Prestini pads - any good?

[DavidUK]

Looking for resonators I stumbled across the Prestini site. Set of alto pads for under $30. How do they compare with Pisoni?

Also, how do their resonators compare with Music Medic ones?

Thanks.

 

[PigSquealer]

Go with the Pisoni

 

[DavidUK]

Prestini.ch website doesn't work in Chrome...

In Safari it works but I can't check out. Tells me sender's Zip code isn't correct...

I've emailed Ch and USA with these issues, and some questions. So far they look fairly inept which means... steer clear usually!

 

[PigSquealer]

Prestini.ch website doesn't work in Chrome...

View attachment 21915

In Safari it works but I can't check out. Tells me sender's Zip code isn't correct...

View attachment 21916

I've emailed Ch and USA with these issues, and some questions. So far they look fairly inept which means... steer clear usually!

From my experience the company is not set up to handle small one off orders in under a month. You would be fortunate to have order actually show up in the diameters ordered. Once you get done checking diameters then you need to deal with the 24 or 25 different thicknesses. They do not send replacements for sets. “Sets not guaranteed to fit buy at your own risk”
beware of pads that contain “synthetic felt”. A.k.a. foam rubber. It’s not heat tolerant. If you completely shellac a back of a pad you’ll end up with a pad a different size. If you accidentally set a impression by winking at one..good luck
You’re better off tossing the pad and starting over.
their upper tier product it’s comparable to most others just stay away from the lower three. Yep they cost 50% less. And 300% more of your time.

 

[PigSquealer]

Looking for resonators I stumbled across the Prestini site. Set of alto pads for under $30. How do they compare with Pisoni?

Also, how do their resonators compare with Music Medic ones?

Thanks.

You’re in the UK so I don’t know what’s more accessible. Pisoni or Music Medic. Music Medic components are very consistent and dependable from my experience.

 

[DavidUK]

I use Pisoni DeLuxe when I need to change a few pads. I seem to recall Prestini being mentioned as decent somewhere but that could just be t'internet chatter/rumour/sales patter!

What interested me more was the ability to buy 100 resonators at €45 (plus shipping) whereas the excellent MM ones have almost doubled in price in the last year and would cost double that shipped. I had around 50 delivered to my Florida address in May and might do so again next year to save on shipping.

It's really just the resos I need for my project. Ultimately I'll have them made here or China if it all works out.

 

[PigSquealer]

I use Pisoni DeLuxe when I need to change a few pads. I seem to recall Prestini being mentioned as decent somewhere but that could just be t'internet chatter/rumour/sales patter!

What interested me more was the ability to buy 100 resonators at €45 (plus shipping) whereas the excellent MM ones have almost doubled in price in the last year and would cost double that shipped. I had around 50 delivered to my Florida address in May and might do so again next year to save on shipping.

It's really just the resos I need for my project. Ultimately I'll have them made here or China if it all works out.

Dawkes is now a MM distributor. Has been for over a year.
Order from MM & pickup at Dawkes ?

 

[DavidUK]

I did speak to Dawkes a few weeks back but the girl there didn't know where their resos originated. I'll ask again.

Meanwhile, to be fair to Prestini, both Joel in the USA and Renato in Switzerland have responded and explained their current website is rubbish and a new one is being launched next month. I'm awaiting answers from them to some questions and will update here if there's anything worthwhile to report.

 

[PigSquealer]

Joel is who I deal with directly. Very pleasant to deal with but limited by the company’s policies to deal with small customers. Their website is an ongoing mess. I’m really interested to hear in your experience ongoing. FWIW I furnished Pristini a list for 1000+ pad quote. I was referred to the website to look up the pricing myself. That along with a note stating it would take 4 to 6 weeks to fill the order. That afternoon I placed the order with MM. Competitive prices and I had the order at my door five days later.

 

[DavidUK]

Joel is telling me PA-240 is a domed metal reso with centre hole, which it IS on the US web site.
The same item on the .ch web site has no hole: PA-240 Dome Resonators (price per 100 pieces).

Confusing.

Also, on the .ch web site there's no way to select what size or number of resos are included in the 100 for €45. And shipping appears to be free, although it tells me my correct post code isn't recognised.

All in, an off-putting experience.

 

[PigSquealer]

You must have nothing better to do…..
If the place really wanted to service customers and grow they would’ve fixed a multitude of operational issues years ago. @JayeNM would agree. Regionally the closest out of any of us and couldn’t get service.
looked up just for you…
clicking on option does nothing. Logged in no change.

 

[DavidUK]

You must have nothing better to do…..
If the place really wanted to service customers and grow they would’ve fixed a multitude of operational issues years ago. @JayeNM would agree. Regionally the closest out of any of us and couldn’t get service.
looked up just for you…
clicking on option does nothing. Logged in no change.

