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Terrible Experience Kessler Music

Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2015-02-21 23:26

Many people have talked on the BBoard about their positive experiences working with Dave Kessler and Kessler Music and because of that, I decided to do business with them.

To my disappointment, I haven't had the same experience with Kessler Music. I'm a clarinetist but I play flute casually. I contacted Dave and Chuck in November about purchasing a custom order flute that I was interested in. I was a bit annoyed that I was being talked to like I was a student needing their unsolicited guidance on what features I needed on an instrument and what not to order but after all, the majority of their sales I imagine are to young students needing guidance. Finally after a lot of chatter (and a couple weeks later and communication was jumbled between Dave and Chuck), Dave offered to order two of the instruments I wanted custom and offered me a great price I simply couldn't turn down.

He told me that he would get the instruments in by Christmas. Christmas went by and I heard nothing. Finally at the very end of December he sends me an email. Unfortunately by this time I had gotten pretty severely sick and the first five weeks of the new year were very unpleasant and I was in no condition to play and then I slipped and needed some unpleasant and very expensive dental surgery (not covered in insurance).

I made it a priority to recover both physically and financially in order to hold my agreement with Kessler. Starting Monday, I tried calling Dave to purchase a flute and have both sent out to me for trial. No response. Then the same two more times during the week. Finally I got a response from Dave:

As confirmed by an employee, neither of the custom instruments ordered for me had been sold and they were both in stock so when talking to Dave today, I thought he would have been glad to hear from me as I was going to purchase the flute.

I was ASTOUNDED when he told me that he wouldn't send the instruments to me because someone had walked into the store that he knew that was on the fence about buying one of the instruments on Wednesday. He told me that he would let her have the pick of the instruments she preferred if she was going to buy and then he could send me what was left over and if she didn't purchase, then I could try both next week. I made sure to have him repeat this several times to make sure I understood clearly. I told him that I was ready to make payment on an instrument immediately (no being on the fence at all) and he refused to send them to me for selection. Keep in mind that these instruments were custom ordered for me to begin with and I had started contacting him again before his walk in had expressed any interest. I told him that I found this to be completely unacceptable and incredibly disrespectful as well. I also made it clear after his decision was final that I would relay my experience with him.

I've had amazing experiences ordering from Weiner Music and Muncy Winds. I wasn't a difficult customer. Being sick at the new year with fresh deductibles set me back and despite that, I was able to raise the several thousands of dollars to keep my agreement and word which means a lot to me, with Kessler Music. Kessler Music clearly doesn't value their word and honor nearly as much.

Do business with them if you'd like. But there are clearly risks. I'll be looking for an instrument elsewhere.

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