Australia misses out on Mario's wood

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:23 am

It's heartbreaking news I'm afraid folks...

I just noticed this Ebay add for Lutz spruce top wood....I assume it's Mario da Costa, one of the planet's finest and most reputable tonewood dealers. I then noticed the shipping information and noted the large red note "Does not ship to Australia".

So why has Mario ended up boycotting Australia but happily shipping to the rest of the world??? How fair is it that we here in Australia should miss out on Mario's wonderful wood??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BP12-Lutz-Spruc ... 0587647998

So what's going on Mario?

Kamusur · Post by **Kamusur** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:26 am

Martin his forum members always receive the buy Lutz advertisements and join the live auction invitations on... etc, but have never bought any of his tops myself.

Steve

nnickusa · Post by **nnickusa** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:22 am

While I have never bought anything off him, I am currently using a cedar set I got in from Franzoos, when he was down here....

No drama with it, and most references to Mario's timber on other forums are positive, except here in OZ. Anyone got a cogent explanation why this ought to be so?

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 12:29 pm

nnickusa wrote:
No drama with it, and most references to Mario's timber on other forums are positive, except here in OZ. Anyone got a cogent explanation why this ought to be so?

Dunno. Maybe he visited Australia once and got bitten by a wombat or shat on by a Koala.

I know it cant be because of any dealings Ive had with the fellow....I know that because I'm a Kiwi and he's still shipping to New Zealand

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 1:56 pm

More from the above Ebay listing:

"I have a no questions replacement policy. If you have any issues with our wood, you cover the shipping cost and ship the wood to an independent
famous builder friend of mine and he tells me what the issue is. Once he advises me of the issue,I will then send you new wood and I cover the shipping on that."

ROFL....what sort of deal is that?? Normally when I get sent wood and I'm not happy it's _ME_ the customer who tells the supplier what the issue is.....not a "famous builder friend" (= mate and favoured customer) of the supplier. You have to ask yourself as to how a supplier can run a business successfully if he's not dealing directly with his customers.

As for sending back wood to the supplier at your expense......look at the freight costs between most countries and Canada and then decide how good a deal this is.

As always folks it's buyer beware and ask around this forum if you're not sure about dealing with a supplier you've never dealt with before.

Jeremy D · Post by **Jeremy D** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 2:11 pm

I have bought wood from him through his live auctions on his website. He is a character to say the least

. I have yet to use the wood so I can't really comment on the quality. It comes in a very rough state so it is hard to tell what it's like. I will post back once I have processed it. It is fun to participate in his live auctions though.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 2:26 pm

Jeremy D wrote:I have bought wood from him through his live auctions on his website. He is a character to say the least . I have yet to use the wood so I can't really comment on the quality. It comes in a very rough state so it is hard to tell what it's like. I will post back once I have processed it. It is fun to participate in his live auctions though.

Glad to hear youve had a positive experience with this supplier.

My original question still stands though...why is Mario not shipping to Australia???

peter.coombe · Post by **peter.coombe** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 4:35 pm

From what I have seen and heard about this guy, I don't think it is any great loss that he is not shipping to Australia.

Jeremy D · Post by **Jeremy D** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 4:44 pm

kiwigeo wrote:
Jeremy D wrote:I have bought wood from him through his live auctions on his website. He is a character to say the least . I have yet to use the wood so I can't really comment on the quality. It comes in a very rough state so it is hard to tell what it's like. I will post back once I have processed it. It is fun to participate in his live auctions though.
Glad to hear youve had a positive experience with this supplier.

My original question still stands though...why is Mario not shipping to Australia???

I haven't bought his ebay stuff. Maybe he still sells to Aus from his live auctions? I might pop my head in and ask this weekend.

56nortondomy · Post by **56nortondomy** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 6:25 pm

I bought an archtop set and acoustic set off him this week. When i checked his website i looked at his dropdown box and Australia was there so i just ordered what i wanted no problems. He must have changed his opinion of Aust. or something because i've tried before with no luck. Wayne

Kamusur · Post by **Kamusur** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 6:51 pm

kiwigeo wrote:
nnickusa wrote:
No drama with it, and most references to Mario's timber on other forums are positive, except here in OZ. Anyone got a cogent explanation why this ought to be so?
Dunno. Maybe he visited Australia once and got bitten by a wombat or shat on by a Koala.

I know it cant be because of any dealings Ive had with the fellow....I know that because I'm a Kiwi and he's still shipping to New Zealand

Its all your fault Martin

But seriously when there are suppliers like Tim S, The 'Zootman' RC, Graham H, and others i don't think its worth risking your money elsewhere, those i just mentioned go beyond just helping with no questions asked.

Steve

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:16 pm

Never bought his wood though heard good things. A bit too much of a snake oil salesman vibe for my liking... even if it's all true.

