| Author | Message | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 307 Registered: 7-2003 |
This is not the type of matter I enjoy engaging in, but it is one that I feel must be addressed. Most members of this club have probably read about the split of Moody Straps into Moody Leathers and Italia Leather Straps. I do not want to get into Michael’s and Allison’s personal business, so I will just stick to how I was treated by Michael. I ordered an all suede, 54” single piece custom strap from Michael before the split. Well over a month ago. I was charged $185 and $8 more for shipping. I also wanted Alembic logos stamped into it, so that was extra. During the whole process, the only time Michael would ever contact me was when he wanted money from me. Once he would get the money sent, I would receive no further responses from him on any questions I sent in. Since Moody Straps had a good reputation here, I felt they were just busy and I would be taken care of. Note that Michael charged $50 in fees for the Alembic logos. I was having a hard time with my PalPay account (Someone in Asia was trying to hack into it), and I ended up sending Michael the payment from two different accounts, requesting him to refuse payment I had previously sent on the security risk one. I received no response, so he ended up collecting $100 for the Alembic fees. A matter he has not addressed to this very day. I knew the company name had changed, and thought that had to do with why Michael was too busy to contact me back on anything. I was shocked when I read Valentino’s posting of Moody’s split. I immediately e-mailed all parties concerned, freaked out, as can be expected. I called Allison and got her answering machine, and then got an e-mail response from her within five minutes requesting my phone number so she could call me. After discussing the matter with Allison, she gave me Michael’s cell phone number and I called him up very upset. He played the concerned seller and agreed to refund my money on the strap. I have dealt with many Michaels in my life, and figured he was just leading me on and I would never see a cent from him. This was confirmed a week later when I contacted him again, because I had received nothing from him. He stated that he had changed his mind and was going to finish the strap, instead. I told him he was no longer authorized to do the order, as only Allison was authorized to use the Alembic logo on her straps now. That was early last week. I have of course heard nothing further from him on any of this. As I write this today, it is a fact that Italia Leather Straps’ owner Michael Salerno has lied, conned, and cheated me out of $293 for a single strap order. Therefore, I am posting this warning concerning doing business with this disreputable person/company. | ||
| bsee
Advanced Member Username: bsee Post Number: 355 Registered: 3-2004 |
You should be able to recover money paid through credit cards or paypal through their fraud protection systems, especially since nothing at all was delivered. Other than that, I don't understand why Michael would try to form a company if he has no intention of delivering any products. | ||
| stoney
Advanced Member Username: stoney Post Number: 335 Registered: 7-2002 |
Get a written dispute into your credit card company(s) ASAP fully detailing the transactions and the fact that you have no product. You should get your $$ back. Good luck and thanks for the warning. | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 611 Registered: 9-2003 |
Sorry, duplicate post. (Message edited by kmh364 on October 20, 2004) | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 612 Registered: 9-2003 |
Sorry to hear about your problem(s), Tom. I dealt with Michael earlier this year. While he totally screwed up my order, he did make it right. I had ordered three 4" straps in various color combos (via email in writing) and he got everything right except for that they were delivered as 2.5" straps. Well, he gave me three options to make this right and I chose keeping the straps I already had and getting three more of the right width straps, all for a HUGE discount. I have 8 guitars now, and the straps are awesome (and the price was right), so I'm not complaining. I guess the split-up has affected Michael in a negative way. BTW, I've already contacted Alison about getting LONGER tails for my three Alembic/Moody straps (I bought those too, LOL!), and she was very helpful. She's definitely prettier than Michael as well (I know...I'm going to HELL, LOL!). | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 311 Registered: 7-2003 |
