Claravox Centennial Theremin - Post Your Thoughts Here

"I think it's not a crime to take it into the future" - Dorit

Amen!

More an update than a thought... I've had a tiny bit of movement on my pre-order for the Claravox. Musician's Friend authorized my payment after sitting on the order since April. The order is currently "processing." I have no idea if this means things are moving or not. It might just mean the order is confirmed with Moog and that they were still accepting later orders.

More an update than a thought... I've had a tiny bit of movement on my pre-order for the Claravox. Musician's Friend authorized my payment after sitting on the order since April. The order is currently "processing." I have no idea if this means things are moving or not. It might just mean the order is confirmed with Moog and that they were still accepting later orders.

I’m not sure that means anything. I contacted my dealer, Prymaxe, this morning to see what my options were if I canceled my order - I had to pay in full at the time I placed it - December 13th. I wasted a lot of time on chat today with the most common response being that they would give me “store credit” as per their policy, which I could use to buy “guitar pedals” - I don’t think so!! At one point, they indicated they might give me a refund if they didn’t receive their shipment in a week. Given all we’ve been told, just this week, that’s not about to happen anytime soon. 

I also prodded them, several times, to give me specific dates, or even very rough ones, they might have received from Moog. They refused to respond to those inquiries. Given that I received a very good price, I guess I’m stuck waiting for another millennia or two while Moog ignores us. In the meantime, I’m looking at alternatives. While I know of one local merchant who has some of the black Eitherwave Standards, I think they’re really ugly and I REFUSE to purchase another Moog product ever again. I’m unhappy with the Theremini I bought - Moog hasn’t updated their non-functional “Theremini Advanced Software Editor” in more than SEVEN YEARS and they weren’t aware of that it no longer works until I brought it to their attention several months ago. Not to mention the incessant lies and lack of communication about the Claravox. 

Burn me once, I can forgive, burn me twice and there’s no way in Hell I’ll do business with them again.

More an update than a thought... I've had a tiny bit of movement on my pre-order for the Claravox. Musician's Friend authorized my payment after sitting on the order since April. The order is currently "processing." I have no idea if this means things are moving or not. It might just mean the order is confirmed with Moog and that they were still accepting later orders.I’m not sure that means anything. I contacted my dealer, Prymaxe, this morning to see what my options were if I canceled my order - I had to pay in full at the time I placed it - December 13th. I wasted a lot of time on chat today with the most common response being that they would give me “store credit” as per their policy, which I could use to buy “guitar pedals” - I don’t think so!! At one point, they indicated they might give me a refund if they didn’t receive their shipment in a week. Given all we’ve been told, just this week, that’s not about to happen anytime soon. I also prodded them, several times, to give me specific dates, or even very rough ones, they might have received from Moog. They refused to respond to those inquiries. Given that I received a very good price, I guess I’m stuck waiting for another millennia or two while Moog ignores us. In the meantime, I’m looking at alternatives. While I know of one local merchant who has some of the black Eitherwave Standards, I think they’re really ugly and I REFUSE to purchase another Moog product ever again. I’m unhappy with the Theremini I bought had bought - Moog hasn’t updated their non-functional “Theremini Advanced Software Editor” in more than SEVEN YEARS and they weren’t aware of that it no longer works with until I brought it to their attention several months ago. Not to mention the incessant lies and lack of communication about the Claravox. Burn me once, I can forgive, burn me twice and there’s no way in Hell I’ll do business with them again.

 To be fair, this type of thing is not typical of Moog. Usually they have production underway before they announce an instrument. The Subharmonicon is maybe an exception (introduced as a build-it-yourself kit at a seminar)

Having said this, it does seem like they're risking some rep on this current kerfuffle. October is the current scuttlebutt on the CVox, and rumor has it that they have put extra work in during the delay...making the software link rock solid for both Mac and PC. 

Personally, I'm not cancelling my CVox...both because I actually want the thing, and because the only other stuff I want is as delayed as Moog. 

At any rate, at least there isn't a walnut shortage. That would seriously impact both my breakfast regimen AND my woodshop projects!

