L300 136A Recone nightmare

[jbl]

Wizards response to the BBB was not the same as they (the owner) offered me. He (the owner) demanded a full refund to me after I wire tied the drivers face to face for transport.
He grabbed the the drivers (with one hand and slammed them on a metal cart) and disappeared.
I then said "just give me my speakers", They had ABSOLUTELY no respect for the pristine condition of the wrinkle paint or my desire for these drivers to be as close to original what so ever!
I reiterated via phone numerous times and in person " I am using you for authentic 100% JBL parts only".
So Yes it it is my fault for not having in writing USE ONLY C8R2235 ONLY!

I have a wholesale account with Peachstate Audio the only other "authorized" company that JBL has listed for Georgia. They do not do "Consumer audio Recones"

Note the "JBL Professional D-136a " I swear to GOD I asked if the the "D" was a issue. The "Professional" is key that the C8R2235 is only available to "pro dealers" or am I am I wrong?

The final invoice has the the "D" deleted

Sorry to read about your 136 issue. I can't comment on your transaction with Wizard Electronics since I wasn't there. However, after reading this thread I do have a few observations on your handling of this matter.
IMO, you made a very big mistake contacting the BBB. Your first move should have been to deal directly with the owner of WE. If you didn't get the answer(s) that you were looking for here, the next step would be to get JBL involved.
Going to the BBB created a very hostile environment. Dealing with JBL most likely would have resulted in WE installing the 2235 kit for you. The additional cost, if any would have been the difference between the after market kit and the JBL. You would have been at the same $ point as if the 136 was reconed with the 2235 kit.
Hope this matter is resolved to your satisfaction.

[guitarnie]

I did deal with the owner or Wizard Elecronics, I got no where other than getting almost thrown out . The BBB was my conduit, resolve the issue no harm done. It's not like during the seven weeks they had the the speakers I "decided" I wanted JBL kits. I went to these fu?Kballs because the are AUTHORIZED JBL dealers.
That is the only reason why I went there, I spoke Audio Lab of GA. They could do the recone , but non-JBL, so I did not take them there. I wish I would have, way better people running that show and half of the price!
JBL/Harmon are referring me to other dealers to start from scratch. Wow, thanks!
Anybody want some L300's cheap?

[doodle6]

When I was about 15 years old, 1961, my parents took me and my sister on an extended vacation across northern Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. On our way out of Luxor for Cairo, we arrived at the Luxor airport to board a flight to Cairo. At the ticket counter was an American businessman. He was in the process of berating the ticket clerk in a loud and obnoxious voice, telling the clerk what a big shot he was and how critically important it was that he get to Cairo that afternoon. We listened quietly behind him and learned that the flight had been canceled because of a dust storm north of Luxor. This was in the days of passenger service on radial engined DC-3 aircraft. My dad turned us around and started herding us out of the airport. "Where are we going? Aren't you going to do anything about this, David? We have a flight out of Cairo in the morning," asked my mother. "Listen. I can wait my turn, then yell and holler at the ticket agent, jump up and down until I'm purple in the face, but no matter what I do, THEY'RE NOT GONNA FLY. So there's no point in wasting our time with that. We'll just figure out something else." So we went back to the hotel, searched for alternatives, discovered that there was a local train running up the Nile that evening. We booked a Pullman compartment on it and then spent the extra time exploring more of Luxor. When we got to the station that evening, it turned out that the train was composed of old wooden passenger cars, the stuff we used to see on "The Wild, Wild West" TV show. It was pulled by an old steam locomotive, and it stopped everywhere they had chickens, about every 15 miles or so. People rode the roof, climbed off and on the train with livestock, hawked food and souvenirs through the open windows and so on. It took all night, but we made it to Cairo and connected with the flight out just fine. To this day, that train ride is one of my most favorite travel memories. The lesson is twofold: one, no matter how aggravating it might be when we don't get what we want, it doesn't do any good to let our frustration drive us to childish behavior. Missing auto parts that we ordered don't suddenly materialize out of thin air when we start to berate a sales clerk - damaged goods don't miraculously become whole when we raise our voices - hotel rooms don't suddenly become vacant for us when we make threats. And secondly, the main thing that intemperate behavior causes is hard feelings, on the part of both parties. So the obvious question arises: If that sort of behavior doesn't get positive results AND ruins everyone's day, why on earth engage in it? Life is waaaay too short, and there are always better alternatives, even if one of them turns out to be simply learning to avoid a particular person, business or situation.