Well, the mail person dropped off Michael’s strap, to my surprise. When things go right, integrity is not a factor that needs to be addressed, usually. It is when things go wrong that you find out what level of integrity individuals possess. Michael showed a definite lack of integrity by accepting no responsibility for any of his questionable actions, lying to me, patronizing me to placate me, and in the end sending me the most poorly made strap I have seen, out side of a children’s Sunday school crafts class. Plus, he used the Alembic stamp without authorization and kept the second payment of fees. Right from the start, Allison accepted all responsibilities in this matter and told me she would remake the strap for me at no charge. The strap was bought from Moody, she is Moody the company, and she was instantly ready to back it all up. I told her to go ahead and made the strap and I would handle getting a refund from Michael, as best I could. I sent Allison pictures of the strap and she is to estimate its value and I will pay her that amount. I do not want something for nothing, or to come out ahead on anything. I just want what I paid for and what is fair. I never use credit cards, so no route for recovery there. I closed all my PayPal accounts, as eBay owns PayPal and I find both places no help at all when anything goes wrong. PayPal will be little help in the recovery of funds here. They charge a deductible of $25 per transaction, and there were three transactions. By sending me any piece of leather, he has stalled an already ‘make it as hard to collect’ system into an almost impossible to work system for getting back anything at all. Time is money, and I have wasted a couple of hundred dollars in time on this already. What Allison says the strap he made me is worth, I will pay her. For the money he just kept, I have paid for the right to call him a thief in public, as it is the truth. Allison will need to have her lawyer collect. But that is getting into her business, and Michael's unauthorized use of the Alembic stamps are Alembic's business now. The one thing he did right on this strap was the pressing of the Alembic logo on the tobacco colored side. It looks great! If you are thinking about ordering a suede strap from Allison with an Alembic logo stamped into it, it looks great on the tobacco, but not so good on the curry colored suede - which seems very inferior in quality to begin with. Did I get a strap made from the scraps drawer? Hey Kevin. Not paying attention to what customers order seems to be a trademark of Michael. I do not like squared corners on the ends of straps, so I specifically ordered rounded ‘U’ shaped ones. I got square corners. I specifically stated not to make a cut up the strap button hole, but to just make the holes the same size as the Schaller Strap Locks he sells fits. He cut the holes too small and cut a slit up the center. I specifically asked he use tobacco colored thread, so he used curry colored thread. The strap was to be reversible, with an Alembic logo stamped into one side, then the strap turn over and a logo stamped at the opposite end, at the same height. I specifically asked him if he understood what I wanted on this. He flipped the strap over and stamped the second logo at the same end of the strap. This is actually a simple strap order. No rocket science here, just someone who got the money and then just did what they do on all other straps made. He even got the length wrong by a whole inch. If you got awesome quality in your straps, Kevin, I am thinking Michael took the order, but they were made by Allison. I compare the quality of what I received to be as low or lower than the quality he instills in his One-Strap company's products. At $39, no one is going to get ripped to badly there. This is where Michael belongs, not in the high-end strap making market. That is Allison's forte. This is what I paid $293 for: Note: I apologize for the poor quality this camera does on close-ups.  Hard to see, but that is a glitch on the side of the strap where the edge was crushed up and will not go back down.  There is an awful center join of pieces with crooked sticking on both sides, crooked stictching down the side of the strap, and another side glitch where the edge was crushed and ruined.  This edge was sloppily cut and stitched. It looks much worse in person. All these look worse in person. Poor camera, sorry.  The suede on this end is filth, cut exactly as I told him not to do, and the stitching very poorly done. This also shows the too small of button hole with the slit up them. The grime on the suede will have to be cleaned by a pro, as it does not brush out.  