Dear Subscribers

I have a big problem that I really need to sort it out quick. I would really appreciate any one of yours opinion on the subject, especially Korg PA80 owners.

So far I have received two PA80 keyboards.
The first one I received came with a "messed up user guide"
The pages were falling off of the file folder, and some pages were seriously mixed up. There was no trace of a brand new user guide that you would expect when you first open a package!
The plastic cover that the unit rapped was so wrinkled that it seemed like not factory packed. Also the foams that were supporting the unit via side panels were cracked.
The package contained "no back up disks" (if Korg provides any?!).
I am not clearly sure what the original factory sealed box should actually contain.
But why would the little black panel at the rear end of the unit, which houses the internal hard disk, seemed to be previously removed was another question on my part?!
Also why didn't I find any official Korg warranty or any other paper (normally they are blue like when you open other Korg products boxes)?!

Well this was about the first keyboard I received.
So I took some pictures of the unit as I opened the package, and told the story to the retailer.
Thankfully, he gladly excepted to exchange the unit and told me to send the unit back. So I did, and I just got a another unit today.
Yahoo!... I was happy and excited.
The second unit I got came with a pretty decent box seemed like factory boxed?!
But boy, when you opened the box what revealed was worse than what I had before.
The plastic cover was torn! Again?!...

What's more:
When you lift the unit I heard a loose metal piece moving inside the unit! Basically floating around as you move the unit with your both hands in a manner very slightly shaking upwards or downwards.
I did some close visual investigation, and also found two scratches on the bottom side.
I got irritated and decided to found out.
I took all the screws off and try to open the unit to be able to find the loose piece.
Yet I could not open it.
So before I pushed my luck so far, I was able to get a little opening at the rear end, and shook the unit a little. There it was!...I found it! A little brass screw just fell off the unit from the inside!
So now I have a "supposedly brand new Korg PA80" and a "piece of screw!!!" that I don't know where it belongs to, and came loose inside the unit!
Upon further visual inspection;
The unit seemed to be put on some sort of "red colored, wool type cloth" or might be wiped with "red wool cloth". Because there were obviously visual and even touchable pieces of red wool on the little stands at the bottom of the unit.

So if the box looks factory "stamped" (it was not sealed but rather stamped with big brass metal stamps, typical for large boxes of this size), how come all these coming out of the box the way I found out?. Even second time?!

I mean come on guys please tell me something: So far I got so many units as brand new and sold them as second hand, naming few Korg Triton, Korg Karma, Roland XP-30, Roland RD-600, Yamaha QY700, Yamaha QY100, Yamaha Motif6.
And I remember the first time I opened each package.
You could even get this raw smell of a brand new equipment.
You would new that "brand new smell of a product".
Especially the last unit that I had was a Yamaha Motif6, and it was immaculately packed and was neat and spank'n factory packed! I remember the time I opened the Karma, and the Triton packages. They were all in immaculate condition.

Now, do you all thing this may be a some sort of demo unit that Korg USA just packed it and send it to the dealer.
Because my dealer is a very honest guy. I have been doing business with him for so long. He didn't even question me sending another unit once I told him the story about the first one. And he assured me that he would be sending a brand new package. He stated that the new package would be all factory sealed by Korg (As it really seamed from outside before I opened it!).

For the first unit, we even thought that may be FedEx opened such a big package along with FBI and checked the unit for security purposes. Because it took unusually long to get to me!
Yet, for that reason we used two day special FedEx this time, the second time for the exchange unit.
I don't thing this time we could blame FedEx or FBI.

Or do you think this may be a "Refurbished" unit or some sort of "B-Stock" unit that we (I and hence the dealer before me via Korg USA) got?

Or is this the way Korg delivers the PA80 and there is really nothing wrong with what I got.
And at the end of the day What I got is What I get period for Korg PA80 from Korg USA! And this is the way all Korg PA80s are packed! If I don't like it , though!...

You see the issue I paid so much and I don't want to be whining and crying about this kind of shit.
But I am crying!
However, all I wanted was a virgin unit that I would put my hands on it first.
Wouldn't you want that too. That's why we pay for brand new units. I would now better to get a second hand or B-Stock too!

I mean don't you question if you were to get a brand new unit but comes with a "bonus screw floating inside the unit"!!!

I would deeply appreciate your comments on the subject as I urgently need to address the issue in the most proper manner and communicate the problem to my dealer again.

Regards,

F Kara


[This message has been edited by fkara (edited 10-09-2001).]

Ask for another Korg PA80 or ask for another model. You have the right to get an immaculate keyboard if that's what you want. Don't open up the keyboard or tell anyone you opened it.

