• Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Topic: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Arrgh!  Claude Johnson has my money too!
I bought the Blues Master Course which was really hyped up.  The DVDs are ok; the Vol 2 is a waste - watch Sol play guitar.  And the promised tabs are non-existent.  I got this reply when I complained:

"Thank you for contacting Guitar Control and we really apologize for the delay.
The tabs are not available as of yet because Sol had some personal/legal issues
and this caused the delay.
However, he is already working on it and he's trying to get them done as fast as he can.
We will also update you as soon as the tabs become available.
Once again, we apologize and appreciate your understanding and patience on this matter.
If there's anything else you need assistance with, please feel free to contact us again.
Regards,
Monica C. "

Seriously?  Legal issues?  What Sols in jail?  Come on.

So I sent this:
"No, I'm no longer patient.  We've had delays with this product for
over a month now.  Playing on my sympathies only goes so far.  We've
gone beyond that point.  If it wasn't ready you should have withheld
the launch date.
Claude, you need to get this fixed.  I want a timeline for this product I bought ie, "the tabs
will be available X date".  Sols problems are irrelevant.  Its your
name, your business, and your reputation.
Commit a date to your customers and meet it.  Solutions are the
answer, apologies are not."

And I got this back:
"Thank you for writing back.
I have already directed your request to our Manager and as soon as I have the details
I will get back to you right away."

Seriously - the manager?  Who else is there besides Claude?  Its a 2 person company.

PT Barnum is notorious for saying "There's a sucker born every minute" and "Its my job to part a sucker from his money"  ***sigh***  Yup. Burned again!  I'm done.

Any one else waiting for these tabs?

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Did you use a credit card? If so, just call your bank and charge it back.

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Thats a great idea baldguitardude,I hope minago gets his problem solved. I do not usuely buy stuff online because of things like this happining. If the guy is adervtising on chordie you can report him to a moderator or administrator.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

From the looks of it most of Chordie's ad revenue comes from Google. I don't think the mods have much control over ad displays.

Always, always always use credit cards when buying online for this very reason. (I find that Amex is best when disputing unauthorized or otherwise bogus charges).

  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Thanks guys.  Yes I always use a card, but with this purchase it was past a month before I got the DVDs, so that's a bust.  On the good note, Sol Philcox's Chickin Pickin DVDs are excellent, and the tabs already exist, and are quite complete.  I do recommend these, and yes they are part of Claude Johnson's lineup.

Still, am I really the only one on this site waiting for the Blues Master Tabs????  I'd like to hear I'm not the only one who bought this, so perhaps we can bombard Claude with emails together.  How about it people???  Anyone else???

  • Registered: 2011-01-11
  • Posts: 1

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Thanks for the link. Anyway, same story as everyone else. Finally got DVD's (not in time for Christmas present for my son.) But I finally recieved them after I told the customer service peopleto just put the money back onto my card and I would order when they were "really available". Claude needs to quit trying to entertain me with His "Prick of Destiny" and "AssTon Powers" movies and stay home and work on the tabs. Even though it has been over a month I think I will just dispute the charge on my card. At the very least it will take someone as long to straighten it out as these emails have taken from me.

  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Excellent post CJ-5.  This guy is a piece of work to be sure. Here's the latest that I got on the Blues DVDs - presumably an email to all who bought this product:
------
Hi,
I hope you are enjoying the Blues Master Class DVDs.
Listen, I made a promise to you and so far I haven't delivered on it.
I promised that every example would be tabbed out on this brand-new product, and we still haven't uploaded any tabs.
Well, I believe in being 100% honest and transparent so that's why I'm emailing you today to explain the situation.
First the good news -- we should have some tabs ready for you in a couple days.
What happened:
I was planning to give the DVDs to our professional "tabber" who has written out the tabs for many of our other products.  However, Sol emailed me and requested that he be allowed to do it.
I figured, why not, because he did a good job on the tabs for his other product, the Chicken pickin DVDs.
However, we never got anything from Sol. 
Actually, I have learned that Sol ran into a bit of
personal/legal/financial trouble and so I understand
if he had bigger problems on his mind than the tabs.
But by the time I discovered that Sol wasn't working on the tabs, a lot of time had passed.
I have an obligation to YOU, my valued customer...
While this situation was mostly out of my personal control, I still feel bad that I let you down and promised something that we didn't deliver in a timely fashion.
We are now working on the tabs and we'll be uploading them a disc at a time as they become available.
Again, I really apologize and I hope this negative
experience won't affect our relationship.
You can be sure that all our products are complete and all our downloads are available.
And we are working as fast as we can to create these supplimental materials to the DVDs.
In the meantime, do your best to learn directly from the DVDs and I'll email you soon hopefully with more good news!
Cheers,
Claude
-------------