Sorry, yet another poor shot. This strap is supposed to be reversible, but the workmanship on this side it totally unacceptable. Ugly crooked stitching across a poor glued join, with glue that oozed out of the seam and into the suede. A very large and noticible lump that lies right across the top ridge of my shoulder for some added uncomfort. This is not a $39 One-Strap. This was a couple of hundred dollar custom strap. Would I show this strap to anyone and let them know how much was paid for it? Too many people already belive me an idiot. I don't need excessive examples hanging around to provide the needed support on their assumptions to elicit a proof of such. For the money paid to this person of little talent, this is simply not acceptable quality for even a standard $79 strap. I will do one more posting to this thread when I get the proper strap from Allison. I sent her full-sized pictures of this strap and she was shocked. I am not running a personal grudge against Michael here. There is no forward movent in such matters. I feel he burned me good and stole from me. Best to learn from mistakes and move on. Therefore, this is all a warning to other to be aware of all this before you do business with him and possibly get burned, too. Hopefully on the last post, I will have my proper strap and it will be great, Allison is paid and kicking out lots of strap orders, and Michael just fades away, handyman, con artist, and thief that he is (I paid for that right!). Perfect! Note: This strap was taken out of the box it came in for pictures. It was not bent, twisted or any physical action, except to unroll it for picture taking. (Message edited by poor_nigel on October 20, 2004) | ||
| kmh364
Senior Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 613 Registered: 9-2003 |
Holy Sh*t! You weren't kidding. You should take more pictures of that piece of crappola and post them on every music related site you can find. I wouldn't have been as charitable as you. I'd definitely want my money back! Even if that thing was perfect, no way in Hell is it worth nearly $300! At least contact the BBB and let them know via offiial complaint. I don't know if you have proxy recourse under Cali. law RE: a small claims lawsuit...I ain't no lawyer, LOL! But it might be worth finding out anyway. At least you have Allison to make it right. Not only is she a pleasure to look at, she's a pleasure to deal with. She actually seems to care about the family business and knows what customer service means. Good Luck and please let us all know how you make out. I'd be interested in seeing the pix of what the properly-constructed strap looks like. BTW, Is Alembic OK with Moody's using their logo on an "unofficial" product? While I had no intentions of using my non-Alembic Moodys straps with my Alembic (Hence the three Alembic/Moody's straps I own...they were bought specifically for the Alembic ONLY...and were bought before I knew Moody's existed), but it never occured to me to ask for Alembic's logo. Even if I wanted it, I assumed that they couldn't/wouldn't because that (in my mind, anyway) would "take business away" from Alembic. Hell, I bought on price...If Alembic offered the colors/combo's that Moody's did for the same or less than the regular Mooody's prices, I'd have bought those instead. | ||
| bsee
Advanced Member Username: bsee Post Number: 358 Registered: 3-2004 |
Actually, I bet Allison would love to trade you her good strap for the piece of excrement that Michael sent you. It may help her in any suit she brings to show how he is shipping products in a way that could damage her good name. | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 314 Registered: 7-2003 |
Moody Leathers is authorized to put the Alembic logo on any strap asked for. That is why the Alembic fees were charged and paid. It is cheaper to buy the straps Allison makes for Alembic, which Alembic then sells through their store, but if you don't like the regular straps and want one made just the way you want it, you can get it made with an Alembic logo or two stamped into it. You should contact Allison concerning this for more information. I will be filling out all the proper papers to file a complaint against the owner and business of Italia Leather Straps through the CA BBB. Someone is collecting the needs things and sending them to me. Without Allison to back up Michael's disreputable actions, I do not believe he will be in business much longer, at least not in the high-end strap market. Maybe he will do OK with his One-Straps. As for Allison, she is now the only person I will order straps from and her solid professionalism should bring her great success in the end. | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 316 Registered: 7-2003 |
Sorry I missed your post Bob. Good idea. I will offer it to her. It might possibly be wanted for proof of unauthorized use of the Alembic logos on it, also. | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 319 Registered: 7-2003 |