None of this is intended to criticize guitarme's wishes or defend WE. Seems to me that they should have an established protocol of falling back on the 2235 re-cone in the situation that they were in, and that part of that protocol should be to telephone the customer to inform them of that fallback. But the whole escalation of this situation to the point it reached could easily have been avoided and a mutually satisfactory outcome accomplished through courteous and respectful handling at the get go. I don't see a whole lot of positive results coming from an adversarial approach. But then, I'm an old red neck country guy who learned early on that it's important to maintain the peace when you live in a small community.

[1audiohack]

I'm with you doodle6. Nice story by the way.

I went through a very similar experience with a "Crown Authorized Service Center" here in Vegas. So I understand your frustration.

It's been 40 days now. If those 136's were mine they would have been redone correctly somewhere and making music by now and all the anger would be a fading memory. I don't know I guess I'm just weird.

[4313B]

It's been 40 days now. If those 136's were mine they would have been redone correctly somewhere and making music by now and all the anger would be a fading memory.

Yep...

[guitarnie]

I'm with you doodle6. Nice story by the way.

I went through a very similar experience with a "Crown Authorized Service Center" here in Vegas. So I understand your frustration.

It's been 40 days now. If those 136's were mine they would have been redone correctly somewhere and making music by now and all the anger would be a fading memory. I don't know I guess I'm just weird.

It's really only been two weeks since I picked them up, I am self employed and throwing $475 + shipping on top of the $438 I already spent just isn't feasible right now.
I know that the owner of WE stated that I was screaming and on the verge of being booted out of the store.
That is just not true, I am a big guy and I have a LOUD voice, I never once said one derogatory thing about anybody there, I never used one ounce of profanity.
I actually apologized for saying that they used "K Mart" kits, I told the the technician that he did a good job.
The day I brought the speakers in, they had a customer screaming at a female employee over a POS S.S. Crate guitar amp. This guy was way out of control, I confronted the customer and told him he was out of line. I was on their side.
It was the "counter dude's" birthday, he came around from the counter and shook my hand and thanked me for "making his B Day". I felt confident I was going to get good service.
JBL HARMON is requesting all paperwork regarding this repair, so maybe something good may work out.
I want to mount them and listen but... should I even try to like them? What are the odds they may sound good?
Thanks everybody
Arnie

[clmrt]

Mount them and listen.

Collector's value may be shot in the ass, but listening value might be there.

[4345]

I wouldn't bother listening. I am sure they can not sound perfect, which is what you paid for. Let JBL stand behind their authorized repair center and at no cost repair them for you properly. Send them direct to JBL, if they still repair them in Northridge.

Why keep a sub par repair job. Who knows when their glue job will come undone or when the voice coil will rub etc. This is a Frankenstein re-cone.

JBL has plenty of dough. Why should they care in Northridge about the cost of your little repair job. I am sure all the execs are flying business class and staying at 5 star hotels and eating at Morton's for dinner on the company money.

So, you get your repair free and they keep living like kings. Let's just not tell the shareholders. It's all other peoples money anyway.

[Maron Horonzakz]

4345,,,You sound like a socialist,,

[4345]

No, a sarcastic conservative.

