? This is bad publicity.

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I expect that it is hard to find because there is little demand for them. I have broken the flap from the VDI socket on my JTV69 and haven't bothered replacing it.

 

They are a special order item even from the main US spares provider:

 

http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/215565-Line-6-50-04-0079-2

 

Note - Full Compass don't accept international orders on their website, but will discuss it of you contact them directly.

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Well, a broken flap isn't so bad,  in my case the whole VDI socket is kept together with duct tape :) Accidents like that are bound to happen, and if you check the line 6 webstore for guitar parts, that particular part is prominently present, so I don't think it's that 'exotic' :) I did check with Full Compass, but they're not allowed to send the part abroad. I'm fine with that, but then make sure your EU importers have it available. 

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Not allowed to send abroad? I can understand if there are local distribution channels, but it is not good if they don't provide the service. 

 

If this was a Helix in the US it would have been shipped back to base, repaired and returned to you by now. 

 

Have you tried opening a support ticket? Even though you admit it was your mistake that doesn't mean that they may not expedite solving the issue.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I opened a support ticket,  the answer I got was this:

 Hi,

you have contacted technical support, unfortunately we cannot provide delivery dates for parts
delivery time for imported parts can vary (some weeks if it must be produced)
Your dealer already checked this with the local partscenter so we cannot provide additional information
But the part can definetely be delivered, please check with him if he already ordered it for you
you can also order parts via our Benelux service-center Hanex in the Netherlands

 

I contacted this Hanex service center but they don't have it, and don't have a clue when it can be delivered either.   I have arrived at a point where I'm starting to feel disgusted.  To me this illustrates a total contempt for the EU customer. If we're so  not important, please stop selling your stuff in Europe. The reason I say this? I have a friend living in Seattle, he ordered the part with Full Compass, he had it the next day,  and according to USUPS it will arrive at my home this week. How hard can it be?
I'm so pissed off I'm considering to put all my Line 6 stuff on ebay, at half the price.

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  • 5 weeks later...

In the mean time, I received the part, as said via my  friend who resides in th US.  I didn't tell the store here, I left the order standing, reckoning that I would have a back up if it finally arrives. I checked yesterday, and they still don't have a clue when to expect the part. This means that if my friend hadn't bailed me out , I would have been stuck with a virtually unusable instrument for already 3 months now.

Do I need to say more? This is really beyond comprehension.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I received a very friendly email from technical staff at Line 6, asking me to contact the store again, because the part was in stock, available within 2-3 days.  I forwarded this email to the store, and the very next day I got an answer saying the part could be collected at their premisses.   Well well.  Seems like all this time it was the store that was creating the delay. 

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I received a very friendly email from technical staff at Line 6, asking me to contact the store again, because the part was in stock, available within 2-3 days. I forwarded this email to the store, and the very next day I got an answer saying the part could be collected at their premisses. Well well. Seems like all this time it was the store that was creating the delay.

An inept retail establishment that hasn't a clue as to what items already reside under their roof?!?!?!?! Say it ain't so, Flava Flav...;)

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I did send a message about this thread to Frank Ritchotte (Operations Manager with responsibilities for Support) as there appeared to be a huge mismatch in how things worked in the US and how they worked in Europe (as a European it was in my interest). Not claiming any credit here but it is possible that there have been some changes made as a consequence.

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An inept retail establishment that hasn't a clue as to what items already reside under their roof?!?!?!?! Say it ain't so, Flava Flav... ;)

I don't think it 'resided under their roof'',  let's just say they didn't  exactly go out of their way in order to obtain the part :)

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