yrg thread

[polaris20]

Inspired may have many brilliant engineers, designers, what have you, but where they fail miserably is having a customer service person who keeps up relations with customers, both current (pre-order) and future.

I worked in retail for 10 years before I went into computer infrastructure. One thing I learned very quickly when there are orders/products out of your control is that A. you tell customers what you can do, not what you can't do, and B. Keep the communication up! Waiting for the customer to contact you is too late; you need to keep them up to date, even if there's not much in the way of new news. Just letting the customer know they've not been forgotten goes a long, long way.

[zerocrossing]

Inspired may have many brilliant engineers, designers, what have you, but where they fail miserably is having a customer service person who keeps up relations with customers, both current (pre-order) and future.

I worked in retail for 10 years before I went into computer infrastructure. One thing I learned very quickly when there are orders/products out of your control is that A. you tell customers what you can do, not what you can't do, and B. Keep the communication up! Waiting for the customer to contact you is too late; you need to keep them up to date, even if there's not much in the way of new news. Just letting the customer know they've not been forgotten goes a long, long way.

Here here! I too spent many years in retail and you're 100% correct. I once had a preorder in for an Electrix Repeater. Spokesmen from the company announced that "They're sitting here ready to ship, we just have to load the OS in when we're finished beta testing! Should be a few more weeks!"

A year later they shipped the machine with a TON of bugs and we had to wait another 3-4 months for them to release bug fixes that made the machine usable. The thing is, it was such a boutique device that people who had preordered it were in pretty much no matter what. Why not just be honest and say nothing about a release date until the beta testing is over?

[polaris20]

Inspired may have many brilliant engineers, designers, what have you, but where they fail miserably is having a customer service person who keeps up relations with customers, both current (pre-order) and future.

I worked in retail for 10 years before I went into computer infrastructure. One thing I learned very quickly when there are orders/products out of your control is that A. you tell customers what you can do, not what you can't do, and B. Keep the communication up! Waiting for the customer to contact you is too late; you need to keep them up to date, even if there's not much in the way of new news. Just letting the customer know they've not been forgotten goes a long, long way.

Here here! I too spent many years in retail and you're 100% correct. I once had a preorder in for an Electrix Repeater. Spokesmen from the company announced that "They're sitting here ready to ship, we just have to load the OS in when we're finished beta testing! Should be a few more weeks!"

A year later they shipped the machine with a TON of bugs and we had to wait another 3-4 months for them to release bug fixes that made the machine usable. The thing is, it was such a boutique device that people who had preordered it were in pretty much no matter what. Why not just be honest and say nothing about a release date until the beta testing is over?

Exactly. Inspired's guy jumps on the Yahoo list saying they're again tweaking it because they want to add more features (features that are useless to anyone using it as a MIDI controller) but then giving yet another shipping month window. I realize it's self-centered to say "I don't give a crap, just ship me mine now as is" but that's really how I feel.

I couldn't care less about the onboard sounds. I will NEVER use them. I want something that is as accurate as a $200 M-Audio Oxygen, in a guitar shape. It already does that. Ship it to me! LOL

[Maruuk]

In the very beginning, interested buyers were told to SIGN UP on the Inspired website, and that we would be first in line to buy them in the order we signed up. BS.

I have never been contacted by Inspired, and they basically sold all us signups down the river by instituting a pre-order system behind our backs and not telling us. Thanks, douchebags.

So I had an ax to grind with these guys from the getgo. Plus they have an inherent marketing dilemma: they're selling a cheap, plastic toy for little kids AND a professional-use (I hesitate to say professional-quality since it can't be for $200) midi controller in one.

Two completely separate markets, two completely separate messages. In retail, that doesn't work. You're pulling in opposite directions. You made it too expensive to be a kid's toy, and pros are going to be extremely offput by the kiddie game vibe of the unit.

I predict if they survive they'll have to split off into two separate products, or preferably lose the ridiculous Rock Band toy (migod, there's already 10+ major manufacturers with solid distribution chains in place in that market already making $39.95 units that work fine for their intended purpose) and just stick to their innovative, dirt cheap and theoretically awesome midi controller.

Nobody wants a $200 Rock Band toy. Everybody wants a $200 standalone midi guitar controller.

[Maruuk]

To make matters worse, they appear to have just CHARGED ME FOR THE YRG, which their website explicitly states THEY WILL NOT DO UNTIL THE UNIT IS SHIPPED!

Are these guys running one giant internet scam or what? Is this the Bernie Madoff of Midi going on here? I smell a giant rat. Beware folks, be very aware. These guys got some serious splainin to do!

[polaris20]

To make matters worse, they appear to have just CHARGED ME FOR THE YRG, which their website explicitly states THEY WILL NOT DO UNTIL THE UNIT IS SHIPPED!

Are these guys running one giant internet scam or what? Is this the Bernie Madoff of Midi going on here? I smell a giant rat. Beware folks, be very aware. These guys got some serious splainin to do!

Interesting, I have not been charged yet. What number are you, if you don't mind me asking?

Really, I'm quite surprised M-Audio or Edirol hasn't just taken their keyboard technology and flipped it sideways and made a guitar-shaped midi controller. That's all any serious guitarist wants, so that they can track pianos, strings, synths, etc. in a familiar format. I can't imagine it's that difficult.

