Given Abyss's great record of customer service and product support I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was I received an email from Debra this morning telling me they are going to replace Kimiko I did think about it, and I've accepted the offer. I'm very grateful to Abyss for this.

Meanwhile I want to talk to their tech people (Joey has left, BTW) and discuss how to avoid unduly stressing the back joint, although I don't see how I can more gently handle Kimiko.

Regards,

Al

Holy SHIT, Al!!!

That is HUGE!

Man, what an offer! That is just incredible. I'm so pleased to hear Abyss has gone above and beyond for you.

I'd have to think that they talked this over seriously because it could potentially open them up to more doll replacements. Knowing that, it was very brave of them to make the offer. Man, is that ever customer support...no, it goes beyond that....it's amazing.

I'm damn impressed. I know it's still a hassle for you, and it's sad that you've had to go throught this with Kimiko. I hope this all works out very smoothly for you.

Kudos, Matt & Company!!

Yeah, where's Shelly ?
but what I wonder more about :
WHERE IS MATT ?!?



I think this pretty much answers the question if you should sue Matt...
This company is uniquely hip - they just have a nasty back joint issue



( although : as far as I remember Kimiko's "new" back joint was still the old version - maybe the new version they improved a few weeks ago is finally okay ) ( )

Matt, if you don't want to show us the skeleton, just make a video showing how to pose ALL joints the dolls have, like that you can even sell an accessory more But instead of that, we're all twisting about on poor dolly's joints. I still find new joints, and I still look for joints where there are no joints, maybe... So instead of just looking at a video, I'll start to look at the pictures on your site, trying to figure from the pictures ... That's no good way to go. I want a video !! Please, for all dolls' sake !!

It's great that they've made the offer.

On the down side, I have to wonder what happened to Joey?

K - I hope this is the end of this --

And we can all just enjoy our cute dolls

You know... there is this huge problem with the back joints. Matt is an artist not an engineer. That's all fine and dandy... but here is the deal... he has a HUGE friggin resource here in the Doll Forum. I mean... given the right tools there are people here who could see the problem and not just bitch about it... but design a solution.

Check this out... http://www.emachineshop.com/

They have a FREE cad package... it does all sorts of stuff... even makes 3D models of the parts. Then... if you click on price check... it tells you what's wrong with your design and makes you fix it. Once your part is designed properly... order it.

I pointed Matt to Superbabe once because Mark runs a machine shop... he said there was no way in hell any Realdoll would be made with superbabe parts. Okay fine... here is a shop that has NO INTEREST in dolls at all... none.

If members are willing to help in a design... what harm is there in taking a look? Someone here might come up with an idea that is stronger and cheaper than what currently exists.

I am working on a robotics board and I need a USB programming cable. I suck ass at USB... so... I turned it over to my robotics group. They are 85% done already... so I'll give them a discount on my boards. We both win.

All I'm saying is think about it... if nobody comes up with a better solution... you still have lost nothing.

Oh yeah... did I mention FREE software???
http://www.emachineshop.com/download/index.htm

Peace,
Jerry

Platypus - Well that IS great news. Once again we see the fabulous customer srevice that Abyss gives.

As I mentioned in this thread somewhere, when I contacted Shelly on this back problem, (I was waiting on my Leah order to start production then) Shelly answered by stating that this was a iscolated problem with a few dolls and that it was not a general problem.

I think that this must be right because otherwise as stated above, this offer of a free perlacement would leave Abyss open to do the same for others. I imagine that they are confident that such an offer will not open any floodgate.

PJDee & Leah too.

Very good news, indeed, Platypus! And a hearty round of applause for Abyss. It is so refreshing to see a company step up to the plate that way. Let's hope the company continues to build on its positive reputation by doing the best it can by other customers who may experience similar problems. And, of course, most of all let us hope that Abyss solves these problems so they don't happen in the first place.

This is certainly good news. I'm glad they are replacing Kimi's body for you. I assume you will be keeping her face so it will still be the same Kimi looking you in the eyes.

If GM had shown the same concern for THEIR customers and the lemons they sold them.........they might not have THEIR backs to the wall and facing bankruptcy.

MEK, methyl ethyl ketone, is a very common solvent for coatings of all sorts, such as spray on drum, pail and tank linings. If you know someone who formulates paints and/or coatings they will probably have some MEK sitting around. Probably drums of it, for that matter. You might check a paint store that sells paints for automotive applications as opposed to your local Home Depot or whatever. You will likely find acetone in a home improvement store, but I ain't sure about MEK. I would advise against using acetone, it evaporates much more rapidly than MEK so it would be harder to use for wipe-down type of cleaning. Although I use it for that all the time, since it is dirt cheap.

MEK is very volatile, meaning it evaporates very rapidly. And it is flammable to boot. And it will get you higher than a kite, even if you aren't deliberately trying to get that way. And it has a mildly "fruity", somewhat pleasant odor which allows you to get a snootfull without realizing it until you are in the ozone layer.

A couple of safer alternative ketone solvents, although they might be harder to buy retail, are MPK, methyl propyl ketone and MIBK, methyl isobutyl ketone. They aren't as volatile as MEK, making them easier to use on a rag for a wipe-down, but they are also both flammable as hell. I prefer the odor of MPK to MIBK myself, although MIBK would probably be better for this application. MAK, methyl amyl ketone, would also be good, it is not nearly as volatile as MEK so you would have to wait for it to evaporate completely before reassembly. It is also flammable, or maybe it is considered combustible, in any case you can start a hell of a fire with it if you aren't careful.

First the good news.
A replacement ...no more than I expected, Abyss is an honourable company among many who are not.

Now the bad news, please Abyss get the problem put right because I really would hate to see you go down as its impossible to go on like this, you still have to make money!!

I love your product so much I have two of them and would buy more if I only had the money so this is not an attack but a plea, make a bloody good product into the best.

And Joey's gone to new pastures, I wish him luck in his new endeavours and thank him for all the wonderful makeup jobs he did on all the faces I have, sad to see him go.


peter_girth.
Thanks for the advice but not being a chemist you left me after the first paragraph sorry to say but thanks for trying.
I would find it impossible to find and purchase these chemicals, especially in small quantity's but I will do as Al said and try a sign shop first for MEK.
I pass a sign shop on the way home from work.

Hey, I wonder if that is what I smelled when Vicca came home. I remember it as a citrus type odor. I actually miss it. I take it that it would be a bad idea to get some to use as a perfume.

David

Hi David,

What you smelled was "Realdoll Perfume"
I remember noticing it when I opened Lily's crate, and loved it.

You should have got one when you got your doll though, didn't you? Very pleasant, distinctive aroma

You can order it from Abyss; alternatively when you order a repair kit, a small bottle comes with it as well. I go through mine quickly

Regards,
PBS & Lily