Larry

Hello F. Kara,
When I recieved mine it was too poorly packed from factory manual papers were out of the folder but there was no mark on the board it self so I kept it, but I did not find any screw well I guess these boxes are shipped all the way from Italy so anything can happen in between if there is no damage to the board I will suggest keep it especially if you are spending shipping money if the shipping is on seller send it back but I am afraid the third one will look same too.

I am a Korg dealer in California. I have complained to Korg many times about the condition of their keyboards when they arrive from New York to my store in California. Almost every keyboard that we receive, including Tritions and PA80's, the white foam inserts that hold the keyboard in the box are cracked and many times destroyed. This allows the keyboard to freely move around inside the box. This motion can't be good for the boards. I've been told that when the keyboards arrive in New York from Italy and Japan they are shipped on slabs, many stacked together. When they leave the wharehouse and are shipped to the dealers, UPS and FEDX are much rougher on these individual packages and so they often arrive in pretty poor shape.
Because of so many operating system updates, almost every PA80 has been upgraded at the New York Warehouse and that is why other pages have been added to the original owners manual. Almost all of mine arriving the past few months have had pages wrinkled or torn and I assure you this is because of improper packaging.
I don't work for Korg, but if you are sure that your dealer has not sold these keyboards to someone else who has returned them and then repackaged them, then I would guess that the red fabric lint could be from Korg opening up these products in New York and loading in the latest operating systems. When large volume dealers have a 30 day money back guarantee, the amount of return products have to go somewhere! Again, if you know your dealer well, this may not be the case.
I would urge you to contact Korg USA in New York and speak with them about the condition of the PA80's you have received and ask them to do a better job of packaging. I do it all the time and maybe together we can get the results we need.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Thank you all as you have responded very thoughtfully.
Here is what I heard from my dealer today and Korg US via email.

Best Regards,

F Kara.

"Fatih,

I have spoken with John Chase at Korg and he said that all the units we
received from KORG were brand new A stock units.

I told him we will have pictures of the packing job to send to him from a
good customer of ours.

He was very upset about the situation and intends to use the pictures to fix
the problem in ITALY.

I want to personally inspect the keyboard that will be sent to you tomorrow
by FED EX EXPRESS SAVER.

I will email you a description tomorrow with a tracking number

Thanks,
John

"


FROM KORG US


"
Hello Fatih;

Thank you for purchasing the Korg PA-80. We appreciate your support.
Obviously; we cannot know from here the condition and disposition of every
PA-80 in the field. But at first listen, it does honestly sounds like those
units were not new, but repackaged... where this actually happended is
unclear, and would be difficult to determine. We make every effort to
insure that our units are packed well and arrive in good working order.
Trust me on this, it is far easier to get it right the first time! I
acknowledge your trust of the dealer, and on this side, we do not ship B
stock unless it is requested, since pricing is different. Where the mistake
lies aside, we wanted to help clear up what you should expect to see inside
a new box:

1) The PA-80 does not come with Factory Disks. The reason for this
is that, due to differing musical tastes, the North American version
contains different sounds than European units. You can download either set
of Disks from www.korgpa.com. Also available at this site is various system
upgrades, etc...

2) The Manual is bound in a loose leaf arrangement so that you can
add new pages as new features become available with each Software upgrade.
Also you can add new pages as you add new options to your PA-80.

3) Every unit is inspected and sealed as it leaves the factory in
Italy. Korg USA is the distributor, not the manufacturer. By and large,
these items pass through Korg USA and are not further opened or inspected,
except in the case of things like the D1600, where we add the Hard-drive to
the package here in the USA. And in such a case, we repack the box with
special tape which states "inspected for quality control purposes - Korg
USA". SO you would definitely know if it was re-opened here for any reason.

4) Though in a completely packaged box you would expect a warranty
card, a warranty card is not necessary for your valid warranty. Please
retain a copy of your dated sales slip. This is the only document you will
need to receive warranted service, with the purchase date serving as the
inception of the warranty period.

5) In the end, we want you, our customer to be happy with your Korg
purchase. It sounds like you have a good and trusted dealer, and if he is
able to help you get a satisfactory unit, then I would encourage you to work
with him. I would recommend having the dealer give you another (Which he
can also obtain from us if he does not have anymore) and then have both you
and the dealer check the unit together in the store. If you feel you need
Korg to be involved, please contact us.

Again, the packaging is primarily designed to deliver the unit in
best possible condition to the customer. However, it is not a good
substitute for a reliable case or gig bag if you intend to transport the
unit often.

Best regards,

James Sajeva
Product Support @ Korg USA
"




[This message has been edited by fkara (edited 10-10-2001).]

Good news Faith,
I hope everything goes well with your new PA-80!