Don't support Western Electric: shameless warranty runarounds

https://tinyurl.com/LinktoArticleWE300

 

Well that's shady practice.

Do the tubes have individual serial numbers on them? Maybe order a new tube and send the bad one back in the new box saying it does not work. Get the old one replaced and sell the new replacement online. Shady? Well they seem to lack basic customer service so f*ck em.

 

I can personally vouch for the amazing warranty service that Elrog, and Thomas personally, provides. When I got my ER-5u4g from Partsconnexion, it made a strange mechanical whine when used with the Stellaris. After a brief email exchange with Thomas, he immediately sent me a factory direct replacement with 3-day international shipping. The new 5u4g was dead silent. It was one of the easiest experiences I've had with any kind of warranty service. I was expecting to have to go through some sort of proof of purchase with PCX and all that. Thomas' commitment to the quality of his products was above and beyond, in my experience.

edit: When I reached out to Thomas directly, it wasn't even to inquire about getting a replacement tube--I wanted to know if I could cover the tube with a giant glass cup (the mechanical whine was so loud but I loved the sound of the tube, so I was looking to cover it up somehow) while the amp was running. Thomas quickly replied, aghast at my suggestion--and is the one who offered to send me a replacement tube.

 

Woo and/or WE themselves scammed me months ago...changed a bad tube for an even worse tube, took em 8 weeks the first exchange, then told me the second time that the 2nd tube wasn't bad. It was, gassy af even after 150 hr burnin at their request. Kinda got the feeling that Woo didn't even attempt to send the 2nd tube to WE for replacement/testing if I'm being perfectly honest. Bought a 3rd set from a HF member with several hundred hours on them, and those continue to work flawlessly. I won't be buying anything from Woo again, and if I was to get another set of WEs it would be directly through WE, and not Woo at this point, just because I feel Woo wasn't being honest with me about the second exchange, moreso than WE. Too pissed to show receipts about all this atm, because just reminiscing on the whole experience is giving me a headache. But thought I'd chime in with my .02

 

My apologies. This is why I said "my understanding is..." and not definitively "hey guys they suck..." - I didn't have 100% irrefutable proof that it would be bad all around. Original statement was based on my own not good experience with PCX for Elrog, which I found unusual given that I've purchased other things from them before without any issue. But you saying above publicly that you are no longer working with them explains a lot.

Anyways, I've edited the original post and once again apologize.

 

Asking because I'm curious now and also so I know when I buy other stuff in the future that may do the same - Is the initial warranty already technically considered a full warranty in the US? Let's exclude special warranty laws that that are unique to specific states. "Extending the warranty" here - at the cost of postage + empty envelope - would any lawyer be able to do anything with this?

And to be 100% clear, I am not supporting what WE is doing here or other companies that may do something similar, etc.

 

One additional wrinkle to the extended warranty to look out for is that you have to send the card within 10 days of the purchase date. If you order on a Friday afternoon and they don't ship until the next week Wednesday and you don't get them until the next Monday you'll have to ask customer support for an exemption because your 10 days are already up. That's the process I had to go through, at least. WE said they would honor the 5-year warranty in my case, but I'm sure there are others who sent their warranty card in shortly after receiving the tubes and are in for a rude surprise when they find out it was impossible for them to meet the demands of the warranty.

 

I'd love this kind of practice to go away... these kinds of shady warranty registrations are becoming all too pervasive. Ridgid tools... send in the registration card and get LIFETIME warranty. Don't send in the card... SOL

 

It's super shady, but legal. I think you have to determine if the warranty is "full" or "limited".

"Companies whose products have a limited warranty (the usual type) may ask consumers to complete warranty registrations, says Elizabeth Lordan, a spokeswoman for the Federal Trade Commission. But they must also tell them whether a returned card is required or optional, says Carolyn L. Carter, deputy director for advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center, a Boston-based nonprofit group. (Products with a full warranty, relatively rare, can't require registration as a condition of coverage.)"

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/12/do-you-need-to-register-new-products-you-buy/index.htm

 

Just because of that does not make it any less true. Below is the actual FTC definition between a "full" and "limited" warranty.

"Determining whether your warranty is a "full" or a "limited" warranty is not difficult. If each of the following five statements is true about your warranty's terms and conditions, it is a "full" warranty:

1. You do not limit the duration of implied warranties.
2. You provide warranty service to anyone who owns the product during the warranty period.
3. You provide warranty service free of charge.
4. You provide, at the consumer's choice, either a replacement or a full refund if, after a reasonable number of tries, you are unable to repair the product.
5. You do not require consumers to perform any duty as a precondition for receiving service, except notifying you that service is needed, unless you can demonstrate that the duty is reasonable.

If any of these statements is not true, then your warranty is "limited."

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/businesspersons-guide-federal-warranty-law#titling

PS - I am with you. It is shitty business practice and screws the consumer for not reading all the fine print. However, it just may be in the bounds of the law unfortunately. As shitty as a situation as is.

 

They implied a 5 year warranty on their website and in their marketing, and now they are limiting that unless you mail in a card (which I consider unreasonable per #5). If Marv never opened the trifold, then he was never informed otherwise to a 5 year warranty.

 

Those are the terms you bought on. They can't change them afterwards, and especially not by stuff that is inside the box.

I can't believe that American contract law would differ on this. It's too fundamental to the concept of contract.

Jurisprudence! Whoa, I haven't used that word for decades!

Too late anyway: the contract was made already.

 

Did you miss this part:

PS - I am with you. It is shitty business practice and screws the consumer for not reading all the fine print. However, it just may be in the bounds of the law unfortunately. As shitty as a situation as is.

Why are you always against me? You can always go see a lawyer for free to see if you have a case. I was trying to do some preliminary investigative work for you. I guess you don't appreciate that. Please don't take your anger out on me. The situation sucks and I am sorry.