Stay away from Darla Records!

RobbyD462

Hi,
I thought I should tell everyone about my extremely negative Darla records experience.
Last year I purchased a sealed copy of Tennessee Fire by My Morning Jacket.
It had a pressing defect on the second album.
I was disipointed but not the end of the world as I've seen it happen before.
Couple days ago I got a repress of At Dawn straight from Darla.
When I opened the album which was sealed the second album had the same problem.
Almost like a factory scratch or maybe it was still warm when put into the jacket and smudged all the info in that area.
In the past I purchased a Beck Guero that had the same issue.Took it to the record store and boom new copy.
I didn't want to run the risk of playing these vinyl due to the fact that I have a Black Ortofon cartridge(stupid $$)and did
not want to damage it.
Why would I make this up?I just want a non defective album.
Customer service should be paramount especially with small business.

I tried to contact Darla.James to be specific.
At first I told him the issue and it took 5 emails to explain to him what happened.
This is after 5-6 pictures I sent of the problem discs.

After 5 hours no response.
I set another email asking what he suggested I do.
He then proceeded to say that these things do not happen. Not Ever(his words)
He said that in 22 years this has never happened and that if it happened with two records that I must be lying.
He also said that there are quality assurance practices in place to prevent this.Of course there are where were they?
He literally said that I put a cigarette butt on the record!And says something doesn't add up!
I told him I contacted him for information and replacement not to be attacked as a customer.
He said No attack just facts!
I not even from the USA no respect for fair business or people from other walks of life.
I can honestly say that not only was this the Worst customer service I have ever received but the quality of their vinyl is total Dog shit.
Darla=Dog Shit Customer Service and Product Quality.

I can honestly say I have Never been so offended by a business and I am 37 years old.

Sorry for the rant everyone but I thought you good people should know about this fiasco.

Steer Clear Darla has shitty vinyl coming through!!

Here some pictures.Make your own decision.

http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/Robbyd462/slideshow/Darla Pictures

PJ_Soul

I once bought an album from them, and it was advertised as coming with a download upon purchase, and I didn't get the download. I emailed them asking about it, and they simply never replied.

Tim Simmons

Are those scuffs? They look like a few granules of white got mixed in the the black. I have a few records like that. Are you sure they are actually scratches? While rude, he is right that big gouges (which is what they could look like if not white vinyl) are really rare. Fingerprints or smudges are not (I believe they press at URP - which is the smudge capital of the record industry).

I think you have to play it to be sure. But his response is pretty weird.

Dr. Delight

Did they come off after a cleaning?

RobbyD462

No.They are really in there.Not factory dust or anything like that.I can handle finger prints but these are literal imperfections in the grooves of the vinyl itself.No way of knowing until the product is opened.
The big white spot put me off totally along with his attitude towards the whole situation.
The guy put it on me cause his company doesnt make mistakes.Not ever!(his words)
Him saying I put a cigarette ash on the record was the last straw.!

Really too bad.:(

toolfan2305

Looks like a cigar..

JK

RobbyD462

toolfan2305 said:

Looks like a cigar..

JK

All I can do now is laugh!
Lesson learned.

mookeywrench

Agree worth the record clerk that is pretty rare for two records to be like that and he had the right to be skeptical.

But a customer intentionally destroying his perfectly fine records in order to get a replacement copy is equally bizarre and nonsensical.

If I were the clerk I would have replaced one and offered store credit for the other, then said buyer beware and all sales are final afterwards.

RobbyD462

mookeywrench said:

Agree worth the record clerk that is pretty rare for two records to be like that and he had the right to be skeptical.

But a customer intentionally destroying his perfectly fine records in order to get a replacement copy is equally bizarre and nonsensical.

If I were the clerk I would have replaced one and offered store credit for the other, then said buyer beware and all sales are final afterwards.

Makes sense meet in the middle.
Imagine my surprise and diisapointment of this happening to me from the same website twice.
Why would I go out of my way to ruin a vinyl.I want the vinyl thats the whole point!
Bizarre is right Mookeywrench

Weston1283

Sorry to hear about this OP. Another reason why I will only buy vinyl off of Amazon or Newbury comics online. Newbury shipped me 5 LPs and the box came destroyed, all 5 records had creases and bends in them. I emailed them and they sent me brand new ones no questions asked. Not worth it to buy a record at a local shop, pay more than you would online, and have worse customer service.

buck502000

Thanks for the heads up

RobbyD462

Weston1283 said:

Sorry to hear about this OP. Another reason why I will only buy vinyl off of Amazon or Newbury comics online. Newbury shipped me 5 LPs and the box came destroyed, all 5 records had creases and bends in them. I emailed them and they sent me brand new ones no questions asked. Not worth it to buy a record at a local shop, pay more than you would online, and have worse customer service.

I prefer not to have dealt with this online service but they were the only site
that pressed the first two My Morning Jacket albums.