Sansui PM-2020 restoration

captrockstar

Active Member
I'm posting this tread about my very rare Sansui PM-2020 integrated tube amp which I sent off for a restoration and am looking for advice or suggestions from fellow AKers about what I am going through.

Three years ago I purchased a Sansui PM-2020 integrated stereo tube. This model is Supposedly Sansui's first stereo integrated tube amplifier and there are rumored to only be around a dozen or so known to exist. This obviously is the rarest Sansui that I own and wanted a full restoration done to it.

Well I sent it of to someone with whom I thought was a very professional audio tech and who had restored one amplifier for me before. After A few months the amp was completed and sent back to me. Much to my dismay, the amplifier was not working when I got it set up and there were very loud cracking and popping noises that sounded like they were on the verge of blowing my speakers. After contacting the person who restored it and discussing the issue, he had me send it back to him. This was in December 2015. When he got it back, I was told that the wiring was corroding from the inside and that it needed to be rewired. I was told it would be a tedious task and it would take about 8hrs to complete.

Well it is now officially over 2 years since I sent it back to him and I still have not received my amplifier and even though I had a previous good repore with this tech, he has completely ingnored my emails and dozens of voicemails.

Not sure how to go about handling this other than flying out and showing up in person which I just might end up doing. Any advice on getting my amplifier back?
 
No one has any recommendations or has been in this situation before? What was the longest time frame you had to wait for an amp's restoration?
 
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That's far too long, you need to get it back from him and find someone else (closer) to deal with it for you.

How was it sent back and forward before? - just do the same again.
 
I've patiently waited for two years but now I am getting zero feedback from the this tech. He has not responded to email, phone calls, or even texts to his cell phone. Not sure how to get my amp back when I cant get a response from him other than showing up at his doorstep which would require me to get a flight across the US just to go retrieve it.

I usually take any audio equipment to Hudson Valley Hifi which is only an hour drive away, and have always been pleased with their work and wish I would have taken it there now! At the time, HV Hifi already had a pair of mono blocks that were in line to get work done so I decided to ship it to this other tech that did one other amplifier previously with no issues.

I have warned this tech that I was going to contact the Better Business Bureau, and let the world know about my situation with him on reviews of his business online unless he responded to me. That was two weeks ago and still no response.
 
I would like to and will if allowed, but I thought it was against forum rules and he happens to be someone who advertises here on AK.
 
OK, so PM the guy with a link to this thread? - another thing I thought of, delegate someone near to where the guy lives to act as your agent, to call on him and collect it for you, maybe even another AK member?
 
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If an advertiser is cheating its customers, and the rules do not allow one to divulge this information, I think that indicates a rule that is designed not for the benefit of the community, but one for the benefit of the principals (owners and advertisers to some degree) of the forum. Actually, it hurts the other advertisers of this forum. I'm looking at 4 vendors who this could possibly be, and I'd be wary of using any of them because I don't know which one is the alleged culprit.
 
If an advertiser is cheating its customers, and the rules do not allow one to divulge this information, I think that indicates a rule that is designed not for the benefit of the community, but one for the benefit of the principals (owners and advertisers to some degree) of the forum. Actually, it hurts the other advertisers of this forum. I'm looking at 4 vendors who this could possibly be, and I'd be wary of using any of them because I don't know which one is the alleged culprit.

I agree. And I definately don't want other advertisers to be in question.

Without saying names I will say that he is the only one I know that removes the transformers and ultrasonically cleans the chassis of amps. And if you search videos for Sansui PM-2020, you should be able to put 2 and 2 together......until he pulls the video.
 
I still have not heard from him. There is another AKer that is near him that I messaged that told me he will inquire about my amp but that is it for now.

I do have enough points with JetBlue for a roundtrip flight so I might just be taking a trip to CA when my work schedule slows down and meet face to face with this guy and get my amp back. He won't be able to ignore me then!
 
Thanks, will do!

I actually heard from the fellow AKer last night that was going to inquire about my amp in person for me. He messaged me with the same complaint. Apparently he has amplifiers with him also which he dropped off 4 months ago, and now he is also getting no replies from this guy.

