Moog Music Forum

Kevin Lightner wrote: PS: I'm a dumb ass too: I have three client's gear here, not two. I forgot about an Obx here.
BUT.. I ain't selling it either.

no offense Kevin, but how do you just forget an Obx! LOL that is a freaking beast of a synth.

Trigger wrote: I seem to recollect that Mike had purchased the old NOS of Moog/Moog Custom hardware and inventory--parts unavailable anywhere else. He and I had conversations where he said he could not just repair, but fabricate, anything Moog. I think there's a SoCal ELP tribute band called Brain Salad. IIRC, their keyboard player had Mike build a complete System 55. As sad as it is that there are a number of folks who sent gear to him in good faith, only to be ripped off, think what he could be doing if he really has the means to fabricate authentic Moog modulars.

I know the keyboard player you speak of.
He's been a good friend and also donated the seed money for me to build the Opto-Keys.
I restored his Minimoog. (has blue clear wheels and nice wood.)

But you raise an interesting question.
If Mike sold off this stuff, wouldn't we have seen it around?

His panels said Moog CE if I recall.
All really well done and exactly like original Moogs.
Here's a side view of his 1528 sample and hold.
He used a CEM3340 for the internal clock.

Low res:



High res: http://www.synthfool.com/moogce_sh.jpg

Kevin Lightner wrote:If Mike sold off this stuff, wouldn't we have seen it around?

That was kind of my point...

I have no way to prove this, but based on my phone conversations with him (all before he went dark), I think he still has everything.
I have some theories, but nothing I'd want to post, because they're just that.

Whether he's waiting for things in his life to change, or if he had a "screw it all" moment, who knows? Time will tell, I guess.

Trigger wrote:I think he still has everything.

I would certainly HOPE he still has everything

When my separation started, my STBX locked me out of the house. Changed the locks and refused to give me a key. But she had no legitimate reason to lock me out and in the end the judge ruled that constituted cruel and inhuman treatment.

But at least none of my gear or possessions were missing. Vindictive STBX have been known to sell off hubby's possessions while they are locked out.

I hope that does not happen to Bucki.

Yes, back in the day Mike would fabricate Moog modules that were in all respects identical to what came out of the factory. I bought a 921A and four 921Bs from him back around 2000 or so. Even then, it wasn't easy to contact him, and I recall having to leave a number of voice- and e-mails. He eventually built and delivered the VCOs. They have regular "Moog" faceplates (no MoogCE), are indistinguishable from Moog factory produced items and coexist peacefully in my franken-Moog with original RA Moog units and Don Martin era modules.

Cheers,
Roger

Hello, Mr. Arrick!

When I bought my Taurus pedals back in 2004, I looked up Bucki for a window and frame for the control panel. Zero problem contacting him (he picked up the phone when I called) and zero problem with delivery.

Kevin Lightner wrote:
I myself have units belonging to two clients here for a long time (hello voltor), but I reply to their emails the first chance I'm able.
I try and make amends by giving them something else for free or discounting their bill. Whatever I can.

Hi Kevin. You have been most generous while my module has been in your workshop, and I can't fault you for taking so long, in fact, there's not a day when I look at the generous gifts you have given to me and think, "Maybe I should pay him something more," knowing FULL WELL you would turn down any offer of payment, as you have done in the past.

Mike Bucki seems to be your opposite, not contacting his customers, not delivering items payed for and not being available to take payment from those who owe him. It all seems very strange to me.

Voltor07 wrote: Mike Bucki seems to be your opposite, not contacting his customers, not delivering items payed for and not being available to take payment from those who owe him. It all seems very strange to me.

Thanks for the kind words.

What can I say?
Everyone's different.
Different sets of circumstances, etc.

It's a shame that someone can do such good work once and then fall off the face of the Earth.
But he should give his clients some sort of closure.
Something.

Worse scenario, he'll die, the state will take his stuff, put it up for auction, someone will buy a single lot of "Electronic parts, pcbs and panels for unknown purpose", go on Ebay and THEN you'll know what happened.
Morbid, but Ebay has many "estate sales" that work exactly like that.

Just Me wrote:

EricK wrote:The last time I spoke with his former business partner, he said that Mike had a stack of unpaid invoices on his desk for products that had been repaired and were waiting for the customers to finish paying for them.

Sounds like pure bull provided fertilizer to me. If I had a "stack" of invoices unpaid on my desk I would be calling those people weeklt or daily to get my money and get the stuff out the door. I liken mike b. to joshua jackson. Just a thief and a liar.

This is what I was told and I relayed it as soon as I got that information.

I'd be hesitant to heap too much praise on MB lest people doing a google search get the impression that it's worth a try to do business with him at this time.

Trigger wrote:Hello, Mr. Arrick!

I don't think that's Roger Arrick. On muffs his location is NY and Roger Arrick goes by another screen name.

I'd be kind of surprised if there's no ownership laws that help protect against gear in the possession of a repair/restoration shop being sold at all without the owners consent, especially in the event of the repair shop closing while it has the gear. If/when the gear was sold out of a divorce... wouldn't that be a crime as well since neither Mike or his wife are the actual owners of the gear? It probably wouldn't hurt to call and make sure that he still has the gear at the least, if nothing else...

If the statute of limitations has expired, there's nothing that can be done. Some of those threads go back to what, 2008 and are older than five years.

In NY, according to lawyers.com, for "product liability", it's three years. For Fraud and breach of contract, it's six.

In situations with these one-man operations where someone is building an instrument or repairing an instrument for a customer, especially if the customer lives out-of-state or across the country, the merchant really has the customer by the balls. You have to deal with someone who has an impeccable reputation, or someone you know personally, or someone who you absolutely trust, because otherwise it's a real gamble.

If someone has problems with the merchant, and the merchant is out to put the screws on the customer, the customer's only recourse is to go to small claims court. But they have to physically appear in court and plead their case to get a judgement. Even if they win the judgement, enforcing the judgement is an entirely different matter. Often times the cost can far outweigh the value of the item and unless someone is rich and wants to "win" and cause misery for the merchant on the matter of principle it's not worth it to pursue. If you live in the state though and can take the time to handle that it can be worthwhile.

You do have slightly more rights if you used a credit or debit card. When these get in the mix, there are some strict guidelines (perhaps on the federal level) that must be followed. For example, they can't charge your card until they are ready to ship or they have to ship within a certain amount of time after charging your card. In some instances like these, the banks will get involved and return your cash and penalize the merchant, but of course this doesn't apply to repairs. Granted, this might not be 100% accurate because I am recalling a conversation that I had with an officer of a bank in charge of the debit/credit when I had my doubts Mike was going to deliver on time several years ago.

"LaxSlash1993"It probably wouldn't hurt to call and make sure that he still has the gear at the least, if nothing else..."
There are many of us who would love nothing more than to give him a call. The last working number I had was cut off over 2 years ago.
Talk about limitations... time runs out quickly when the person is in hiding.
I've thought about trying to organize all the people he stole from but that seems impossible too....

His address never changed, he could have been served a subpoena.

EricK wrote:In NY, according to lawyers.com, for "product liability", it's three years. For Fraud and breach of contract, it's six.

The bank officer told you that it's product liability?

Product liability is if a person is injured from the use of a defective product. Also, for fraud... it's six years from the date when fraud was discovered.

I do agree, though. Send gear to someone that you can trust with it, has good reviews and a good reputation.