I never had any issues with them on any order I placed.... but this was 5 years ago at best... I noticed the switchover to guitar lovers ... and I also quit using them when the grille cloth went away... sounds to me like things have changed over there ...and not for the better... too bad.

To be fair, I had a better experience with AES yesterday, so I felt obliged to include a comment here.

These guys are in a niche business and I understand, somewhat, their desire to optimize profit. Their refusal to make the slightest accomodation to my request may be short-sighted. I see why they don't want to waste their time at $15 an hour minimum wage, but refusal in this instance to make an accomodation cost them the sale totally. Why not make up a sample of the various sizes of piping like they do for Tolex and grille cloth, then offer that for comparison at a price where the customer feels accomodated, yet they don't have to totally give away the product? Businesses like this are a dying breed, so I reckon I should feel lucky to have it so locally to me. I like their products, for the most part, and, although their shipping charges are high, I can drive up there and get what I ordered without paying shipping. And I can go to Ted's Hot Dogs as a treat while I'm there. ;) :roll: :lol:

They couldn't have been nicer yesterday. They were a tad concerned that Bentley was going to pee on something, so I held him and they felt better. Their ADA procedures are a tad rusty, so there is that. I digress. They thanked me for my loyalty for all these years and hoped that I understand their position. I thought that was good of them. From now on, I'll order online, pick up in "will call" and just keep in mind that I get nothing else but what I ordered and paid for. I can't imagine that they sell so many guitar parts that they can pick and choose their customers, but that's not my concern.

AES is now a strictly online business. They will not accomodate walk-in trade. I was going to delete them from this board, but I didn't post them, and I don't want to disrespect one of our moderators. I will avoid using AES in the future. Their prices on some things are the best, some things they are high. I am local, and can save shipping costs by picking up items myself. They are making that almost impossible. I reckon they are so busy selling guitar parts they don't need local trade.

AES was about the only place to get supplies before the internet. Catalog was very nice and had what I needed, often saving the day with Philco speaker cloth. I got lucky when they cut it right instead of too short and too wide :x .

The area had a local distributor for electronic parts but most of those walk-in places are disappearing after they were difficult to deal with since TV repair business gave way to industrial electronics and maintenance parts, etc.

Due to my location, http://tuberadios.com/capacitors/ and https://www.radiodaze.com/ and https://justradios.com/ make more sense. Allied's site is a good place to do a price check ;)

AES has recently started stocking items more useful for projects that don't involve a guitar amp. Lots of circuit doodads like terminal strips at reasonable prices. Consider that AES is fairly local to me so I can save paying their fairly spendy shipping costs. I can drive to Tempe, then go to Ted's Hot Dogs while I'm there, get Don to join me and make a day of it. AES personal customer service is fairly poor. Their phone people don't know about anything and really don't care. They just look at part numbers, pull the parts, get paid. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and say they are accurate with what they pull. I had an issue with Tolex being out of stock, but we have that worked out, was mostly a matter of poor communication. I long for the days of George Fathauer, but AES has a lot of new items that may be worth another look.... ;)

Maybe not totally suck, but certainly mostly suck. They have gone downhill since they started fooling with guitar stuff. They still have stuff it's hard to get elsewhere and they are still local. I just have to be ready to become annoyed when I deal with them. Know what I need, order and pay for it, then move on. Starting a dialog with them is a fool's errand.

20+ years ago AES was good, they catered to antique radios, Stereo-Hi-Fi, put out a nice catalog, advertised in "my" magazine VTV. They (Norma (and whattsizface) sold out at some point quite a few years ago and now it's all about guitar amp crap, which I could care less about, but that's where the $$$ is. They totally suck these days.

That's where I got what information I have is from YouTube. How did we get by before YouTube? ;)

This is where I go when I don't know...

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tolex

I ordered the Tolex for my record player project thru these guys. They had the best prices and they are local. Every time I deal with these guys, I swear it's the last time. Nobody knows anything and if you talk to more than one person, you might get a different story. They don't know anything about the glue, flash time, open time, is it fumy? They don't know anything about Tolex. Do I need a heat gun? Do I need breathing equipment? No clue. This is crappy customer service. If they are going to sell something, know what you are selling and be able and willing to advise your customer. They don't refund cut materials, so I hope I did the right thing with colors. I have been putting off installing the Tolex fearing I'm starting off wrong. I don't see how this outfit stays in business sometimes. George Fathauer is rolling over in his grave......Good old George would have me bring the cabinet to him and he'd do the job while he was explaining how to do it.

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/radio_antique_equipment_parts_0 Tubes and components.