So it takes him two months to figure out that he hasn't got what he's supposed to have from Sol.  Not personally responsible?  Wait a minute.  Didn't I pay you Claude to make sure you have all the pieces of your product before you ship?  After all, when I buy a car, I expect the tires to come with it, not an email saying "Firestone (example) jerked us.  We'll get you tires as soon as our professional tire maker makes them".  Right.  Well I'll take incremental Tabs if that's all I can get.  But you would think the increments would have been started two months ago.  So where are they then? No where.  They don't exist. If you, Claude, want to dig out of any of this, load them as they are made, one at a time.  Yeah, we'll see how much you really care about "US, you're valued customers".

  • bunbun
  • Senior Member
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  • Registered: 2010-09-24
  • Posts: 255

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

I am not passing judgement on any one here but I do wonder why, with all the free info I am finding on the interweb on learning the guitar, why you would pay someone for a dvd set?

Am I missing something? Just asking and wondering.

  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Well that's a good question.  Lets talk generalities, not necessarily what's lacking in this product of Claudes.

I personally like DVDs as I can take them anywhere I go and still study the material.  Which I do alot.  Not everywhere in the world has a hot spot you can drop in on and it not really acceptable to practice your guitar at Panera's.  Second, as nice as the free stuff is, you get what you pay for - usually its a teaser to a paid product, or it bits and pieces of info.  The bits and pieces are good if you are already up on the step on a topic, but if you are trying to go from 0 to 100 you have to go through 20,30, 40, 50 etc to get there.  You can't learn Physics by surfing topics of your interest on Wiki.   You have do 101, 201, 301 etc.  There's a good, standardized learning progression.  And then it all makes sense.  If you have no idea what to learn to get there, its hard to figure that out.  Sure there are good individual classes, say on GuitarNoise.  But again, those are one offs - and I use them too when that's all I need or want.  Just my $.02...

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Why would you sell a product when it isn't finished yet? He was selling the thing before the tabs were done?

  • bunbun
  • Senior Member
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  • Registered: 2010-09-24
  • Posts: 255

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

I appreciate the responses. I, like many, am short of disposable income so I cannot justify paying money for instructional cd's right now. I have found much, if not all, that I need right now on the internet. I feel that in time I will need to pay for instruction as I am sure there will  be something I want to know and will not be able to find it.

  • From: Madeira Beach, Florida
  • Registered: 2007-12-05
  • Posts: 3,311

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

cj-5 wrote:

What I found I like about Cordie, is you get to hear from others who are looking for the same thing you are, so mostly, you can trust what's being said. I'm still looking for a good set of DVD's. I know there out there somewhere. Until then I'll keep practicing what I already know and pickup what I can from others on Cordie.

Have a good day!

Although I have never used them, Homespun has a good reputation for instructional CD's / DVD's in the acoustic guitar arena at least. You may want to check them out.

http://www.homespuntapes.com/

Rule No. 1 - If it sounds good - it is good!
  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

hey cj-5 one of the best things you did is post this problem here,that will warn anyone who was going to buy from him not two,you might post it on other sights even non guitar related,it will hurt his reputation and his pocktbook.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Oh, yeah, right you are CJ-5. Top dollar.  I probably should have bought something from a Chinese outfit - I would have at least known the quality I was getting.  Actually, I shouldn't knock the Chinese.  I have an acoustic built there, and its every bit as good as any low end you'd get at a music store...though I got mine free, and free stuff that works is damn good at any price ! haha

@BunBun - if your low on cash, you're right to stick with the computer.  You already probably pay a good penny for internet access.  Still good DVD products are worth it.  You might check your local library too.  Many have "self help" DVDs that they loan out.  Worth checking anyway.
The only thing I would recommend (and I'll confess, I teach guitar as a side-living) is go get Jamie Andrea's Guitar Principles of Correct Practice book.  I think she has a dvd as well, but all I have it the book, and its fine if money is tight.  I got my copy over 10 yrs ago (before DVDs) and still consistently refer to it, and I sprinkle in her concepts as I teach.  The key, if you really do what she puts forth, is it will teach you how to teach yourself.  Its not rocket science, but she puts it to paper so that when you read it, you say "oh yeah, of course" (ie insert light bulb going on).  Or at least sign up for her newsletter which is free.  Sometimes its a bit ethereal, but I just take what I like and move on.  Google her name and have at it.