Uh oh Boys and Girls, I am on the run from the law! Defamatory statements re Michael Salarno Mr. Shaw: My office has been flooded with people on the internet sending me postings that you have placed on the internet regarding Mr. Salerno's business relationship with he his former business partner. I have commenced the filing of a lawsuit in Monterey County Superior Court regarding your defamatory statements. Some of the people who read your post accusing my client of fraud are from Monterey County California, thus a cause of action arises right here. I am at this time going to give you one chance to do the right thing and discontinue this hostile behaivor. I would expect that you agree to post full retractions of any such statement made within twenty-four hours of the receipt of this e-mail. If you not desire to take this course of action, I will be deciding the alternate course of action on my own. Consider this your only warning in this matter. Shawn C. Mills Attorney for Michael Salarno montereydefender@hotmail.com | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 320 Registered: 7-2003 |
Ha, ha, ha . . . That was a good one! A lawyer with a Hotmail account, who threatens people by e-mail, no less. I thought lawyers used signed documents via registered mail, like my lawyer does?! Unfortunately for Michael, I looked up this real lawyer in Monterey and send him a copy of this and a response, plus all the contact information of Michael's. This guy just keep digging the hole deeper and deeper and deeper . . . I still cannot get over anyone who would be dumb enough to use a Hotmail account and then a real lawyer in his area that can sue the pants off him for for using his professional name to make threats via e-mail. I have to admit I am not so upset right now, as the entertainment value of this is too great! Dang that legal funny talk is hard to grasp! It is almost as if this were written by a high school graduate! Certainly not by someone with a four year degree, law school, and then compentent enough to pass the California bar exam. I gues His Hotmail secretary/paralegal was out, so it could not be proofed first. (Message edited by poor_nigel on October 21, 2004) | ||
| jagerphan84
Member Username: jagerphan84 Post Number: 100 Registered: 10-2003 |
Only the finest legal representatives use Hotmail®. Sigh... Now I'm gonna get sued, too... | ||
| hollis
Senior Member Username: hollis Post Number: 456 Registered: 11-2003 |
Wow! Amazing! | ||
| lbpesq
Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 89 Registered: 7-2004 |
Thomas: Being a California lawyer myself, I easily looked up "Shawn Mills" in the bar records. There is indeed a Shawn Mills, admitted in 1997, practicing in Monterey. Are you saying that you contacted the REAL Shawn Mills and he didn't know about this? Also very questionable is the closing phrase: "If you not desire to take this course of action, I will be deciding the alternate course of action on my own." Aside from the bad grammar, I doubt a real lawyer would ever put this in writing. Such a decision is strictly the client's. Of course the lawyer may give advice and make suggestions, but the decision to sue or not is ultimately the client's. Bill, the guitar one. | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 321 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Bill. I went back to Mr. Mills site and started investigating it. In my travels, he has a page and it does list the above Hotmail address as the contact point. Oh well, leave it to Michael to rip someone off and then bring in a lawyer to shut up the victim. I think I will pop over to my lawyer's office and see if this gets her all excited or not. If she screams and runs from the room, maybe I will worry a touch. Otherwise, Michael and his lawyer can just go away! As long as what I say is the truth, I do not fear anyone. | ||
| bsee
Advanced Member Username: bsee Post Number: 370 Registered: 3-2004 |
This is the shopping board, though, right? Shouldn't someone be offering me a medium scale S1 bass in good shape right about now? | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 322 Registered: 7-2003 |
Well, that threat hardly made it out of the gate before it collasped and died. It seems Michael's lawyer is a criminal lawyer, go figure. (Message edited by poor_nigel on October 22, 2004) | ||
| pookeymp
Intermediate Member Username: pookeymp Post Number: 176 Registered: 7-2002 |
