NAD: Mesa Boogie Badlander 100W

[2dor]

After a grueling 3 years, I've some good news & some bad news:

- I got the Badlander 100W from Thomann today (yay!)

- I paid for a new unit but they sent me a B-Stock (nay) - the box had clear marks of having been open beforehand, the front plate has a LOT of fingerprints

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

After a grueling 3 years, I've some good news & some bad news:

- I got the Badlander 100W from Thomann today (yay!)

- I paid for a new unit but they sent me a B-Stock (nay) - the box had clear marks of having been open beforehand, the front plate has a LOT of fingerprints

Congrats on the Badlander! Maybe you can talk to Thomann customer service and get a decent discount for the signs of use?

 

[JiveTurkey]

Boo on the B-stock; Yay on the Badlander! \m/ Boost that sumbuck!

 

[2dor]

Congrats on the Badlander! Maybe you can talk to Thomann customer service and get a decent discount for the signs of use?

I'm actually exchanging some messages with them currently. Did an unboxing video for them and there's definitely something fishy with how they handled this one.
Trying to enjoy the amp - will shoot some NAM profiles too.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Congrats!!!

Thats some BS though, hopefully they can give you a sufficient amount of cash back to smooth out the deal!

 

[Whizzinby]

Congrats.

 

[2dor]

Congrats!!!

Thats some BS though, hopefully they can give you a sufficient amount of cash back to smooth out the deal!

Does this look like a new, unopened box?

The tolex above the Input jack was scratched:

Fingerprints all over the tone-stack and the cable clip at the back of the head (the one that holds the power cord to the headshell) was loose from the screw holding it down to the chassis.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I'd be able to believe it was new based just on the box, but taking into account the fingerprints + the scratch makes it seem pretty obvious that someone prima nocturne'd it

Hope Thomann comes up with a good resolution for you!

 

[2dor]

I'd be able to believe it was new based just on the box, but taking into account the fingerprints + the scratch makes it seem pretty obvious that someone prima nocturne'd it

Hope Thomann comes up with a good resolution for you!

Those silver metal clips are thr 2nd bunch. For each one of them, there's marks that there was another one on the box - box was opened & resealed.

Anyway... still developing.

Amp sounds good though.

 

[Orvillain]

Boooolander!!!

 

[nightlight]

Nice amp, sad story. Hope Thomann makes it right for you.

 

[EOengineer]

This is probably more human error than anything else but my confirmation bias is having a hard time not attributing this to companies having globally abandoned ethics post Covid.

 

[2dor]

This is probably more human error than anything else but my confirmation bias is having a hard time not attributing this to companies having globally abandoned ethics post Covid.

All in all, the amp's alright but given the insane pricing in this part of the globe, I expect a mint condition product when I fork out that amount of $$.
I'm waiting on them to tell me what they're willing to offer - they hinted at a small discount or RMA; this was last evening but no news today.

 

[EOengineer]

All in all, the amp's alright but given the insane pricing in this part of the globe, I expect a mint condition product when I fork out that amount of $$.
I'm waiting on them to tell me what they're willing to offer - they hinted at a small discount or RMA; this was last evening but no news today.

Even stateside that would be an issue for me. I use my stuff so it wears, but I expect new stuff to be new. Factory finish issues are less of a concern for me, but that amp def looks like it spent time with someone. Maybe it was a demo model. You’re in the right to push back.

 

[SonVolt]

I would send it back for the scratch alone.... that said, when I bought my Friedman Plex "brand new" it's still the amp that was sitting in the Platinum Room for anyone that walks by to touch and grope. GC doesn't keep a bunch of these amps in a stock room or anything.

 

[Desertdweller]

Does this look like a new, unopened box?
View attachment 31669

The tolex above the Input jack was scratched:

View attachment 31670

Fingerprints all over the tone-stack and the cable clip at the back of the head (the one that holds the power cord to the headshell) was loose from the screw holding it down to the chassis.

This would be going back 100%. Tolex scratches on a new amp are unacceptable. Your resale value just plummeted at least $500.

Plus can we just say Mesa took a massive downgrade recently going to bronco tolex from Taurus? For decades all of their amp heads were in Taurus, when I ordered my VII I was surprised it was in black bronco, and it appears all their amps ship like this stock now.

 

[Iron1]

Call and get a partial refund. Then blow the walls down with your fist full of Badlander bucks!

 

[2dor]

Call and get a partial refund. Then blow the walls down with your fist full of Badlander bucks!

I'll reach out again on Monday. I'll still blow some walls down these couple of days - hope I can get 1-2 hours to crank the thing up in the room.

 

[2dor]

This would be going back 100%. Tolex scratches on a new amp are unacceptable. Your resale value just plummeted at least $500.

Plus can we just say Mesa took a massive downgrade recently going to bronco tolex from Taurus? For decades all of their amp heads were in Taurus, when I ordered my VII I was surprised it was in black bronco, and it appears all their amps ship like this stock now.

Yeah - resale value's f'ed if you want to flip it later.

And yea, I was really surprised to see the Bronco instead of the Taurus. Taurus would have worked great my my Mesa 2x12 and 4x12 cabs; it still looks the part - it is what it is.

Gibson's casting their shadow more & more.

 

[dbagchee]

This would be going back 100%. Tolex scratches on a new amp are unacceptable. Your resale value just plummeted at least $500.

Plus can we just say Mesa took a massive downgrade recently going to bronco tolex from Taurus? For decades all of their amp heads were in Taurus, when I ordered my VII I was surprised it was in black bronco, and it appears all their amps ship like this stock now.

Yeah much prefer the Taurus tolex!