I know this guy does good work and knows what he is doing as I have a Sansui Q-3535 that he restored for me that I was very pleased with, but his customer service has seriously taken a nose dive since then. I have been giving him the benifit of the doubt, and was very nice and patient with him until now. As soon as I took a different approach and started applying pressure on him to finish my amp by threatening to report him to the better business bureau and tell others I know in this hobby about this experience, all communication ceased!

My last conversation with him by phone was a few months ago. I expressed that we were approaching the 2 year mark since I sent the amp back to him and that it really needed to be finished soon. He agreed and apologized about how long it has taken. Then when I told him I was going to be home in January (as I travel a lot for my job) he made it sound like he was going to have it finshed and back to me then. Since that last conversation with him, I have contacted him dozens of times since the end of December via email, text messages on his personal cell phone, and voicemails on his work and cell phone......Still nothing!

I have wanted to give the benifit of the doubt to this guy in the past, but I have recently found out that this Has happened before according to others that have used his services.

More to come.......
 
OK - its pretty important (as you know) that you get your amp back - as if this operator is this bad, then he could go belly-up any day. I don't mean to panic you, but don't give this guy any more time.

If he's put into liquidation by a debtor (say, including the IRS for example) then his assets will be seized and distributed in order of secured preference to creditors. That could include stock held by him for repair. At this point, you don't even know if this guy still has your amp......

Not sure how US law works, however in this case, it looks like borderline conversion to me - ie: you gave your item to him for a specified purpose, and he is hanging onto it (best case scenario), or sold it (worst case scenario) - but for whatever purpose - he doesn't have that amp anymore for the purpose you gave it to him.

I think the BBB sounds like a good option. Did you complete any paperwork when you gave him this amp? I wouldn't mind seeing a copy if you did - happy for you to PM me for some free advice if I can help (Im a commercial lawyer by trade, but based in NZ!)
 
OK - its pretty important (as you know) that you get your amp back - as if this operator is this bad, then he could go belly-up any day. I don't mean to panic you, but don't give this guy any more time.

If he's put into liquidation by a debtor (say, including the IRS for example) then his assets will be seized and distributed in order of secured preference to creditors. That could include stock held by him for repair. At this point, you don't even know if this guy still has your amp......

Not sure how US law works, however in this case, it looks like borderline conversion to me - ie: you gave your item to him for a specified purpose, and he is hanging onto it (best case scenario), or sold it (worst case scenario) - but for whatever purpose - he doesn't have that amp anymore for the purpose you gave it to him.

I think the BBB sounds like a good option. Did you complete any paperwork when you gave him this amp? I wouldn't mind seeing a copy if you did - happy for you to PM me for some free advice if I can help (Im a commercial lawyer by trade, but based in NZ!)

From what I understand and have heard the same from others, is this is more of a hobby to him and is not hurting for money. So I don't believe that he is in debt or in the process of liquidating due to debt collectors.

I want to mention that 6 months ago, (when he was still answering my phone calls) I told him that I didn't think it was fair that he had my amp back for a year and a half and he already had been paid for the restoration. He agreed, and in good faith, refunded me all of my money when I asked him for it. He still has my amp though and given the rarity of this Sansui and the time frame he has had it, I want it back regardless if it's finished or not.

I did not sign a contract with him. After I purchased the amp, I had it shipped to him and after about 4-5 months he completed the restoration on it and sent it back to me. A receipt with an explanation of work done was with the amp. As soon as I hooked it up I was experiencing major problems and was not working properly and after describing the issues I was having to him, he suggested that I send it back, which I did......2 years ago. I was told the wiring was the issue and a faulty potentiometer.

I really don't want to contact the BBB before my amp is in my possession. He needs to communicate with me by the end of this month with news that the amp is on its way with tracking then I would leave it at that. But if he continues to ignore me I will be showing up in person to get my amp, fixed or not and without a doubt be filing a claim with the BBB.
 
Yep - I'd recommend if that deadline passes and no joy - then send him a letter advising him that you will report the matter to BBB for their intervention. Give him another week in that letter.

Currently you dont have a lot of leverage when it comes to a bargaining position - especially since he refunded you your money. He may feel that he is entitled to keep the amp due to that fact (I dont know).
 
I personally think this guy will laugh at the prospect of being reported to the BBB. I'd file a police report instead. At this point, this situation sounds more like theft than a real customer-vendor dispute.
 
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