The Steel Guitar Forum

11 months, sad.

Hey guys I’m not gonna make any excuses for them here but I’ve bought other packages recently and they did come through,and I know our ordered picks aren’t even born yet otherwise they would be here , Most of us understand what it’s like to loose our mothers and fathers and i know the care factor for anything disappears like a bad curse for years after until you wake up one day and start caring again, i’m not saying this is the problem at all, and it may look like bad business but we all have our own issues , at one time they did offer a refund and I chose to hang out to dry too !!! They do need to communicate a little better on this issue if they even care lol

Have a Blessed Christmas everybody

Craig, I want to take the role of devil’s advocate too, but Herb asked for a refund and has had no reply, so giving Melissa credit for offering refunds is a moot point. You can have compassion for another’s misfortunes (we assume- no one knows), and still call them out for bad business practices. The two aren’t mutually exclusive in my eyes. I vote w/ my dollars and Melissa will continue to get mine. That said, I think that given my personal experience of zero communication on her part coupled with volumes of similar experiences documented here, continuously, over the past year, indicate that there is a high degree of probability that something other than family issues are at play with Melissa’s lack of customer response.

Hey, I'm letting all this go, you won't be hearing from me again on this thread. The 40 bucks is negligible... the small amount is not worth a second thought. Melissa can handle her business any way she likes or is able to. I imagine her sense of personal responsibility to those who have outstanding prepaid orders goes only so far.

My disappointment lies in the fact that Jeff and Fran were so dear to me as friends and colleagues. I dare say that if Jeff were still alive, not only would he have refunded the money with an apology immediately when asked, he would have sent the picks ANYWAY once they arrived. That's the kind of guy he was.

I think, at this point, that everyone should just realize that it is a good probability you will never see your picks, and just write it off as a lesson learned. This is why I rarely pre-order anything.

I really feel for Melissa. I don't believe she set out to rip anyone off. I just believe she didn't research how much that venture was going to cost, and didn't have the upfront money for material, stamping, having molds made for stamping, polishing, etc. That's a whole train load of bucks needed. I doubt the money from pre-orders was even close to the costs she would have to pay. She probably can't refund eveyone's prepaid money because she laid out a large sum in the startup of the pick project.

I applaud her for trying. I applaud her for keeping the instructional part of the business going. I assume that is something she can do from home without the need for outside vendors. I would not hesitate to purchase any of the courses.

The only thing I think is unforgivable, is not responding to inquiries. I think part of that is due to embarrassment and guilt. I would think that part may be due to some bashing her in correspondence. I think it may be time to just realize you made a bad investment.

P.S. those of us that claim your music income on your taxes, just write it off your taxes.

Richard Sinkler wrote:I think, at this point, that everyone should just realize that it is a good probability you will never see your picks, and just write it off as a lesson learned. This is why I rarely pre-order anything.

I really feel for Melissa. I don't believe she set out to rip anyone off. I just believe she didn't research how much that venture was going to cost, and didn't have the upfront money for material, stamping, having molds made for stamping, polishing, etc. That's a whole train load of bucks needed. I doubt the money from pre-orders was even close to the costs she would have to pay. She probably can't refund eveyone's prepaid money because she laid out a large sum in the startup of the pick project.

I applaud her for trying. I applaud her for keeping the instructional part of the business going. I assume that is something she can do from home without the need for outside vendors. I would not hesitate to purchase any of the courses.

The only thing I think is unforgivable, is not responding to inquiries. I think part of that is due to embarrassment and guilt. I would think that part may be due to some bashing her in correspondence. I think it may be time to just realize you made a bad investment.

P.S. those of us that claim your music income on your taxes, just write it off your taxes.

I sent them another PM suggesting that a response to the SGF community would be appropriate and that the optics of not replying really looks bad. This was a couple weeks ago.
Hey...it's no big loss to me. I just find it hard to believe they would chop off business from the community that sends them probably 90% of their business

I think you should give up on an explaination. If they had a good one, it would probably would have been sent out by now.

I agree 100% about not posting hurting their business.

I was reading this thread and felt bad for those who got burned. So here goes....

