WARNING: Darrin Huff Basses / Zeller Guitars

[BlueTalon]

I don't read this poster as defending Darren. "He's no sociopath, he's a fairly nice bloke" is in fact EXACTLY what a new person would think about someone who has sociopath tendencies, if you think about it. If Darren, in initial communication (order or pre-order time) came across as a raving axe-murderer type, none of you would have ordered in the first place. It's precisely because he can come across as a "fairly nice bloke" (and has good luthiery skills) that people got sucked in.

Fair point. However, if I had come across Darrin in a similar manner, but then found out about a significant group of people from whom Darrin took money without ever giving them the bass guitars (or yo-yos) that they paid for, I wouldn't continue to insist he's an nice guy and that I'll probably get the thing I just paid for. Doing so bespeaks a certain amount of obliviousness.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

My point was Antonio Stradivari managed to make about 1000 violins throughout his lifetime. He was old when he died, but it is reasonable to assume he made at least 10 violins a month without electricity

Not even YouTube to find out how to do it?

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Fair point. However, if I had come across Darrin in a similar manner, but then found out about a significant group of people from whom Darrin took money without ever giving them the bass guitars (or yo-yos) that they paid for, I wouldn't continue to insist he's an nice guy and that I'll probably get the thing I just paid for. Doing so bespeaks a certain amount of obliviousness.

I've known people who have in almost every respect been nice, but who I would not trust my money to.

 

[BlueTalon]

I've known people who have in almost every respect been nice, but who I would not trust my money to.

At some point, you have to determine if you wouldn't trust that nice person with your money because of incompetence or because of a known pattern of fraud. And at that point, if you aren't ready to reassess whether that person is in fact a nice person, there's something wrong with your judgment.

 

[callofcthulhu]

Nope, that's not Darrin, unless he's suddenly become a supersophisticated internet user and spoofer of IP addresses internationally.
I know everyone's rightfully beyond PO'd about the grotesque quagmire (great descriptor @Gunga Din ) that is the backlog of D. Huff's bass travesty.
But please do not be so quick to jump on someone new.
I don't read this poster as defending Darren. "He's no sociopath, he's a fairly nice bloke" is in fact EXACTLY what a new person would think about someone who has sociopath tendencies, if you think about it. If Darren, in initial communication (order or pre-order time) came across as a raving axe-murderer type, none of you would have ordered in the first place. It's precisely because he can come across as a "fairly nice bloke" (and has good luthiery skills) that people got sucked in.

Using a VPN is considered a "supersophisticated internet user" skill?

Not accusing Mr. Gazzard, of course. Just saying.

 

[JLY]

The Skeptic in me see’s this as a phishing attempt for more orders Hope I’m wrong

 

[Bottom 4]

The Skeptic in me see’s this as a phishing attempt for more orders Hope I’m wrong

I tend to agree. I have no skin in this game and therefore no emotional attachment. But for some reason I’ve read more than 50% of this thread. I do hope for a good outcome and that may be different for everyone involved. I have to say I’m suspect of this recent episode…

 

[jjk2007]

While I have no skin in this game, I have been following this thread since my day one and with a hope that someday my fellow TBers who have outstanding orders will one day see them filled. That said.....with the availability of the todays interwebs and the multitude of luthiers out there I can't believe anyone would send Huff even a plugged nickel, given his history. I have a Muckelroy bass being built that I am 6 months into. Brady has updated me every step of the way (photos, messages etc) and has communicated immediately on the couple of times I've reached out to him. No cryptic, rehashed photos/posts, no disappearing off the grid and no sudden change of directions on what he is building from one week to the next. I hope @James Gazzard you get your bass someday, but I'm not holding my breath. Good luck to my fellow TBers who are hanging on.....

 

[J_Bass]

The Skeptic in me see’s this as a phishing attempt for more orders Hope I’m wrong

Me too.

I don't have a bass ordered, and I never participated in the thread out of respect for the users waiting for a bass.

But I follow the thread since the beginning.

And after all the circles made by the "luthier" all this years, from basses to yo-yos, from knobs to tune machines, it just doesn't seem possible that anyone that has read at least a couple of these pages would give a single euro or dollar to this scam artist.

Or the new user is very naif, or is a friend of Darrin and is probably just phishing (or worse), as you said.

 

[Dluxe]

I don't believe i will ever see my MW bass.

Fixed it for you.

 

[Gunga Din]

good time ? thrill ? as i said a small 5% deposit to try to kick start Darrin's progress. no i beleive i will see my MW bass.

I am going to state here and now that Darrin would not accept a 5% deposit on a scroll bass.

