Cassette and the ongoing crap...

[scott a]

[electricsnow]

Alright, after my little cool down sesh (you know, this net talk can get pretty heated and make me want to break things), I've come back to say my piece. Vomit afterwards if you must, but this is how I feel.

Point blank, wakeskating needs somebody like thomas--or let me re-phrase that: wakeskating needs THOMAS. Just looking back through interviews ("the archives" as I'd call them, in my geekiest, poindexter voice), photos, his track record, he is honest to god one of the only guys that never needed to look to the side to see what somebody else was doing before he did his thing (and quite frankly, the same went for his wakeboarding). You look at a number of his wakeskate designs and there are characteristics that others still try to incorporate into their line to this day, and as a friend recently told me, there are designs (the most basic, in some cases) that people still win on. I am not a clairvoyant and I can't say what boards will be out in ten years, but the bi level IS a worthy design, and at least deserves a look and a test ride. The feeling from that top deck is a beautiful thing and I hope every day that they can pull things together so things can look up. I can't even imagine how emotionally draining all of these issues are--just from tricky business relationships, board issues, all the way down to the web kids saying weird things about you and your company when they don't really understand (and i"m not referring to this thread).

In the end, before you say things like "thomas must not care about his customers" and other such brash remarks, really REALLY try to put yourself in his shoes, and try to think about how it would feel to have your love jeopardized two years in a row, with some of it being in the hands of another sleazy human being. To me, it's a great thing that he still has the gusto to come back for another year, and still try to persevere after two years of crap to design an 06 line.

And seriously, cassette is a small company, and when you have a design like the bi-level, and you know that other companies have ripped your shizzle off before (and are making plans to rip off your currrent design), that puts an enormous amount of pressure on an operation like cassette. I guess, in a sense, just trying not to lose what's yours...

And seriously, people are going to be like "wood sucks" or "bs", but his designs push the industry. I'm not saying he's the only one, and I'm not saying that his shizzle is perfect, but he's definitely onto things that others simply...aren't. And honestly, I don't think wood is dead. It definitely needs some work because people need to get their money's worth, but I truly believe there is potential in that material.

So buy a board or don't. I will because I believe in the product and I want something that makes me feel good, and seriously makes riding so much fun. And I'll do what it takes to keep it fresh, and if that means sealing it, so be it. But just give respect where respect is due and understand that never in a million years would anybody want things to be this way (especially thomas).

[PIRATE]

i think you guys take things to heart way to much, when it comes down to it people deserve a product that performes acordingly to the price tag.

[cbsmith999]

Thomas said the new bi's are in production and will ship in two weeks.

[88skisupreme]

Pirate, since you jumped ship on Integrity I think I'll steal your famous quote, used to respond to any topic involving board comapines:

"Buy an Integrity!"

[scott a]

[electricsnow]

Scott, I totally understand that. That's part of why I said people need to get their money's worth out of a wood board. I know I'd be bummed If I paid 275.00 for a deck and it fell apart right away. As you said there are two sides to the coin, and right now both sides are hurting.

As for being left out in the cold, that was basically my summer last year. I had an aaron reed deck on order with the company through my skate shop. In the end, I never got it or the soft goods I had on order. I'd probably be more bummed if I didn't have any skate to ride or something, but I had a couple so I could get on the water. And to this day, I'm still riding a cassette flat deck. Honestly, I truly believe in thomas, his designs, and the direction cassette has taken, so I'll continue to support them. For me, it's a no brainer, but that's just me and I'm certainly not trying to say that that's how everyone should feel.

As for pirate, I think it's pretty damn cool that wakeskating is at a stage where you can truly get behind or root for someone or something. To me, that's part of what's special about this experience and being a part of this culture when it's so young. Many years from now, i'm sure loyalties won't be the same. But I like being able to get behind something that's a reasonable choice for me, and just knowing that the right people are behind the scenes and truly running the game. And you know, I try not to take the politics and whatever else TOO seriously becuase some of the crap that's said on the message board can be a serious downer. And even for my personal views, I slightly regret being so "into" expressing them, just becuase that stuff isn't for everyone. My views are my views and that's that.

