Nashville timeline and ETA

#1

Artiphon,

What is the status of the Nashville? We keep hearing that there are technical issues, but that has been going on for a while now with no proof of any progress. Can we please get some answers and a timeline of when we will get our now 9-month overdue instrument for a Kickstarter campaign that you for some reason consider completed and closed?!? If I remember right, there were around 120+ of us that are due our investment and it suprises me that more aren’t pressing for this same information.

#2

Hi Jeff. The production timeline of the Nashville Edition is still pending, unfortunately. In the meantime, we’ve shipped Standard Editions to all NE backers (except for those who opted out of that program), and the custom straps and hardshell cases should be on their way soon (the straps have been delayed at the craftsman’s shop in Los Angeles). We apologize for this unfortunate delay, but thank you for your patience.

#3

On March 3, 2015 you wrote that "The Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1 with a beautiful hardwood back and premium speakers. Includes a custom leather strap and hard case. Estimated delivery Jan 2016"
On August 30,2016 you wrote that "Nashville Editions are now scheduled to start shipping to backers in October."
On October 31, 2016 you wrote that "The Nashville Edition, with its premium strap and hard case, is scheduled to ship in December."
On January 4, 2017 you wrote that "We’re very glad to say that we have now shipped to all of our Kickstarter backers."
On February 28, 2017 you wrote that "We are scheduled to ship your premium accessories within the coming month. Your shipment will include the premium hard case and the custom leather strap."
It is now September 2017 with nothing delivered. This is a problem.

#4

This company has chosen to be truly dishonest to its backers. With their history of non-transparency and outright lies, it’s most likely you’ll never see a Nashville edition as you were promised, and I know you paid a premium for it. Many of us have used this Kickstarter as a learning experience. Just because a company looks clean doesn’t mean that it will practice what it preaches. It feels like an extra hit when a company takes advantage of the creative/artist community. The best thing you can do is learn to be highly skeptical when backing any company and to tell others about your experience. Most early backers have done so and hold this company in very low regard. It’s a pity really, because if they had been honest and kept their promises they would very likely have gained much larger profits in the long run. Instead they’ve relegated themselves to an overpriced toy company. The art/creative community does communicate well about these sort of tactics, and we do not forget easily. Best of luck!

#5

Jacob, it’s been over a month since you wrote that the strap and case should be on their way soon. Neither these, nor the instrument we paid you for two and a half years ago have been sent, and you have not responded to emails for the past two months. Please provide a detailed update and explanation of how your company plans to resolve this.

#6

Artiphon,

Any update? We are nearing Chrismas… Please don’t give us coal again!

#7

hey friends: not getting the Nashville edition is a big disappointment.
{I’m in Nashville, so it stings a little more bitterly…}

But I know the Artiphon founders, and two things of which I am certain:

  1. They’re not trying to rip anybody off.
  2. No one is more disappointed about the Nashville Edition delays than Mike, Jacob and their team.

Some very astute observations in this thread, and I’ll add mine.
The technical issues are legit - they weren’t going to ship something sub-standard.
The financial issues are legit - they challenge every startup, and Artiphon is no different.
Customer commitments like “put the I1s in backers’ hands by the 2017 holidays” meant spending a fortune because production delays forced them to fulfill as many orders as possible via air freight at the holidays.
All those play a part in the Nashville Edition delays…
…but I stress “delays.”

After visiting the team and some candid conversations, I am confident there will be a Nashville edition, but not as soon as any of us would like. The lack of communication has been a problem, but there also has not been a lot to tell…

play well, y’all…
Jody

#8

Wow this looks sad! was this issue resolved?

#9

“Issue”? The only issue they have is financial, which unfortunately affects everything else. You can’t fix technical if you don’t have the funds to staff and research the “problem”, whatever that may be… And you certainly can’t tool the lines to produce without money either. If this was just technical there would be more transparency, but there isn’t, which means this is more about funding, which they can’t fix without additional backing. Obviously the standard editions aren’t selling enough to finish their obligations to the rest of us backers—so we will probably get screwed. Do yourselves all a favor, don’t trust in crowdsourcing again, way too much of a gamble.

#10

Does anyone even remember the last time we have heard from them on the Nashville’s? Other than that canned email about sending us a “loaner” on request, even though I already have one. And let’s not forget the multiple promises of the premium accessories, case and strap, that would be sent out “any time now…” but we’re temporarily held up in customs or something. How many of those emails and promises did we get along with a response that we would be notified when they were on the way? That must have been at least 9-12 months ago since those were dangled as a deterrent. Lame!

#11

I have written mine off and accepted that I will only ever receive the $300 reward for my $1000 backing donation (which was supposed to provide me the Nashville and accessories) as one of the earliest backers. To be honest, I know all these crowd funding projects are a crap shoot, so loss of product is always a possibility.

What’s unacceptable is being constantly strung along when the company could just admit they over promised and notify me that I’ll never get my Nashville level backer reward.

I now tell everyone I can to stay as far away from this company as possible based on their business practice. They seem to have completely forgotten what “customers” are and are doing way more damage to their reputation with their string along tactics instead of just being honest.

#12

I am going to Nashville this summer for a trip. I am planning on ‘dropping by’ the company, providing if one even exists. Personally, I doubt there is anything as I doubt they are even a company any longer, probably just 1-2 guys. Does any Artiphon staff even respond anymore on community or their support pages? Their products aren’t sold new on Amazon any longer, all I see are used sales through ‘other sellers’. I suspect that sometime in the future the I1 will be frozen in time with no further firmware releases. Too bad for all the honorable people that invested money in a company that wasn’t honorable in return.

#13

I don’t know why I check back, but I keep hoping more of you Nashville contributors have come forward about this crime. I had to laugh, though, at this post from Sept-17 about the premium accessories being delayed: Sept, 2017…that is ONE HELL OF ALONG DELAY–still waiting!!!:

Jacob_GSep '17
Hi Jeff. The production timeline of the Nashville Edition is still pending, unfortunately. In the meantime, we’ve shipped Standard Editions to all NE backers (except for those who opted out of that program), and the custom straps and hardshell cases should be on their way soon (the straps have been delayed at the craftsman’s shop in Los Angeles). We apologize for this unfortunate delay, but thank you for your patience.

#14

It is now July of 2018. Still nothing from the company and all emails have gone unanswered.

#15

SO, September of 2018 and still nothing…

#16

And there it is… confirmation of what we knew would be inevitable. No Nashville Edition for us. Just received an email that we get to keep the standard edition “placeholder” they sent us and a store credit for the difference ($500) minus the $399 for the cost of the standard. At least they are not taking the money and running, but I have been so soured to this company and would have rather had my money back than be given the option to “buy” even more stuff from them. Very disappointed, but then the disappointment has been lingering for the past few years.

#17

And to add insult to injury we do not even receive anything special for backing the project at the highest level. We are charged full price for the Artiphon. $399, which was a $349 in the KS for the standard they sent us. And a $399 Gig Edition pledge that included that same standard instrument but also had a strap and soft case with it. SMH!!

#18

Totally agree. This is the sort of compromise I could have lived with 2 years ago (“hey, I can get two!”), but now this is kind of like getting a free meal from the restaurant that gave you food poisoning.

#19

Anyone looking into a class action lawsuit? Unless they lied and fudged the #’s to make us think there was an interest in it, there should be 128 that got scammed. That’s $128,000 they collectively owe us, and I am for one not willing to give in to their BS way of buying us off with another plastic toy that ultimately benefits them without any penalty for lying and leading us on for years.

#20

A little late to the reply. I am one for a class action.