[Maruuk]

I'm something like #527, in that area.

[Maruuk]

So there's two possibilities: these guys just shipped my YRG (fat chance!)...or they're crooks.

[mac wilson]

[quote="Maruuk"]To make matters worse, they appear to have just CHARGED ME FOR THE YRG, which their website explicitly states THEY WILL NOT DO UNTIL THE UNIT IS SHIPPED!

Are these guys running one giant internet scam or what? Is this the Bernie Madoff of Midi going on here? I smell a giant rat. Beware folks, be very aware. These guys got some serious splainin to do![/quote]

I think you are mistaken. No one else has been charged.

These guys are not crooks. You should be more careful with your words.

[tapper mike]

Okay lets settle some dust.

First it is marketed as a game controller and a midi devlice. Always has been. If your gonna sell this thing for 200 you are gonna need to sell a lot of them. That means marketing to a bigger audience then KVR.

This whole moped story is getting old. (Fun to ride till a friend see's you on one) If your afraid a YRG clashes with your fashion statement don't buy one. I mean really it's not how well it works it's how well you look. It's not a guitar it won't look like a guitar because it's not a guitar. If you want something that looks exactly like a guitar and plays exactly like a guitar buy a guitar.
It is a mass production device intended for a wide audience. Either you want it as is or you don't want it.

Yea, I own a ztar and yea I've pre purchased a YRG. I ordered and paid early and I'm stuck in the waiting game like everyone else. (I choose to send the money anything) Shit or get off the stool.
Ranting about how you don't have it won't make it come to you any faster.

If III is successful with the YRG what happens to all succesful companies?
They build on the success and make better products. If it's a complete flop?
The company will declare bankrupcy, nobody will want to enter the market and your choices will be exactly what they were before.

[polaris20]

To make matters worse, they appear to have just CHARGED ME FOR THE YRG, which their website explicitly states THEY WILL NOT DO UNTIL THE UNIT IS SHIPPED!

Are these guys running one giant internet scam or what? Is this the Bernie Madoff of Midi going on here? I smell a giant rat. Beware folks, be very aware. These guys got some serious splainin to do!

I think you are mistaken. No one else has been charged.

These guys are not crooks. You should be more careful with your words.

Yeah, I am in the 400's and have not been charged. I actually got my hopes up that things were moving along!

[tapper mike]

I'm customer 17 order 98. Somebody must have ordered a few before me.

Paypal held the money in reserve for a month. Then when III did not take delivery of the payment paypal reversed it. So I ran off and paid III. I had no qualms with making the payment it was totally my decision. I figured I'd get it out of the way and when the orders were finally processed it would be automatic. I am informed that this is true.

I don't think they are running a scam. I do think they had more then a few setbacks. Some setbacks could have been reduced or eliminated by better planning. And some were beyond thier control. The fact that they haven't repeated a mistake gives one pause for hope.

[Maruuk]

This wasn't PayPal, this was a straight Debit/Credit Card pre-order off their website. From which I offer this direct copy-and-paste quote:

Note that if you pre-order by Credit Card, you card will not be charged until we ship your guitar. Warning; if you use PayPal it does get deducted right away. (out of our control)

My order (straight off my account):

Order Summary:
Product Subtotal: $199.99
Tax: $0.00
Shipping & Handling: $10.64
Grand Total: $210.63

From my current bank account statement (as of 5 minutes ago):

Date Transaction
05/18/2010 TODAYS DEBIT -$210.63

Now do I have to explain what "debit" means? Ok, it means they took my money, they debited my account. The money's not there any more. They have it, I don't.

It means they lied on their website. That means they are crooks. Unless they shipped the unit today. Anybody who thinks they shipped my YRG today raise their hands.

NOTE: These guys don't have a telephone. You can't call them. Just like the discount camera stores in Brooklyn that are always under indictment by the Attorney General. No telephone number.

Now everything I have stated above is absolute fact. That said, I will endeavor to clear this up asap through whatever means necessary, I have legal representatives on retainer. If this is just some glitch or misunderstanding, I'll be the first to report that to you folks right here. I sincerely hope that is the case.

And when I use the term "crooks", I don't necessarily mean internet thieves. I mean anyone who misrepresents facts online resulting in unforeseen financial "irregularities". That violates the law in 50 states.

[Maruuk]

I don't see anyone in here complaining about the look of the device, though it is vastly more handsome and cooler WITHOUT the silly fake headstock. Very Steinberger. The fake headstock guarantees it looks like a toy.

And yes, the onboard sounds are strictly for kids. Anybody in here is going to drive serious mega-samples in their DAW plug-in instruments: Grand pianos, B-3s, string orchestras, real brass sections, huge, rich synth pads. Serious stuff. Who needs tiny, tinny onboard fake guitar samples? We already play guitar, we own real guitars.

No, all I see in here are real sincere players excited about the potential of this value-packed midi guitar controller that could change the world as we know it.

Will it ship? Is this company on the level? Let's find out.

[tapper mike]

Honestly. I'll hear them first then decide if I like them.

If you are concerned about the transaction you could.
Contact III or you could contact your bank and tell them you didn't authorize the tranaction.