88skisupreme, way to take advantage of the situation.

[Grouch]

I dont even know what to say to this thread.

Customer service is most important and if the customer is not happy, than they will go somewhere else where they are happy. How could you not return a phone call or e-mail for 3 months. That is absolutely ridiculious and POOR customer service.

E-snow; You give Thomas way to much credit. ROC my ass, look at his investors and how deep their pockets. If it was him doing this by himself he would have not lasted this long with all the problems.

Schmaltz has been screwed over so many times and he keeps coming back. He does not have deep pockets, nor any investors. He works 2 jobs (excluding Integrity) and still finds time to design the decks, edit video parts, ship out decks, handle the logisitics of a company and respond to tons of e-mails on a daily basis. He only rides a few days a week and handles his shizzle accordingly. How hard is it to type a response to a customer who just dropped $300 on a deck that lasted 1 ride?

Its really pathetic and sad how the entire situation has been handled. These decks should have been tested before anything was shipped out and they should have learned from what happened from last season. I wish Cassette the best and hope to see them succeed, but customer service is key in any industry.

[electricsnow]

Uhh, I know thomas has investors. I never even mentioned ROC in any of my damn posts on this thread. Does having investors mean he's a big ass company? Hardly. What I did mention was how much he's given to the art of wakeskating with his designs, and even his riding.

[one-eyed sailor551]

grouch, gives the best customer service ever

[Re-entry]

Okay I just finished watching the volume wakeskate video volume #1 (which is a great vid by the way). They had an interview with Thomas about the bi-level, he said this when they had a bad year last year the company manufacturing their boards only pressed them the wrong way. Thats why they had a terrible year and didnt ship out the skates because they fell apart. After customers wanting to get their hands on the bi-levels they made a limited edition amount of decks (1st batch) and it went wrong. Now their producing decks and getting everything straight. Give it some time, I am still waiting patiently. It will be worth it, oh yeah 88skisupreme STFU! Have you ever imagined that some people dont like integritys and like cassette decks?

[Grouch]

electricsnow,
Maybe he should try returning a phone call, e-mail or designing a wakeskate that wont fall apart instead of being out wakeskating.

Everyone calls out and claims out ROC, yet they dont realize the $$$ comes from somewhere and its definately not from 2 bad years of warranties and selling a product that falls apart after 1 session.


one-eyed sailor551,
I always take care of your needs.

[one-eyed sailor551]

cassette needs to get thier shizzle together. i konw thomas has it hard and wish him the best.



and grouch my needs change daily

[INDEFINITE]

Scotta, first and foremost, obviously you do not know, or have been given the wrong information, due to you stating that cassette and linear distribution is not a rider owned company, you might want to check those sources, even the investors are riders.

As far as testing the bi-levs, the concept was in testing last January of last year, so if over a year is not enough testing, then what is? I mean, of all the decks tested, only two broke, and that is after some serious slayshing that normal individuals would NOT do. The problems that have been encountered, ARE being fixed, and trust me, not only has it been an emotional strain for you (the consumers) but for cassette and its manufacturers.

As a rider I think you should understand what is important to you, being a rider. And if your life is wakeskating, than let it be, but when you add a company to that, it not only stresses you, but your life, so imagine what Thomas is going through………..

For the people that have had problems with decks, there is a solution and it is coming, so is ’06; as well as, alla prima………………..

[Grouch]

Chases dad must rip than.

[Grouch]

[one-eyed sailor551]

SCHWEET!!

[electricsnow]

yeah grouch, I hear thomas lives on the shiznackle waters of the miami river all day long! He's trying to grow one of those "nubbins" that florida is so famous for. (that emoticon means "sarcasm")

Rider driven, rider driven...i like to ride.

wow, look at me and my emoticons on this thread. It's a freaking record.

[Grouch]

electricsnow,
Maybe I am ignorant...But i dont know what a nubbin is?

[one-eyed sailor551]

Grouch, maybe its a vegetable or dairy product