APUTIS M49 & U47 bodies

[Phrazemaster]

Hi Manfred, have you tried to call him by phone ?
Maybe it helps.
I’ve to say, I get everything from Andrew and never had any trouble.

Maybe you could call him for us? I’ve tried mailing him so many times. He responds once in a while with his story of being out of money and the bodies are at the platers, and that’s it. I’ve offered him money, no response.

 

[Winston OBoogie]

I sent payment on a u47 body from him on 6-22-15, and finally received a refund on 4/1/16. I almost ordered an m49 from him somewhere in the middle of this timeline, but am so glad I ordered one from tab funkenwerk, as I received that 3 days after paying.

As I wrote above, this was pretty much how it went with me.  At the time of the refund he said that he'd received an influx of finances from someone who was interested in investing in his business. 

A thought:  Is there anyone on the forum who lives anywhere nearby Andrew?  Perhaps something could be negotiated for him to hand over whatever parts he has.  He might be more open to this than a potential court ruled lien that could happen if enough folks decided to act. 

 

[Phrazemaster]

If he’d just send the unplated bodies and boxes I think most guys would be ok with that.

And even be willing to pay more for shipping.

I would...

 

[iturnknobs]

Perhaps something could be negotiated for him to hand over whatever parts he has.  He might be more open to this than a potential court ruled lien that could happen if enough folks decided to act.

Is that even possible internationally, across several countries? Not interested in action, just curious about the laws.

 

[Winston OBoogie]

If he’d just send the unplated bodies and boxes I think most guys would be ok with that.

And even be willing to pay more for shipping.

I would...

Yes of course.  I would too in your position. 
First thing to determine is, does he have the bodies?  IOW, not "are they at the platers" but, do they even actually exist, in any form whatsoever.
Since he does respond, albeit sporadically, can the answer to this question be determined by whoever can reach him.  I'm not suggesting that a class action legal type of thing from you guys is the way forward but, although difficult, it could be done if it came to it.  And the thought of that hanging over his head may prompt a more honest answer from him.

 

[flatresponse]

Hi, I´m back again,

in another thread there was the question, whether payment method might be the reason for Andreius to deliver or not. I have to say, I was so blue-eyed to pay via bank transfer. But even PayPalers didn´t get, what they payed for.

@ TillM: I´m not inclined to talk to Andrew directly after getting no answer on EMail or Messenger. Is your contact friendly enough to ask him, what´s going on ?

Anybody on the board knows when a case like this is time-barred ? (since it´s more than 4 years for me now). Apart from that I tend to believe there is no money at all on his side. So one would even have to pay for a court case in addtion. A german saying is: don´t throw good money after bad money (or something like that). On the other hand my 879.-€ are not from the petty cash.

I think the idea of getting the bodies and plate them yourselves is a good idea - as long as there are bodies at all.

Manfred.

 

[buckethead]

Hi Manfred,

I think the deadline to sue him -  in Austria - is three years after the year the transaction happened in ended. If you ordered for instance in March 2012 the three year period starts on 1.1.2013 and you have time until 31.12.2015 to assert claims. After that...it's gone. I don't know how it is in Germany or any other country tho.

As you said, there probably wouldn't be much money to get out of it anyways...

I cut my losses and made peace, Karma and stuff  ;D

Best regards,
Mathias

 

[flatresponse]

Hi,
no more posts the last 120 days, so I will end this thread for my part.
As a few of you will know, Andrew has found a sponsor and some staff members for 2 brandnew CNC machines.
I am happy for him. He announced the news, but without any consequences (at least for me).

I´m inclined to share buckethead´s opinion and quote:
>I cut my losses and made peace, Karma and stuff<

Stay safe and more than that, keep your personal freedom
Manfred.

 

[moamps]

It's a very sad story. I don’t think things should be left just like that. The moderation team should collect all the claims of the members of this forum (I guess the leadership of the forum has some obligations to the members if Andrew had a thread in the White market here) and form one thread where everyone will be listed with the total claim. Thread needs to be constantly updated with full name, name of his web site, facebook, instagram etc. (for Google to give that thread among the first to all those who search him and his business) and he should be declared here as a "persona non grata" until he refunds money to everyone. The fact that its products are very well made and that some members got what they paid for, means nothing to those members who have not yet received anything after years of waiting and who feel stolen.

