I don't understand why somebody would buy outputs abroad when we have some of the best transformer makers right here in the US. I had excellent experience buying transformers and chokes from Electra-print in Las Vegas, NV.
He may be a respected person, but did somebody actually measure the performance of his outputs? When we did, the measurements were very mediocre at best.
Sorry to learn about fellow builders being scammed. I also bought several parts transformers coils from a amp manufacturer in Italy actually the man is of my nationality. Anyway i had them all custom made to my specs and got them in 3 days he started working on them even before i sent him the money. Moreover he even sent me some free tube sockets as i said i was looking to buy some. I think it would be in their interest if all manufacturers were this respectful of their customers but i guess after their companies grow to a certain size they don't care anymore of the regular small time buyer...
They might well be in big financial trouble. In Italy economy is not going well, as in most places, but in addition to this the present (actually for at least 20-25 years now!!) administration penalizes a lot small and medium firms applying more and more taxes, really a shameful amount that is not seen anywhere else in the world! So if one is honest is dead....this is just a fact I am not taking their side.
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Waiting 9 months or even 3months for a custom transformer is absurd in my book. Sowter have a turn around time of about 3 to 4 weeks. They only take your money when they are ready to ship.
Quality products, great service, ultimate performance.
Quality products, great service, ultimate performance.
Hi 45,
I had a diner tonight with a friend from Italy. We talked about the Bartolucci case 2 or 3 times already and he told me exactly what you are saiying. His advice is to never send money to Italy if you haven't receive something.
That's another bad thing about Bartolucci. He doesn't take Paypal.
Regards,
Sébastien
It is the perceived quality of a product if it is made from a different country.
If one can spout-off the "Best-of-the-World" components...the image of quality is assured. Never mind that other components might measure identical or nearly so. This fascination with other parts of the World usually holds true & fast, right up until one visits, or, more likely, takes up residence in the new "great" country. The fascination & reverence evaporates rather quickly.
Ever see an Italian-made Airliner the likes of a 757? How about a Ferrari with 300K+ miles on it? German Spacecraft?
I'm not slamming any particular country here.......just the perceptions that are out of touch with the facts.
_____________________________________________________Rick.......
When you are buying online, it is world-wide. I don't see the need to divide it into North America vs. the rest of the World.
I recently purchased some transformers, I had decided on Lundahl or Hashimoto.
I went with Hashimoto even though the stated they needed a 2 week lead time. Essentially it was easier to purchase using a familiar environment and payment method. (eBay, PayPal)
If I wanted to order the Lundahls, I had to send an email to request a total not even knowing if they are in stock. This is not a big deal normally however when I'm ready to purchase, I am ready.
If this seems a little impatient, I agree. It stems from the irritation of trying to buy stuff off of Kijiji etc, wasting time trying to contact sellers who each have specific quirks on how to contact them. No thanks.
I felt a little bit more confidence knowing that the Hashimoto vendor had it in his interests to have the transaction completed within 1 month. (eBay feedback timeline) As it turned out the transformers were ready to ship before my payment cleared. I have since made a second order from him, outside of eBay. So far this has gone equally well. They said it would take about three weeks until they would have a batch of these new PTs available, three weeks later and they are on a jet as I type this.
Shipping prices from Japan are reasonable especially given the speed. (About 1 1/2 weeks)
I can rarely get anything from the States in under 2 weeks, standard shipping.
I bet it would cost me the same to ship these transformers within my own country, more if I wanted it in the same time period. I don't mind paying customs now and again.
I live a few hours away from Hammond.
Before partsconnexion and parts-express etc came along, I don't think I could have even bought a Hammond transformer from a Canadian store.
I guess I can drive down there and knocked on the side door.
I recently purchased some transformers, I had decided on Lundahl or Hashimoto.
I went with Hashimoto even though the stated they needed a 2 week lead time. Essentially it was easier to purchase using a familiar environment and payment method. (eBay, PayPal)
If I wanted to order the Lundahls, I had to send an email to request a total not even knowing if they are in stock. This is not a big deal normally however when I'm ready to purchase, I am ready.
If this seems a little impatient, I agree. It stems from the irritation of trying to buy stuff off of Kijiji etc, wasting time trying to contact sellers who each have specific quirks on how to contact them. No thanks.
I felt a little bit more confidence knowing that the Hashimoto vendor had it in his interests to have the transaction completed within 1 month. (eBay feedback timeline) As it turned out the transformers were ready to ship before my payment cleared. I have since made a second order from him, outside of eBay. So far this has gone equally well. They said it would take about three weeks until they would have a batch of these new PTs available, three weeks later and they are on a jet as I type this.