I had no problem on the USA site selecting an option, as shown below. I selected 24mm resos and then 16.5mm resos as an example.
I went all the way through to the checkout, added delivery charges, and could then pay.
But I didn't do this for many reasons:
1/ The .ch site seemed to be offering free shipping to the UK
2/ The resos are slightly cheaper from Europe.
3/ However I cannot currently select size or quantity on the .ch website.
4/ Plus I don't trust the .ch website and will wait for the new one to appear in December.
5/ I haven't received the info I asked for on the spec of the resos, and my request for samples.
6/ Overall I'm not happy with the website/s nor the emails from Joel or Renato.

As for having nothing better to do, when I ask a question here and subsequently discover information myself I consider whether another member might benefit from my experience and post that information, in much the same way you have tried to help by adding that you found you couldn't select an option from the drop down reso size list.

I could turn that around and suggest you have nothing better to do either, but I won't.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Currently eating home made chips. Only slightly better thing to do is munch through some ice cream. Too cold so chips it is.

 

[PigSquealer]

I had no problem on the USA site selecting an option, as shown below. I selected 24mm resos and then 16.5mm resos as an example.
I went all the way through to the checkout, added delivery charges, and could then pay.
But I didn't do this for many reasons:
1/ The .ch site seemed to be offering free shipping to the UK
2/ The resos are slightly cheaper from Europe.
3/ However I cannot currently select size or quantity on the .ch website.
4/ Plus I don't trust the .ch website and will wait for the new one to appear in December.
5/ I haven't received the info I asked for on the spec of the resos, and my request for samples.
6/ Overall I'm not happy with the website/s nor the emails from Joel or Renato.

As for having nothing better to do, when I ask a question here and subsequently discover information myself I consider whether another member might benefit from my experience and post that information, in much the same way you have tried to help by adding that you found you couldn't select an option from the drop down reso size list.

I could turn that around and suggest you have nothing better to do either, but I won't.

View attachment 21983
View attachment 21984

oh I’m sorry if you took that the wrong way. I apologize.
You’re just re-discovering everything I’ve already confirmed about the company. Others too.
It hasn’t changed in a year, two years or six months. That company is not set up to deal with the public. They can sell everything they make to companies like Ferree’s. Makes no difference if their day labor shows up across the border or not. No production quota ever.
Would be interesting to see if Jeff@ at Instrument Clinic could service you. Time better spent with a person who is good on commitment. That’s what I was previously trying to express. My bad.

 

[PigSquealer]

@DavidUK don’t get me wrong. The company is a good company. Making product in the way that they want, and servicing the way they want. If you’re in no hurry whatsoever you may have success. They are very trustworthy. Just not timely for a service oriented trade.

 

[zapatista]

Joel is who I deal with directly. Very pleasant to deal with but limited by the company’s policies to deal with small customers. Their website is an ongoing mess. I’m really interested to hear in your experience ongoing. FWIW I furnished Pristini a list for 1000+ pad quote. I was referred to the website to look up the pricing myself. That along with a note stating it would take 4 to 6 weeks to fill the order. That afternoon I placed the order with MM. Competitive prices and I had the order at my door five days later.

It is interesting with Prestini, their pad set pricing is cheaper than buying individual pads in bulk. Joel is decent, but they haven't been consistent enough.

 

[thomsax]

You probably knows ..... it I.D. the toneholes that decide the O.D. of the pad. If you are picky you should rougly have the same distance between the toneholes I.D. and reflector O.D. If you want 5 mm, 8 mm ..... it should be the same on all pads. Or as close as possible.

 

[PigSquealer]

It is interesting with Prestini, their pad set pricing is cheaper than buying individual pads in bulk. Joel is decent, but they haven't been consistent enough.

That’s just it. I went through like something like 15 pad sets. None fit.
it was either the diameter or the thickness that was off or both. Replacements are chargeable and take 7-10 days along with another shipping charge. Calling or emailing a “special “order set. Takes a week to fill the order. Add another 7 for shipping.
I too questioned set verses bulk pricing. Forget what the reply was. I filed the email and called another company. I lost my shirt that month trying to execute business with them. I had planned three months in advance with Joel. Including samples and pricing that all changed.
NEXT

PS if your set shows up wrong it’s not because their size list is wrong. Day laborers get all the bins mixed up. That in turn becomes your problem.

 

[DavidUK]

@PigSquealer no worries, I know you were trying to help save me time.
I'll dismiss Prestini as a source of resonators. Music Medic's were OK at 58 cents but now have nearly doubled. Ultimately, if my pads take off I may be able to find a good UK pressings company to stamp my own.

 

[PigSquealer]

@PigSquealer no worries, I know you were trying to help save me time.
I'll dismiss Prestini as a source of resonators. Music Medic's were OK at 58 cents but now have nearly doubled. Ultimately, if my pads take off I may be able to find a good UK pressings company to stamp my own.

Call MM direct and talk to Curt ?
buying from a local maker is always a good thing. Stamping these things out isn’t rocket science.
i’m not exactly crazy about going offshore but you could investigate here. ZhengHao Music professional makeing woodwind accessories
i’ve had no correspondence previously with this company. As Bones would say to the captain. Good luck Jim !