October is the current scuttlebutt on the CVox, and rumor has it that they have put extra work in during the delay...making the software link rock solid for both Mac and PC.

October?! Where did that info come from? (Although it wouldn’t surprise me.) Moog could grow an entire forest of walnut trees in that time. Heck, Moog could cultivate an entire jungle of bristlecone pines! I’m stuck with my order as I don’t need a few gazzillion guitar pedals. If October is correct, then Moog’s actions by telling us, as late as mid-December 2020 that they would make delivery by the end of that month, constitutes fraud.

"Heck, Moog could cultivate an entire jungle of bristlecone pines! I’m stuck with my order as I don’t need a few gazzillion guitar pedals." - ContraDude

I think if you really want out of that paid pre-order with a cash/card/check refund instead of store credit you can push it and get out of it.  Store policy or not, this is an extraordinary situation in which both Moog and probably the reseller have grossly misrepresented availability, and still there is no promise date in sight.  Don't take no for an answer and escalate it as high as needed.  If they dig in, file a BBB complaint or call Moog and tell them to do something to pressure the dealer to give a refund. You can get out of it with a refund, and you are entirely justified to do so, but it may take a fight.

 

"Store policy or not, this is an extraordinary situation in which both Moog and probably the reseller have grossly misrepresented availability, and still there is no promise date in sight.  Don't take no for an answer and escalate it as high as needed.

If Moog were to finally deliver the Claravox next week, I’d take the instrument and run. Of course, I still will never do business with Moog again. When needed, I can be extremely persistent - “Persistence” is my middle name! LOL! I’m certain that if I really pushed it, that I could force the dealer to refund my money. I spent a very long time on chat with them and strongly suspect their associate was seeking advice from one of their higher ups. My goal yesterday was to explore my options - Would I be able to get a refund if I canceled? (Answer: A “store credit” is certain; a full refund, “maybe.”) Has Moog provided any dates as to when we can expect delivery? (Answer: The dealer consistently did not answer the question.)

At this point, it might be “fun” to really rattle Moog’s cage to force them to provide us with honest answers, given that truthfulness is something they obviously don’t have. Among many examples in which they’ve lied concerning the start of production (May has essentially come and gone without the start of production):

. . . and their lies about keeping us “up to date [sic] with the latest information on a regular basis” (the only “official” update since this ordeal began was posted on March 10th): 

Given Moog’s ongoing games with their customers, it’s time to file with the BBB, the Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection, and perhaps even with the FBI Internet Fraud Unit. Here are the links:

Better Business Bureau

Federal Trade Commission: Bureau of Consumer Protection

FBI: Internet Crime Complaint Center

Perhaps a few complaints will be sufficient to rattle Moog’s cages to tell us why they didn’t deliver the Claravox that was supposed to have started shipping last December.
 

BTW, all of the above screen captures were made today. 😀

"October?! Where did that info come from?"

My dealer, who spoke directly with his shipping and sales rep at Moog. Remember, I called it "scuttlebutt," because ANY info has been proven to be unreliable.
I'm amazed at how much traction the walnut joke has.

Me, I'm just thankful an EWPro alt has surfaced, and I will not participate in any "cage rattling." Moog is not an especially big company, and it might distract them from building MY claravox. 

I find a lot of this quite humorous...over at MW you can find pages and pages of invective for Behringer, many of the posts holding up Moog as the virtuous opposite. Over here? It's more about Moog's failings and "Behringer/Bugera amps are awesome!"

TBC, I find the thread humorous, not anyone's personal situation with their cvox purchase.

if your theremin arrives in june I will be very surprised, but quite pleased. Hopefully it WILL arrive in time for all the new players to make spooky Halloween sounds.

If you learn anything new, please share, for instance , any newly acquired details about the instrument or news about its production.

My dealer relayed the following from Moog today:

At this exact point in time, I am sorry but I don’t know. Things are still moving pretty slowly with manufacturing and lots of QC issues with our supply chain. As soon as we know anything we’ll let you know asap. Sorry I don’t have better news for you yet!