Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all,

Just wondering if what I'm experiencing is authentic.

A couple of days ago, I wrote to Schaller complaining about some classical tuners I have that do not function as well as I'm used to. The owner, Lars Bünning answered himself offereing to replace to tuners.

Maybe I have a twisted mind but I'm wondering if it's really him or someone signing his name just to make customers feel important. I would assume such a large company needs several poeple to answer support emails, and an owner must have gazillion "more important" other things to do.

Any thoughts?

(By the way, what's important is that they give great service, and I'm quite happy with that.)

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

No idea. It's Schaller though, not exactly General Motors.

Yea, indeed,

I guess I do have a twisted mind...

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Alain, Perhaps Mr. Bunning had requested to be notified of any QC problems and feedback from customers. Your contact may have been one that he was notified of and decided to respond personally. Many executives have this type of system in place to keep abreast of the possibility of production quality problems and to have the ability to assure a quick response to them both on the factory floor and throughout the supply chain.

If you were to express your displeasure with the tuners and their problems on this forum and across others it would obviously be read by a large customer base and perhaps have a negative impact and at least leave a thread of doubt about the product. I think that he was actually the person behind the communication and that it's to both his and Schaller's credit for a timely and equitable follow-up to your concern. It is what makes for a good company.....

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Peter

Indeed if it is him (and and propably is after all), then my hat's off to him.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I think that is neat. I cannot imagine running a business, and not occasionally taking a support call, walking the floors asking for ways to improve, or being open to feedback. I can tell you this is a minority view, though.

Anyone remember Tom Peters excellent series of books for businessmen & women?
He espoused a concept called "managing by walking around" - meaning to find out what was happening at all levels of your business, and not just relying on reports from subordinates.
More businesses (or other organizations) should do this.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

If I were you, I would accept it as genuine.

Alain, you will never know if it was genuine by asking here. No one on this forum is in a position to answer that question. You should be writing the gentleman personally. He is the only one who can tell you.

Seriously, Alain, people are always quick to spread the word when something goes wrong. (Do I need to remind you of some recent threads on this very forum?) But people seldom speak up when something goes right.

If the gentleman responds personally, write him and thank him personally. Then tell the world about it.

I HAVE run a business, and I often responded personally to people with questions or concerns. It's not all that unusual.

I've got a team of underpaid children somewhere in India that handle that for me...

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

It depends on the company, but when I contacted Norland with questions about thier Fish Glue, Richard Norland answered my questions, directly.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

When I toured the Martin factory many long years ago, it was Chris Martin who gave the tours. He was home from college. He also worked the little shop that sold some books and parts (ivory saddles) they no longer used. He also had an old 00-45 for sale for a couple grand, which was not overly cheap for a small bodied guitar back then. I probably should have picked that one up.

Well, after asking to whom I should address the package containing the bad tuners (I assumed some sort of after sales service department of some sort), he asked I sent the tuners directly to him.

So it becomes hard to doubt it was really him writing these emails.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I recently bought some boutique hand wound pick ups form Bare Knuckle pick ups here in the UK... lovely things, all pre order queries ansered by the CEO/owner - really great service you get form these smaller companies.

Well, it's not as if you were just anybody, Alain. Maybe he heard that you had written.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Following that line of reasoning through to its logical conclusion, Howard, if you ever complained about one of their products, Herr Bünning would probably be on the next transatlantic flight to California ...

You CAN NOT imagine how many time I've tried to explain that to my girlfriend!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)