So the takeaway from all this is:

1) It would be a good idea for pipe makers to be involved with this forum to avoid public lynchings and they will be able to state their case in their own words.

2) Invest in the real deal rather than the Nintendo version of the instrument; sorry lads..couldn't resist!!!

As the banks close their doors, 4 days after the supposed express transfer, there is no sign of my refund.
Can't really say I am surprised.

For me, as a supporter of the pipes and pipers for over 40 years, the saddest part about all of this is that, because we are a private forum, no potential buyer of Vpipes will be able to discover the bizarre way Mr Castro responded to a very straightforward post. He could have jumped in at the very beginning and said, 'Thank God I finally found you. Let me explain what happened and organise your refund straigh away'.

Instead, he tried to hide behind his imaginary 'friend', the non-existent American Pi(per), who started slinging insults around in Mr Castro's defence. When that did not stop the posts Mr Castro continued to try and hide, this time behind the Moderator. He said he was 'averse to social media' and asked the Moderator to post on his behalf. (Just think about that!) When he broke cover did he sound to anyone like he was trying to solve a problem? Or did it look like what it was? - a transparent attempt to shore up a crumbling reputation?

I will let you all know if the money ever turns up.

There's a big difference between going after justice, and speculating publicly about reality or someone's character and motivations. Your situation is the only one of its kind known to be on record here - weigh that for a moment - so without a greater pattern of similar cases to back you up, be warned: Just stick to what you know to be the facts, and let the readers draw their own conclusions.

_________________
"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

I wouldn't rush in and buy a set yet, they have designed a new finger sensor that works by the voltage in your fingers instead of the older Chanters that worked with press sensors, this new Chanter have holes with these new sensors fitted, if you look up the new 'Blair Digital chanter' on YouTube you will see what's coming for a electric Uilleann Chanter, it's amazing you can play in any key and alter the tuning on every note along with effects,, have a look "Matt Maclsaac review on the Blair Digital Chanter" on YouTube, See what's coming, No Reed Problems! Play your chanter in any key, Stable Drones, plug in and play,, the future,,,

Check out "Matt Maclsaac reviews the Blair Digital Chanter" YouTube

The Blair chanter is an electronic chanter with GHB fingering and sound - no use for uilleann pipers.

Only the facts.

Here is a link to a tweet in 2011. The piper did not post on here but he did tweet out about his experience..

https://twitter.com/thomasreinsel/statu ... 07136?s=19

Thanks Stew for the heads up re digital chanters. My project was for a school band (teenage) situation where tuning is crucial, so adjusting
individual notes would be a huge benefit. I will look it up.

It does suggest that yours is not an isolated case. But beyond a reported dissatisfaction, what footing does his statement really leave us with? I'm left wanting more from him than just that.

Understand that I'm not taking sides, here. But I am a stickler: If we're going to post brief, unelaborated complaints as evidence, we'll need a few more than just one if an undeniable pattern of bad faith is to be established.

So more to the point: Has your issue been corrected?

_________________
"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

Hello all;
I am back for a spell and was hoping that this unfortunate saga had been solved, but according to Mr Learner it hasn't.

I don't know why an IBAN is not sufficient information to carry out an international transfer. I used the reference number he himself gave me.

I have tried to copy the screen shot of the refund order but not have been able to do so. How can I do this so as not to be again wrongfully accused??

Details of the transaction: (Bankia ref nº; 6lW64H715El4K - transaction date 06/08/2020 Beneficiary William Browne).

Nanohedron: Thanks Nanohedron for being a stickler. The situation with Mr Reinsel back in 2011 was that he decided not to go ahead with the purchase because the delivery time didn't suit him as we admittedly took longer than expected to deliver his vPipes. Nevertheless, his deposit was refunded as can be seen below from the confirmation email I recieved from PayPal.

Estimado(a) vPipes Project, S.C.:
Ha iniciado un pago por un valor de €450,00 EUR a thomas.reinsel@gmail.com. Este pago se completará una vez que el destinatario haya aceptado el pago.
Es posible que esta transacción tarde unos momentos en aparecer en la lista de Actividad reciente de su Descripción de cuenta.
Detalles de pago
Importe: €450,00 EUR
Fecha de la transacción: 2 de febrero de 2011
Id. de transacción: 83N54358P7820225X
Asunto: You have received a refund from vPipes
Ver los detalles de esta transacción en Internet
Atentamente,
PayPal