Over the years I’ve gotten a lot of steels and retired steel players’ equipment which included lots of picks, too. So, I just checked and counted the sets of JF picks I have here. Even with the spares I set aside (I use ‘em myself) there’s way more than I need.

So I know this is probably not the forum section for it, it probably should be in the “For Sale” section, but for the FIRST three of you guys IN THIS THREAD who ordered picks from Jeffran, sent money, and didn’t get them, I’ll send you one of those pairs for $4. (covers the postage?) I’ve got 3 sets to spare.

You know, a looong time ago I went to Jeff’s school and a few of his seminars. He was the best and I know he’d feel bad about what happened. Fran, too. Maybe this is just a very small way to help.

Just message me and I’ll look in the posts above for your name.

This thread should be a sticky

So now they have deleted their Facebook page.....how professional

Their website is still up. Who cares about their Facebook page.

It's pretty plain that no finger picks will come to be. So why not give this a rest. Belly aching about it is not going to get them for you. Just write it off as a bad investment. People are still buying courses from them, so you obviously aren't hurting there business very badly, as you are out to do.

I've never understood why so many players are hung up on them anyways. I got a pair probably twenty years ago and found them to be the worst finger picks I'd ever tried...too rigid and the hexagonal ( or whatever ) barrel shape is a miserable fit. They wouldn't stay on worth a damn either. They're doing everyone a favor. ...except that they kept your money of course.

Richard Sinkler wrote:Their website is still up. Who cares about their Facebook page.

It's pretty plain that no finger picks will come to be. So why not give this a rest. Belly aching about it is not going to get them for you. Just write it off as a bad investment. People are still buying courses from them, so you obviously aren't hurting there business very badly, as you are out to do.

Yeah...who cares about a Facebook page?
When a business deletes their social media....they are hiding.
So "belly aching" about it means that I am trying to hurt their business? Let's see.....all of these forum members placed orders, paid money AND shipping, got no product....no response publicly to those who ordered except early on with some new ship dates that didn't happen. No public response saying they will not ship and refunds will be coming. No response to those who asked for a refund....and I'm the one trying to hurt their business??
This reminds me of steel mfr's who take money on a new steel and don't produce one, don't respond to calls or emails, but will send parts they have in stock lickety split to anyone who sends an order for them.
I'm pretty sure you can order up "Steelin' Feelin' " and it will hit your door in a few days.
I'm sure if they refunded all who ordered...that would hurt their business....but I'm not expecting to get anything. Just don't blame ME for hurting their business, and stop telling me to shut up about it

Just go have another Lone Star.

Richard Sinkler wrote:I think, at this point, that everyone should just realize that it is a good probability you will never see your picks, and just write it off as a lesson learned.

That's a good lesson, for sure. Another good lesson is to never lock yourself into one brand - of anything. Businesses come and go, and everyone that thinks that they can only do their best with a certain brand or type of product will probably eventually hit this wall. Learn to adapt, to be flexible, and to be able to use whatever is available (even if it's not your preference). Do that, and your life be be a little easier.

Blow it off and get on with it is fine if they closed up shop and were done. To keep selling to the community that supports them and giving zero response to existing customers is not worth blowing off. To send emails offering stuff on sale while not responding to emails and phone calls for stuff we have already payed for is not cool.

Righto John! I have no dog in this hunt. I have probably a lifetime supply of JF's, so I'm good, but I don't blame any of you for voicing your displeasure on this issue. You have every right to address anything that is offered for sale on this medium. If I had some investment in it, I wouldn't let it rest either.

Back to Richard's post about writing it off as a bad investment, I would agree if people actually got the product and it just didn't live up to their expectation, but here people aren't actually getting anything out of their investment... they are simply being given the runaround and it's not that different from your typical online scam (other than it is from a company that was once seen by the steel community as being at the top of the heap).

My personal anecdote is this, I ordered some material last summer and there were some issues with shipping but I eventually got what I ordered. To make up for the shipping mishap, i was offered a discount on my next order. No harm there, and I was happy to continue to support them.

At the beginning of December, I ordered several hundred dollars worth of material (using the promo), and was sent an email back a few days later indicating that the shipment would be made that week and 'hopefully it goes through without any issues this time'.

