There is no cognitive problem with Roland, if someone new writes to Roland and tells him that he wants to buy a bass he is always very attentive to the potential buyer, but once the payment is made, it disappears. On the other hand, Miami Strings has a good relationship with Roland, but at the moment I exposed my problem and if they could help me in an altruistic way talking with Wilfer about my bass, they sided with Wilfer (obviously taking care of their interests)
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Double Bass Problem with a Luthier (Roland/Emanuel Wilfer content)
- Thread starter Tyronimo
- Start date
To those waiting a long time for their instruments or even a Wilfer response, Roland Wilfer was alive and well at the NAMM Show Friday. Indeed he had been the one at a previous NAMM who wouldn't talk to me about my 50 year old Wilfer unless I expressed interest in a new one. I felt I had no business asking him about the current dust up with dissatisfied customers but I sure wanted him to know that his name and reputation have suffered some damage.
Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
- 6,349
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- Disclosures
- Owner of The Bass Spa, String Repairman at Long & McQuade Vancouver
Interesting. I'm not really big on people outing Roland Wilfer on line without even revealing their locations, let alone their names - I'm not impressed.
My wife and I visited Roland and his family at their shop in Mohrendorf in 2016 and were received very graciously. He was happy to identify Maiken's bass as a Rauner and showed us every aspect of the business. His daughter took over the tour after coffee as Roland had a client but young Lukas (12 at the time) was very helpful as well. Roland seemed to be relaxed and happy at that time.
The store at which I work part time has ordered and received Wilfer basses, too.
My wife and I visited Roland and his family at their shop in Mohrendorf in 2016 and were received very graciously. He was happy to identify Maiken's bass as a Rauner and showed us every aspect of the business. His daughter took over the tour after coffee as Roland had a client but young Lukas (12 at the time) was very helpful as well. Roland seemed to be relaxed and happy at that time.
The store at which I work part time has ordered and received Wilfer basses, too.
My name and location have always been public for everyone, even the times I posted on Facebook me and other people about this problem, and as you say 2016 ... we are in 2020 things changed with Roland, it is not trustworthy. Your personal opinion is of no use, I have a list of more than a dozen people around the world with the same problem with Wilfer
Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
- 6,349
- 599
- 4,841
- Disclosures
- Owner of The Bass Spa, String Repairman at Long & McQuade Vancouver
Tyronimo? Is that your location? Or your first and last name combined?
That's not transparency, sir.
That's not transparency, sir.
I have nothing to prove, I am not for your ridiculous games, but if you are in Facebook groups you have surely seen me complain about the same.
have a great day, sir.
The student I mentioned above met Roland at the Namm show and may be taking a bass of his from the show, although not what he ordered.
Hello,
7 years ago i purchased a bass from Roland Wilfer.
I told him what i wanted ( bass with violincorners and single tuners). Some month later i contacted him by telephone and he told me that his coworkers hat send my Bass to the USA, while he was in the hospital. But he told me that he had a number of basses for an exibition so that i could chose one of them.
So i drove to Möhrendorf (four and half hours away) where i found my current bass (gambastyle with wooden tuners). But i payed the bass when i received it, not before. For me, it was all right, because i could test some basses and had selected the right bass for me.
LG, Ralf
7 years ago i purchased a bass from Roland Wilfer.
I told him what i wanted ( bass with violincorners and single tuners). Some month later i contacted him by telephone and he told me that his coworkers hat send my Bass to the USA, while he was in the hospital. But he told me that he had a number of basses for an exibition so that i could chose one of them.
So i drove to Möhrendorf (four and half hours away) where i found my current bass (gambastyle with wooden tuners). But i payed the bass when i received it, not before. For me, it was all right, because i could test some basses and had selected the right bass for me.
LG, Ralf
I recently saw Roland Wilfer at NAMM. He has made me an instrument in the past. I also have one at the moment. We have a long standing relationship. When we spoke at NAMM, he let me know he was way behind getting basses out. Mainly because he's the ONLY person in his shop. He makes the basses, takes orders, etc. In short, he's a one man show at the moment because he wants absolute quality control. He knows he's taking a lot of time, but he'd rather get it right and has little time for anything other than making the instruments. I offer no excuses, no horse in this race. I'm only repeating what I was told.
Wilfer should be severely punished, the beha
Crap this does not reflect my ongoing experience with him
Thank you I apologise for being so blunt, it is frustrating and anger inducing at times. I know he makes fantastic instruments so I persist. All the best to you.
I don’t understand why you don’t have a lawyer get involved? A simple demand letter will cost you a few hundred dollars. Failing that I would book a flight to see him in person and bring the local police with you.
Easy, I don't have money, when I asked Willfer for the bass I spent all my savings on the double bass, I just graduated from college and I'm still unemployed. Now do you understand?
As soon as this coronavirus situation ends, I will do the impossible to collect money and personally go to his workshop, I had already contemplated that
I am sorry to hear. I must say, it is a very unusual for this to occur in such a small community. Surely the luthier must know that his reputation will suffer greatly. I can’t understand why he would pocket someone’s money and not deliver a bass for three years and risk all the negative publicity. He must have connections to a variety of people that could have gotten you even a used instrument to play on until yours was complete. The entire situation doesn’t make sense unless he was truly trying to con someone, but even then, it doesn’t make sense given the risk to reward ratio.
I'd recommend being a little careful. The local police may tend to believe a local businessman more than someone from outside of the country. That is why the money for travel may be more well used to hire a lawyer.
Agreed. Having lived in Germany, I can confirm that you cannot just walk into the police station and tell them to come with you to someone's business to get what you claim is yours.
What you need is a civil lawsuit and a decision from a civil court. For this, you would need to contact a lawyer. Not easy to do over the ocean...
Yup.
@Tyronimo and anyone else in this situation, I'd highly recommend taking @robobass 's very kind offer (this post in this current thread) and contacting him about retaining his attorney-wife regarding your issues, asap.
The longer time passes, the less likely it is to have a fair resolution.
And, visiting in person as a community outsider, even under normal social situations, is unnecessarily risky. The only way to correct this situation is through the legal process.
I suspect I'm not alone in saying I'd really like to see this situation resolved once and for all.