4345,,,You sound like a socialist,,

[guitarnie]

Well JBL is on track with me, just to clarify, this nightmare has nothing to do with Wizards in Kansas.
I have an official statement from JBL/Harmon consumer;

"I can tell you for sure that these comments were not made by JBL consumer. I am the only one who does service center tech support for JBL consumer. I’ve never spoken with anyone at Wizards in Atlanta regarding this repair and my knowledge of pro or generic transducers is not deep enough to offer an implied suggestion like this."

"In this case, we contacted JBL and were told that they no longer make the part for these speakers, nor would they recommend another of their kits be installed in them, considering the model of cabinets that these speakers are being used in. They knew of this model of generic kit, and explained that it used the exact same edge wound voice coil, but that we would have to change the cone edge surround, from the accordion edge, to the rolled foam edge, and that then the kits would be an exact spot-on match to the original equipment. "

[guitarnie]

I wouldn't bother listening. I am sure they can not sound perfect, which is what you paid for. Let JBL stand behind their authorized repair center and at no cost repair them for you properly. Send them direct to JBL, if they still repair them in Northridge.

Why keep a sub par repair job. Who knows when their glue job will come undone or when the voice coil will rub etc. This is a Frankenstein re-cone.

JBL has plenty of dough. Why should they care in Northridge about the cost of your little repair job. I am sure all the execs are flying business class and staying at 5 star hotels and eating at Morton's for dinner on the company money.

So, you get your repair free and they keep living like kings. Let's just not tell the shareholders. It's all other peoples money anyway.

I had a crappy day but that is funny as hell and I am smiling!
Hopefully PRO will refute the whole BS lie that Wizard Electronics in Atlanta has told to the BBB.
Consumer is on record stating that they are lying and the speakers are clearly marked on the invoice as JBL PRO.

Also a little tidbit from the horse's mouth;

I spoke with someone over at JBL Pro and they said they are currently out of cone kits (C8R2235), but it looks like they will be getting more in shortly. They also mentioned that consumer has an order placed for some too. So it looks like we (JBL consumer) and JBL Pro will stock these kits in the near future

[tarior]

I just wanted to pipe in here. I have a shop in Kelso, WA where I repair electronics and loudspeakers including reconing. When I recone a speaker with aftermarket parts, even an expert would have a difficult time finding the difference between my work and original. It is because I actually care enough to assemble my own kits from available parts and not rely on the aftermarket supplier's idea of what is "good enough". However, if a customer insists on original JBL kits, I can and will source and install them if the customer is willing to pay the difference. Heck, I even sprung the $$ for factory kits for a pair of 2235s to install in my own L300s. Even a non-authorized reconer such as myself knows that the recommended kit for the 136A is C8R2235.

If you bring a 125A/127A to me for repair, it will come back with the proper concave dustcap. There is really no excuse for doing it any other way.

BTW, I have applied to become a JBL authorized service provider. They basically said that they aren't interested in having a service center in this area. The nearest one I know of is in Seattle, 120 miles away. Way to go JBL.

[Wagner]

I had a crappy day but that is funny as hell and I am smiling!
Hopefully PRO will refute the whole BS lie that Wizard Electronics in Atlanta has told to the BBB.
Consumer is on record stating that they are lying and the speakers are clearly marked on the invoice as JBL PRO.

Also a little tidbit from the horse's mouth;

I spoke with someone over at JBL Pro and they said they are currently out of cone kits (C8R2235), but it looks like they will be getting more in shortly. They also mentioned that consumer has an order placed for some too. So it looks like we (JBL consumer) and JBL Pro will stock these kits in the near future

This thread is F'in ridiculous!

Have you even enjoyed listening to them yet?

This is all in your head you know. (no offense to the measurement guys and the technically inclined).

You are obsessing on something you'd have never known the difference on if things had played out a little differently......................

....................like if the Wizard WAS dishonest.

JBL U. S. A. AIN'T gonna help you. It's OVER.

Enjoy your speakers.

Thomas

[Wagner]

4345,,,You sound like a socialist,,

I was thinking idiot

Thomas