Springdale TV Inc/Vintage Repair — Local services in Huntington Beach

Jerry the owner took my $95 non-refundable cash deposit to check out my Sony TC350 reel to reel tape deck and asked me to be patient. I told him that when I last benched it , it wouldn't rewind or fast forward and it played at a varying speed. After a month I called him and he seemed vague on what was wrong with it., but then acted like he remembered & quoted $400 to $500 tops to fix it. I told him I wanted it fixed in a week. He wouldn't commit. So I said then I'll take it back and pay nothing in a week if it isn't fixed. He said he'd try to get it working. Well I got tied up and he called me in 8 days and talked about improvement, but thought it was still off speed and the felt clutch was the problem. He said it's on his bench and he'll keep working on it. He asked me to bring in a music tape right then. It was 11 AM and I had gotten up at 2AM and needed a nap and asked if I could take it to him one at 2PM. He said no, he'd have to move my machine off the bench and start something else and that I'd have to pay the full price of repair to get it back, whether it was working or not. I got angry and we exchanged words. I couldn't sleep and felt really ripped off. So I got my wife and went in to retrieve my un- fixed unit. He was with another customer but said I couldn't have it. I walked back into his work space, removed the audio jacks, unplugged my unit and grabbed it and the case and front panel of it and started to walk out. Just then he rushed in and blocked my path. I told him that I gave him almost 2 months and it's still not fixed and I was taking it home. I tried to work my way around him. But he pushed back and I ended up on the floor with a gouge under my right arm. The other customer and my wife filmed me hitting the floor. I got out of there. Both of my hands and arms were holding the pieces of the tape deck when he pushed me to the ground. But he called the police and charged me with battery, and they came a knockin'. I told them what happened and showed my gouged arm and the movie and they said that there was no battery as they could see.

It is my belief, just looking around Jerrys dusty piles of old electronic junk, that he makes a living off of stealing other peoples repair items plus $95, inspection fees and is not much of a repair man anymore. So he gets a -0- from me. I had to make it a 1 to post it. an add-on11-9-18: Here's the injury I sustained when Jerry pushed me to the ground just trying to leave with my...

Went with my small telefunken turntable to Jerry to repair it. It's was spinning fine and the arm fully work little piece was broken. Just need a new cartridge and needle . Charged me $45 to check it then he called me after 10 days asking for $500 and if he can't fix it he will keep $50 plus the $45. when I said no he said he need a few days to put it back together!! I fixed alot of vintage radio and turntable never heard half this price especially it was in a good condition. Went to pick it up from his store I found it with fully broken arm and broken piece of wood from the cabinet. And he said it fall off by itself. He totally Joke and. he doesn't know about repairing . He makes his living out of the checking charge. I'm very mad paid $45 and end up with fully broken Turntable arm and broken cabinet.. Totally Joke trying to make $95 without fixing.

Update: I read in ex review the customer Steve took his stereo to Abba Repair in fountain valley after he took it to Jerry. I did the same I took my turntable to him. The guy there his name is David charged me $25 to check it but I gave him 40 then called me after 3 days asking for $185.16 to fix it including the $40 that's mean $315 less...

Website says free estimates however he will charge you $75 bench fee to look at your item. This is non refundable and goes towards repair. I should have known this is a red flag. Average bench fee rate is $45. I went to him thinking he had knowledge on vintage receivers. He called mine a quadraphonic several times but it is not. Just because a stereo has four channels does not make it a quadraphonic. Bottom line his estimate was $375 for repair. I have had a dozen of these same receivers and never had a repair over $120 from my previous tech. I think Jerry is out of touch and I'm sure he makes more money of bench fees than actual repairs. He might be good for fixing old tvs and phonographs but don't go to him thinking he has reasonable rates. Take your electronics to Pepperland in Orange. They have a $45 bench fee and are reasonable on repair costs.

UPDATE

Took my receiver to ABBA repair on 8590 Warner Ave Fountain Valley, CA 92708

David fixed it. Charged $25 bench fee/ Total cost of repair including bench fee was $175. $200 less than Jerry. Still steamed I paid $75 to Jerry but at least I found an...