Shipping prices from Japan are reasonable especially given the speed. (About 1 1/2 weeks)
I can rarely get anything from the States in under 2 weeks, standard shipping.
I bet it would cost me the same to ship these transformers within my own country, more if I wanted it in the same time period. I don't mind paying customs now and again.
I live a few hours away from Hammond.
Before partsconnexion and parts-express etc came along, I don't think I could have even bought a Hammond transformer from a Canadian store.
I guess I can drive down there and knocked on the side door.
Yes, he's been writing about this extensively and quite understandable (after many months of 'transformers are ready, just to test and send them' message type). He's also in the industrial business where the problems started, etc .. BUT there is this thing of accepting new orders, pretending nothing is going on for the new victims. And this surely is a crime.
Mr Bartolucci is a fraud!! I have experience with his business. I ordered 2 OPT´s 2 chokes and a PTX from him some years back. I also experienced a long wait for him to ship and was given the "I will ship them soon" reply many times. 9 months from order and paying the transformers arrived, poorly packed and the finish was bad. The output transformers I ordered where potted C-core. One of the OPT´s was not working so I contacted Mr Bartolucci and he said that he would send me a new one and that I would have to send the one not working back to him. Months went and in the end I was curious in why one of the OPT´s wasn´t working and decided to break through the epoxy filling that seals the transformer in the pot. Guess what? the transformer was EI-core!!. I contacted Mr Bartolucci again about this and he was sooooo sorry and explained that someone working for him must have misunderstood the order, BS. He was also stressed that I had not sent it back to him and he ordered me to send it back, I didn´t. In the end he sent me a new pair of OPT´s and also another PTX?
The amp was finished 12 months later and I do have to say that his transformers are great, but his business sucks BIG TIME!!
I can only second SebastienL and warn anyone thinking of placing an order to Mr Bartolucci. There is more to tell about his business but I guess that´s overkill. STAY AWAY from this guy!!
The amp was finished 12 months later and I do have to say that his transformers are great, but his business sucks BIG TIME!!
I can only second SebastienL and warn anyone thinking of placing an order to Mr Bartolucci. There is more to tell about his business but I guess that´s overkill. STAY AWAY from this guy!!
Discussions of Monolith Magnetics and Tribute product merits are off topic, let's stick to the topic of this thread going forward.
Off topic posts have been deleted. Further off topic posts and self promotion will result in points being awarded. You have been warned. Stick to the topic!
Hi Misok,
I'm not sure if I understand you well. Did you mean that personnaly, you have not ordered from Bartolucci recently but you haven't heard of him delivering a product or giving refund since the last two years?
If so, we have a member on a French DIY forum who received a transformer from Bartolucci last September. The fact is that this transformer were to replace a defective one.
On the other side, I have never read some feed-back about someone getting a refund from Bartolucci.
Have a good day,
Sébastien
Hi Sebastien,
yes i've ordered 10 months ago and got nothing. While waiting, i was investigating the situation and found no remark about anybody who got their order or money back in past 2 years. So your French fellow is the first exception for me.
regards,
m
yes i've ordered 10 months ago and got nothing. While waiting, i was investigating the situation and found no remark about anybody who got their order or money back in past 2 years. So your French fellow is the first exception for me.
regards,
m
Hi Misok,
Ok, I now understand clearly. We are really in the same situation. The only difference is that I ordered few months earlier than you. I also have a friend in France who ordered at the same time some transformers for another project. This friend already ordered Bartolucci few transformers in the past and he never had problem beside the lies for the delay. Bartolucci told him recently that he is in a really bad economical situation which could be true. Apparently, even has some difficulties to bring food for his family...
In the end, he told my friend that we are about 8 customers in that situation. Well, at this point, I lost all my faith in him so I don't know what should I believe.
Have a good day,
Sébastien
Ok, I now understand clearly. We are really in the same situation. The only difference is that I ordered few months earlier than you. I also have a friend in France who ordered at the same time some transformers for another project. This friend already ordered Bartolucci few transformers in the past and he never had problem beside the lies for the delay. Bartolucci told him recently that he is in a really bad economical situation which could be true. Apparently, even has some difficulties to bring food for his family...
In the end, he told my friend that we are about 8 customers in that situation. Well, at this point, I lost all my faith in him so I don't know what should I believe.
Have a good day,
Sébastien
And what? He took money for these items in advance. BTW, cores, wires, and bobbins cost close to nothing.
Hi LinuksGuru,
Yes and apparently, builder often do this. Well, most of them in my experiece. In the case of Bartolucci, the problem is that he stills accept order but do not send anymore the product we ordered.
Regarding cores prices, I talked last week to a builder that state that some core are up to 150 euros each. That's not nothing.
Have a good day,
Sébastien
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