Vintage King Arvostelua 4

Terrible customer service and shipped wrong item

If you're reading this, then you’re likely contemplating a significant purchase from Vintage King for your studio(s). I highly encourage you to read this full review. Full disclosure: I've chosen to use an anonymous account as I am a working professional and prefer not to be contacted or treated differently due to this review. I will strive to be as unbiased as possible, though Vintage King has made that quite challenging.

If you've been in the music industry for any length of time then you've probably heard of Vintage King. For years, they have been touted as one of the top contenders in Pro Audio, and for many years, I can genuinely say they were.

When you visit one of their showrooms, you'll be greeted by knowledgeable staff. These are passionate individuals who likely took the job as a means to learn more about what it takes to make great records. This is commendable because these are precisely the people you want to talk to when deciding between expensive pieces of equipment with often subtle differences.

That said, over time, I've noticed a cultural shift at Vintage King. While I cannot prove this, it seems like most of the best people have left. Although some may still be around, I get the impression that they are no longer able or interested in having the most qualified personnel, or if they are, they are having trouble retaining them.

It's true that while you are a prospective customer or looking to make a purchase, they will go above and beyond to ensure you are comfortable with your decision. In my experience, they will not try to upsell you if it doesn't align with your needs, which is commendable. Unfortunately, that’s about where my praise ends.

Having spent over a decade working alongside some of the biggest audio engineers and producers in the world and helping build and maintain studios (both legacy and new), I've been part of many orders placed through Vintage King. Unfortunately, I've come to realize that not all customers are treated equally. While this is understandable, it's incredibly disappointing. Most people would expect that if you've made a substantial purchase, you would receive the courtesy of being treated as a professional, especially if you've been a respectful customer.

Sadly, once the sale is complete and it doesn't seem like you'll be buying anything else soon, it feels like you're on your own. You might get lucky and catch your sales rep or customer service team on a day when they decide to answer their messages or take calls. However, in my experience, out of 10 calls you make (on different days), you might get an answer once. Emphasis on "might."

So, if customer calls aren't answered, texting or e-mailing might be better, right? Unfortunately, no. If you're lucky, you may get a response, but even if they say "they've got someone on it" or "they will answer you the same day or next," it feels like if you're not deemed a person of significance (i.e., someone whose influence could generate more sales), you'll likely have to pull teeth to get anything done.

It pains me to say this, but it seems that Vintage King that we all knew and loved has lost what it once was. Maybe they got too big, maybe they got too corporate, maybe it's internal politics—who's to say? It doesn't really matter.

Vintage King may have long-standing connections to many of the main distributors of Pro Audio equipment. Unfortunately for them though, they are not the only ones who do. If you take anything from this review, I would like to emphasize that you do your homework and check out other Pro Audio retailers in your area.

From years of experience: go with the retailer whose rep you have a genuine connection with. If you're going to invest in your future through a company, make sure it’s a company whose employees genuinely seem to care about meeting you where you are. If you're going to buy from anyone, buy from someone who gives you food for thought and you look forward to meeting again.

Best of luck out there.

I had an initial bad experience with a new Shure SM7dB microphone I purchased, which got stuck to a new boom arm on it's first use. I was stressed about it for over a week with no resolution on the many options I tried. But then Don Spacht from the Vintage King LA Showroom stepped in and gave me a call. They ended up refunding me the cost of the service repair to get the mic fixed with Shure and that level of customer service was genuinely appreciated. Thank you again Don and Vintage King for helping me out!

Worst customer service I have ever experienced. Refuses to replace item I never received. Item was listed as delivered but I never received it. Contacted the company and got a generic response to my inquiries. Doesn't stand behind any service for their customers. Never doing business with them again.