Mr Learner has overplayed his hand as a disgruntled customer which suggests that he decided not to go ahead with the purchase (lack of funds, change of heart ...) and was worried about the consequences of breaching a written agreement.
The ploy is simple; Stop answering my emails and accuse me of blocking his address.
However vociferous he is, he hasn't answered the questions as to why he didn't use an alternative email, contact me through FB or ask someone to contact me on his behalf. Can anyone really make any sense of that?
He came out guns blazing to distract from the real issue of not wanting the vPipes. However, my emails are now reaching him just fine and his are reaching me, just like that, as if by magic.
He also comments (without any knowledge and from complete and utter ignorance) on how easy the electronics industry must be, after all calculators and other consumer electronics are a dime a dozen, so why not the vPipes.
He keeps on mentioning my imaginary friend. Nanohedron, I am surprised that you haven't been accused of being imaginary also. Unfortunately his low-minded, snarky and snide approach precludes him from believing that I have many loyal followers. 40 years in the piping world and refusing to reveal his name so as not to muddy the waters? Pull the other one.... 40 years in the piping world and nobody to lend you a hand? I wonder why?
Crumbling reputation he says? Quite the contrary, especially after this exchange judging by the number of new orders I have received mentioning this thread. He's not going to believe that, but I don't really care what this bully thinks. He is nothing at all like the gentlemen pipers I am accustomed to dealing with, both in and out of the vPipes sphere.

So if one of the moderators can tell me how to attach a screen shot of the transfer made on the 6th I would appreciate it.
Thanks again and apologies for the boredom.

Hi Liam, no problem, I know the YouTube video is of the Blair chanter is for the Highland fingering, it is the sensors fitted I'm on about, it enables the piper to play at much fast speed compared to older touch sensor, once these new sensors are fitted to a Uilleann Digital Chanter with the full tuning and drones it will allow beginners to play much quicker with having no reed problems effecting the playability of the chanter,, and you will be able to have many samples of different Chanters in different keys, it won't be long and they won't be cheap, but who knows, the Chinese will turn them out by the hundreds once they get a sniff and the price is right,,,

I'm always up for a lively discussion of what constitutes reality, but I'll hold myself back so as not to derail the topic (other than to say that I like to think that even the best AI could never imitate The Nano ).

On a practical note, we don't tolerate what we call "sock puppets" and shills, but the thing is that you have to detect them first. Indications are that's not the situation here, so as long as everyone keeps a civil tongue in their heads and strives for resolution, we could have this wrapped up to everyone's satisfaction in no time. Here's hoping.


Maybe Ben can help; I'm woefully tech-challenged, I'm afraid. A good number of the membership could also help you with this, as well. Any takers?

_________________
"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

Should this bank transfer turn out to be returned for any insufficiency, such as name not matching the account, etc., may I share that I recently had excellent, swift service from TransferWise.com . I had to make a payment for an auction purchase in the UK (I am in the U.S.), and it took all of 4 hours to be received, in the proper local currency & with extremely low fees & good currency conversion rate. I had previously used XE.com, which while also easily accomplished, still took 3-4 business days before being sent.

_________________
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
http://www.worldtrad.org

Thanks kkrell and nano for your input.
Stew: I believe that the importance of the sensors is not the speed at which you can play but more the 'expressiveness' of the instrument. Obviously with 'all or nothing ' sensors you can't do things like slides, vibratos, glissandos etc. The vPipes, for example, uses sensors that detect your fingers at a distance so that when you play it is as if you were modulating the small columns of air that exit the tone holes and that is where the expressivity lies.
Saludos&Sláinte

I signed in this morning with the intention of thanking the members who read this thread thousands of times and announce that after 7 months of effort and their combined weight, my refund has finally turned up. And what do I find – a tirade of abuse and a whole new scenario about how the delay happened. (Apparently I am broke). I could run through every one of his ludicrous accusations but to be honest I think the pain of being publicly forced into making a refund has clearly sent Mr Castro to a very angry place.

The whole thrust of Mr Castro's case is that he contacted me many times back in February, March April to tell me the pipes were ready – everything else springs from that. Well, one simple step will prove/disprove it;
Please, some tech-knowledgable member, grant his request to show him how to post screenshots. Then I ask him to do so for the returned emails he said he sent to me during those months telling me my pipes were ready – it won't happen because they do not exist. Also, show him how to post copies of the returned letter(s) he sent me. Because, I can definitely show my emails and my letter.

The second point is a call out to American Pi(per) to come back and tell us who you are. That's that problem solved.

The rest of the personal abuse is beyond comment. My record can be tracked through the archives at NPU if anyone thinks it makes the slightest bit of difference to Mr Castro's inability to repay my deposit.

Will you pair of whingeing malcontents ever shut the puck up, we've all heard enough of your crap so change the pucking record.

RORY

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I'm Spartacus .