Jeffran Email Mentions Fingerpicks *UPDATED*

[Alex Stewart]

I imagine some of you may still be on the Jeffran mailing list. I am as I don't have the history many of you do and I am new to pedal steel. For those of you that left the email list...and never got your fingerpicks (I know that is a sore subject)...this may interest you. I received it this morning:

"Well Folks, Here at Jeffran Music we have had a little change of plans. We are moving our office!!

With this unexpected adventure, we will be closing our online store for the months of June and most of July to allow proper time to make all these new changes happen.

With this comes good..no scratch that, GREAT NEWS!

1. We have a significant summer sale going on now, no promo code required.

ALL ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED ON OR BEFORE MAY 31.

2. When we get our new office open in July, WE WILL FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY HAVE JEFF'S COVETED FINGERPICKS IN STOCK AGAIN!!!"

***SEE UPDATE BELOW(7/2/21)****

I posted it further down in the thread to keep responses in perspective.

[Shane Henthorne]

Excellent! I wonder if they will ship the 2 sets I pre-ordered on April 16, 2018? (I never requested a refund.) I won't hold my breath, but I sure would be happy to get the picks!

[Pete McAvity]

Fool.

Me.

Once.

I wholeheartedly hope that Melissa can get on track, do right by her buyers, and supply these picks again. Having said that, I feel I'd be doing fellow forumites a disservice if I did not chime in to recommend that anyone considering purchasing Jeffran Picks research "Jeffran Picks", "Melissa" and the like. I am among numerous members who ordered these from Jeffran, never received them, and never got a response when inquiring. I was only able to get a refund after notifying the TN State Attorney's office and I don't know of anyone else who got their money back. Per posts here, this has also been the case with non or incomplete receipt of instruction materials. For those who DID get a response (usually after filing a grievance with Paypal), a common theme seemed to be blaming other entities: distributer/Factory,Paypal,,,

The purpose of this post is not to slag a new young business owner, rather it is to inform forum members of risk based on history. Jeffran was added to the Forum's "do not do business with" list and their account was suspended for a reason. My recommendation is to use the feedback here as a factor when weighing out whether or not to bet on getting your order. I have also received a few orders that have been complete (one took over a month), and fingerpicks were the only item I never got. If it's worth the risk to get quality stuff that's unavailable elsewhere, knowing that it may not arrive, go for it. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" is a reasonable approach. Just be informed going in, yes?

[Gary Watkins]

Well, I'm selling used, losing, scratch-off lottery tickets for twenty-five cents each. That will save you seventy-five cents on each one. That's a better return than I got from Melissa!

[John Macy]

I sure hope I get the picks I ordered and paid for, but I’m not holding my breath…

[Gary Watkins]

I sure hope I get the picks I ordered and paid for, but I’m not holding my breath…

You and me both!

[Shane Henthorne]

I think I'm going to email them to let them know that when they fulfill the pre-order, they will need to update my mailing address because it has changed.

Based on the history, I don't expect that I'll get a reply (or fingerpicks) but if I do I'll let y'all know. I suggest all the other pre-order victims also reach out to them and remind them of their unfulfilled orders. Let them know that the internet doesn't forget anything.

It's a shame they ran their own reputation into the ground. The educational material appears to be pretty good. I'd like to have some of the material myself, but there is no way I would purchase it from Jeffran!

Edit: Here is the email I sent to jeffranmusic@gmail.com

Code: Select all

Hello,
I learned from your marketing email that the elusive Jeffran fingerpicks will be available soon.  I'm writing to let you know that when you fulfill the pre-orders, you will need to update my mailing address since it has changed.  In case you need it for reference, my order confirmation is attached below.

My current address is: [redacted]

I'm looking forward to finally getting these picks - the wait has been excruciating!  Thanks!
Shane

[Mark Robinson]

I’m gonna risk it.

[Gary Watkins]

I’m gonna risk it.

The picks or my used, losing, lottery tickets?

[Jon Light]

"Well Folks, Here at Jeffran Music we have had a little change of plans. We are moving our office!!



With this unexpected adventure.....

Translation: "For reasons that I won't tell you I am being forced to move."

With this comes good..no scratch that, GREAT NEWS!

1. We have a significant summer sale going on now, no promo code required.

ALL ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED ON OR BEFORE MAY 31.

Translation: "I am going to try to generate some quick cash by throwing a flash sale."

2. When we get our new office open in July, WE WILL FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY HAVE JEFF'S COVETED FINGERPICKS IN STOCK AGAIN!!!"

Translation: "Oh, and that thing that you have been told over and over and over again is coming the day after tomorrow is coming the day after tomorrow."
.
.

[Lee Baucum]

Free beer...tomorrow.

[Mark Robinson]

I’m gonna risk it.

The picks or my used, losing, lottery tickets?