P.S.
Also all images of his products that are on the Gdiy forum and Google displays them in pictures mode should be removed (or links to them) or marked with some kind of warning.

 

[Phrazemaster]

That sounds like a good idea. I'm out over $600 USD.

 

[Spencerleehorton]

if it helps anyone, im selling my M49's i got 2 x M49b and 2 M49c clones with danys pcbs and sowter transformers, two have half decent capsules and are made of bronze nickel plated the other two have some chinese capsules in them, they dont sound that bad but would benefit from capsule upgrade.
Just a thought, get in touch if you want to know more and have pictures, audio files etc.

 

[user 37518]

I am wondering, how did you all make the payment? did you send money via bank transfer or similar? I always, always use PayPal.

 

[analogguru]

I am wondering, how did you all make the payment? did you send money via bank transfer or similar? I always, always use PayPal.

..... and don't wait more than five months because after six months your paypal buyer protection is gone....

 

[user 37518]

..... and don't wait more than five months because after six months your paypal buyer protection is gone....

I'll smell something fishy way before five months... I've never had a package take that long, not even the "Free Shipping" from China takes that long.

 

[analogguru]

I'll smell something fishy way before five months...

This is probably because you are not greedy enough to obtain a (relative cheap) clone body of an overprized Neumann microphone.... others don't.

 

[iturnknobs]

The moderation team should collect all the claims of the members of this forum (I guess the leadership of the forum has some obligations to the members if Andrew had a thread in the White market here)

I contacted Ethan multiple times to pull the Aputis threads, being a person he stole from, but Ethan would not. The only thing I am owed is prompt removal of other thieves when it is brought to the moderator's attention. I feel as if I am always the squeaky wheel that never gets the grease.

Also all images of his products that are on the Gdiy forum and Google displays them in pictures mode should be removed (or links to them) or marked with some kind of warning.

Aputis does not deserve to succeed in his business ventures until he settles all of his uncompleted orders. Please remove and block everything of his.

 

[moamps]

This is probably because you are not greedy enough to obtain a (relative cheap) clone body of an overprized Neumann microphone.... others don't.

So you think your poor stolen colleagues are to blame for being stolen?
How come you don’t think those shiny clones that were delivered were just lures to get as many people hooked as possible?
Or that these shiny clones that some got don’t have such a small price because they were actually paid for by themselves but the stolen members too?

I have not bought any body from Andrew and I am not one of the stolen ones, but I think that all of us as a community should react to injustice and that the "Divide et impera" should not be present. But also here some law of "Omertà" is obviously valid on this point.

 

[user 37518]

I have not bought any body from Andrew and I am not one of the stolen ones, but I think that all of us as a community should react to injustice and that the "Divide et impera" should not be present. But also here some law of "Omertà" is obviously valid on this point.

Ohhh yeah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xYZM04JxnQ

Regardin Aputis, he should be banned and make liable. The entire "he seems like a good guy who got over his head" way of thinking is not justified, individuals like Aputis shouldn't be part of our community.

 

[Whoops]

This situation only got to my attention today.
It's a really bad and sad thing.

Unfortunately this is not the first time something like this happened in this forum, I know 3 or 4 big situations since I registered in 2008. The last time I remember was a guy that was doing Neve type inductors, he collected all the money from a lot of members and never returned the inductors and disappeared from the forum, not replying to the emails also.

Of course you are not the ones to blame, but please always and always be careful to who you send money here in the forum.
Check if it's a member with a trustworthy past in the forum, check what other's people opinions are, check the number of posts, check the register date, check if he has an history of selling stuff and delivering.
Always and always suspect from someone that has few posts and only posts dedicated to one subject/project and seems to be overly enthusiastic about that one particular thing, it might be an "High" period and the "Low " it's just around the corner.
Some people come here, they do 2 or 3 prototypes and then they think they an have a business, it's a delusional state, they collect money from other people until they realize they dont have the structure, nor the time, nor the patience nor the money to produce larger quantities.

I really miss the times this forum had no businesses...

 

[stelin]

If you have Facebook, you can watch Aputis page here:
https://www.facebook.com/andriejus.aputis

He’s making microphones again... but not the ones that we paid for.
I paid for two M49 in 2015 and have got nothing. Except the usual “they will be ready in two months”.

Is it acceptable that he starts again? Will he scam yet more people?
I’m starting to get a bit irritated... Is there nothing we can do?