Fast forward to two months later and I haven't received my order, nor have a I received even an email back indicating what the issue may be or if it was even shipped at all (I've reached out via email, phone, their website, and paypal). The worst part about all of this, is that they have probably had at least 5 different promotions on their website since I made my order, so someone is still trying to sell something on their end.

Now I have to deal with trying to get a refund through PayPal, and i have lost the 'good will gesture' promo that was offered to make up for the previous order's issue. They basically did not follow through on their part of the deal, and I do not believe that people should have to just let it go.

I know I said I'd be silent, but the posts of my friends Chris and now John urge me to contribute once again.

For me, the money isn't the issue; it's negligible. But in retrospect, this is the shameful part of this episode. Jeff and Fran labored for years to create his Body of Work. Travelled probably hundreds of thousands of miles over the years giving seminars to promote Jeff's teaching methods. Many thousands of dollars and hours to write, print, record, video, distribute and promote their business. Truly, his life's work added value to the universe, and through doing that he was well-rewarded, as it should be.

And in doing so, Jeff became arguably one of the most important steel guitarists in history because he directly and indirectly created many thousands of steel guitarists. Instead of fighting over a larger piece of a very small pie, Jeff made the pie bigger for all of us. Jeff got me started in course writing and promoted my work, even though I was actually his competitor. That's because he saw the bigger picture... that what was good for Herb Steiner was also good for him and the steel guitar world in the whole. While Buddy showed us what to play, Jeff taught us how to play it. IMHO, there would be no large steel shows and no SGF without the great contributions of Jeff and Fran and those that learned how to play and then teach from those two.

I once told Jeff that I felt he was as important to steel guitar as Buddy or Jimmy or Lloyd or Paul, because of how he expanded the industry. Of course, he vehemently disagreed with me. Typically Jeff, one of the reasons why I loved him.

Now enter Melissa, the heir to a wonderful legacy she has no ownership in other than financial. She inherited a bird's nest on the ground without the labor involved in creating it. No meeting the players that comprise her constituency. Seemingly no awareness of the closeness the creators of this legacy had with their customers, who felt they were friends of Jeff's just by talking to him at a product table somewhere. By her silence and lack of response to those whose money she's accepted but not delivered upon and then ignored, she's shown to me only that the financial benefits are what interests her, and the responsibilities of ownership must be only something to avoid until the problem goes away by ignoring it and her creditors decide, like myself, that it simply isn't worth it to pursue.

The legacy of JeffFran will most likely die from this type of approach to the industry. Sad? No, more than sad... it's tragic.

Does anybody here actually know Melissa? If she is the sole proprietor and the business is being mishandled so badly, maybe she is ill. Life can get complicated. It just seems like there ought to be someone in this community that could find out first hand wtf is going on.

Fred Treece wrote:Does anybody here actually know Melissa? If she is the sole proprietor and the business is being mishandled so badly, maybe she is ill. Life can get complicated. It just seems like there ought to be someone in this community that could find out first hand wtf is going on.

I think that might be one of her responsibilities "this community" was discussing in the above posts.

Herb Steiner wrote: I think that might be one of her responsibilities "this community" was discussing in the above posts.

I understand, Herb, and I agree with the community. I just wondered if anyone knew her personally, like, lived within a few blocks and could knock on her door and have coffee.

Hey Herb, I think most would agree that life can get in the way and people are mostly understanding of that. My issue here is that there are constant website updates and emails notifying us of new offers or products. If there were issues due to extenuating circumstances, all it would take is a message to customers or on the website to clear everything up. Most reasonable people would understand that and give her the benefit of the doubt.

The issue is they continue to offer and promote items, while not delivering to existing customers.

I agree with Herb.Its not about the money or the picks.
It’s about the friendship and comaraderie that Jeff and Fran
made us all feel that is now being tarnished and trashed as
though it’s not important.

Maybe if Melissa is unable to handle the ordering and retailing of their pics, she could provide the information related to the manufacturer and design information to us and an interested group on this Forum could pool their/our (count me in) resources and do an order. Maybe we could "invest" in a lot order and then have Bob sell them at a profit? It would help us and would help fund the Forum.