Issues with Colorado Case Company

[mailrichieh]

Hi there, I was wondering if anyone else on here has had similar issues with Colorado Case Company? Less than a year ago I ordered a flight case from them (at a whopping cost of over $1200 when shipped) and I’ve had nothing but issue with them since, including not even having a flight case for my harp. At the time, I also ordered a ‘Heartland Harps and Music’ ‘Delight’ model and both were to be delivered (the case was for the harp) to California where I was flying from Ireland to pick them up. I ordered the case over email contact with a sales representative of Colorado Case Company and was told that they had the tracings for the ‘Delight’ model and so I would not have to provide any. All seemed OK until both the harp and case arrived (harp from SC and case from CO) and the harp would not fit in the case. The harp is carbon fibre and so is made in moulds and thus its size does not change. The measurements of the Colorado Case Company made flight case didn’t even fit the measurements given to me by their representative online. Having to return to Ireland, I had no choice but to return the harp to Heartland Harps and they then mailed it on to me in Ireland (I wasn’t willing to travel internationally and especially when it would’ve been changing planes, without a flight case). Colorado Case Company arranged pick up of the flight case. When in CA I took photos of me trying to put the harp in the case and Colorado Case Company have accused me of ‘not trying to put it in the case’. The pictures show one leg of the harp in the case but the case was so small that even the other leg of the harp was way beyond the other edge of the case. Not only have Colorado Case Company refused to make contact with me, they’ve also refused to issue me with valid invoices for the transactions. CCC have also refused to offer me a refund and have not made any offers of making a case that actually fits the harp. Since that point, I’ve come across– via their ‘Facebook Page’– many other unhappy customers who found themselves in similar situations to me; with CCC refusing to contact them. I was wondering if anyone on here has had a similar experience and if it was resolved in some way or is it on going? All the best.

[Deette Bunn]

Yes – I had an issue with them as well. I ordered a case and 1 year later they contacted me and said it was ready. Then they told me it was going to cost close to $500 to ship it. An empty lever harp case costs the same to ship as a pedal harp? Right. I told them to forget it.

[mailrichieh]

That’s pretty extraordinary Deette, but I fully believe it. I got charged something like $420 for shipping from Colorado to California. Never mind the fact that the harp was shipped from South Carolina to California at a cost of only $200. This is one of the things that I’ve taken issue with, but they have refused to provide me with an invoice for the actual shipping; hence I don’t know if the shipping actually cost $50 and they pocketed the rest. It’s interesting that the more people in the harp community that I talk to about this the more stories that people have. I’ve also met a harp manufacturer who say they refuse to send customers to them any more for the very same reasons. It’ll be interesting to see if more people on here have had similar experiences.

[Deette Bunn]

FYI:There are two other ways I know of to get flight
cases –
http://www.raydohertycases.com
http://www.sligoharps.com/hardCase.pdf

[mailrichieh]

I wish I’d just gone with Ray O’Doherty cases in the first instance. I’ve since been on to Ray and he’s an absolutely smashing gentleman and is going to be making a case for my ‘Heartland’ ‘Delight’. All in all, it’s going to cost me hundreds less than the Colorado case, although that cost me $1200 and I haven’t received anything back! Gosh I hope other people do more research first than I did and learn about how they treat their customers.

[cocaseco]

I am so sorry to hear this. I was the past owner of Colorado Case and am heartbroken over the way the current owners have treated this community. I wish I had something to offer you, but short of litigation, I don’t expect you will ever get resolution. I worked for years to support the harp community and as a result, we were rewarded with great friends and a thriving business. To see it having deteriorated to this is embarrassing even though I no longer haver any involvement. There is a possibility that I will again make harp flight cases, but am contractually bound to stay out of the business for a couple more years.

Steve

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