Are you a British, by any chance? Or living in Britain? Certain things suggest that you are. So, how much is a scroll bass? £3000? It would have to be, given the woods, the leccies, and the intricate and time-consuming work that these basses require. And Darrin accepted £150 off you for a scroll bass? No way, fella. No way.

 

[J_Bass]

I am going to state here and now that Darrin would not accept a 5% deposit on a scroll bass.

Are you a British, by any chance? Or living in Britain? Certain things suggest that you are. So, how much is a scroll bass? £3000? It would have to be, given the woods, the leccies, and the intricate and time-consuming work that these basses require. And Darrin accepted £150 off you for a scroll bass? No way, fella. No way.

If this 5% thing is true, my guess is that the "luthier" just thought, 150 pounds?, great, yeah, I'll do it, and then just forgot about the whole thing, 150 pounds fatter.

 

[Gunga Din]

If this 5% thing is true, my guess is that the "luthier" just thought, 150 pounds?, great, yeah, I'll do it, and then just forgot about the whole thing, 150 pounds fatter.

Caveat Emptor. A term so old that the Romans who were getting shafted left a message for posterity!

[BTW, I went to Porto back in 2018. I fell in love with it!]

 

[James Gazzard]

Fair point. However, if I had come across Darrin in a similar manner, but then found out about a significant group of people from whom Darrin took money without ever giving them the bass guitars (or yo-yos) that they paid for, I wouldn't continue to insist he's an nice guy and that I'll probably get the thing I just paid for. Doing so bespeaks a certain amount of obliviousness.

yeah maybe so . blind faith and all .

Fair point. However, if I had come across Darrin in a similar manner, but then found out about a significant group of people from whom Darrin took money without ever giving them the bass guitars (or yo-yos) that they paid for, I wouldn't continue to insist he's an nice guy and that I'll probably get the thing I just paid for. Doing so bespeaks a certain amount of obliviousness.

 

[James Collins]

I understand that I cannot make a scroll. I share this video because it seems to be one of the parts in the video series that he spends the least time working on. And I am fairly certain a violin type scroll is more complicated than the upper horn scroll. I cannot imagine the scroll taking longer than a day for a professional luthier to make.

 

[James Gazzard]

i took the time to sign up to talkbass to explain the MW bass for the clients ease of mind. also to state that i would never jump the queue so the clients would always get their scroll basses first. that was it ?!?! .no i am not Darrin in desguise or phishing .i showed empathy to the clients predicament but that was misconstrewed . i made some points to say Darrin has a problem with perfectionism see constructive. i have had to defend myself for the last 9 posts for some reason.first day on talkbass was an onslaught .

 

[James Collins]

i took the time to sign up to talkbass to explain the MW bass for the clients ease of mind. also to state that i would never jump the queue so the clients would always get their scroll basses first. that was it ?!?! .no i am not Darrin in desguise or phishing .i showed empathy to the clients predicament but that was misconstrewed . i made some points to say Darrin has a problem with perfectionism see constructive. i have had to defend myself for the last 9 posts for some reason.first day on talkbass was an onslaught .

Just fyi, i wasn't responding to your post. There are a fair number of people acting like the scroll is a 2 week process. Doing a French polish takes longer than making a scroll.was my point from reading the other posts.

 

[James Gazzard]

Just fyi, i wasn't responding to your post. There are a fair number of people acting like the scroll is a 2 week process. Doing a French polish takes longer than making a scroll.was my point from reading the other posts.

talkbass as a whole was the direction

 

[James Gazzard]

I am going to state here and now that Darrin would not accept a 5% deposit on a scroll bass.

Are you a British, by any chance? Or living in Britain? Certain things suggest that you are. So, how much is a scroll bass? £3000? It would have to be, given the woods, the leccies, and the intricate and time-consuming work that these basses require. And Darrin accepted £150 off you for a scroll bass? No way, fella. No way.

wrong do not live in UK.wrong Darrin accepted a 5% deposit. if i want to try to kick start the clients scroll basses builds by paying a deposit for a MW bass i can.yes way fella yes way.

 

[slowburnaz]

wrong do not live in UK.wrong Darrin accepted a 5% deposit. if i want to try to kick start the clients scroll basses builds by paying a deposit for a MW bass i can.yes way fella yes way.

Are you saying that you put a deposit down to help the waitlisters like me get their basses?...

Paid a deposit to guy that has made minimal progress on outstanding orders from almost 20 years ago, despite seemingly knowing about that history?...

And joined a forum to ease our minds, and let us know that you did this for us, out of the goodness of your heart?...

I can see how the "onslaught" might seem strange to you, but can you fathom why some on such a long-standing, contentious thread such as this might find that extremely puzzling?