Re: FULL SIZE Alien Warrior head.
[Long post alert]
Hey guys...
Well, where to begin? On the phone on Monday (23rd June) Marty had said Friday for the refund. He mentioned he didn't necessarily have $400 USD kicking around but he would do his best. I corrected him that it's $640 (actually think it's $645, but hey...) He said the Giger head would be going to moulding this weekend - I said "Thanks but no thanks, I really need the money." He said, "Sure, I hear ya, been there." (Incidentally, that very Giger head has been for sale on eBay for weeks now - keeps getting relisted. What if someone bought it before the weekend..?)
Anyway, at 12:13pm my time on Friday 27th, or 6:13 am for Marty, I got the following email -
"We're prepared to refund your money today, but there is one thing to consider. The head is being remolded right now. The materials have been ordered and we should have a fresh pull within a week. Yours was apparently written off as having been shipped for some reason and so the head was sold on ebay. I was sure yours was taken care of months ago. I suppose you can either wait on the new cast, or bid on the unpainted kits being offered on Ebay (prep and paint is $200 extra for the ones offered there. If you're looking at the one being offered now, its the damaged, unpainted kit that the mold had to be cut off of, which took chunks of the head with it. Several had been made identically and I just grabbed a shot of a finished head to show what they look like fully finished.
Ive made around 50 of these over the past couple of years, one was bound to slip through the cracks. Im sorry it happened to you, but im wiling to go the extra mile to make it up to you if you let me."
I must say - I like the "We're prepared..." bit.
Oh, and the "made around 50 of these over the past couple of years" bit. How many of us got the heads we paid for, though? I know of at least two other posters here left in the lurch, no communication from Marty. All it would take is a call or email to explain what's going on...
Anyway - I replied, told him that given my wife's accident a few months back I needed the money, gave him my PayPal address just for clarity and reminded him it was $640 USD. I should have pointed out this was the THIRD time he'd promised me a head, that I'd somehow slipped through the cracks again (hmmm...), but it seems like it would be a waste of words at this point.
Eventually, after a couple of texts asking what was going on as hours later I'd not heard anything, I got a mail at 2:35am my time, informing me he "can send $150 tonight. I have $200 to my name,
total. I'll make sure you get your money back as I sell off my possessions on Ebay, but its not possible for it to happen overnight." I got the notification of $150 to my PayPal shortly after.
Maybe Marty really is in financial need. I don't know. Part of me doesn't want to know as he's promised to fix things twice before, and promised a refund Friday, which translated to less that 25% of the amount he owes me. I've texted him today, and I quote
"Okay - thanks for that, it's a start, but I'm in dire need of money here too. Can we come up with a rough schedule? I'm taking a lot on trust here - that wasn't even 25%?"
No reply as yet - yes, he could be busy.
I'm human. I know things can get out of hand, jobs can be lost, accidents can happen (God, do I know that one) - I've dealt personally and with others dealing with depression. I know things can get really dark.
Would I leave someone hanging when they're in need? Not say what was going on? When I've messed them around twice before, and left them waiting a year and a half?
Never.
The last text I sent last night, at 11:50pm, having heard nothing else all day was "What's going on?" No anger, no name calling. Just a question.
The reply I got was "I sent an email and 150. I'm broke is what's going on." (I received the text after the email, at 2:45am my time.)
Sold 50 heads. Happily took my (and others) money. Offered to make it up to me (if I'l let him (!) ) three times, and I actually agreed, and trusted him, twice. Well, now I'm the one in need.
I'm sure Marty will think I'm dragging his reputation into question. I'm not. I'm stating the facts. I'm sick and tired of this. I admired his work - hell, the couple of heads I saw produced that got to the customers looked *amazing*, and boy did I want one. Now I just feel sick and disappointed.
I'm out of words right now. Rant over guys. Thanks for listening, and sorry for the long post