The picks, I think. 🤔

With the exception of the picks, I’ve actually received everything I’ve ever ordered from Jeffran, both when Jeff and Fran were in charge and up to and including after Melissa took over. Regarding the picks not being delivered, she made the purchase good with other items.

I’m taking a chance and going for the picks. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Bo Legg]

All training courses as downloads and all solid merchandise organized all in one small room, all orders and correspondence online. It doesn't matter where you move, nothing ever changes except the return address.
A PC, ways to take money, a scale, shipping supplies. You don't even have to leave the house. I'm seeing maybe an hour a day at the most!
$$$$$$$$$$$ how hard could that be. Just plain being hopelessly lazy is the only thing I can think of!
Wish I had that business!

[Tommy Auldridge]

The picks they're talking about aren't worth anything anyway. I'd steer clear from Melissa all together. Flush your money down the toilet, or buy used Jeff Newman stuff from someone else. Tommy.....

[Alex Stewart]

Here is the latest email from Jeffran for those of you not on the mailing list:

"Well Folks, The time has almost arrived. We are moving our office!!

With this our online store will close for orders at midnight(ct time) tonight, June 2, 2021. We expect to have our office moved and reopened for business by July 15, 2021.

WITH THIS EXTENSION, ALL ORDERS WILL BE

SHIPPED ON OR BEFORE JUNE 3, 2021.

When we get our new office open in July, WE WILL FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY HAVE JEFF'S COVETED FINGERPICKS IN STOCK AGAIN!!!

***We will no longer be accepting preorders on the JF Fingerpicks. Once we receive our order from the supplier, We will send an email to all subscribing customers advising of their arrival in stock. All preorders will be shipped before we take any new orders/open stock for online purchase. However, have no fear as we will have thousands of picks in stock due to the size of the order we had to make get them made for us again."

[Danny Bentley]

Paid for them, never got them.
The last go around!

Dan

[Susan Alcorn]

I hope that the Jeffran people will get their act together, and along with some contrition, send the picks to those who had ordered them and whose emails were ignored for years. I hope this is not just another last ditch scam to take people's money.

And one of the reasons I hope they do this, though I'm not holding my breath, is that those are really good picks. When they were first introduced, chrome plated, as BJ Buddy Emmons/Jeff Newman) picks, it was a game changer for me - no more fiddling around with painful picks, getting out pliers and bending them - they felt comfortable, and I have used nothing else since then.

But if they don't, I hope that someone else will come out with a similar design - to be safe, I would probably buy a lifetime's worth.

[Jack Stoner]

I don't have to consider buying these. I bought a set at St Louis from Buddy. They were too big and I was never able to get them where they fit.

Later, Herby Wallace was selling (and using) Showcase 1941 finger picks. I bought two sets from Herby and have been using them for at least 20 years.

[Susan Alcorn]

We each have different fingers, have different needs in a pick. Fingerpicks tend to last a long time, but there are those worries - picks getting lost, stepped on, falling down a drain, etc.

[Donny Hinson]

Geeze guys, just use regular National or Showcase picks. All this hubbub and angst over picks that just have little diamond-shaped holes instead of round holes is becoming a "tempest in a teapot".

[Dave Diehl]

Can't get the Showcase 41 fingerpicks right now. Not sure what's going on with that but been that way for a few months now.

[Gary Watkins]

Geeze guys, just use regular National or Showcase picks. All this hubbub and angst over picks that just have little diamond-shaped holes instead of round holes is becoming a "tempest in a teapot".

It doesn’t matter if it is the picks, lessons, cd’s or whatever, she stole from me and she won’t even return my phone calls, emails or letters.

[David Ball]

I've been using the Showcase picks, but the Kysers are also good alternatives. The new Nationals aren't bad either.

For banjo picks, I'm still using the same Nationals I was using 40 years ago.

Dave

[Donny Hinson]

Geeze guys, just use regular National or Showcase picks. All this hubbub and angst over picks that just have little diamond-shaped holes instead of round holes is becoming a "tempest in a teapot".

It doesn’t matter if it is the picks, lessons, cd’s or whatever, she stole from me and she won’t even return my phone calls, emails or letters.

I understand your anger, Jerry, you've lost money and confidence. My comment was more about the reason why people seem to be hooked on them in the first place, and keep seeking them out despite all the problems. I sometimes forget that I'm not as particular as others are about equipment; no offense intended.

[Gary Watkins]

Geeze guys, just use regular National or Showcase picks. All this hubbub and angst over picks that just have little diamond-shaped holes instead of round holes is becoming a "tempest in a teapot".

It doesn’t matter if it is the picks, lessons, cd’s or whatever, she stole from me and she won’t even return my phone calls, emails or letters.

I understand your anger, Jerry, you've lost money and confidence. My comment was more about the reason why people seem to be hooked on them in the first place, and keep seeking them out despite all the problems. I sometimes forget that I'm not as particular as others are about equipment; no offense intended.

No problem Danny.