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#1
05-01-2014, 10:49 PM
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John Kinnard Ukulele Bad Experience
Order a Cocobolo/Cedar Tenor Ukulele, serial no. 1141446 which is not listed on there website but was told it's available. The Ukulele arrived on 27th April 2014 thru USPS, had it open on 30th April 2014 as I am not in town. To my horror, discovered 5 to 6 deep long scrumming scratch marks on the top near the sound-hole. Initially I am not really bother with it, but after playing and hearing friends passing comment that it looks 2nd handed, I decided to check with Kevin from John S Kinnard. Btw, I tried using polishing but to no valid.
The option they provided, find your own luthier and have it buff out the scratches or pick up the cost of shipping both way and send it to them to buff. The key for Ukulele hard case was also missing from the shipment. They did not sent me any pre-shipping pictures. I am really stuck here as I am residing in Singapore. Shipping both way will cost me additional USd400. I was quote my Kevin Usd185 for Us to Singapore Shipping. I will try to post for pictures later in the days. 
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#3
05-06-2014, 08:33 AM
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You can consider bringing to a guitar technician in Singapore.
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#4
05-06-2014, 11:28 AM
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Jarvis from The Guitar Spa repair shop (at least I think it is a repair shop) in Singapore is a member here on AGF, and also reviews a lot of guitars on his YouTube channel.
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#5
05-06-2014, 05:16 PM
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All fun and tons of posts when a new Kinnard uke is made or sold on this forum.
I have a Kinnard guitar, Leadbelly 12, and it's very nice, no complaints here. Just odd the silence and this fella has an issue. Kinnard guys, the ones that post all their cool Kinnard stories, any help or advice you can give him?
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#6
05-09-2014, 04:22 AM
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I own 2 Kinnards and have experienced nothing like the accusations being made here. Completely the opposite. In fact, I have a very difficult time believing any of this as fact. I think there is something else going on here.
__________________
Life is like a box of chocolates ....
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#7
05-09-2014, 07:15 AM
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I wonder about the shipping, and customs. When Rob Bustos shipped my baritone from Vancouver BC it went through a first round of customs in Seattle, and then on to FedEx central in Memphis, where it sat for almost a week. When I finally got it I saw how they (likely in Memphis) had opened the box - not from the small top, but by lying it flat and slitting the side on the top, side, and bottom so they could open it like a suitcase.
I was surprised at the amount of damage to the shipping box and also surprised that there was no handling damage of the case or guitar. So, I'm wondering, if there was a shipping issue, and perhaps the uke left the shop in one condition and arrived in another? Phil
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#8
05-15-2014, 12:59 PM
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Quote:
This was a brand new Ukulele. I personally package every instrument that is shipped out. We take quality very seriously at KinnardUkes and before it is boxed up, a final inspection takes place, the instrument is wiped down and carefully placed in the case. Packing material is placed under the headstock for support and the case shut. That is what took place with this gentleman's uke. The only person that ever played this particular uke before shipment was myself to make sure the action was correct and there were no issues with playability. I do this with every instrument that we make. I typically make a sound sample for our records and this one was no exception. When I went online to estimate the shipping to Singapore I used the online system for the USPS to get a cost. It came in at $185. When I took the package to the post office the actual cost to ship the package was $233. We charged him the $185 and absorbed the difference- The package was sent out on April 22nd, 1- 3 day shipping and scheduled to receive it on Friday April 25th. He sent me an email on Wednesday April 30th saying the following: Dear Kevin, I am very disappointed on the condition of the Tenor Cocobolo/Cedar. There are many scratches on the top near to the sound hole. It seems like there are heavy strumming near the sound hole. I am buying a new piece but it seem 3rd handed to me. Thanks and regards. Mirik Needless to say I am floored by this message and my first and only thought was that someone in customs might have taken it out and played it. There could be no other explanation. He then sent me pictures and I was truly mortified with what I saw. Someone had been playing this uke and playing it hard. There were indeed scratches around the sound hole and across the Cocobolo rosette. He implied that this is what it looked like when he took it out of the case. He sent me a total of six pictures. The first four showed the sound hole with the C E A strings showing. The last two pictures showed an Aquila Red low G string. This uke was shipped with high G "Worth Clears". The strings had been changed on the uke and it was very clear that customs had nothing to do with it. It's unfortunate for him that in the time between when the package arrived and he actually played it someone either got to it or perhaps the damage was self inflicted- we don't really know. When it was pointed out to him that the G string had been changed and that it had been played hard, the story changed and he admitted that it had indeed been played but that he didn't think it should have marks like that after, and I quote, "a few days of playing". KinnardUkes strives to provide the highest quality not only in the building of our ukes but also in the experience of dealing with us. We would never, under any circumstances, send out an instrument that wasn't of the highest standards and there was no exception in this case. If we had been responsible we would have gladly paid to have it shipped back and returned. However, that was not the case here. We did make suggestions on taking it to someone local as we told him he would have to be responsible for the shipping when he asked if John could fix it. This is an unfortunate situation for both parties. We wish this gentleman well and hope he is able to get those scratches buffed out by taking it to a local luthier. We are more than happy to fix the damage he caused at no cost to him but he will have to be responsible for the shipping cost. Perhaps if he ships regular post it will be a fraction of the expedited overseas rates that we used to get it over to him. We are in agreement with the title of his post- it was indeed a "John Kinnard Ukulele Bad Experience". If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me via our website at www.KinnardUkes.com Last edited by kevdog; 06-03-2014 at 07:56 PM.
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#9
05-15-2014, 02:53 PM
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i was suspect of the OP and waited to see if any pictures would be forthcoming-they never did.
i will say i have had nothing but superior service and customer relations with KinnardUkes. Kevin and John are top shelf! oh, the the Ukes are also. d
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#10
05-28-2014, 07:48 PM
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+1. Kevin is awesome and so are Kinnard ukes. John and Kevin are first class folks making and representing top shelf instruments. I thoroughly enjoyed my koa Kinnard and my experience with Kevin. I feel terrible for the abuse of this particular instrument and for the men that made and represent it.
Last edited by AppleJax; 05-28-2014 at 07:51 PM. Reason: typo
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#14
06-03-2014, 03:37 PM
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The fact that others have purchased Kinnard instruments and have had no problems has little to do with someone who has.
Others have had no trouble with a certain guitar company and I have had more than my share. One scenario does not preclude another. It is evident the buyer has "buyers remorse" to some degree. I would think he would have been more forthcoming to the seller. I hope he gets this sorted out and he learns more respect for instruments . One added note: Did any one advise the buyer, cedar is soft and subject to dings etc. more-so than spruce, mahogany, koa etc ?
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#15
06-03-2014, 07:09 PM
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[QUOTE=bohemian;3982666]The fact that others have purchased Kinnard instruments and have had no problems has little to do with someone who has.
You are right. What I neglected to say in my previous post was that Kevin was extremely responsive anytime I had needed anything. When I received my first Kinnard uke, the pickup was not working correctly and they paid for return shipping so they could correct the problem. When I received my second custom ordered Kinnard uke and realized it was not what I wanted, they immediately took it back at no expense to me and built me another one. Again you are right that just because I had a great experience with a builder doesn't mean that someone else is guaranteed that same experience. After dealing with Kevin and John for the last year however, it's hard for me to believe that they wouldn't take responsibility for a problem of their doing. Mitch
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