I don't think that replacement policy quite qualifies as "no questions asked"... one of the more interesting ones I've read.

All in all I'm personally not too fussed if he's not shipping out this way. I just wish Shane wasn't calling it a day.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:43 pm

Richard wrote:
All in all I'm personally not too fussed if he's not shipping out this way. I just wish Shane wasn't calling it a day.

Shane is getting out of the tonewood business which is a sad loss.....but he informs me the new owner will be carrying on the same high level of service and quality of product. There will also be three people running the new business so it's all positive. Ive asked Shane to put up a post when he can introducing the new guys running Highmountain Tonewoods.

wadkin · Post by **wadkin** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 12:49 am

wow I know it's lutz but Are you willing to spend that much money on a soundboard, spruce is cheap as chips up that way. How do you even know it's going be any good, I doubt this guy actually tests any properties of these boards, there's not even a close up picture.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:50 am

wadkin wrote:wow I know it's lutz but Are you willing to spend that much money on a soundboard, spruce is cheap as chips up that way. How do you even know it's going be any good, I doubt this guy actually tests any properties of these boards, there's not even a close up picture.

It's not just Lutz mate..it's Kermode Lutz. It's better than other Lutz and it was "discovered" by Mario.

wadkin · Post by **wadkin** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:57 am

okay okay maybe it is the that good, I'd like to see some reviews if anyone gets there hands on some.

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:46 am

Isn't a Kermode a chamber pot?

Sorry that's a commode.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:35 am

charangohabsburg · Post by **charangohabsburg** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:32 am

wadkin wrote:wow I know it's lutz but Are you willing to spend that much money on a soundboard,

Don't forget, it's not only the soundbord but the lengthy poetry-award aspiring blurb is included in the price. Now you may say that everyone can read the blurb at no cost at all, which of course is true, but has not paid yet the hard work involved with its creation. Indeed, I would be glad it had been accessible only via some sort of payment, with the benefit that this wood's price would be considerably lower and more important, it would have saved me the pain to read that stuff.

kiwigeo wrote:My original question still stands though...why is Mario not shipping to Australia???

It must have to do with a language problem. I have installed a Firefox plugin called Quick Locale Switcher which does spell-checking in about every language you may or may not imagine. There are even several English variants available, for Canada, the US, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and so on. For example, in the USA you have to write "color", and if in some forum an Englishman writes "colour" some funny US citizen may comment about what an illiterate idiot the guy who does not know how to write "color" was. But I am digressing...

So, I found out that Mario's eBay listing is not only not available to Australia, but to every location wherever you are if you have not installed Quick Locale Switcher with both, the language of your current location AND Bearish English (Mario's Territory). You'll be surprised. Once installed Bearish English (Mario's Territory) you will not only get free shipping but also the listed prices will drop by 80-90%, and this here:

"I have a no questions replacement policy. If you have any issues with our wood, you cover the shipping cost and ship the wood to an independent
famous builder friend of mine and he tells me what the issue is. Once he advises me of the issue,I will then send you new wood and I cover the shipping on that."

will automatically translate to:

"You pay after you received the wood and are happy with it. If you are not happy just let me know. In any case you will keep it, and I will send you a new batch if you wish so."

Oh, and by the way, I have no bear in the fight...

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:38 am

The Swiss..precision watches and precision humour.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:32 am

wadkin wrote: I'd like to see some reviews if anyone gets there hands on some.

*Sarcasm Alert*
Martin had a rather flattering review on here some years ago of some Lutz he paid good coin for from this very vendor, but unfortunately it (the review) was lost in the great forum crash of o-ten. The gist of it was though,that the vendor was an all round top bloke who is true to his word and supplies only the finest of Commode Lutz available on the market today.
*Sarcasm Over*

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:51 am

Hi Guys

Mario has asked me to post this on the forum

(SPAM removed by Kim)

charangohabsburg · Post by **charangohabsburg** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:59 am

Bearish English (Mario's Territory) :

This has always been a full time job.
I don't have a day job and do this part time.

English (All other places on planet Earth) :

I have never cut wood, I am only the poem writer here (call it modern art it you want).

jeffhigh · Post by **jeffhigh** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 12:25 pm

Dave wrote:Hi Guys

Mario has asked me to post this on the forum

Want wood come to my live Auctions

I don't sell on Ebay my wife that sells there and heads up I don't get any of the money. mario

Someone should tell him that his ebay account has been hacked

needsmorecowbel · Post by **needsmorecowbel** » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:21 pm

You're being a bit unfair guys I think it is within the realm of possibility that he just didn't spend enough time configuring his dragon ~ speech recognition program...It doesn't cope very well with accents, or "bearish"

"I don't sell on Ebay my wife that sells there and heads up I don't get any of the money"

" I can't sell my wife on ebay, that smells...."

Stu

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