Hey Nigel... So you're saying that an actual 'real' lawyer couldn't compose two well-written paragraphs. I wouldn't say this looks like it was written by a high school graduate...because while in high school, my writing skills were way beyond the 'dribble' written in this email. I would say it looks like it was written by someone struggling to get through high school. Mikey/ | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 323 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Mikey. I was being nice. I got some e-mails from him and he seems very unprofessional, unknowledgeable, and all intimidation. I will not let such a person get to me. On all possible counts of defamation, I can substantiate them to be true. I have every receipt of payment made, and every e-mail sent and received, including some very strange ones from Mr. Mills that I am sure a lawyer would not want to be brought into a courtroom, for any reason. Truth (formerly called "justification"): You will not be liable if the defamatory statement is true. The plaintiff is not required to prove that your statement was untrue to establish his or her claim, as the law assumes that defamatory statements are untrue. This means that you, the defendant, bear the burden of proving that the statement was true. I am done trying to deal with Michael. He can keep digging if he wants. I am looking forward to the strap Allison is making and will post pics of it for comparison of what I should have received in the first place. As much trouble as Michael has been in this whole affair, is how helpful she has been. Now, back to sanity for me. | ||
| poor_nigel
Advanced Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 337 Registered: 7-2003 |
Holy Insult to Injury! The idiot at Italia straps just sent me the following: "Dear Valued Italia Straps Customer, Please take a moment to visit our beautiful, newly redesigned website and online store at www.italiastraps.com Don't forget that Italia Straps is a great place to find a holiday gift for the musician in your life, or for yourself! Gift certificates are even available if you are having trouble deciding... As always, we sincerely appreciate your business. Thank You, The Staff at Italia Straps" Michael forgot to mention that it is a great place to get ripped off and pick up some decidedly inferior products, too. He also sent a copy of this to the e-mail address that was attached to the PayPal account that sent him the second payment of Alembic fees, which he just pocketed and has never acknowledged or refunded. Not only is he a thief, but he is stupid to boot! Note: Alembic did not receive a penny of either payment he received. If the person he thinks owns the account he blatantly stole money from and I are valued customers, I guess his business is about to be flushed. Hmmm, that seems appropriate. I am thinking he would be better off working for his lawyer, who specializes in defending wife beaters, drunken drivers, and minor criminals (This is taken from his advertising on his Web site). What a pair. Note: The strap Allison made is finished and she is just waiting for the dies from Alembic to stamp the logos with. Pictures will be posted when it arrives. | ||
| pookeymp
Intermediate Member Username: pookeymp Post Number: 192 Registered: 7-2002 |
Like they say, "You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep." In this case, it's by the lawyer they retain. Hopefully the strap you receive from Allison will be the happy ending to this story. Mikey/ | ||
| bluesmann8008
New Username: bluesmann8008 Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2004 |
(Message edited by valvil on November 03, 2004) | ||
| kungfusheriff
Intermediate Member Username: kungfusheriff Post Number: 188 Registered: 8-2003 |
My, what a lovely way to introduce yourself, by painting a longtime and well-liked member as a crybaby and a perv! I'll have to remember that. It might be a good way to rid myself of those pesky incisors. "This is not the type of matter I enjoy engaging in, but it is one that I feel must be addressed. Most members of this club have probably read about the split of Moody Straps into Moody Leathers and Italia Leather Straps. I do not want to get into Michael’s and Allison’s personal business, so I will just stick to how I was treated by Michael." He got burned by a vendor that took his time delivering an item that significantly differed from the customer's order, and which cost more than the initially agreed-upon cost. What's not to understand? May I assume we're speaking with the Fox News Radio disc jockey? | ||
| lbpesq
Intermediate Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 121 Registered: 7-2004 |
Gregg Bluesmann8008 "Having a legal background myself". Might we assume from this that you are not an attorney? I am, and I am very aware that there are two sides to every story. I have no personal knowledge about Poor Nigel's strap problem, only what I have read on this site. I know that the pictures of the strap that were posted look pretty abysmal for an expensive custom strap. I certainly wouldn't accept such shoddy merchandise. I also know that use of the Alembic trademark can only be lawfully accomplished with Alembic's permission and that such permission was not given to Michael. Finally, in my opinion your post is not really appropriate for this site. Your attack is nothing more than aspersions and character assasination. Completely uncalled for. In that regard, you have achieved less than success. The only character that your post calls into question is your own. Bill, tgo |