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Hi again cj and maniago,watch who you buy from as these kind of people will sometimes change names online and restart as a "new" company,they do these kind of scams alot. I hear the jamplay here on chordie is good,and gibson has an advertisment up also.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Well, I just got this:
--------
Hi...

Claude Johnson here.

I'm sorry for the inexcusable delay in the tabs.
As I said before, Sol never gave us the tabs.
In fact, I haven't been able to get in touch
with him for weeks.

We've been scrambling around the clock to deliver
the tabs.

We have disc 1 and 3 done of volume 1, and disc 2
should be ready tomorrow.

The reason we got done disc 3 before disc 2 is
we have multiple people working on this for you.

http://ws1.bluesmasterclass.com/sol-tabs/

Volume 2 should be ready in a few days.

Your patience is appreciated.

Claude

-------------
At least they are done in Powertab.  They are individual files, but that's better than nothing.  Who knows what the quality is since its clearly done by multiple people, but hey, can you really expect perfection when you pay only $159?  ***sigh***
Thanks to everyone for keeping up the pressure, even if you didn't post on this thread.

Cheers! M

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

I'd charge it back.

  • bunbun
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-09-24
  • Posts: 255

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

maniago wrote:

Oh, yeah, right you are CJ-5. Top dollar.  I probably should have bought something from a Chinese outfit - I would have at least known the quality I was getting.  Actually, I shouldn't knock the Chinese.  I have an acoustic built there, and its every bit as good as any low end you'd get at a music store...though I got mine free, and free stuff that works is damn good at any price ! haha

@BunBun - if your low on cash, you're right to stick with the computer.  You already probably pay a good penny for internet access.  Still good DVD products are worth it.  You might check your local library too.  Many have "self help" DVDs that they loan out.  Worth checking anyway.
The only thing I would recommend (and I'll confess, I teach guitar as a side-living) is go get Jamie Andrea's Guitar Principles of Correct Practice book.  I think she has a dvd as well, but all I have it the book, and its fine if money is tight.  I got my copy over 10 yrs ago (before DVDs) and still consistently refer to it, and I sprinkle in her concepts as I teach.  The key, if you really do what she puts forth, is it will teach you how to teach yourself.  Its not rocket science, but she puts it to paper so that when you read it, you say "oh yeah, of course" (ie insert light bulb going on).  Or at least sign up for her newsletter which is free.  Sometimes its a bit ethereal, but I just take what I like and move on.  Google her name and have at it.

Thanks. Right now I am surfing different sites for my edification. I have found one I particularly like and am starting from the beginning. I will look into that book/dvd. Perhaps I can buy it.

  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
  • Offline
  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Chinese music lessons? I have never seen a chinese rock band.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Sure makes a whole lot of sense to me!  That's at least one reason we all surf these boards.

How 'bout it Admin?  Sticky these things under "Buyer Beware" or some such, as it probably ought include other shysters too...

  • Registered: 2011-01-06
  • Posts: 9

Re: Tabs for Claude Johnson Master Blues Class? ARRRGH!

Well, as much as I'm annoyed with Claude, I can't fault him for seeming to employ people, if infact these are all full time employees, which is hard to believe.  Anyway, the fact that his software guy is in Bangladesh, is ok with me.  He's a s/w guy - its the internet.  That's more of a commentary on our own education and wage system.  The guy's English is probably better than what I got from our public education system...
@Dino48 - Dude, didn't you know that here are more Elvis impersonators in Hong Kong than in Vegas?  Chinese rock rules!  (yeah I know, China and Hong Kong aren't the same country, but just humor me here).  I've not heard Chinese rock personally, but I imagine its not half bad - they got a lot of people to pull from.  Sweet Home Ala-Bejing!  Or whatever.  At least we landed $45B in trade with them this week...but that's for a different thread entirely.